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The Board of Assessors consists of three elected officers who serve staggered terms of 3 years each. The Board is assisted by an Assistant Assessor that handle the daily business matters and execute the decisions of the Board.

The Board holds its regular meeting in the Assessors Office located on the 1st floor of the Town Hall 66 Central Square.

• Classify and determine "full and fair cash value" of all real and personal property according to Massachusetts General Law (Chapter 59).
•  Review and act upon all real and personal property abatement applications.
•  Process all motor vehicle abatement requests.
• Review and process all Statutory Exemption applications.
• Review all applications for accuracy regarding tax incentives for land used for recreational, forestry or agricultural purposes.
• According to Department of Revenue mass appraisal standards, implement a revaluation of the Town's real and personal property, every three years. Assessors are responsible for appraisal and assessment of all residential, commercial, and personal property in the community. Property is appraised at 100% of its fair market value.

The Assessors must discover and list all taxable property, maintaining accurate ownership and property information. As such, records indicating changes in ownership, deed transfers, and property improvements are sought from a variety of sources including the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds and the town's Building and Inspectional Services Departments. The motor vehicle excise tax program is also administered by the Assessors Department.

Under the statutory guidelines of M.G.L. Chapter 59, tax bills for real and personal property must be printed with name of the owner of record as of January 1 of the year preceding the fiscal year. For example: The property owner as of January 1, 2004 will be listed as the owner for the fiscal year 2005. (Fiscal year 2005 covers the period July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005). Tax bills are forwarded twice per fiscal year. To learn more about tax bills read

• M.G.L. Chapter 59.

A tax bill can be reduced if an exemption is granted or if the assessed value is abated.

A tax exemption is a discharge from the obligation to pay all or part of a real estate tax. State law determines exemption amounts and eligibility requirements. In addition, the Massachusetts General Laws contains several statues which provide for personal exemptions from real property tax bills. Exemptions are available for certain disabled veterans, the blind, disabled persons, qualifying elderly, indigent individuals, and the spouse or minor children of police or fire fighters killed in the line of duty. Additional restrictions and eligibility requirements may be applicable. All taxpayers are encouraged to contact the Assessors Department for clarification or assistance.

An abatement may be issued if you believe there are factual errors in the data pertaining to your property, or you believe that comparable sale properties are assessed substantially less (ten percent) than your property. A taxpayer can only seek an abatement from the time the first bills are mailed in November, until these bills are due to be paid ( or 30 days from the date of issue).

Total property valuation is divided by 1,000. It is then multiplied by the current tax rate.

Applicants must apply for a permit online. For assistance, contact the Building Department. 

• Copy of Construction Supervisor License. 
• Copy of Home Improvement License. 
• Copy of window specifications, if applicable.
• Any electrical or plumbing/gas work involved with the project will require a separate permit in conjunction with the building permit.
• Permit fees may be paid online by check, debit card or credit card. Permit fees paid at the Building Department office by check only, made payable to the Town of Bridgewater.

SHEDS UNDER 100 SQUARE FEET DO NOT REQUIRE A BUILDING PERMIT 

MINIMUM REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR PERMIT SUBMITTAL FOR SHEDS LARGER THAN 100 SQ FEET

Applicants must apply for a permit online. For assistance, contact the Building Department. 

• If Contractor is applying for the building permit a Copy of Construction Supervisor License and Home Improvement License is required.
• If Homeowner is applying for the building permit, they are exempt from the license requirement. 
• A plot plan showing proposed structure with all zoning setbacks to the property lines. 
• A set of plans showing footings, foundation, sono tubes, elevations, and framing details with a cross section. The submitted plans should reflect what and how you plan on building the structure. Zoning Ordinance Section 4.4 ACCESSORY STRUCTURES 

Dimensional Requirements and Location. Except as otherwise provided herein, the following dimensional rules shall apply to accessory structures: 

1. Accessory structures or buildings with a footprint of 150 – 300 square feet or less may be located within five (5) feet of a rear or side property line. 
2. Accessory structures or buildings with a footprint larger than 300 – 900 square feet may be located within ten (10) feet of a rear or side property line after issuance of a special permit from the Board of Appeals. 
3. Accessory structures or buildings with a footprint larger than 900 square feet shall require a special permit and shall be set back from side or rear property lines in accordance with the provisions of the Table of Dimensional Requirements. 
4. An accessory building attached to its principal building or within ten (10) feet of it shall be considered an integral part thereof and as such shall be subject to the front, side, and rear yard requirements applicable to the principal building.

Applicants must apply for a permit online. For assistance, contact the Building Department. 

• Copy of Construction Supervisor License.
• Copy of Home Improvement License. 
• Plot plan showing proposed structure with all setbacks to lot lines. 
• A set of plans showing footing, foundation, sonotubes, elevations, and framing details with a cross section. The plans should reflect what and how you plan to build the project. Along with the electronic copy, two sets of 11” x 17” paper copies shall be submitted to the Building Department before the permit can be reviewed. Upon issuing the permit, the applicant will receive a marked up set of plans to be kept on site. The other set of plans will remain at the Building Department to be used on the various inspections as the project progresses.
• Garages only: Please fill out and submit a Driveway approval form. Contact the Bridgewater Highway Department located at 151 High Street, 508-697-0931. 
• Stamped letter from structural engineer if using engineered lumber and/or steel beams.
• Any electrical or plumbing/gas work involved with the project will require a separate permit in conjunction with the building permit. 
• Permit fees can be paid online by check, debit card or credit card. Permit fees paid at the Building Department office by check only, made payable to the Town of Bridgewater.

Applicants must apply for a permit online. For assistance, contact the Building Department.

• Copy of Construction Supervisor License. 
• Copy of Home Improvement License.
• Set of stamped plans from design engineer and a stamped document from a structural engineer certifying the roof assembly is structurally sufficient to support the proposed system design.
• Upon completion of the project, submit an as-built plan by the design engineer and certified by the structural engineer.
• Any electrical work involved with the project will require a separate permit in conjunction with the building permit.
• Permit fees may be paid online by check, debit card or credit card. Permit fees paid at the Building Department office by check only, made payable to the Town of Bridgewater.

Applicants must apply for a permit online. For assistance, contact the Building Department.

• Copy of Construction Supervisor License and a copy of Home Improvement License. 
• Plot plan showing proposed structure with all zoning setbacks to property lines. 
• An electronic set of plans showing footing, foundation, sono tubes, and framing details with a cross section. The plans should reflect what and how you plan to build the project. Along with the electronic copy, two sets of 11” x 17” paper copies shall be submitted to the Building Department before the permit is reviewed. Upon issuance of the permit, the applicant will be given back a marked up set of the plans to be kept on site. The other set of plans will remain with the building department to be used on the various inspections as the project progresses. 
• HERS Rater Report. 
• Bridgewater Fire Department review form for plan review by the fire safety officer. The applicant must submit plans to the fire station, located at 22 School Street, with a check from $50.00 made payable to the Town of Bridgewater. Applicant must submit approval form with the building permit applications.
• Please fill out and submit a Driveway approval form. Contact the Bridgewater Highway Department located at 151 High Street, 508-697-0931. 
• Stamped letter from structural engineer if using engineered lumber and/or steel beams. 
• Submit a copy of the paid receipt for water and sewer service from the Water Department(call 508-697-0910), if available. Otherwise, an approved septic plan must be submitted with Board of Health onsite disposal permits.
• Any electrical or plumbing/gas work involved with the project, requires separate permits in conjunction with the building permit. 
• Permit fees can be paid online by check, debit card or credit card. Permit fees paid at the Building Department office by check only, made payable to the Town of Bridgewater.

Applicants must apply for a permit online. For assistance, contact the Building Department. 

• Copy of Construction Supervisor License and a copy of Hoisting License.
• Plot plan showing proposed structure with all zoning setbacks to property lines. 
• Letters of disconnection from any utilities and services, including, but not limited to electric, natural/LP gas, water, and sewer or septic.
• Letter stating location of facility excepting the demotion material. 
• Utility disconnection certifications. 
• Permit fees can be paid online by check, debit card or credit card. Permit fees paid at the Building Department office by check only, made payable to the Town of Bridgewater.

Any building or structure constructed in 1920 or earlier is subject to review under the Town’s Demolition Delay Ordinance.

A completed Determination of Significance Application must be submitted with any demolition request for buildings from this period. Applications are filed with the Bridgewater Historical Commission, which will review the request in accordance with the ordinance.

Upon receipt of a completed application, the Historical Commission will schedule and hold a public meeting within fourteen (14) days to determine significance.

Footing	Continuous Keyway
Foundation	After Receipt of Foundation as-built by Building Department tar lines should reflect frost protection coverage
SonoTubes	Installed, but prior to concrete placement
Rough Wiring	Prior to rough frame inspection and passed
Rough Plumbing	Prior to rough frame inspection and passed
Rough Gas	Prior to rough frame inspection and passed
Rough HVAC	Done along with Rough frame inspection
Rough Frame	Rough wiring, plumbing and gas signed off, and all pre-insulation in place (any component of the insulation process that will be concealed) by wall board
Insulation	100% in place all areas that will be covered by wall board.
Final	Gas, final plumbing, final wiring
Final Building	Only after all applicable sign offs are received. HERS rater certificate must be received by the building department and a copy must be taped to the electrical panel

It is the permit holder's responsibility yo obtain all sign offs applicable to the building permit.  Please do not schedule a final inspection until all sign offs are recorded on the building card.

Email copies of the foundation as built and the final HERS certificate to building@bridgewaterma.org to schedule inspections, please call 508-697-0904

Re-inspection fees may be assessed as necessary.

Any homeowner performing work for which a building permit is required shall be exempt from the licensing provisions of 780 CMR: (Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Building Code) provided that if a homeowner engages a person(s) for hire to do such work, that such homeowner shall act as supervisor. 

Please complete the Home Owners Waiver Form and turn in with your application

This exemption shall not apply to the field erection of a manufactured building. For the purposes of this exemption a “HOMEOWNER” is defined as follows: Person(s) who owns a parcel of land on which he/she resides or intends to reside on which there is, or is intended to be, a one or two family dwelling, attached or detached structures accessory to such use and/or farm structures. A person who constructs more than one home in a two-year period shall not be considered a homeowner. 

The undersigned “homeowner” assumes responsibility for compliance with the Town of Bridgewater Building Department minimum inspection procedures and requirements and that he/she will comply with said procedures and requirements, as noted on the back of the Building Permit Card

the year end report will be uploaded to the website some time in December.

AutoPay is a convenient option in which bills will be paid automatically each billing cycle on their due dates using your default credit card or bank account. This will avoid any late fees and free you from having to remember when to pay. Login to your account and click on AutoPay to enroll.

Yes, simply login to your account and click on AutoPay. Next select Edit, change the status to “No, I do not want AutoPay” and save. To modify, go into your profile and uncheck the AutoPay box that you had previously checked when you elected to opt in.

The AutoPay date will not appear on the home page under Upcoming Scheduled Payments. However, when on the Scheduled Payments page, AutoPay will show.

Yes, you can make installment payments on bills by using a simple self-service selection called FlexPay. You decide the number of payments, the plan start and end dates and the payment method, either credit card or e-check. Note that each payment will incur a convenience fee.

Once your FlexPay schedule is made, you will receive an email confirmation of the schedule and then individual email reminders will be sent prior to each payment being made. You may cancel a FlexPay schedule at any time during the payment period, however, only future payments will be cancelled.

Login to your account, click on Pay my Invoices and select the invoice to pay. Click on Pay Selected and on the next screen, select the option to Pay with FlexPay and click on Proceed to Checkout. Add or select your payment method and Continue. Select the dates for the first and last payment and the number of payments and click on Create Schedule. Review your information and click on Schedule Payments.

Scheduled payments are individual payments that are scheduled for a specific date prior to the bill due date. Scheduled payments can be changed if it is before the date scheduled.

AutoPay is an automated process which pays your balance in full each billing cycle on the due date. Scheduled payments are manually entered by you for the date you choose.

You will want to contact your bank and cancel your automated bank draft before the payment is due and then you can choose to enroll in AutoPay or Recurring Scheduled Payments, if offered, using a credit/debit card or bank account through our online payment portal.

You will receive an email notification each time a new bill is ready for you to view and pay. Email notifications go to the email address used when you registered. A courtesy email address may be added if you wish to send notifications to an additional email address.

Yes, simply login and click on Paperless. Then, select “No” and save your changes.

Account Linking means that payers can link multiple accounts and view and pay all open bills with a single transaction. When registering bills under the same email address, payers are given the option to link the related accounts within the service.

Multiple first email notifications scheduled for the same day, including for different bill types, are grouped into one email rather than sent separately. Payment receipts are sent individually. Editing account information such as changing an email or password will go across all linked accounts, however, changing settings such as AutoPay or paperless is only for the accessed account.

It is convenient, saves time and allows you to receive bills anywhere at any time. Plus, it helps the environment.

Paying online with a credit/debit card or electronic check gives you the flexibility to pay how and when desired, and saves you the trouble from writing and mailing a check or driving by our office. In addition, you may choose to store your information for future use.

Please contact us at (866) 342-9267 and we will do our best to assist you.

If you are registered, you can login to the online payment portal to view your bill. Or, you can call your biller’s office and ask them to resend the email.

You can pay with credit or debit card or you may issue an electronic check from your bank account (checking or savings).

A non-refundable fee added to an invoice to cover various administrative costs associated with billing and accepting payment.

You can pay current Motor Vehicle Excise, Real Estate and Personal Property bills online with InvoiceCloud.

There is a non-refundable service fee of $.40 per transaction when using an ACH transfer (electronic check) from your checking or savings account and 2.95% per transaction when using a credit/debit card. The service fee will be shown on the payment page before you submit your payment for processing.

After you submit your payment, you will see a payment confirmation screen. It will contain your payment confirmation message. It will show an approved number for credit cards or a processed number for electronic check. You will also receive a confirmation email after your transaction is submitted. The email will include your account number, invoice number, amount paid and confirmation message. If your electronic check does not pass through the bank, you will receive an email informing you of the rejected payment.

Yes, if partial payments are accepted, you may use one payment method for part of the transaction and another payment method for other parts of the transaction.

Credit card transactions are authorized immediately and typically take 48 hours to settle. ACH transactions typically take 48 – 72 hours to settle.

Yes, simply login to your account and select “View paid or closed invoices”.

24 months is the standard retention period.

Yes, each invoice is presented in PDF and HTML format. Electronic storage is recommended because it saves paper and has a beneficial impact on our environment, but you can choose to print your bill.

Simply log into your account and change any of your personal information under the My Profile tab. If you are unable to change some of your information, you may need to call the biller and have them change it for you.

Invoice Cloud uses the highest standards in Internet security. Account information displayed within the customer and biller portals is truncated to protect confidential data. Any information retained is not shared with third parties.

Absolutely. Invoice Cloud will safely store your financial information using Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliant systems. This includes truncating (abbreviating) account numbers so that even the biller does not see your complete account information.

PCI stands for Payment Card Industry, and compliance with the industry standards is a requirement for those that accept the major credit cards and for software providers who have applications which involve the transmission and/or storage of credit card information.

Yes, an email address is required so the payment confirmation can be delivered via email.

If your bill is not showing, please double check that the right information was entered in the search criteria. For example, an exact match may be required.

Under “How would you like to pay” click on the drop-down box and choose EFT Check.

Yes, you will receive a confirmation email.

Registering is easy and can be done when you make a payment. There are two ways you can make a payment:

When you receive an email notification that your bill is ready to paid, simply click on the “View Invoice or Pay Now” button. You will be directed to Town of Bridgewater’s “Online Bill Pay” site, powered by Invoice Cloud. Once there, you will be given the opportunity to register or make a One Time Payment. If you choose to register, you will be asked to provide a password and accept the terms and conditions to use the system. The payment information you enter in your profile will then be securely encrypted and saved for your next visit.

You can go directly to the www.bridgewaterma.org and click on the “Make a Payment” button. Select What bill you want to pay, You will then be directed to the Town of Bridgewater’s “Online Bill Pay ” site, powered by Invoice Cloud. Once there, you will need to locate your account and be given the opportunity to register or make a one time payment. If you choose to register, you will be asked to provide a password and accept the terms and conditions to use the system. The payment information you enter in your profile will then be securely encrypted and saved for your next visit.

No, registration is not required for One Time Payments. However, by registering you’ll be able to view prior history, set up automatic payments and store payment information, if desired.

Click on “Forgotten Password?” at the bottom of the login screen. You will need your account number and email address to retrieve your password. If you’re unable to locate this information, you may call the Biller, and after verifying your identity, the Biller can assist.

The Municipal Lien Certificate cost is $50 per parcel.

If it is after the due date that is on the bill it may not be available to pay online.

Certified copies are $10 each and can be obtained over the counter (Cash or Check payment) or by mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope and the following information: state name (s) and dates (s) and send to: Town Clerk,  Academy Building, 66 Central Square, Bridgewater, MA 02324

Checks should be made payable to: Town of Bridgewater

To order online and have the certificate mailed to you please click here https://www.bridgewaterma.org/310/Online-Payment-Center

Please be sure to verify that the record is on file with the Town of Bridgewater before ordering.

You can register in person at the Town Clerk's Office, by mail or online. You will receive confirmation by mail that your registration was received.
Click To Register online or download Mail In Form

All voting is conducted at the Bridgewater Middle School
166 Mount Prospect Street
Bridgewater, MA 02324

There are 9 precincts in the Town of Bridgewater. The Annual Town Election is held the last Saturday, preceding the last Monday in April every year.

Check your Voting Status and Precinct here

The fee to file is $30 Cash or Check due at time of application.  Both parties must appear in person together to file the marriage intention. Both parties must bring in a valid form of identification. There is a 3 day waiting period from the date you file your intention before the license can be issued to you. The license is only good for 60 days from the date you file your intention.

See Link Below to the Business (D.B.A.) page

Click here for the Business Certificate page