BIDDEFORD — Active duty military personnel from Biddeford will now be exempt from paying vehicle excise tax, the Biddeford City Council decided on Tuesday.

The council unanimously voted to exempt residents from Biddeford currently serving in active duty in the U.S. armed forces from paying the annual excise tax on their motor vehicles.

The exemption, which goes into effect 30 days from the council’s decision, applies to those who are either permanently stationed at a military or naval post, or who are deployed for military service outside Maine for more than 180 days.

The order was given final approval Tuesday after being put on the back burner for several months. The exemption was first brought to the council on Jan. 17, but was tabled pending further review from the Policy Committee.

The ordinance was reviewed by the Policy Committee on March 13 and was unanimously forwarded to the City Council for review at its March 21 meeting, when the order was removed from the table.

As part of the ordinance, only one motor vehicle per qualifying resident will be eligible for the exemption.

At the council’s March 21 meeting, Councilor Norman Belanger expressed concern over the ordinance’s initial wording, which read that military personnel could only register one “vehicle.”

Belanger said he was concerned because “vehicle” could include motor homes or planes, and motioned for the city ordinance to mirror state statute, indicating primarily cars and motorcycles. The council unanimously approved the amendment and gave initial approval to the exemption.

The city is now defining “motor vehicle” in accordance to state law, meaning any self-propelled vehicle not operated exclusively on tracks, including motorcycles, but not including aircraft.

The ordinance also excludes snowmobiles.

To apply for the exemption, active duty personnel must acquire certification of their status from their commander or a designated agent. The certification must be presented to the city’s excise tax collector.

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or [email protected].