How To Pay Bills Online For Village Of Chatham Residents

Paying bills can be a hassle, especially when you have to mail in checks or drive across town to drop off payments. However, residents of the Village of Chatham have several convenient online bill pay options to choose from. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the different ways to pay your Village of Chatham bills online, including setting up recurring payments through your bank or the village’s website.

Overview Of Online Bill Pay Options For Village Of Chatham

The Village of Chatham offers several online bill payment options for residents to pay their utility bills, traffic tickets, permit fees and other charges Below is a quick overview of the online bill pay choices

• Village Website – You can pay bills directly through the Village of Chatham’s website using either eCheck (ACH) or credit/debit card. You can also set up an account to schedule recurring payments.

• Bank Bill Pay – Most banks offer online bill pay services allowing you to pay bills from your bank account, Payments are sent via paper check or electronically depending on the utility company

• Merchant Transact – The village uses Merchant Transact for online payment of traffic tickets, permits and other fees. You don’t need an account, just your reference number.

• Phone Payments – The village has a toll-free bill pay number you can call to make one-time payments over the phone using a card.

• In-Person – You can drop off check or money order payments at Village Hall. Cash and card payments are also accepted in-person.

Now let’s explore each of these Village of Chatham online bill payment options in more detail.

Paying Bills Through The Village Website

The easiest way to pay your Village of Chatham bill online is directly through the village’s website.

To get started, go to chathamla.gov/payment-options and click on the “Click Here to Pay Your Bill now” button. This will take you to the village’s eOnline Bill Pay portal.

On your first visit, you’ll need to create an account by clicking “Register” and entering your account information. Once registered, you can:

• View Account Balance – See amount due and payment history all in one place.

• Make One-Time Payments – Securely pay your bill by eCheck (ACH) or credit/debit card.

• Set Up Recurring Payments – Schedule automatic monthly payments on a set date.

• Store Payment Methods – Save payment info like bank account or card to check out faster for future payments.

One advantage of paying directly through the village website is you can set up automatic monthly payments to avoid late fees. The village will debit the full balance owed each month on the due date.

There are no sign-up fees or extra charges to use the village’s online bill pay system. However, there is a convenience fee for card payments around 3-4% of the transaction amount. eCheck payments from a bank account do not incur any fees.

Paying Bills Through Your Bank

Another easy option is to pay your Village of Chatham bills through your bank’s online bill pay system.

Most major banks like Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo offer online bill payment services you can set up directly through your bank’s website or mobile app.

Here’s how bank bill pay works:

• Select Village of Chatham as a new payee and enter the mailing address or account number.

• Pick the type of payment – electronic or check. Electronic payments happen faster.

• Schedule one-time or recurring payments to be sent automatically.

• The bank withdraws funds from your account and sends payment on your behalf.

One thing to note with bank bill pay is that it can take 5-7 business days for electronic payments and 7-10 days if sent by check. To avoid late fees, schedule the payment at least 1 week before the due date.

Check with your specific bank on whether they charge fees for bill pay. Some banks include it free with certain checking accounts. Others may charge per transaction, like 50 cents a payment.

Overall, bank bill pay offers a simple way to schedule and track payments that gets deducted right from your account. Just buffer in time for mailing or processing delays.

Paying Traffic Tickets & Fees Via Merchant Transact

For paying traffic tickets, permits, and other municipal fees, the Village of Chatham uses an online payment system called Merchant Transact.

You can access it here: chatham.merchanttransact.com

Making one-time payments on Merchant Transact is easy:

• Select the payment category – traffic, permit, etc.

• Enter your reference number, which is usually on the ticket or bill.

• Enter payment info and submit. No need to create an account.

Merchant Transact accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and eCheck. Credit/debit card payments are subject to a convenience fee.

The system provides instant payment confirmation so you have peace of mind. You can also opt-in to receive email or text receipts.

For frequent payments, you can create a free account to store your information. This allows fast checkout in the future.

Paying Bills By Phone

For quick, one-time payments, the Village of Chatham offers bill pay by phone.

To use the automated phone payment system, call 1-855-230-7396. You will need:

• Your full account number

• Billing zip code

• Payment information like card number and security code

The village accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express over the phone. There is a convenience fee based on payment amount.

Once the payment processes, you will receive a confirmation number for your records. Expect to receive a payment receipt by mail within 1-2 billing cycles.

The phone pay option is great for last-minute payments if you don’t have time to login to a website or drive to the village office. Just make sure to call during business hours.

Paying In-Person At Village Hall

For residents who prefer to pay bills in-person, you can drop off payments at Village Hall located at 1709 Oak Street.

The Village Office accepts:

• Cash payments
• Check or money order
• Credit/debit card payments (convenience fees apply)

In-person payments allow you to talk directly with village staff if you have any account questions or need payment receipts right away.

Just keep in mind the village office is busiest on Mondays, Fridays, and days after holidays. For faster service, try to avoid the peak times if paying in person.

Tips For Avoiding Late Fees

When paying Village of Chatham bills online, here are some tips to make sure payments post on time and avoid any late fees:

• For website payments, schedule 3-5 days before due date in case of processing delays.

• For bank bill pay, schedule 7-10 days before due date to account for mailing time.

• Pay traffic tickets and fees instantly online 24/7 to avoid missing a deadline.

• For phone or in-person payments, avoid peak times on Mondays, Fridays and after holidays.

• Set up recurring payments through the village website or your bank to make sure bills get paid automatically each month.

• Opt-in to email or text alerts through your bill pay method so you never miss a payment confirmation.

As long as you plan ahead and pick the most convenient bill pay method for your needs, paying online provides a simple way to stay on top of your Village of Chatham bills and avoid penalties. The village offers multiple options – website, bank, phone, and in-person – to make bill payment as easy as possible for residents.