New York property tax

How New York assesses property

Each New York city or town assesses every property at the same uniform percentage of market value, called its level of assessment, which may be 100% or a fraction. Dividing your assessment by the level of assessment gives the assessor's estimate of your market value. In most communities the valuation date is July 1 of the year before the roll.

Homestead and other exemptions

New York's main homeowner benefit is STAR, which reduces school taxes. Basic STAR requires combined resident owner income of $500,000 or less for the STAR credit, or $250,000 or less for the STAR exemption. Enhanced STAR gives a larger benefit when at least one resident owner is 65 or older by December 31 and income is $110,750 or less for 2026 benefits, or $113,550 or less for 2027. Senior citizen and veterans exemptions are also common. Exemption applications are due by the taxable status date, March 1 in most communities.

Due dates

In most communities school tax bills are mailed in early September and county and town tax bills in early January. Payment deadlines vary by school district and municipality, and some downstate counties and cities run different calendars.

Appeals

File a grievance with your city or town by Grievance Day, the fourth Tuesday in May in most communities, after checking the tentative roll published around May 1. If the grievance does not give the relief you asked for, you can seek judicial review, including low-cost Small Claims Assessment Review for most homeowners, within 30 days after the final roll, July 1 in most communities. New York City uses its own deadlines. How to appeal, step by step.

Assessors set assessed values but not tax bills. If your assessment is fair but the tax seems too high, that is a matter for the school board, county, city, town or special district that levies it.

Rates and medians: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 5-year estimates. Rules: NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, Property tax calendar. NYS Tax Department, How assessments are determined. NYS Tax Department, Contesting your assessment. NYS Tax Department, STAR eligibility. NYS Tax Department, Property tax bills.