STAR - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

According to our records, your property is no longer occupied by an eligible school tax relief exemption recipient. You may be eligible to keep the exemption if the property is the primary residence of at least one owner who owned it on March 15, 2015. To keep the STAR exemption you must:

1. Complete the form on the back of the letter.
2. Have all owners sign the certification statement.
3. Return the completed form by April 16, 2018, to the address provided.

In 2016, STAR was changed by state law from a property tax exemption to an income tax credit. Owners who were receiving the benefit as of March 15, 2015, can continue to receive it. New applicants must apply to the state for the credit. If you are eligible, you will receive the credit in the form of a check. The dollar value of the credit will generally be the same as the property tax exemption.

If we do not hear from you, the STAR exemption will be removed for the upcoming 2018-19 tax year, which starts on July 1, 2018. In addition, state law requires us to recover the benefit for the years that you received the exemption incorrectly, up to a period of six years. The adjusted property values and corresponding tax amounts, including interest, will appear on your July 2018 property tax bill.

Yes. If you owned the property on March 15, 2015, it is your primary residence, and you received the STAR exemption for the 2015-16 tax year, you may qualify to keep the STAR exemption. To keep the STAR exemption you must:

1. Complete the form on the back of the letter.
2. Have all owners sign the certification statement.
3. Return the completed form by April 16, 2018, to the address provided.

Yes, the New York City Department of Finance needs to hear from you if you want to keep the STAR property exemption.

If you are an owner and your name appears on the deed, you must:

1. Complete the form on the back of the letter.
2. Have all owners sign the certification statement.
3. Return the completed form by April 16, 2018, to the address provided.

1. Complete the form on the back of the letter.
2. Provide a copy of your spouse or sibling's death certificate and proof of ownership in the form of a last will and testament, probate, or court order.
3. Have all owners sign the certification statement.
4. Return the completed form and supporting documents by April 16, 2018, to the address provided.