Page 2 of 2 RP-496 (6/20)
Instructions
Authorization
Real Property Tax Law § 496 authorizes a property owner to
voluntarily give up his or her claim to a tax exemption on one or
more preceding assessment rolls.
Time and place for ling
A property owner may le a voluntary exemption renunciation
application with the County Director of Real Property Tax
Services (or in Nassau or Tompkins Counties, with the Chief
Assessing Ofcer; this form does not apply to real property
located within New York City). The application must be led no
later than ten years after the levy of taxes upon the assessment
roll on which the renounced exemption appears. Do not le
the form with the New York State Department of Taxation and
Finance or the Ofce of Real Property Tax Services.
Calculation of amount owed
The County Director, after consulting with the assessor when
appropriate, shall compute the total amount owed by the
property owner. For the STAR exemption, the amount owed is
the actual amount of the tax savings. For all other exemptions,
the amount owed is the assessed value that was exempted
multiplied by the applicable tax rate or rates. Interest shall then
be added at the rate prescribed by Real Property Tax Law
§ 924-a, or by such other applicable law, for each month, or
portion thereof, since the levy of taxes upon such assessment
roll. A processing fee of $500 also shall be charged. The
processing fee does not apply if only the STAR exemption is
being renounced and either:
– the renunciation is only for the purpose of switching to the
STAR credit, or
– school taxes have not yet been levied on the assessment roll
on which the exemption appears.
Notication
After entering the amount owed in Part 2 of the application,
the County Director shall return the application to the property
owner. The Director also shall send a copy of the application to
the assessor, and in the case of a STAR exemption, a copy to
the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance.
Distribution
The property owner shall pay the total amount due to the County
Treasurer no later than 15 days after the notication is mailed to
the owner by the County Director. The Treasurer shall issue a
payment receipt to the property owner. After deducting the $500
processing fee (if applicable), the Treasurer shall distribute the
taxes and interest owed to the affected municipal corporations,
and, in the case of the STAR exemption, to the Commissioner.