School Tax Relief Program (STAR)

The School Tax Relief Program (STAR) credit lowers property taxes for eligible New York State homeowners. Important details • You must register with the New York State Tax Department to receive a STAR credit • You only need to register once to automatically receive your credit each year as long as you remain eligible • Get your STAR savings in the form of a check or direct deposit directly from New York State • If you already receive the STAR exemption, you can switch to the STAR credit in the Homeowner Benefit Portal There are two benefit levels based on your household income: • Basic STAR is for homeowners with total household income of $500,000 or less and reduces your taxes by about $293 • Enhanced STAR is for homeowners 65 and older with total household income of $98,700 or less and reduces your taxes by about $650 Older adults who get Enhanced STAR may also qualify for the Senior Citizens Homeowners' Exemption (SCHE) , which provides additional property tax savings. How to apply Visit the New York State Tax Department's Homeowner Benefit Portal to register for the STAR credit. • Log in to your Individual Online Services account or create one. • Select the Services menu in the upper-left corner of your screen, then choose Real property tax. • Select Homeowner Benefit Portal from the expanded menu • Select Register and follow the prompts to register for the STAR credit. What you may need You'll need the following to register: • Names and Social Security numbers for all property owners and spouses • Your school district name • Property purchase date and seller names • Your tax returns from two years ago (i.e. 2023 for the 2025 STAR credit or 2024 for the 2026 STAR credit) • Most recent school tax bill (if you have one) • Address of any out-of-state residential property you own • Legal trust name (if applicable) How to get help • Visit the STAR website for more information. • Email the NYC Department of Finance if you have questions about STAR. • Find a DOF center to get help in person. • Call the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance at 518-457-2036 for more information about the New York State STAR tax credit. • Call 311 to find out more.