Real Property Grievance Process

This video has worthwhile information to help you prepare.

You can download (from the New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services website) a booklet on contesting your assessment, the instructions for filing a grievance (using form RP524), instructions for completing it, and the RP524 itself: the form as an Acrobat PDF format or the form as an MS Word document.

Grievance paperwork can be filed at the Assessor's office each year, between May 1st and that year's Grievance day. See the booklet on contesting your assessment. Upon filing the paperwork, an appointment will be given for grievance night beginning at 4pm. After hearing all of the grievances, the Board of Assessment Review will mail determination notices prior to the 30th of June each year .

If a grievance was filed and the taxpayer is not satisfied with the determination, s/he can file for a Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) in a special Small Claims part of the NYS Court System. Those eligible to file for a Small Claims review include the owners of a 1,2, or 3 family residences that are "Owner Occupied". The Court System provides this overview of SCAR; this more comprehensive explanation and detailed eligibility criteria and instructions.