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Property tax break for senior homeowners

Senior Citizen Homeowners' Exemption (SCHE) | NYC Department of Finance (DOF)

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How it works

SCHE lowers the property taxes of eligible seniors. You may be able to reduce your home’s assessed value by 5-50% depending on your income.

  • Apply by March 15th for benefits to begin on July 1st of that year. If March 15 falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is the next business day.
  • Requires proof of age, income, and tax deduction.
  • If your property qualifies for SCHE and the Disabled Homeowners Exemption (DHE), you will only be granted SCHE. You cannot get both.
  • Renew every two years by March 15. The Department of Finance will send you a renewal application when it is time to renew. If you do not renew, your property taxes could increase significantly.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for SCHE, you must meet these requirements:

  1. Own a one-, two-, or three-family home, condo, or coop apartment.
  2. All owners of the property are 65 or older. However, if you own the property with a spouse or sibling, only one of you need to be 65 or older.
  3. All owners must live on the property as the primary residence.
  4. The combined income for all owners must be less than or equal to $58,399.
  5. You must own the property for at least 12 consecutive months before the date of filing for the exemption. This is not a requirement if you got the exemption on a property that you owned before.

How to apply

Apply by mail

Applications must be postmarked by March 15 for your benefit to begin on July 1 of the same year.

  1. Download and print the initial exemption application and fill it in. You can also call 311 to get one mailed to you.
  2. When applying, you will need the borough, block, and lot (BBL) for your home. Use the Property Address Search to get this information.
  3. Gather your required documents and include copies of them with your application. Your application will not be processed without them.
  4. Mail your completed application and required documents to:
    New York City Department of Finance
    Homeowner Tax Benefits
    P.O. Box 311
    Maplewood, NJ 07040-0311

Download the form


Get help

Visit the website

Visit the SCHE website to learn more.

Email DOF

Send a message at nyc,gov/contactdof

Call 311

Ask for Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption program.

Call SCHE

Call 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675)

Get help with the application

Call 929-252-7242 to get one-on-one help with applying for SCHE from an NYC Public Engagement Unit Specialist.


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Last Updated October 11, 2024

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