What a pied-à-terre may really cost
New York levies an annual surcharge on non-primary residences. Model it against the Department of Finance’s own roll, with the assessment date on every figure and the limits of the estimate stated.
Begin with the address.
Every residence in the five boroughs carries a Department of Finance market value. Enter an address to see the figure on the roll, and what Article 30-C asks of an owner whose home is not primary.
Try 220 Central Park South, or 26 Cliff Street.
Have the position reviewed
An estimate from the public roll is a starting point. Certification, documentation, and — where the value warrants it — a Tax Commission appeal are matters for counsel. Tell us where the residence stands.
Watch what the residence is worth
The surcharge is one side of the ledger. Once a month we send where the residence stands against recorded sales in the building and the blocks around it, with the range and the sample behind it. Nothing public, nothing owed.
How the tax works
Enacted in May 2026 as Article 30-C of the Tax Law. Effective July 1, 2026. It sunsets on June 30, 2031.
Phase One
From July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, the surcharge is calculated on the Department of Finance market value. The property's value band determines the rate applied to its full market value, and the Phase One bands differ by property class.
- $5M – $15M
- 0.8%
- $15M – $25M
- 1.05%
- Above $25M
- 1.3%
- $1M – $3M
- 4%
- $3M – $5M
- 5.25%
- Above $5M
- 6.5%
What counts as a primary residence
A residence occupied by its owner or the owner's immediate family, or rented under an arm's-length lease of one year or longer. Occupancy is ordinarily proved by the address on a New York State resident income tax return, or by a STAR benefit on the property.
Certification and appeal
Owners certify the status of the residence. Certifying negligently or in bad faith carries penalties of up to fifty percent of the tax, which is reason enough to have the position documented before it is filed.
Owners who received a notice may submit primary-residence proof through the Department of Finance process. The Tax Commission also publishes a separate process for challenging the value used for the surcharge and, where applicable, the exemption determination.
Phase Two
From July 2028 through June 2031, valuation moves from the Finance roll to a comparable-sales method, under a single $5 million threshold across classes. Residences well below the Phase One thresholds today can be reached under Phase Two.
Across the Department of Finance roll, 18,632 residences meet the Phase One thresholds.
Beyond the estimate
Attorney-Led Review
Certification of primary or non-primary status, the documentation that supports it, and appeals of the underlying value before the New York City Tax Commission.
Request a reviewResidence Watch
Stewardship of a residence while its owner is elsewhere: inspections, vendors, and a considered record of the property in their absence.
Residence WatchBoth Sides of the Move
For owners weighing where a primary residence should sit, we advise from the New York side and coordinate with properly licensed counsel and brokerage in South Florida, rather than answering from one side of the question.
Speak with usQuestions Worth Asking
- Is my home covered by the tax?
- Article 30-C reaches non-primary residences above a value threshold that differs by class. In Phase One, a one-to-three-family home is reached above $5 million of Department of Finance market value; a condominium above $1 million. A residence occupied as a primary home is outside the tax whatever its value.
- What if the residence is my primary home?
- Then no surcharge is due, but the position has to be certified. A primary residence is one occupied by the owner or immediate family, and it is ordinarily proved by the address on a New York State resident income tax return or by a STAR benefit on the property.
- What if the residence is rented out?
- A residence let on an arm’s-length lease of one year or longer is treated as a primary residence for the tenant and is outside the surcharge. Short-term and seasonal arrangements do not qualify.
- How are condominium and co-operative values set?
- Both are valued by the Department of Finance rather than by sale price. A condominium unit carries its own market value on the public roll. A co-operative is assessed at the building level, with per-unit values imputed from the building’s income and expense filings, so no individual figure appears on the roll.
- Can the value be challenged?
- Yes. The Tax Commission publishes a process for challenging the value used for the surcharge. Owners who received a Department of Finance notice may also submit primary-residence proof through the exemption process described in that notice.
- What happens if the notice is ignored?
- If you received a 2026 notice, the City’s current exemption-response deadline is September 18, 2026. Follow the deadline and instructions on the notice. Inaccurate or misleading submissions made negligently or in bad faith may carry penalties of up to fifty percent of the surcharge.
Estimates derive from public Department of Finance records and are general information, not tax or legal advice. Consult your own advisors.