Nassau & Suffolk Counties, New York Nassau grievance deadline March 31, 2027Nassau grievance deadline Mar 31
Long Island Property Tax
Guide

How to read your Nassau County tax bill

Nassau tax bills are dense but predictable. This guide walks through every section so you know exactly what you’re looking at, where to find errors, and which numbers to use for a grievance.

Last verified 2 min read

Top-of-bill identifiers

  • Section / Block / Lot (SBL) — Your unique parcel identifier. Learn more.
  • School District code + name — The 6-digit code identifying which LI district your home is in.
  • Property class — NY ORPS code. 210 = single family, 220 = two family, etc.
  • Tax year — Nassau uses split-year (e.g., 2026/27 = school tax half due Oct 2026 - Apr 2027, general half Jan-Jul 2027).

Assessed value section

  • Total Assessed Value — What the assessor declared this property’s value to be on the most recent roll.
  • Taxable Assessed Value — Assessed Value minus exemptions (STAR, Senior, Veteran, etc.). This is the number the tax rate is applied to.
  • Land vs. Improvement breakdown — Usually shown separately. Useful for new-construction or major-renovation questions.

Exemptions section

  • STAR (Basic or Enhanced) — Dollar reduction applied to school tax portion only.
  • Senior Citizens — Percentage reduction (up to 50%) on county + town + school taxes if income-qualified.
  • Veterans (Alternative or Cold War) — 15–25%+ reduction in assessed value, capped by town’s maximum dollars.
  • Volunteer Firefighter / Ambulance — 10% reduction (Nassau, varies by town).
  • Disability — Up to 50% reduction, income-tested.

Taxing jurisdictions section

  • County rate — Nassau County levy per $1,000.
  • Town rate — Hempstead / North Hempstead / Oyster Bay levy per $1,000.
  • School District rate — Your district’s levy. Typically 60–75% of total.
  • Village rate (if applicable) — About 60 LI villages levy their own tax. Adds 5–15% to bill.
  • Special districts — Fire, library, garbage, water — each can be its own line.
Where to spot errors. Most common Nassau bill errors: (1) STAR exemption not applied after registration; (2) Veterans exemption not applied after filing RP-458-a; (3) Senior exemption dropped because annual IVP letter wasn’t returned. If your bill changed dramatically year-over-year, line up the exemptions section with the prior year’s bill — that’s usually where the change is.

Frequently asked questions

Why are there two bills per year from Nassau?

One is school tax (October + April halves). One is general tax (January + July halves) for county + town + special districts. They’re separate because school districts and the County set budgets on different timetables.

What’s the “Taxable Assessed Value” vs. “Total Assessed Value”?

Total = what the assessor declared. Taxable = Total minus exemptions. Tax rate is applied to Taxable.

How do I dispute a line item?

For assessment errors → file a grievance. For exemption errors → contact your Town Receiver of Taxes (they administer exemptions even though they’re state-defined).

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Related

Nassau payment scheduleWhen each half is due Nassau grievance guideIf your assessment seems off STAR exemptionIf your STAR isn’t showing up

Sources and citations

Last verified May 11, 2026. Tax rules change; we re-check every page each quarter.

Educational content and estimates only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Verify with your county or town receiver, an attorney or a CPA before making financial decisions.