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Understanding Postmarks

Avoid Penalties by Understanding Postmarks
Property tax payments must be received at the Village Clerk's Office, processing center (PO Box on your tax bill), or must have a United States Postal Service (USPS) postmark by the DATE DUE date on your tax bill to avoid penalties.

If a payment is received after the delinquency date (DATE DUE) with no USPS postmark, the payment is considered late and penalties will be imposed in accordance with New York State Real Property Tax Law.

Late payments receive penalties as demonstrated in the schedule below.
Tax Penalty Schedule
Postmarks are imprints on letters, flats, and parcels that show the name of the USPS office that accepted custody of the mail, along with the state, the zip code, and the date of mailing. The postmark is generally applied, either by machine or by hand, with cancellation bars to indicate that the postage cannot be reused.

Taxpayers who send their payments by mail are cautioned that the USPS only postmarks certain mail depending on the type of postage used, and may not postmark mail on the same day deposited by a taxpayer. To ensure timely payment of your tax bill, please mail your payment early enough to account for unforseen delays in mail handling.

Postage that is Postmarked

  • Standard Postage: Stamps purchased and affixed to mail as evidence of the payment of postage.

Postage that is NOT Postmarked

  • Metered Postage: Mail on which postage is printed directly on an envelope or label by a postage machine licensed by the USPS. Many private companies use these types of postage machines.
  • Pre-Cancelled Postage: Stamps sold through a private vendor, such as stamps.com.
  • Automated Postal Center (APC) Postage: Stamps, with or without a date, purchased from machines located within a USPS lobby.
  • Permit Imprint Postage: Pre-sorted mail used by bill pay services, such as online home banking.

If you use these types of postage, the USPS will NOT postmark your mail. You will be charged a penalty according to the above schedule if your payment is not received by the DATE DUE date on your tax bill.

Other Postage Options

The USPS has other postage options that can help track and verify that payments are received in our office on time. These services include:

  • Priority Mail

  • Express Mail

  • Postage Validated Imprint

  • Certificates of Mailing

  • Certified Mail

  • USPS Tracking

  • Signature Mail

  • Delivery Confirmation

  • Return Receipt

  • Restricted Delivery

Note: The sender pays the cost of these optional services. Please visit the United States Postal Service website for information on tracking what you send by mail.