Receiver of Taxes > FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions


Where is the Tax Office located?
The Tax Office has two locations at Town Hall North, located at 74 Audrey Avenue in Oyster Bay, and Town Hall South, located at 977 Hicksville Road in Massapequa.

What is the Tax Office phone number?
(516) 624-6400

What are the business hours for the Tax Office?
Monday through Friday (except for Holidays) 9:00 am until 4:45 pm.  The last two days of every collection period the Tax Office in both Town Hall North and South are open for the extended hours of 8:00 am until 6:00 pm.

When are tax bills sent to residents?
The School tax bill is mailed in October.  The General tax bill is mailed in January.  If you have a mortgage with an escrow account, your tax bills will be sent directly to your lending institution.

When do I pay my taxes?
General Tax 1st half is due January 1st, payments accepted without penalty until February 10th.
General Tax 2nd half is due July 1st, payments accepted without penalty until August 10th.
School Tax 1st half is due October 1st, payments accepted without penalty until November 10th.
School Tax 2nd half is due April 1s , payments accepted without penalty until May 10th.

How and where do I pay my taxes?
Taxes can be paid by any of the following methods:

  • In person:  at either Town Hall North, located at 74 Audrey Avenue in Oyster Bay with cash, check or credit/debit card (for a fee) or Town Hall South, located at 977 Hicksville Road in Massapequa.
  • Through the mail: Please send your check or money order (along with payment stub) to Jeffrey P. Pravato, Receiver of Taxes, 74 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, NY 11771.
  • Online: Taxpayers may pay online (for a fee) by electronic ACH check or by American Express, MasterCard, Discover, or VISA credit card. CLICK HERE TO PAY ONLINE.

How can I view my tax bill online or make an online payment?
Taxpayers may view their tax bills for free or pay online (for a fee) by electronic ACH check or by American Express, MasterCard, Discover, or VISA credit card by CLICKING HERE. The online service fees for providing you this convenience are as follows:

  • $1.75 for payments up to $50,000.00
  • $3.00 for payments between $50,000.01 and $75,000.00
  • $6.00 for payments between $75,000.01 and $100,000.00
  • $10.00 for payments between $100,000.01 and $150,000.00
  • $15.00 for payments between $150,000.01 and $250,000.00
  • 2.45% with a minimum of $1.95 for MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express cards.
  • $3.95 for Visa Debit Cards

Please note New York State law mandates that the Town of Oyster Bay receives no portion of the service fee – this fee is retained by the payment processing vendors enabling the transaction.  The above fee schedule is in accordance with credit card companies and transaction clearing house established rates.

How can I avoid paying a penalty?
To avoid paying a penalty, your payment envelope MUST be postmarked on or before the last day of the collection period.  By law, only a postmark from the United States Postal Service is accepted as proof of timely mailing.  A metered postmark is NOT acceptable.  If making payment close to the due date, we suggest that you go to the Post Office and make sure a postmark is on your payment envelope.

What happens if I miss the tax payment due date?
There is a 40 day penalty free period between the due date and penalty date.  If you miss the last day to pay without penalty, you will be charged a 1% penalty per month retroactive to the original due date.

After the collection period ends (May 31st for School taxes and August 31st for General taxes), taxes in arrears will be payable to the Nassau County Treasurer, 1 West Street, Mineola, NY  11501.  The Treasurer’s phone number is (516) 571-2090.

When do I get an official receipt for my tax payment?
Tax receipts are sent according to the following schedule:

General Tax – March and September
School Tax – December and June

Why is “Arrears” printed on my tax bill?
If the word “Arrears” is printed in the upper left-hand corner of your tax bill, please contact the Nassau County Treasurer immediately, as this indicates you have unpaid taxes accumulating penalties at that office.  You may reach the Nassau County Treasurer at 1 West Street, Mineola, NY  11501.  The Treasurer’s phone number is (516) 571-2090.

I paid off my mortgage, how do I get tax bills?
Notify the Tax Office in writing immediately so future tax bills will be mailed to you directly.  A delay could result in a missed due date, resulting in a penalty.

Why do I make my check payable to a person rather than the Town of Oyster Bay?
Jeffrey P. Pravato, the Receiver of Taxes, is an independently elected official.  The Law holds the Receiver of Taxes personally responsible for ensuring that the tax dollars he receives are properly distributed to schools, county, town and other special districts.

To avoid paying penalty, your payment envelope MUST be postmarked on/or before the last day of the taxes’ penalty-free collection period. By law, ONLY an official U.S. Postal Service cancellation date stamp is acceptable as proof that your payment was mailed on time. A metered postmark is NOT acceptable by law. If making payment close to a tax deadline, we suggest that payment be sent by registered or certified mail, or have the envelope “hand” canceled with the date at your local post office.

When are mandatory $10.00 duplicate bill fees collected?
Mandatory duplicate bill fees ($10 per bill) are to be paid by third party payors (Banks, Title Companies, Attorneys).  In order to process your payment the mandatory $10.00 duplicate bill fee (a separate check to be mailed along with the tax payment) must be included for each payment or include an original tax payment stub, or it is deemed an incomplete transaction and will be returned for the fee. Under New York State Real Property Tax Law and the Administrative Code of Nassau County, the Receiver of Taxes is not permitted to accept payment other than for the complete amount (base payment with fees and penalties that apply).  If a payment is short the required amount, the Receiver of Taxes is obligated to return the transaction for correction.  If the time is such that the returned item becomes late, all appropriate fees and penalties must be added to the corrected transaction.

I’m a new home owner should I notify the Receiver of Taxes?
New property owners should notify the Tax Office in writing immediately so future tax bills will be mailed to you or your banking institution.  A delay could result in a missed due date, resulting in a penalty.

I’m thinking of making a home improvement, will this affect my assessment?
It may result in a change of assessment through the Nassau County Department of Assessment.   The Department of Assessment can be reached at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola or call (516) 571-1500.

I’m thinking of buying property in the Town of Oyster Bay.  How do I find out the current taxes?
Call the Receiver of Taxes at (516) 624-6400 and a staff person will assist you.  For faster service, have the school district, section, block and lot numbers ready.