Property Taxes
Town Clerk's Office
716-741-8938; Fax: 716-406-2514
Office Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Previously, you received a tax bill whether your taxes are in escrow or not. Due to changes with banking services, we now send bills out to non-escrow customers only. If your taxes are in escrow, we will send out a receipt once the bank pays the bill.
Please call the office at 741-8938 or send an email to khawes@clarence.ny.us if you are no longer in escrow.
The Town Clerk's office is responsible for the collection of property taxes. Taxes can be paid in the following ways:
- Checks payable to: "Karen Hawes, Town Clerk"
- By check or cash at the Town Clerk's office Monday – Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
- By check and mailed in the yellow envelope provided with the bill. (These payments go directly to the bank for processing.)
- By check and mailed to Clarence Town Clerk, One Town Place, Clarence, NY 14031.
- Night Depository available to right of the front door at the Town Hall after hours.
- Credit Card (VISA, Master Card and Discover) and ACH/e-check payments can be made via the online Tax Bill location on this website. A payment button is offered once you locate your tax bill. A convenience fee is assessed by the bank for this service.
Payments by Mail
Only U. S. Postal marks are accepted as payment date. Meter marks are not accepted. Mail bearing other than U. S. Postal mark are considered paid the day they are received. If you are paying your bill close to the due date, make sure you take it into the post office and have it properly postmarked.
Online Bank Payments
Address these payments to: Karen Hawes, Town Clerk, One Town Place, Clarence, NY 14031
(Do not use the bank address in Binghamton)
Most banks discourage the use of Online Banking for tax payments becasue they cannot guarantee delivery date. If you choose to use this method, please make your payment well before the due date. They all use postal permits and do not have US postal marks with a date. Payments received without US Postal marks are accepted the day they are received.
Town & County Tax Bills
Sent out each year by mid-January and due on or about February 15th. (See current bill for exact due dates.) Tax bills paid after the due date are assessed penalties. The Town Clerk's office generally collects these payments thru June 30th each year.
Penalties are added as follows: (Dates may vary slightly, see current bill.)
February 16 – February 28 1.5%
March 1 – March 15 3.0%
March 16 – March 31 4.5%
April 1 – April 15 6.0%
April 16 – April 30 7.5%
May 1 – a 7.5 % penalty is added to the levy forming the base tax due and 1.5% interest is added each month making 18.78% in all when unpaid taxes are sold in November.
After June 30th taxes are turned over to Erie County and payments can be made to Erie County Finance, 95 Franklin St., Buffalo, NY 14202. Phone: 858-8322
School Tax Bills
Sent out each year by mid-September and are due on or about October 15th. (See current bill for exact due date.) Tax bills paid after the due date are assessed penalties. The Town Clerk's office generally collects these payments thru November 30th each year.
Penalties are added as follows: (Dates may vary slightly, see current bill.)
October 16 – October 31 7.5%
November 1 – November 30 9.0%
Unpaid school taxes are turned over to Erie County where payments can be made during December. Any unpaid balances are re-levied and added to the next Town & County tax bill.
Partial Payments
Partial payments in any amount are accepted at the Town Clerk's office or by using the online payment process. Penalties will apply to unpaid balances after the due date.
General Information
We are undergoing a few minor changes beginning with the 2016-17 School Tax Collection and going forward. Previously, you received a tax bill whether your taxes are in escrow or not. Due to changes with banking services, we are going back to sending bills out to non-escrow customers only. If your taxes are in escrow, we will send out a receipt once the bank pays the bill.
Please call the office at 741-8938 or send an email to khawes@clarence.ny.us if you are no longer in escrow.
Bills are always available at the Town Clerk's Office or from this website.
If you no longer own a piece of property, please try to forward the bill to the new owner in a timely manner or call the Town Clerk's office immediately and we will try to locate the new owner.
According to New York State Real Property Tax Law, property owners are responsible for all taxes, whether or not they receive a bill. If you do not receive a bill, contact the Town Clerk's office at 741-8938 as soon as possible.