Receiver of Taxes

The Receiver of Taxes collects real property taxes for the following entities located within the boundaries of the Town of Riverhead:

• School: Riverhead, Shoreham-Wading River, Mattituck-Cutchogue, and Eastport South Manor
• Library: Riverhead, North Shore Library, Mattituck-Laurel, and Eastport South Manor
• County: Suffolk County
• Town: Riverhead Town
• Highway: Riverhead Town
• Fire Districts: Riverhead, Wading River, Jamesport, and Manorville
• Lighting
• Water  
• Ambulance: Riverhead, Jamesport, and Manorville Fire Districts areas
• Scavenger Waste  
• Sewer  
• Business Improvement 
• Public Parking

Tax Receiver Address Change Form (PDF)

All requests must be made in writing by completing the Information Change Form. Once the form is complete and signed, it can be returned by mail to 4 West 2nd Street, Riverhead, NY 11901, or by emailing our office.

Congratulations!
Important Message: Please notify the Receiver of Taxes upon the satisfaction of your mortgage or if your property has been sold or transferred at 631-727-3200, ext. 248.

Payments are divided into two equal installments and may be made without penalty according to the following schedule:

• First Half due by January 12th
• Second Half due by June 1st

If the first half is not made by January 12th, payments will still be accepted at the Receiver of Taxes office through June 1st with the appropriate penalties.

If  either date is a weekend,, taxes are due the next business day.

2025 - 2026 Penalty Schedule

Taxes may be paid in person at Riverhead Town Hall, online (with fees), or by mail. If paid by mail, the postmark on the envelope stamped by an official Post Office date stamp will determine the date of receipt. Please note that private postage meter dates are not acceptable.

It is suggested that a taxpayer making a payment by mail near a deadline should send the payment by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested.

If taxes are not paid by June 1st, they become delinquent and must be paid in full with appropriate penalties and interest, made payable to the Suffolk County Comptroller (Telephone: 631-852-3000, and mailed to 330 Center Drive, Riverhead, New York 11901).

Partial Payment

Partial payments not less than $200 are accepted in accordance with Suffolk County Resolution #551-2001. Partial payments must be paid with cash, check, money order, or credit card, and are accepted from December 15th to June 1, 2026. If the full first half is not received by January 12, 2026, the appropriate penalty will be charged on the unpaid balance of the first half only. This partial payment must include any open penalties. Example penalty $50 plus $200 partial payment equals $250 due.  

Credit Cards

Credit Card / Online Payments: Taxes may be paid by Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express, ACH, or debit in the Tax Receiver's Office or through the online payment link. There is a convenience fee of 2.5% charged by the company to the taxpayer based on the total charge.

Returned Checks, E-Checks, Dishonored Credit Cards

Taxes paid by check, e-check, or credit card are subject to collection. A charge of $20 will be added to any account where a tendered payment was returned for any reason. Returned checks, e-checks, or dishonored credit cards will automatically cancel your tax payment.

The Assessors Office is responsible for the review and approval of all real property tax exemptions.  All applications and or renewals for real property tax exemptions must be filed with the Assessors Office, no later than March 1st of each year. Please direct all exemption questions to the Assessors Office.  For information, please call or write the Assessors Office at 631-727-3200 Ext 258, 4 West 2nd Street, Riverhead, NY 11901.

Please be advised that the information displayed herein is offered courtesy only and does not necessarily reflect true taxes for the department and wholly exempt parcels and, therefore, should not be relied upon for any purpose. If you wish to make an inquiry as to the true taxes assessed for fire department and wholly exempt parcels, please contact the Office of the Tax Receiver of the Town of Riverhead.

• Tax Rates 2011 to Present

Tax rolls are available online.

In order to access this information, click on Online Tax Payments,  which will bring you to the search page. Enter only one search item and hit Enter. All tax statements are available there, and payments are posted live daily. Data is available at this site starting December 2017 through the current year. In order to select a prior year, click on the blue "Select Collection" and all the years will drop down. Click on the year you want to search. Additionally, Tax Roll documents from 2010 through 2025 are available through these links:

• Tax Rolls

Town, County, and School taxes in Suffolk County cover the period from December 1st to November 30th of the following year.

1. School Taxes: School budgets are set by your local school districts. Every year, you have the opportunity to vote on the school budget. This determines the amount of taxes you will be paying for schools in your district.

2. County Taxes: County taxes are set by a county budget, approved by the Suffolk County Executive and the Suffolk County Legislature.

3. Town Taxes: Town taxes are set by a town budget, approved by the Town Supervisor and the Town Board.

Public hearings are set for school, county, and town boards.

1. When does tax collection begin / when do I receive my bill?
   • Collection begins and tax bills are mailed around the second week of December.
   • Online payments are available in the same time frame.
   • If a mortgage company and/or lending institution is paying the property taxes on your behalf, then you will not receive a bill in December. You will receive a receipted statement in January. 
2. How many times a year do you send out the Tax Bill?
   • Once per year, around the second week in December.

3. When is my payment due?
   • Your first half taxes are due and payable in full on or before January 10^th in order to avoid any penalties. The second half payment is due May 31^st.
   • Since the 2025-2026 due dates fall on the weekend, the due dates are the next business day: January 12^th and June 1^st.
4. Can I make partial payments on my property taxes?
   • Yes, a minimum partial payment of $200 (plus penalty when applicable) can be made in person or through the mail anytime during collection until June 2^nd, 2026.
5. Can I pay my taxes early?
   • No. The Tax Receivers office does not know how much your taxes are until we receive the Warrant from the Suffolk County Legislature in early December.
6. What if I pay my taxes late?
   • If you do not make the January 12th deadline, please follow the penalty schedule below:

• Any outstanding balance after June 2, 2026 is payable to the Suffolk County Comptroller in Riverhead, NY. Please contact their office for payment information. 631-852-3000. Mailing address is 330 Center Drive, Riverhead, NY 11901.

7. When I look at my Tax Bill, it shows the former owner. Why is that? Should I be worried?
   • The tax bill that is mailed in December is based upon ownership information as of March 1st of the same year. Therefore, if you purchased your property after March 1st, that is the reason the former owners' information still shows. It can take up to 6 months for it to change in our system from the date of your closing.   
   • The Suffolk County Clerk’s office records the official deed, sends it to the Town’s Assessor, who then informs our office of the change.
   • Reminder – if you purchased a new home, please contact our office immediately so that the tax statement can be put in care of your name until we receive your official deed.
8. What if I didn’t receive my tax bill in the mail, do I have to pay my property taxes or any late fees?
   • Yes. If you are the owner of a property, you are responsible for your taxes even if you do not receive your bill. (NYS RPTL Title 3, Sec.922 #3)
9. How do I change my mailing address?
   • Complete the change of address form and either mail it to our office or email the request to ellwood@townofriverheadny.gov. All requests must be in writing.
10. I just finished paying off my mortgage, do I need to do anything with the Office of the Receiver of Taxes?
    • Congratulations! Please call our office, so we can update our records.
11. Where can I find Tax Map Number to a property?
    • If you have a copy of a tax bill and/or statement, the Number is located in the upper right corner of the document.  
12. On my tax bill, the word “PRO-RATA” appears. What does that mean?
    • When you purchased your property, the former owner had exemptions that you were not entitled to. The Pro-Rata/Restoration amount that appears on your bill is the amount you must pay back for those exemptions that you were not entitled to. This is a one-time only amount that is paid during the tax year that the Pro-rata appears. The payback date starts from the date you purchased the property, date of death and/or transfer of title.