About us

Mission

To efficiently collect tax revenues in support of State services and programs while acting with integrity and fairness in the administration of the tax laws of New York State.

Overview

Our department administers more than 40 state and local taxes and fees, including more than $14 billion in local sales tax and $8 billion in local income tax. In regard to real property taxes, the department oversees the administration of more than $50 billion annually and works directly with nearly 1,000 local governments.

A key department focus is the balance of efforts to promote voluntary compliance—the cornerstone of the State's system of taxation—with the duty to enforce New York's tax laws. More than 96 percent of the taxes collected are remitted voluntarily by taxpayers. The remaining 4 percent is a result of the department's enforcement programs—audit, collections, and criminal investigations.

Other responsibilities

The department is also responsible for the administration of the State's treasury. The Division of the Treasury receives and disburses State funds, and serves as a custodian of special funds. The division is also a joint custodian of State securities with the State Comptroller.

Through agreements with other State agencies, the department collects additional revenues on behalf of individuals and the State, as well as assisting with fraud detection. Examples of joint measures include enforcing the collection of delinquent child support payments and identifying fraud regarding public assistance and unemployment insurance benefits.