Department of Finance
Office Information
| Chamberlain’s Office 317 E. Church St. Elmira, New York 14901 Email: chamberlain@cityofelmira.net |
Regular Office Hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
8:45 am – 4:00 pm Wednesday Except holidays |
Tel: (607) 737-5662 Fax: (607) 737-5660 |
The Finance Department is headed by the City Chamberlain, Charmain Cattan. The Chamberlain oversees all financial aspects of the city.
Acceptable forms of payments are cash, debit/credit card, and check or money order made payable to the City of Elmira.
To schedule an in-office appointment with us, please see the appointment calendar below:
Tax Clearance Request is a request to research outstanding city taxes on a specified property. This search will also reveal if there are any outstanding abatements on the property. A Tax Clearance Certificate will not be issued if the property has delinquent city taxes or abatements. Tax Clearance Requests are available in the City Chamberlain’s Office and the cost is $35.00.
When:
First Installment Due: May 15th
Second Installment Due: September 15th
Where:
- Any Chemung Canal Trust Company branch with the original tax bill.
- Online by visiting https://www.xpress-pay.com/. If you pay online, you must indicate your name, email, phone number, tax map number, bill number, and property address to ensure that your payment is credited to the correct account. Online payments do incur a service fee.
- In person, appointment recommended, at Chamberlain’s Office, 317 E. Church St., Elmira, NY 14901. To make an appointment, please use the Chamberlain Department appointment scheduler on this website or call (607) 737-5662.
Late Payments:
- Interest and penalties are assessed by law for payments made after the due date.
- First Installment paid after September 15th, must be paid at Chamberlain’s Office, 317 E Church St.
- Second Installment paid after December 15th, must be paid at Chamberlain’s Office, 317 E Church St.
**City tax bills are sent out 60-90 days before the first installment is due on May 15th. You receive only one bill for the year. You may pay the full bill all at once or in two installments with the first installment due on May 15th and the second installment due on September 15th.
**If you purchase the property after January 1st, the tax roll may be in the process of being updated when the bills are printed and your name and address may not yet be updated as the new owner. We recommend that you or your attorney ask the previous owner for the original tax bill, or you may get in touch with our office to request a system printout of the amount due.
How to read your property tax bill
On-time payments are accepted at any Chemung Canal Trust Company Branch or by mail.
Pay Taxes by Mail
Make all checks payable to the City of Elmira. If you pay by mail, you can request a receipt. Receipts will be issued 10-30 days after payment has been received in our office.
Send payment by mail to:
City of Elmira Chamberlain’s Department
317 E Church St.
Elmira, NY 14901
First Installment payments that are made after September 15th must be made at the City Chamberlain’s Office at 317 E Church St., Elmira, NY 14901. Second Installment payments that are made after December 15th, must be made at the City Chamberlain’s Office. Monthly interest will be calculated and added to all late payments after the 15th of each month.
Additional fees that may be added to the City tax bill include the Sanitation Fee, Downtown Development assessment for properties in the Downtown Development District, unpaid abatements on the property, and other charges as provided by the City Charter. If you have questions, you may call the City Chamberlain’s Office at (607) 737-5662 or email chamberlain@cityofelmira.net.
County Property Tax for City of Elmira Residents
In order to request a tax satisfaction on a property, please provide a copy of the certificate of tax sale to the City Chamberlain’s Office. The Chamberlain’s Office will verify that all payments have been made on the property and issue a Tax Satisfaction Certificate. A Tax Satisfaction Certificate costs $35.00
Parking on streets and in lots in the City of Elmira is governed by City Ordinances.
Click here to read the Parking Regulations for the City of Elmira
Parking Violations will result in a ticket being issued by the Elmira Police Department or the City Parking Enforcement Officers.
Pay Parking Ticket Online
Click the button above to pay your parking ticket online with a credit or debit card. You must have the Ticket Number to pay your parking ticket online.
Pay Tickets by Mail
Send check or money order payable to the City of Elmira to:
City of Elmira Parking Violations Bureau
312 Lake St.
Elmira, NY 14901
Mistakes are made in tracking down parking ticket offenders. If you have received a parking notice from the City of Elmira and you feel it is in error please either:
Fax the letter to (607) 737-5783 ATTN: Traffic Bureau
Mail to City of Elmira, 312 Lake St., Elmira, NY 14901 ATTN: Traffic Bureau
Click here to send email (include the information from the letter)
Give us your vehicle information (such as make and model) and license plate number at the time the ticket was issued and we will research the matter. If you require us to contact you, please provide us with contact information and you will be notified.
By the rules and regulations of the Local Law Number 1 of 2003, the City of Elmira offers weekly solid waste collection and disposal services to commercial business that apply for the service and pay the sanitation fees prior to the service start. Commercial Sanitation fees follow the annual sanitation fees which are adjusted annually, or $1,200 for a 6 cubic yard dumpster.
Click here to read Local Law Number 1 of 2003
To opt in to the Commercial Sanitation Program:
Follow the directions on the form and bring all copies of the completed form to the City Chamberlain’s Office. The application will be forwarded to the Department of Public Works for approval. The Chamberlain’s Office will bill you a pro-rated amount based on the calendar year rates specified on the application. You must pay the full amount due prior to the service date and service will begin the first day of the second month following the date of the application.
Commercial Sanitation Opt-In Form