Local Taxes & Fees in Schenectady, NY (2026)
2 verified local taxes & fees rules for Schenectady, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Vacancy Tax
Schenectady charges owners of registered vacant buildings an escalating annual fee, starting at $2,500 and climbing to $5,500 by the fifth year, on top of a monitoring fee the Mayor sets. The fee funds the City's inspection and registry program, not a property tax.
Schenectady Vacant Building Fee: $2,500 to $5,500 a Year
Significant RestrictionsSchenectady City Code § 167-56A(12) (Vacant building registration; fees)
The owner of a vacant building shall pay an annual fee as set forth in Subsection A(12)(b) for the period the building remains a vacant building. ... The f ... irst-year annual fee shall be $2,500 in addition to a monitoring fee which shall be set by the Mayor and based on the actual cost of any monitoring service which is selected by the Mayor for use, and shall be paid no later than 30 days a...
Business Tax Classification
Schenectady imposes a 1% gross income tax on public utilities doing business in the city under City Code § 234-5, provided the utility's gross income for the preceding 12 months tops $500. The tax reaches only activity within city limits and comes on top of every other tax or fee the utility already owes.
Schenectady 1% Gross Income Tax on Utilities
Some RestrictionsSchenectady City Code § 234-5
Pursuant to the authority granted by § 20-b of the General City Law of the State of New York, a tax equal to 1% of its gross income from and after July 1, 1937, is hereby imposed upon every utility doing business in the City of Schenectady which is subject to the supervision of the State Department of Public Service which has a gross income for the 12 months ending May 31 in excess of $500 ... ...