How to Fill Out New York Form RP-458-a: Line-by-Line Instructions and Filing

To fill out New York Form RP-458-a and claim the Alternative Veterans Exemption, enter the owners and property details on lines 1 through 3, your service branch and dates on lines 4 and 5, your discharge status on line 6, any combat zone or disability information on lines 7 and 8, and the residence and prior-exemption questions on lines 9 through 12. Sign the form, attach your DD-214 and any supporting letters, and submit the packet to your local city or town assessor by the taxable status date (March 1 in most jurisdictions, January 5 in New York City, January 2 in Nassau County).

Before You Start the Form

Two things are worth checking before you put pen to paper, because they determine whether the form will do you any good.

First, confirm your municipality offers the exemption. Counties, cities, towns, villages, and school districts each decide independently whether to adopt Section 458-a and at what cap level.¹ A quick call to your assessor’s office tells you whether the exemption applies on your town, county, village, and school tax lines, and which cap is in effect. If your jurisdiction never adopted Section 458-a, your assessor can tell you whether the older eligible-funds exemption under Section 458 is an option.

Second, gather your documents. The most common reason an application gets sent back is a missing attachment.

DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty). This proves your service dates, branch, discharge character, and campaign medals. If you don’t have your copy, request one free of charge from the National Archives through eVetRecs.²
Documentation of a campaign ribbon, service medal, or qualifying expeditionary medal, if you’re claiming the combat zone tier. The DD-214 often lists awards; a separate award letter works if it doesn’t.
Your VA or Department of Defense disability rating letter, showing the current percentage and the date the rating was established, if you’re claiming the disability tier.³
A Restoration of Honor Act letter from the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services, if your discharge was less than honorable and you’ve obtained that approval.⁴
A copy of the deed, confirming ownership and the date title was acquired.
Trust documents, if the property is held in a trust, showing the beneficiary with the right to reside there.⁵

Download the form itself from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance website, or pick up a paper copy at your assessor’s office. It runs two pages: 12 numbered lines plus a signature block.

Lines 1 Through 3: Owners and Property

Line 1 asks for the names of all owners exactly as they appear on the deed. If more than one person owns the property, list every name. A mismatch between the deed and the form is the kind of small discrepancy that holds applications up.⁶

Line 2 is your mailing address. Line 3 is the property’s physical location and its tax map number (section/block/lot), which you can pull from a recent property tax bill or get from the assessor’s office. Add the date you purchased the property and a daytime phone number.

Lines 4 Through 6: Veteran Status and Discharge

Line 4 asks whether the owner is the veteran. If you’re applying as the veteran’s spouse, unremarried surviving spouse, dependent parent, or dependent child, state the relationship here. The exemption follows a qualified owner through those relationships as long as the property remains a primary residence.⁴

Line 5 asks for the branch of service and the exact active-duty dates. Copy these straight from the DD-214 rather than from memory.

Line 6 covers discharge status. Check “Yes” if you received an honorable discharge or discharge under honorable conditions, and attach the DD-214. If your discharge was less than honorable but you qualify under the Restoration of Honor Act (for a qualifying condition such as PTSD or TBI, or for discharged LGBT veterans), check the appropriate box and attach the letter from the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services confirming you meet the character-of-discharge criteria.⁷ Bad conduct and dishonorable discharges do not qualify.

Lines 7 and 8: Combat Zone and Disability

These two lines are what unlock the second and third tiers of the exemption. Skip them only if neither applies to you.

Line 7 is the combat zone tier. Indicate where and when you served in a combat theater, and attach proof of a U.S. campaign ribbon, service medal, or qualifying expeditionary medal (Armed Forces, Navy, Marine Corps, or Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal).⁷

Line 8 is the disability tier. Enter your VA or Department of Defense disability rating as a percentage, and attach the rating letter showing both the percentage and the date it was established. Check the box if the rating is permanent. If the veteran died in service from a service-connected cause, mark that instead and attach documentation; the statute treats this as a 100-percent rating.⁴

Lines 9 Through 12: Residence, Use, and Prior Exemptions

Line 9 confirms the property is your primary residence. If you are absent due to medical reasons or institutionalization, say so; that doesn’t disqualify you.⁴

Line 10 asks whether the property is used exclusively for residential purposes. If part of it has a commercial use, describe the portion. Only the residential portion will receive the exemption.

Line 11 is the date you acquired title. Attach a copy of the deed.

Line 12 asks whether you’ve ever received a veterans exemption based on eligible funds on any New York property. This helps the assessor determine whether you’re switching from the older Section 458 exemption to Section 458-a.

Sign and date the form at the bottom. If both spouses are listed as owners, both should sign.

How Much the Exemption Is Worth

What you check on lines 7 and 8 matters because the exemption has three stacking tiers, each capped at a dollar amount your municipality sets.

Wartime service (base tier): 15% of assessed value, capped at $12,000 under the basic state maximums.⁴
Combat zone service: an additional 10% of assessed value, capped at $8,000 under the basic maximums.
Service-connected disability: an additional amount equal to 50% of your disability rating multiplied by assessed value, capped at $40,000 under the basic maximums.

Local governing boards can adopt lower caps, higher caps (up to $45,000 / $30,000 / $150,000 in set increments), or, in New York City and certain high-appreciation counties, caps as high as $75,000 / $50,000 / $250,000.⁸ The cap your jurisdiction chose is the single biggest factor in your actual savings. Ask the assessor’s office which figure applies.

Where and When to File

Submit the completed form and all attachments to your local city or town assessor. Hand-deliver if you can; it removes any question about whether the packet arrived on time. If you mail it, use certified mail with a return receipt.

New York’s default taxable status date is March 1, and your application must be on file by that date to appear on the upcoming assessment roll.⁹ Two major jurisdictions file earlier:

Some cities and towns have their own calendars, so confirm the exact date with your assessor before the deadline approaches. Missing it means losing the exemption for the entire tax cycle.³

After You File

Once approved, the exemption stays in place. You do not refile each year. A new Form RP-458-a is only needed if you move to a different property or your VA disability rating changes.³ Veterans who move within New York City mid-year can file a fresh application and receive a prorated exemption on the new property.¹²

If the assessor denies your application or calculates the exemption incorrectly, you can file a grievance with your Board of Assessment Review. Attach a copy of your original application and any supporting documentation; you have the right to appear in person, with or without an attorney.¹³ If the Board’s written decision still doesn’t resolve it, owners of one-, two-, or three-family residential homes can pursue a Small Claims Assessment Review, and other owners can file a tax certiorari proceeding in New York State Supreme Court. Either must be started within 30 days after the final assessment roll is filed.

1
New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Veterans Exemptions
2
National Archives. Request Military Service Records
3
New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Alternative Veterans Exemption
4
New York State Senate. Real Property Tax Law 458-A – Veterans; Alternative Exemption
5
NYC311. Veterans Property Tax Exemption
6
Grand Island, NY. Form RP-458-a Application for Alternative Veterans Exemption from Real Property Taxation
7
New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Instructions for Form RP-458-a Application for Alternative Veterans Exemption from Real Property Taxation
8
New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Assessor Manuals, Exemption Administration: RPTL Section 458-a
9
New York State Senate. Section 302 – Taxable Status Date
10
NYC Department of Finance. Department of Finance Publishes Fiscal Year 2027 Tentative Property Tax Assessment Roll
11
Hempstead Town, NY. Tax Exemptions
12
NYC.gov. Veterans Exemptions
13
New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Contesting Your Assessment in New York State