City of Rochester
News Release
(Friday, June 11, 2010) – For Rochester taxpayers who pay their property taxes with a credit card, it will no longer be necessary to travel to City Hall to make the payments. Effective July 1, 2010, the City Web site (www.cityofrochester.gov/payments) will accept credit cards for online tax payments.
For those who do come to City Hall to make their payments, a kiosk will be set up in the lobby of City Hall to accept tax payments by credit card. Property taxes made by credit card, whether online or in-person, are assessed a convenience fee of 3% of the transaction value for tax payments above $100. Payments less than or equal to $100 will be charged a flat $3 fee.
The City has also recently enabled seamless, electronic processing of tax payments using online home banking services. Previously, these payments generated paper checks from bank and check processing companies. Please note that when making an online payment over your bank’s service, it is necessary to enter the current 7-digit bill number located at the top of the tax bill for a completely seamless and speedy payment transaction.
In addition to these payment options, the City’s Web site continues to accept payments made directly from an individual’s checking or savings account through the Direct Pay program. Through Direct Pay, payments can be automatically deducted from one’s bank account on the due date to avoid late payments and penalties.
The payment options offered here are for those taxpayers making payments directly to the City of Rochester and whose tax payments are not made by their bank or escrow agent through their mortgage.
Credit cards are also accepted online to pay water bills, parking tickets, alarm permits and for donations to Rochester Animal Services. Effective July 1, 2010, the convenience fee for water payments is $2.25 per transaction and for parking tickets it is $1.00 per transaction.
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News Media: For more information, contact City Treasurer Charles Benincasa at 428-6705.