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New York State Sales Tax Guide
New York sales & use tax

Penalties, interest and the vendor collection credit

New York pays qualifying vendors 5% of what they report, up to $200 — and charges a penalty with a $50 floor when a return is late, even with no tax due.

Reviewed against published state sources on August 21, 2026. Rules and figures change — always confirm with the agency before acting.

Vendor collection credit

New York lets qualifying vendors keep a slice of what they collect: 5% of the taxes and fees reported on the return, capped at $200 per quarterly or annual reporting period.

Who qualifies
Quarterly (ST-100) and annual (ST-101) filers who file on time and pay what they owe in full.
Who does not
Part-quarterly / monthly filers on ST-809 and ST-810; vendors enrolled in PrompTax for sales tax; amended returns; past-due returns.

Penalties

Tax Bulletin TB-ST-805 sets out the structure, under Tax Law §1145(a)(1)(i).

SituationPenalty
Return filed late by 60 days or less10% of the tax due for the first month, plus 1% for each additional month or part month, not to exceed 30% of the tax due — but not less than $50
Failure to file, or return filed more than 60 days lateThe greater of: the 10%+1% calculation capped at 30%; or $100 or 100% of the tax required to be shown, whichever is less; or $50
Late return with no tax due$50
Return filed on time but tax not remitted10% of the tax due for the first month, plus 1% for each additional month or part month, not to exceed 30%
Fraudulent failure to payTwice the amount of tax not paid, plus interest at the greater of 14½% or the rate set by the Tax Commissioner
Selling without a Certificate of AuthorityUp to $500 for the first day plus up to $200 per day after, maximum $10,000
Failure to e-file or e-pay when mandated$50 for each document and $50 for each failure to e-pay

Interest

The Department sets interest rates quarterly and compounds them daily. The current rates are published on the Department's interest rate page, which posts a table for each quarter and each tax type.

QuarterLate payment / assessmentRefunds
July 1 – September 30, 202614.5%6%
April 1 – June 30, 202614.5%5%
Interest is a moving number

These figures change every quarter. Treat any interest rate published on a third-party site — including this one — as a snapshot, and read the current quarter from the Department's interest rate page before calculating anything.

Note also that the 14½% figure appears in two different places in the Department's material: as the current quarter's late-payment rate, and separately as a floor in the fraud provision. They are not the same rule.

Amending a return

Effective December 1, 2024, Part LL of Chapter 59 of the Laws of 2025 allows a taxpayer to amend a previously filed return, or to file an original return, in certain situations after a notice of determination has been issued — for sales and use tax, the adult-use cannabis products tax and the wireless communications surcharge. The Department implemented this in TSB-M-25(1)S, (1)M, which supersedes the earlier TSB-M-24(2)S, (1)M.

Where the Department publishes relief

The Department offers a penalty and interest calculator and describes reasonable-cause relief in its guidance. Relief is fact-specific and is decided by the Department, not by any third party.

Common questions

What is the penalty for filing a New York sales tax return late?
For a return filed 60 days late or less, 10% of the tax due for the first month plus 1% for each additional month or part of a month, capped at 30% of the tax due, but not less than $50. Filing more than 60 days late uses a greater-of calculation set out in Tax Bulletin TB-ST-805.
What is the minimum New York sales tax penalty if no tax is due?
$50 for failing to file, or failing to timely file, a return with no tax due.
What interest does New York charge on late sales tax?
The Department sets rates quarterly and compounds daily. For July 1 through September 30, 2026 the late payment and assessment rate for sales and use tax was 14.5% and the refund rate 6%. Check the Department's interest rate page for the current quarter.
How much is the New York vendor collection credit?
5% of the taxes and fees reported, capped at $200 per quarterly or annual reporting period, for quarterly and annual filers who file on time and pay in full.

Sources

  1. TB-ST-805, Sales and Use Tax Penalties — https://www.tax.ny.gov/pubs_and_bulls/tg_bulletins/st/sales_and_use_tax_penalties.htm
  2. TB-ST-925, Vendor Collection Credit — https://www.tax.ny.gov/pubs_and_bulls/tg_bulletins/st/vendor_collection_credit.htm
  3. Interest rates, July 1 – September 30, 2026 — https://www.tax.ny.gov/pay/interest/2026/p3.htm
  4. Interest rates index — https://www.tax.ny.gov/pay/interest/
  5. Summary of 2025 sales and other tax type changes — https://www.tax.ny.gov/legal/2025/sales-misc-changes.htm