NY Offers Sales Tax Relief In Response To COVID-19

New York's tax commissioner can abate late filing and payment penalties on state sales and use tax in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the state tax department said in guidance issued Monday.

The guidance, issued in response to an executive order from Democratic Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, said businesses unable to remit quarterly sales and use tax by the March 20 deadline due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, will be granted relief from penalties for late filing and interest payments. Cuomo's executive order expanded the tax commissioner's authority to abate the penalties.

To apply, taxpayers must request relief and file and pay the amount due within 60 days of the due date. Sales tax vendors must file monthly tax returns. Participants in the state's PrompTax program for sales and use tax or prepaid sales tax on fuel are ineligible for the relief.

--Editing by Vincent Sherry. 

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