Residential Tax Rate

The City Council recently approved changes to city ordinance 4.08 of the Codified Ordinances of The City of Newport entitled, “Property Taxes”, to provide owner-occupied home owners with a break in their real estate taxes. This also includes property owners of three units or less that rent all their units for one year or more to year-round Newport residents.

Qualified taxpayers can file an application anytime between January 1 and March 15 for an owner-occupied residential tax rate, which may reduce the amount you pay in real estate taxes on an annual basis.

Click Here to Apply Online

Eligibility Qualifications include:

Must be a Resident of Newport which means you must physically live at the property for more than seven (7) months of the year as your principal residence, and the property must be your place of domicile.
Residential properties of three units or less may qualify if all the rental units are rented to tenants as their principal residence pursuant to a lease of one year or longer. You must provide supporting documentation to support eligibility.
The real property for which the owner-occupied residential tax rate is claimed must be legally titled in the name of the applicant, the Trustee of a Revocable or Irrevocable living trust with the applicant residing at the property, and paying the taxes, or in Applicant(s) as life tenants who have an obligation to pay the taxes and applicant resides at the subject property.
Dwelling units that are vacant due to constuction are not eligible for the program until such time as a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) issued or the unit is again occupied. Owners may apply during the following enrollment period (01/01-3/15)
Applications must be accompanied by acceptable proof of residency, which is as a registered voter in the City of Newport, or a valid Rhode Island Driver’s License/ID that lists the subject property as your address.
Limited Liablility Corporations (LLC) cannot apply as a resident. Leases provided must not be made to any members of the LLC.
Owners applying for residential property of three units or less must include copies of leases for all units.
Applications can be filed in person at 43 Broadway, by mail, or electronically by clicking here. Download the application here (pdf) or en espanol (pdf).

About the Program

Please Note: You must apply to receive the owner-occupied residential tax rate. Otherwise, the non-owner occupied residential rate will be applied to your property automatically.

TO APPLY

►File an application between January 1, 2024-March 15, 2024. The application is available online, or in our office at City Hall.

►Read it carefully and be prepared to provide an acceptable form of Proof of Residency

►ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE NOTARIZED PRIOR TO SUBMISSION.

► Applications are available in the Tax Assessor's Office, located on the First Floor of City Hall at 43 Broadway, or online by clicking here.

► Once you've completed the online application, please print the pdf and have it notarized. You may then return the application via mail, in person, or by following the instructions sent to the email provided to upload your application.

► To upload an updated lease, please click here: https://form.jotform.com/233546097382160

HELPFUL TIPS

The ONLY acceptable proof of residency is as a registered voter on the City of Newport Voter List maintained by the City Canvassing Authority (Voter Registration Card) OR a valid Rhode Island Driver’s License/ID which must have the principal residence address listed. (You must supply a copy of either item).

You cannot receive any type of exemption in any other community in Rhode Island or any other state located in the United States, with the exception of certain rental properties that may qualify.

Online Payments Offline Temporarily

Questions?

In This Section

Residential Tax Rate

Click Here to Apply Online

About the Program