Call Center Hours Extended Ahead of NY Sales Tax Deadline

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today announced that it will extend the hours of its call center on Tuesday, March 20, to assist taxpayers filing sales tax returns before the midnight deadline. Call center representatives will be available until 7:30 p.m., an additional three hours. The call center opens weekdays at 8:30 a.m.

The Tax Department expects about 170,000 sales tax returns to be filed between Monday, March 19, and the Tuesday, March 20, deadline, with several thousand submitted within only a few hours of the midnight deadline. The total dollar amount for those returns will likely exceed $650 million.

Acting Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Nonie Manion urged filers not to wait until the last minute to file their sales tax returns.

“Filing guidance and answers to common questions are available on our website to help you electronically submit an accurate and timely return using Sales Tax Web File ahead of next week’s deadline,” Acting Commissioner Manion said. “This online service allows you to schedule payments, save bank account information for future payments, receive instant confirmation that your return was received, and update business information.”

Taxpayers with questions can also call 518-485-2889 for help in filing their returns.

Wireless Communications Surcharge

Tuesday, March 20, is also the deadline for certain retailers to file their initial Prepaid Wireless Communications Surcharge return using Form WCS-2-PRE. The surcharge is imposed on each retail sale of prepaid wireless services that occurs in New York State, regardless of whether any tangible personal property is sold. The sale occurs in New York State if it takes place at a seller’s business location in this state, or is made to a purchaser located in this state.

Call center representatives will be available until 7:30 p.m. on March 20 to assist taxpayers as they file and submit Form WCS-2-PRE for the first time. Taxpayers with questions can call 518-591-5283 for help in filing these returns. 

Retail sales of prepaid wireless services are subject to both the state surcharge and a local surcharge, unless the locality where the sale occurred has not enacted a local surcharge. For surcharge rate information, see PUB-452, Wireless Communications Surcharge Rates on Prepaid Wireless Communications Services. 

Source: The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance