Form RP-1126: Declaration of Interest Explained

Form RP-1126, officially titled Declaration of Interest, is issued by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance through its Office of Real Property Tax Services (ORPTS). It’s a short but important document used within the local property assessment system to keep the review process honest and free of conflicts of interest.

At its core, RP-1126 asks the person completing it to disclose any personal, financial, or family connection to a property that is part of an assessment review or grievance proceeding. This isn’t a tax payment form or an application for exemption — it’s a disclosure statement meant to protect the integrity of the local assessment process.

Who Needs to File RP-1126

This form is typically required from individuals who sit on a Board of Assessment Review (BAR) or who otherwise participate in reviewing property assessments at the municipal level. If a board member owns property near, or has a financial stake in, a parcel that comes up for review, they’re expected to file this declaration before participating in any discussion or vote related to that property.

It can also apply to assessors, hearing officers, or other municipal officials involved in the grievance process who need to formally state whether they have any interest — direct or indirect — in the outcome of a specific case. The goal is simple: no one should be judging a property assessment dispute if they stand to gain or lose from the decision.

When Is This Form Used

RP-1126 typically comes into play during the annual Grievance Day process, when property owners can challenge their assessed values before the local Board of Assessment Review. Before hearings begin, board members may be asked to review the list of properties on the agenda and declare, in writing, whether they have any relationship to any of the owners or parcels involved.

If a conflict is identified, the individual is usually expected to recuse themselves from that specific case while still being able to participate in reviewing other, unrelated properties. This keeps the board functional without compromising fairness on any single case.

How to Get and Fill Out Form RP-1126

The form is available directly from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance as a fillable PDF, meaning you can complete it digitally using Adobe Acrobat or a similar PDF reader before printing it for signature. It’s a short document, so filling it out doesn’t take long — you’ll typically need to include:

• Your name and role (e.g., board member, assessor, hearing officer)
• The property or properties in question
• A statement disclosing any interest, relationship, or connection to the property or owner
• Your signature and the date of the declaration

Since there’s no financial interest to hide in most cases, many people who file this form are simply confirming they have none — which still needs to be documented in writing for the municipal record.

Municipalities often keep completed RP-1126 forms on file alongside other assessment review documentation, similar to how other ORPTS forms like Form RP-3042 are used to track compliance and eligibility requirements for board members and assessors.

If you’re dealing with other types of certification paperwork tied to property or utility tax matters, it may also help to look at how Form TP-385 handles residential use certification, or how Form ST-930 is used to confirm tax status for specific services — both follow a similar disclosure-based format that New York uses across several of its tax-related forms.

Because RP-1126 deals with local assessment review boards rather than individual taxpayers, most property owners will never need to file it themselves. It’s mainly relevant to municipal officials and board members who need to document their independence from the cases they’re reviewing, keeping the entire grievance process transparent and defensible.