Form RP-10: School District Income Verification (SDIV) Participation Form Explained

Form RP-10 is issued by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and is used by school districts that want to participate in the School District Income Verification (SDIV) process. This process allows a school district to have the state confirm certain income information for property owners who claim eligibility for the Enhanced STAR exemption or other income-based property tax benefits tied to a taxpayer’s reported income.

In practical terms, RP-10 is not a form that most individual homeowners fill out for themselves. It’s a participation and authorization form that a school district files to formally opt into the SDIV program administered by the state. Once a district is enrolled, the Department of Taxation and Finance can cross-check income data submitted by property owners against state tax records, reducing the need for districts to manually verify income documentation for every applicant claiming an exemption.

Who Needs to File Form RP-10

The form is completed by school district officials—typically someone in the assessor’s office, business office, or a designated tax administration representative for the district. It is not intended for individual taxpayers applying for STAR or other exemptions directly. If you’re a homeowner trying to apply for Enhanced STAR or a similar income-based exemption, you’ll typically be working with a different application form specific to that benefit, not RP-10.

School districts that want to streamline their income verification process for property tax exemption applicants are the primary users of this form. By participating in SDIV, districts avoid the administrative burden of collecting and reviewing income tax returns or other proof-of-income documents from every applicant, since the state handles that verification internally.

When Is Form RP-10 Used

Districts generally submit this form when they first decide to join the SDIV process, or when they need to update their participation status with the state. There isn’t a recurring annual filing requirement tied to a specific tax season—rather, it’s tied to the district’s decision to enroll or make changes to how it participates in the income verification program.

Because the form deals with authorization and program enrollment rather than an individual tax filing, timing is flexible and depends on when the district’s administration decides to move forward with SDIV participation, often in coordination with budget planning or exemption administration schedules.

How to Get and Complete Form RP-10

The form is available directly from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance as a fillable PDF, meaning it can be completed on a computer before printing or submitting electronically, depending on the district’s submission process. Filling it out requires basic identifying information about the school district, along with the specific authorizations and acknowledgments needed to participate in the SDIV process.

Because this form is administrative and procedural rather than a straightforward tax filing, districts should make sure the person completing it has authority to bind the district to the SDIV participation terms. Any errors or omissions in identifying information can delay processing, so it helps to double-check the district’s legal name, contact details, and any required signatures before submission.

School district staff who regularly deal with New York State property tax administration forms may find it useful to review other related filings as well. For instance, districts and assessors handling exemption reviews sometimes also work with the Form RP-3006 application for qualifications review, or need to document conflicts of interest using the Form RP-1126 declaration of interest. Assessment staff pursuing continuing education requirements might also reference the Form RP-3042 continuing education review application as part of maintaining their professional qualifications.

Since RP-10 directly affects how a district processes income-based exemption applications for residents, it’s worth having someone familiar with the SDIV program review the completed form before it’s submitted, ensuring the district’s participation is set up correctly from the start.