The state mails payments of up to $200 through December, and they do not follow a regional order. Here are the requirements and the address you should confirm.
If you are waiting for New York's energy rebate check and it has not arrived, it may still be on its way. The state's Department of Taxation and Finance has been mailing POWER program payments since September 21, 2026, and mailing continues through December, according to a statement from Governor Kathy Hochul on October 15.
How many checks have been sent
On October 15, the governor's office reported that it had sent out 3 million checks and that another 5.2 million would be mailed in the following weeks, for a total of 8.2 million. The program, called Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER), is a one-time $1,000 million (one billion dollars) rebate from the state budget.
The Department of Taxation and Finance explains that checks do not follow a sequence by ZIP code or region. A neighbor may receive theirs before or after you without that indicating a problem.
Who receives the check
There is no application, and no utility bills are requested. The payment is automatic if you meet all of the following, according to the Department of Taxation and Finance:
- You filed Form IT-201 for 2024 on time: by April 15, 2025, or by October 15, 2025 if you had a valid extension.
- Your income falls within the program's limits.
- You were not claimed as a dependent on someone else's return for 2024.
- You were a New York resident for all of 2024. Those who were residents only part of the year do not qualify.
How much the check is
The amount depends on your 2024 adjusted gross income, which appears on line 33 of Form IT-201:
- $100 for single filers, heads of household, and married people filing separately, with $150,000 or less.
- $200 for joint filers, with $150,000 or less.
- $150 for joint filers, with more than $150,000 and up to $300,000.
The Department's page does not list an amount for single filers, heads of household, or married people filing separately with income above $150,000.
Check your address
The check is sent to the most recent address the state has on file, which may differ from the one you used on your 2024 return. If you moved, the Department says it can be updated in your Individual Online Services account; those who don't have one can create it.
The payment arrives only by mail, even if you received your tax refund by direct deposit. It is also not offset to pay outstanding debts, according to the same page.
What the state can't tell you
The Department of Taxation says it cannot provide a delivery schedule and that its contact center cannot look up the status of a check. The official page reviewed does not describe a process for reporting a check that never arrived or a deadline for cashing it.
What does it mean to you?
- That the check hasn't arrived does not mean you are excluded: mailings continue through December.
- Confirm on your 2024 IT-201 that you met the requirements: residency for the full year, filing on time, and not being a dependent.
- If you moved, check the address in your Individual Online Services account.
- Don't expect a direct deposit: the payment arrives only by mail.
- If you need more information, use the official program page.
