Income Tax

Please disregard the $25 late fee for W3's submitted prior to 02/28/2026. The fee will not be charged.

To file tax year 2025 electronically, use the Online Tax Tool and manually enter your income.

To have a return prepared for you, use the form below and upload to the Form Center Upload link along with tax documents.

  1. Lancaster Income Tax Prep Sheet (fillable)

-ATTENTION-

Lancaster City Hall is currently undergoing exterior renovations. Please be advised that the entrance on the Broad Street side of City Hall will be CLOSED starting Monday, August 4, 2025. The Main Street entrance will remain OPEN. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work through the City Hall renovations


The After Hours Drop Box has been temporarily moved outside the entrance to the Lancaster Police Department. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding!

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New Business or Payroll Registration click HERE and email the form to our office @taxrequest@lancasterohio.gov

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Current Income Tax Rate is 2.3%

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2025  Quarterly Estimated Payments 

Individuals and Businesses expecting to owe $200.00 or more in Lancaster City income tax for the current year are required to make quarterly estimated tax payments. These Quarterly estimated payments must total at least 90% of the total tax liability shown on the current year tax return or at least 100% of the total tax liability shown on the previous year’s income tax return.

If estimated payments total an amount less than either of these criteria, or if payments are not made, you will be subject to penalty and interest.

State of Ohio Laws governing Estimated Tax Payments can be found here.

Payment Due Date          Calendar Year        Fiscal Year

Declaration/ 1st QuarterApril 15th15th day of 4 month of fiscal year
2nd Quarter PaymentJune 16th15th day of 6 month of fiscal year
3rd Quarter PaymentSeptember 15th15th day of 9 month of fiscal year
4th Quarter Payment 
Business
Individual 		December 15th
January 15th		15th day of 12 month of fiscal year



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 Legislative Update- Beginning January 1, 2024

Individuals under 18 years of age are exempt from paying municipal tax. 


Electronic Filing with the Online Tax Tool

  • Make payments by checking account with NO FEE

  • File current or prior year returns

  • Upload W-2's, Federal Schedules and other tax documents

 *You will need your Lancaster City tax account number to create your WEB Login. You can call our office at 740-687-6606 to verify your account number or request an account number for new tax filers.

**Please be sure to upload W-2's and Federal Schedules. That information can be uploaded into the Tax Tool, uploaded to the Form Center or mailed to our office. The filing is NOT complete until this documentation is submitted.



Withholding/Reconciliation Information:

The City of Lancaster is requiring Withholding Reconciliations with 10 or more employees to be submitted in SSA, electronic format. We encourage filing W2's with SSA, electronic format regardless of number of employees.

Electronic filing of year-end W-2 and reconciliation information can be submitted via the Online Tax Tool (requires registration) or our Form Center (does not require registration). Select 'Income Tax" from the department drop down menu in the Form Center. 

 Withholding payments can be remitted via our Online Tax Tool, mailed, submitted through Global Payments with a credit card or use the Ohio Business Gateway.

Monthly and Quarterly reconciliation FORMS.



Federal short-term rate for 2025 10%

Federal short-term rate for 2024 10%

Federal short-term rate for 2023 is 7%

Federal short-term rate for 2022 is 7%

Federal short-term rate for 2020 & 2021 is 5%

Federal short-term rate for 2019 is 7%