Understanding Your Taxes

Shaker Heights residents pay a local income tax (collected by RITA) and property taxes (collected by Cuyahoga County). Find information about these taxes below. 

Municipal Income Tax (RITA)

Contact: Regional Income Tax Agency, 800-860-7482 

The City levies an income tax on the earned income of all residents, the net profits of all businesses located in the City, and the wages of all individuals who work in the City. This tax is in addition to any income tax that a resident may be paying to the community in which he or she is working. Specifically:

  • The City’s tax rate is 2.25%. A resident who works in a community that levies an income tax is allowed a credit of one-half of the first one percent paid to the workplace community. For example, if the workplace community has a tax rate of 2.50%, such as Cleveland, the Shaker credit reduces the obligation for the two cities from 4.75% to 4.25%. 
  • This tax is collected and administered on behalf of the City by the Regional Income Tax Agency (RITA).
  • New residents should contact RITA upon moving into the City to register for tax forms and estimated billing. Tax forms are also available at City Hall, at the RITA website, and at the Shaker Heights Public Library during tax filing season. 
  • Residents under the age of 18 are exempt from filing.

How to Pay Your Income Taxes

  • RITA collects income taxes for the City of Shaker Heights. Learn more about RITA's role in collecting taxes for Ohio municipalities (PDF).
  • Residents who anticipate an annual income tax liability, after any withholding, of $50 are required to make quarterly estimated payments to RITA. Estimated tax payments are due by April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31 following the end of the tax year. The tax return filing deadline is April 15. Learn more about RITA  estimated taxes (PDF).
  • If you qualify to pay the municipal income tax, RITA will compute your tax liability for you and send you a quarterly bill. The deadline for signing up for this service is March 31.
  • Contact RITA with questions about your municipal income tax. Self-service phone options such as making a payment, checking refunds and estimates are available around the clock or you may speak with an agent during business hours, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday - Friday. City staff are not able to answer questions about your personal tax situation. Learn more about online resources from RITA (PDF).

Property Tax

Contact: Cuyahoga County Treasurer’s Office, 216-443-7400 

Property located in the City of Shaker Heights is taxed by the Shaker Heights School District, the Shaker Heights Public Library, Cuyahoga County and the City. Each of these separate entities sets its own tax rate. The tax rate that appears on the tax bill is the combined tax rate of all four.  

Property taxes paid by a Shaker Heights homeowner are distributed as follows: 

70.34% - Shaker Heights School District
15.69% - Cuyahoga County
10.14% - City of Shaker Heights
3.83% - Shaker Heights Public Library

Find current property tax rates for the community at https://cuyahogacounty.us/treasury/pay-your-taxes/tax-rates-by-community

  • In Cuyahoga County, the County Fiscal Officer and Treasurer are responsible for determining property value, maintaining all property records, billing and collecting property taxes for all governments that tax a parcel of property.  
  • The County reappraises property values every six years with an update every three years. Learn more.
  • Property taxes are billed by the County semi-annually and are normally due in January and July. Property taxes are billed in the year following the tax year upon which the bill is based. 
  • Property is taxed based upon 35% of the fair market value of the property as determined by the County Treasurer.
  • For more information about a specific property, visit https://myplace.cuyahogacounty.us.

Are you behind in the payment of your property taxes? Call the Cuyahoga County Treasurer's Office for assistance. You can also go directly to their website: cuyahogacounty.gov/treasury/delinquency. There, you will find information on payment plans, tax lien certificate sales, and the Taxpayer Assistance Program for eligible property owners.

Click here to learn more about the County's 2024 Sexennial Reappraisal


Special Assessments

Shaker Heights residents are charged two special assessments on their property tax bills.

Fund 281: Street Lighting Assessments: An assessment of $1.10 per front footage of each property parcel in the City provides approximately $703K per year toward the cost of street lighting within the City.

 Fund 282: Tree Maintenance Assessments: An assessment of $1.66 per front footage of each property parcel in the City provides approximately $1.1M per year toward the cost of tree maintenance and requisite equipment within the City.

What Your City Taxes Pay For

The taxes collected by the City of Shaker Heights (local income taxes and the City's percentage of property taxes) fund City operations and services, including fire, police, trash/recycling, sewers, roads, parks and recreation and much more. Click here to read an overview of City finances (PDF). Review annual budgets at our City Financial Documents page to download current and past City budgets. 

Note: The percentages of property taxes that go to the Shaker Schools, Shaker Library and Cuyahoga County are part of those entities' budgets. The City does not operate the Shaker Schools or the Shaker Library.

Learn more about sewer fees.