FIN-Form No. 040 is the City of Riverside Utility Users Tax and Street Light Assessment Fee Refund Claim, issued by the City of Riverside Finance Department. It is one of the Riverside property tax-related forms in that the street light fees it can refund are paid through property tax billings. Renters and homeowners whose household income is under the limit printed on the form use it to claim a refund. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the form is published by the City at its Finance Department site, and the PDF includes the Spanish version.
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What is FIN-Form No. 040?
FIN-Form No. 040, the City of Riverside Utility Users Tax and Street Light Assessment Fee Refund Claim, is the form that income-qualified Riverside residents file with the City's Finance Department to claim a refund of Utility Users Tax and of Street Light Assessment fees they paid.
The form's general instructions describe two refunds. The first is a refund of Utility Users Tax (UUT) paid, not to exceed $35; renters and homeowners can claim it. The second is 100% of the fees paid to the City of Riverside Street Light Assessment District, collected through property tax billings for the December and April installments; only homeowners can claim it. The refund is applied to your Utility Account.
The form has three parts. Part I lists the other members of your household. Part II asks questions A through E about taxes owed, public assistance, other claims and senior or disability status. Part III totals your household income and the refund you claim on lines 1 through 6. The claim is for the current year only and is not cumulative.
Qualifying for the refund program also qualifies a senior (over 55) or disabled claimant for a waiver of the Electric reliability charge for up to one year, according to the instructions for questions D and E.
This edition is marked 2025 and FIN-Form No. 040 (2/25). The same PDF carries the English form followed by a Spanish version of the instructions and claim.
Who needs to file FIN-Form No. 040?
The claimant is the person whose name appears on the utility bills, and the property must be that person's primary residence. To qualify, total gross household income for the previous Federal income tax year must be less than $23,475. Both renters and homeowners may claim the Utility Users Tax refund; only homeowners may claim the Street Light Assessment fee refund.
The instructions set these limits:
- No refund is made if you owe any utility users tax or street light assessment fee for the period claimed or any prior period.
- No refund is made of tax or fees paid with public assistance or relief funds that included an allowance to pay them.
- Only one member of a household may file, and only one claim may be filed per household.
Household members are your spouse (if living with you), any adult living at the same address, and anyone who qualified or could have qualified as a dependent on your last Federal income tax return. Their income counts toward the household total.
The refund covers Utility Users Tax paid during the twelve months from April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025. Seniors (over 55) and disabled claimants who qualify also receive a waiver of the Electric reliability charge for up to one year, with documentation. The instructions do not describe a representative filing for the claimant.
When to file FIN-Form No. 040
File the claim each year between April 1, 2025 and June 30, 2025. The City accepts no claim filed or postmarked after June 30, 2025.
The refund applies to the current year only and is under no circumstances cumulative. For Utility Users Tax, the claim covers taxes paid during the twelve-month period from April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025. For Street Light Assessment fees, it covers the December and April installments paid through property tax billings. The instructions note that applicable billing dates run from April 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, and that the income year is the last calendar or tax return year (tax year 2024 for this edition).
An application is not considered complete until all required documentation is submitted, and the form warns that missing documents delay the process. The form prints no processing time.
Documents you need
- Utility bill receipts listing the Utility Users Tax (telephone, gas, electricity, water and cable) for billing dates April 2024 through March 2025.
- Proof that the utility tax was paid by you or a member of your household, and that the property is your primary residence.
- A copy of the prior year's Federal income tax return, or proof that household income does not exceed $23,475 for tax year 2024.
- Only if claiming the Street Light Assessment fee refund: the property tax bill receipt with proof of payment (receipts or canceled checks) for the December and April installments.
- Acceptable proof of payment: a bill receipted by the utility company or its authorized collection agent, a canceled check, a receipted copy of the paid property tax bill, or monthly bills showing all balances are paid.
- Only if answering Yes to question D (senior, over 55): a valid identification card showing proof of age, such as a military ID, state ID or driver's license.
- Only if answering Yes to question E (disabled): a disability award letter or other proof of disability benefits.
How to fill out FIN-Form No. 040
Mark Walk In or Mail In
At the top, check Walk In or Mail In according to how you will file, and enter your City Utility Account Number.
Select the refund you are claiming
The form names the Utility Users Tax Refund (Renter or Homeowner) and the Street Lighting Assessment Fees Refund (Homeowner Only). Claim the street lighting refund only if you are a homeowner.
Enter your name and address
Print or type your last name, first name, initial, street address, city, state and ZIP code. Enter only the last 4 digits of your Social Security number; the name must match the one on your utility bills.
List other household members in Part I
Give the name, relationship and age of everyone who was in your household during the last Federal income tax reporting period. If there were none, write NONE.
Answer questions A through C
Mark YES or NO for A (all utility users taxes paid as billed) and B1 (public assistance that included an allowance). If B1 is yes, enter the total allowance on B2. Then answer C (another household member's claim).
Answer questions D and E
Mark YES or NO for senior (over 55) and disabled. A Yes answer requires documentation, and missing documentation delays the process.
Enter household income on lines 1 to 3
Line 1 is gross salaries and wages, and line 2 is other income, itemized. Line 3 is total gross household income (lines 1 and 2), counting every household member listed in Part I.
Enter Street Lighting fees on lines 4 and 4a
Homeowners only: enter total Street Lighting Assessment Fees paid on line 4. Line 4a is the refund claimed, 100% of the amount paid.
Enter Utility Users Taxes on lines 5 and 5a
Enter total Utility Users Taxes paid on line 5. Line 5a is the refund claimed and may not exceed $35.00.
Total your refund on line 6
Add lines 4a and 5a to get the total refund claimed on line 6.
Sign, date and add your phone number
Sign and date the certification made under penalty of perjury, and give your daytime phone number. Leave the FOR CITY USE ONLY block blank.
Review, download and assemble the package
Check that every question and blank is answered, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Attach the required documents and submit through the channels described under How to submit.
How to submit FIN-Form No. 040
The form offers two channels, marked Walk In and Mail In at the top of the claim. Both use the same office, according to the instructions.
- Walk In: City of Riverside, Finance Department, Treasury Division, First Floor of City Hall, 3900 Main Street, Riverside, California 92522-0144. The Treasury's hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
- Mail In: the instructions give the same address as the place to file. A mailed claim must be postmarked no later than June 30, 2025.
Include the completed claim and all required documents: utility bill receipts, proof of payment, the income proof and, for the Street Light Assessment fee refund, the property tax bill receipt with proof of payment. The refund is applied to your Utility Account.
For application requests and general information, call the City of Riverside Call Center at (951) 826-5311. For refund inquiries, call Public Utilities Customer Service at (951) 782-0330. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing or mailing the claim after June 30, 2025; the City accepts no claim filed or postmarked later.
- Submitting the claim without the utility bills, proof of payment or income proof; the application is not complete until all required documentation arrives, and missing documents delay the process.
- Filing as someone whose name is not on the utility bills; the claimant must be the person named on the bills.
- Leaving household members out of Part I, or leaving their income out of Part III; if there are no other members, write NONE.
- Claiming a refund while owing any utility users tax or street light assessment fee for the claimed period or an earlier one.
- Counting excluded items as income, such as Medicare benefits, Medicaid benefits, gifts of food, gifts between household members or surplus food.
- Having a second member of the household file a claim; only one claim per household is allowed.
- Claiming the Street Light Assessment fee refund as a renter; that refund is for homeowners only.
- Writing the Street Light fees on line 5 or the Utility Users Taxes on line 4; fees go on line 4 and taxes on line 5.
- Expecting prior-year amounts to be refunded; the refund covers the current year only and is not cumulative.
Frequently asked questions
What is FIN-Form No. 040?
FIN-Form No. 040 is the City of Riverside Utility Users Tax and Street Light Assessment Fee Refund Claim. Qualifying households use it to claim a refund of Utility Users Tax paid and, for homeowners, of Street Light Assessment fees paid through property tax billings.
Who qualifies for the Riverside Utility Users Tax refund?
The property must be your primary residence, your name must be on the bills, and total gross household income for the previous Federal tax year must be under $23,475. Renters and homeowners can claim the tax refund; only one claim per household is allowed.
What is the deadline to file the Riverside UUT refund claim?
Claims for 2025 must be filed between April 1, 2025 and June 30, 2025. The City accepts no claim filed or postmarked after June 30, 2025, and the refund covers the current year only.
Where do I turn in the Riverside refund claim?
File with the City of Riverside, Finance Department, Treasury Division, First Floor of City Hall, 3900 Main Street, Riverside, California 92522-0144. The Treasury is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and the form lists Walk In and Mail In options.
What documents do I attach to FIN-Form No. 040?
Attach utility bill receipts for April 2024 through March 2025, proof of payment and primary residence, and your prior-year Federal tax return or income proof. Homeowners claiming street light fees add the property tax bill receipt and proof of payment for the December and April installments.
How is the Riverside refund paid?
The refund is applied to your Utility Account. For questions about a refund, call Public Utilities Customer Service at (951) 782-0330. For application requests and general information, call the City of Riverside Call Center at (951) 826-5311.
Do seniors or disabled residents get anything extra?
Yes. If you qualify for the refund program and are a senior (over 55) and/or disabled, you automatically qualify for a waiver of the Electric reliability charge for up to one year. Answer questions D and E and include proof of age or disability.
Is this form a Riverside property tax bill or appeal?
No. It is a refund claim. It connects to Riverside property tax only because the Street Light Assessment fees it can refund are paid through property tax billings, and the claim requires the property tax bill receipt.
Is there a Spanish version, and can I fill it out online?
The City's PDF includes a Spanish version of the instructions and claim after the English pages. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download it; FillingPDF is independent, does not file the claim, and you submit it to the City yourself.
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