Introduction
Schedule B is an attachment to Connecticut Form OP-236, the Real Estate Conveyance Tax Return. Its printed title is "OP-236 Schedule B - Grantees." It collects buyer details the main return has no room for, such as additional buyers or the owners behind an entity that buys.
If you are handling a Connecticut purchase from Australia, or advising on one, Schedule B is easy to overlook and costly when buyer details are incomplete. OP-236 is a Connecticut, U.S. conveyance-tax filing only. It is not Australian transfer duty, council rates, or recurring annual property tax, and it does not replace any Australian obligation.
Key Takeaways
- Use Schedule B for the buyer (grantee) details reported on the OP-236 return.
- Follow the current Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) form and instructions to confirm when Schedule B applies.
- Match names, addresses and entity details to the deed and the main return.
- Confirm the filing and payment process with the town clerk or closing attorney.
What Is OP-236 Schedule B?
Purpose and relationship to the main return
Form OP-236 reports a Connecticut real-property transfer and calculates the state conveyance tax. Schedule B is a supplement, not a standalone return and not an annual property-tax form. It sits under the main return's declaration.
The schedule asks for:
- The town, date conveyed, date recorded and property location
- Whether the transaction was completed on one deed
- Each grantee's name as shown on the deed
- Taxpayer identification number (SSN or FEIN)
- Address after conveyance
- For listed entity buyers, the names, addresses and identification numbers of partners, shareholders, members or beneficiaries
Revision dates can mislead. The return is dated 07/20, Schedule A 10/24 and Schedule B 10/16. The older date on B does not mean it has been replaced, but always download the current version from DRS.
How Schedule B differs from related tax documents
The main OP-236 reports the transaction and the tax. Schedule B only extends the buyer-side disclosure.
Schedule A is its mirror image. It covers additional sellers (more than two grantors) and the owners of specified entity sellers. Do not combine sellers and buyers on one schedule.
Conveyance tax also differs from annual property tax. Conveyance tax arises when the property transfers. Annual property tax is assessed, billed and collected separately by the municipality.
The closest Australian comparison is Revenue NSW's description of transfer duty as a state tax charged on property transactions and documents. That is a comparison only. Council rates are the nearer match to annual property tax.
When Is Schedule B Required?
Multiple buyers or entity buyers
Line 9 of the return sets the triggers. Attach Schedule B when there is more than one grantee, or when a grantee is a partnership, S corporation, LLC, estate or trust.
So "only multiple buyers need Schedule B" is wrong. A single LLC buyer still triggers it, and you must supply the required owner or beneficiary names, addresses and TINs. The Connecticut DRS webpage mentions only multiple grantees, but the return itself is the stronger authority.
Do not assume every co-owner is reported the same way. Follow the official instructions for each ownership structure.
Single-buyer and special transactions
A single individual buyer does not need Schedule B solely because there is a buyer. Check the current instructions for exceptions.
Special scenarios:
- Exempt transfers: Enter the Line 14 exemption code and supply the documents. Connecticut DRS states the A and B triggers separately and gives no blanket exemption from party disclosure.
- Multiple deeds: Check Line 7. Multiple deeds are not themselves a listed Schedule B trigger.
- Multiple municipalities: File a separate return for each town. Allocate consideration with worksheet AU-263, which you keep and do not send to DRS.
- Amended returns: Include all required schedules and supporting documents.
Verify each scenario with Connecticut DRS, the relevant town clerk or closing counsel.
How to Complete Schedule B
Gather the documents first
Have these in front of you before entering anything:
- The deed
- The purchase agreement and settlement statement
- Entity formation documents
- The completed main OP-236
Copy legal names exactly as shown on the deed. No shortened names, no nicknames, no informal versions. A mismatch is one of the easiest ways to create delays.
Complete each field using the official instructions
Work through the schedule in order:
- Header details: town, one-deed Yes/No, date conveyed, property location, date recorded.
- Grantee name: as shown on the deed, in last name, first name, middle initial format.
- Identifier: tick SSN or FEIN and enter the TIN. The instructions require one for each grantee named on the deed, and omission makes the return incomplete.
- Address: the mailing address after conveyance.
- Entity owners: for a listed entity, enter each partner's, shareholder's, member's or beneficiary's name, address and TIN. No ownership-percentage threshold is stated.
Schedule B has no separate signature block. The main OP-236 declaration covers accompanying schedules, and the grantor, attorney or authorised agent signs it.
One wording quirk: a line on Schedule B refers to a partner, shareholder, member or beneficiary "of the grantor" that is an LLC or qualified subchapter S corporation, even though the schedule is headed Grantees. Confirm how to apply it with DRS rather than guessing.
Foreign buyers and Australian entities
The linked form and instructions give no procedure for foreign address formatting, ITINs, buyers without a U.S. identifier, or Australian entity classification. They do not establish any TFN or ABN substitution.
Ask DRS or the closing attorney before filing. Do not enter placeholder numbers.
Review against the full filing
Cross-check Schedule B against the deed, the parties on the main return, the transaction date and the property address. Then confirm:
- Entries are legible and amounts are in whole dollars
- The main return is signed
- The current form versions were used
- You hold a copy of the full package
How Schedule B Is Filed and Common Mistakes to Avoid
Filing sequence and responsible parties
The grantor, attorney or authorised agent files OP-236 with the clerk of the town where the property sits. Schedule B travels with the main return and is not filed alone.
- Electronic: Filing runs through myCTREC, with a participating town clerk who approves or rejects the return before DRS processes it. DRS withdraws payment from a bank account after successful recording.
- Paper: In nonparticipating towns, submit both pages (DRS copy and Town Clerk Copy) to the clerk with the state-tax cheque payable to "Commissioner of Revenue Services."
DRS's FAQ says all returns use myCTREC, while its filing guidance keeps the paper route. Town participation matters, so confirm with the clerk.
Under Connecticut General Statutes section 12-495, the person conveying the property pays the tax at recording. Do not assume the buyer pays it.
Rates are in U.S. dollars. The state rate on a residential dwelling is 0.75% on the first $800,000, with higher marginal bands above that, and the municipal component starts at 0.25%.
Common errors and corrections
Common mistakes include:
- Omitting a buyer or an entity's owners
- Mixing up grantor and grantee schedules
- Using a name that differs from the deed
- Leaving out an exemption code or identifier
- Not rounding amounts to whole dollars
If an error surfaces, the fix depends on how you filed:
- Originally electronic: file a new OP-236 in myCTREC marked as amended. A rejected return cannot be edited, so submit a new one.
- Originally paper: mail the amendment to the Department of Revenue Services, PO Box 5035, Hartford, CT 06102-5035, not the town clerk. Include the schedules, town code and original deed volume and page.
Never mail a copy of an electronic filing, as DRS warns this causes duplicate filings and delays. Ask your closing attorney which route applies.
Cross-Border Considerations and Final Checklist
Connecticut versus Australian terminology
Plain-English equivalents for Australian readers:
| U.S. term | Plain meaning |
|---|---|
| Grantor | Seller |
| Grantee | Buyer |
| Conveyance tax | Tax on the transfer, similar in role to transfer duty |
| Deed recording | Lodging the transfer on the public land record |
| Town clerk | Local records office where deeds are recorded |
A Connecticut purchase can also raise separate federal and Australian tax questions. The IRS notes that FIRPTA can involve federal withholding and reporting responsibilities. The ATO states that Australian tax residents declare worldwide income.
Neither issue belongs on OP-236. Get advice from professionals qualified in each jurisdiction.
Pre-filing checklist and support
Before you file, confirm:
- Current OP-236 and Schedule B downloaded from DRS
- Names matching the deed exactly
- Complete buyer details, including TINs and post-conveyance addresses
- Correct property and transaction information
- Required attachments and exemption documents
- Payment confirmed
- A retained copy of the filed package
VJM Global is an optional support provider for Australian businesses coordinating cross-border accounting, tax compliance and records. It does not practise law or determine Connecticut conveyance tax. Direct those filing questions to your U.S. closing attorney or the town clerk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Schedule B on Form OP-236?
It is a supporting schedule, titled "Grantees," that reports additional buyer information with Connecticut's Real Estate Conveyance Tax Return. The current DRS instructions govern its use.
Who needs to complete Schedule B on OP-236?
Attach it when there is more than one grantee, or when a grantee is a partnership, S corporation, LLC, estate or trust. Confirm the trigger on the current DRS form.
Is Schedule B required when there is only one buyer?
Not always. A single entity, estate or trust buyer can still require it, so check Line 9 and the current instructions.
What information is reported on Schedule B?
Grantee names as shown on the deed, TINs, post-conveyance addresses, and owner details for listed entities. Everything should match the deed and main return.
Is OP-236 Schedule B the same as an annual property tax form?
No. It documents conveyance tax on a transfer. Annual property tax is billed locally by the municipality, and Australian transfer duty is a separate regime.
Where is OP-236 Schedule B filed?
With the main OP-236 through the recording town's process, via myCTREC or on paper in nonparticipating towns. Amendments follow separate DRS instructions.
