A Certificate of Residence issued by your local government entitles you to pay the resident tuition fee when attending a New York State community college outside of New York City rather than the higher, non-resident rate. 

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The Certificate is effective for one year from the date it is issued. You must apply for and submit a new certificate to your college every year at the beginning of the semester of which you attend. This must be done within a three month window, beginning two months before the start of the semester and ending one month after the start of the semester. Failure to submit a Certificate of Residence along with your tuition payment will result in you being charged the higher non-resident rate, which is not refundable.