Section 305 - ApplicationNo change in an assessment sought by a person affected shall be made unless the following application procedure is followed.
(a) Eligible Persons. (1) An application is filed by a person affected or the person's agent, or a relative mentioned in regulation 317 of this division. If the application is made by an agent, other than an authorized attorney licensed to practice in this state who has been retained and authorized by the applicant to file the application, written authorization to so act must be filed with the application. For purposes of signing an application on behalf of an applicant, an agent shall be deemed to have been duly authorized if the applicant's written agent authorization is on the application or attached to each application at the time it is filed with the board. The attached authorization shall include the following: (A) The date the authorization statement is executed;(B) A statement to the effect that the agent is authorized to sign and file applications in the specific calendar year in which the application is filed or years indicated in the agent's authorization; an agent's authorization may not cover more than four consecutive calendar years in the future, beginning with the year in which the authorization was signed;(C) The specific parcel(s) or assessment(s) covered by the authorization, or a statement that the agent is authorized to represent the applicant on all parcels and assessments located in the specific county;(D) The name, address, and telephone number of the specific agent who is authorized to represent the applicant;(E) The applicant's signature and title; and(F) A statement that the agent will provide the applicant with a copy of the application.(2) For online filing where a county's electronic application system does not permit filing or uploading an agent's authorization form with an image of a signature, or other electronic method acceptable to the county board as adopted in its local rules, the paper form shall be submitted to the board as soon as possible in order to perfect the application. Beginning January 1, 2022, any county offering online filing of an application should provide a mechanism for an agency authorization form to be submitted electronically with the application.(3) If a photocopy of the original authorization is attached to the application, the agent shall be prepared to submit an original signed authorization if requested by the board. The application form shall show that the agent's authorization was attached to the application.(4) If the applicant is a corporation, limited partnership, or a limited liability company, the agent authorization must be signed by an officer or authorized employee of the business entity.(5) No application shall be rejected as a duplicate application by the clerk unless it qualifies as a duplicate application within the meaning specified in section 1603.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.(6) An agent must have authorization to file an application at the time the application is filed; retroactive authorizations are not permitted. No application shall be rejected because the agency authorization is signed by a taxpayer in a different calendar year than the application was filed.(b) Signature and Verification. The application shall be in writing and signed by the applicant or the applicant's agent with declaration under penalty of perjury that the statements made in the application are true and that the person signing the application is one of the following: (1) The person affected, a relative mentioned in regulation 317 of this division, an officer of a corporation, or an employee of a corporation who has been designated in writing by the board of directors or corporate officer to represent the corporation on property tax matters;(2) An agent authorized by the applicant as indicated in the agent's authorization portion of the application; or(3) An attorney licensed to practice law in this state who has been retained by the applicant and who has been authorized by the applicant, prior to the time the application is filed, to file the application.(c) Form and Contents. The county shall provide, free of charge, forms on which applications are to be made. (1) The application form shall be prescribed by the State Board of Equalization and shall require that the applicant provide the following information:(A) The name and address of the applicant.(B) The name and address of the applicant's agent, if any. If the applicant is represented by an agent, both the applicant's actual mailing address and the agent's mailing address shall be provided on the application.(C) The applicant's written authorization for an agent, if any, to act on the applicant's behalf.(D) A description of the property that is the subject of the application sufficient to identify it on the assessment roll.(E) The applicant's opinion of the value of the property on the valuation date of the assessment year in issue.(F) The roll value on which the assessment of the property was based.(G) The facts relied upon to support the claim that the board should order a change in the assessed value, base year value, or classification of the subject property. The amount of the tax or the amount of an assessed value increase shall not constitute facts sufficient to warrant a change in assessed values.(2) The form shall also include: (A) A notice that a list of property transfers within the county, that have occurred within the preceding two-year period, is open to inspection at the assessor's office to the applicant upon payment of a fee not to exceed ten dollars ($10). This requirement shall not apply to counties with a population under 50,000 as determined by the 1970 decennial census.(B) A notice that written findings of fact will be prepared by the board upon request if the applicable fee is paid. An appropriate place for the applicant to make the request shall be provided.(3) An application may include one or more reasons for filing the application. Unless permitted by local rules, an application shall not include both property on the secured roll and property on the unsecured roll.(4) An application that does not include the information required by subsection (c)(1) of this regulation is invalid and shall not be accepted by the board. Prompt notice that an application is invalid shall be given by the clerk to the applicant and, where applicable, the applicant's agent. An applicant or the applicant's agent who has received notice shall be given a reasonable opportunity to correct any errors and/or omissions. Disputes concerning the validity of an application shall be resolved by the board.(5) An application that includes the correct information required by subdivision (1) is valid and no additional information shall be required of the applicant on the application form.(6) If the county has appointed hearing officers as provided for in Revenue and Taxation Code section 1636, the application form shall advise the applicant of the circumstances under which the applicant may request that the application be heard by such an officer.(7) If an application appeals property subject to an escape assessment resulting from an audit conducted by the county assessor, then all property, both real and personal, of the assessee at the same profession, trade, or business location shall be subject to review, equalization, and adjustment by the appeals board, except when the property has previously been equalized for the year in question.(d) Time of filing. (1) An application appealing a regular assessment shall be filed with the clerk during the regular filing period. A regular assessment is one placed on the assessment roll for the most recent lien date, prior to the closing of that assessment roll. The regular filing period for all real and personal property located in a county is: (A) July 2 through September 15 when the county assessor elects to mail assessment notices, as defined in section 619 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, by August 1 to all owners of real property on the secured roll; or(B) July 2 through November 30 when the county assessor does not elect to mail assessment notices by August 1 to all owners of real property on the secured roll. Additionally, an application appealing a base year value for the most recent lien date, where that value is not the value currently on the assessment roll, shall be filed with the clerk during the regular filing period beginning July 2 but no later than September 15 or November 30, as applicable.(2) An application appealing an escape assessment or a supplemental assessment must be filed with the clerk no later than 60 days after the date of mailing printed on the notice of assessment or the postmark date, whichever is later, or no later than 60 days after the date of mailing printed on the tax bill or the postmark date, whichever is later, in the county of Los Angeles and in those counties where the board of supervisors has adopted a resolution to that effect, pursuant to Section 1605 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.(3) An application appealing a proposed reassessment made for property damaged by misfortune or calamity pursuant to section 170 of the Revenue and Taxation Code must be filed with the clerk no later than six months after the date of mailing of the notice of proposed reassessment by the assessor. The decision of the board regarding the damaged value of property shall be final, however, the decision regarding the reassessment made pursuant to section 170 shall create no presumption regarding the value of the property subsequent to the date of the damage.(4) An application may be filed within 60 days of receipt of a notice of assessment or within 60 days of the mailing of a tax bill, whichever is earlier, when the taxpayer does not receive the notice of assessment described in section 619 of the Revenue and Taxation Code at least 15 calendar days prior to the close of the regular filing period. The application must be filed with an affidavit from the applicant declaring under penalty of perjury that the notice was not timely received.(5) An application will be deemed to have been timely filed:(A) If it is sent by U.S. mail, properly addressed with postage prepaid and is postmarked on the last day of the filing period or earlier within such period; or(B) If proof satisfactory to the board establishes that the mailing occurred on the last day of the filing period or within such period. Any statement or affidavit made by an applicant asserting such a timely filing must be made within one year of the last day of the filing period.(6) An application filed by mail that bears a both a private business postage meter postmark date and a U.S. Postal Service postmark date will be deemed to have been filed on the date that is the same as the U.S. Postal Service postmarked date, even if the private business postage meter date is the earlier of the two postmarked dates. If the last day of the filing period falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday, an application that is mailed and postmarked on the next business day shall be deemed timely filed. If the county's offices are closed for business prior to 5 p.m. or for the entire day on which the deadline for filing falls, that day shall be considered a legal holiday.(7) Except as provided in sections 1603 and 1605 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, the board has no jurisdiction to hear an application unless filed within the time periods specified above.(e) Amendments and Corrections. (1) An applicant or an applicant's agent may amend an application until 5:00 p.m. on the last day upon which the application might have been timely filed.(2) After the filing period has expired: (A) An invalid application may be corrected in accordance with subsection (c)(4) of this regulation.(B) The applicant or the applicant's agent may amend an application provided that the effect of the amendment is not to request relief additional to or different in nature from that originally requested.(C)(i) Upon request of the applicant or the applicant's agent, the board, in its discretion, may allow the applicant or the applicant's agent to make amendments to the application in addition to those specified in subdivisions (A) and (B) to state additional facts claimed to require a reduction of the assessment that is the subject of the application.(ii) The applicant or the applicant's agent shall state the reasons for the request, which shall be made in writing and filed with the clerk of the board prior to any scheduled hearing, or may be made orally at the hearing. If made in writing, the clerk shall provide a copy to the assessor upon receipt of the request.(iii) As a condition to granting a request to amend an application, the board may require the applicant to sign a written agreement extending the two-year period provided in section 1604 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.(iv) If a request to amend is granted, and upon the request of the assessor, the hearing on the matter shall be continued by the board for no less than 45 days, unless the parties mutually agree to a different period of time.(3) An applicant or an applicant's agent shall be permitted to present testimony and other evidence at the hearing to support a full value that may be different from the opinion of value stated on the application. The presentation of such testimony or other evidence shall not be considered a request to amend or an amendment to the application.(f) Claim for Refund. If a valid application is designated as a claim for refund pursuant to section 5097 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, the applicant shall be deemed to have challenged each finding of the board and to have satisfied the requirements of section 5097.02 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.(g) Retention of Records. The clerk may destroy records consisting of assessment appeal applications when five years have elapsed since the final action on the application. The records may be destroyed three years after the final action on the application if the records have been microfilmed, microfiched, imaged, or otherwise preserved on a medium that provides access to the documents. As used in this subsection, "final action" means the date of the final decision by the board.(h) Consolidation of Applications. The board, on its own motion or on a timely request of the applicant or applicants or the assessor, may consolidate applications when the applications present the same or substantially related issues of valuation, law, or fact. If applications are consolidated, the board shall notify all parties of the consolidation.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 18, § 305
1. Amendment of subsection (c) and (d) filed 6-14-74 as an emergency; effective upon filing (Register 74, No. 24). For prior history, see Register 72, No. 16.
2. Certificate of Compliance filed 8-9-74 (Register 74, No. 32).
3. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 4-22-77; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 77, No. 17).
4. Repealer of NOTE filed 10-26-77; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 77, No. 44).
5. Amendment filed 10-20-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 43).
6. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 11-30-82; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 82, No. 49).
7. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (d) filed 9-23-97 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 97, No. 39).
8. Amendment of section and NOTE filed 5-25-2000; operative 6-30-2000 (Register 2000, No. 21).
9. Change without regulatory effect amending section and NOTE filed 8-25-2004 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2004, No. 35).
10. Amendment of subsection (a)(1)(B), new subsection (a)(2), subsection renumbering, amendment of newly designated subsection (a)(3) and new subsection (a)(6) filed 11-4-2019; operative 1-1-2020 (Register 2019, No. 45). Note: Authority cited: Section 15606, Government Code. Reference: Sections 51, 166, 170, 408.1, 469, 1603, 1603.5, 1604, 1605, 1636, 5097 and 5097.02, Revenue and Taxation Code; and Section 25105.5, Government Code.
1. Amendment of subsection (c) and (d) filed 6-14-74 as an emergency; effective upon filing (Register 74, No. 24). For prior history, see Register 72, No. 16.
2. Certificate of Compliance filed 8-9-74 (Register 74, No. 32).
3. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 4-22-77; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 77, No. 17).
4. Repealer of NOTE filed 10-26-77; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 77, No. 44).
5. Amendment filed 10-20-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 43).
6. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 11-30-82; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 82, No. 49).
7. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (d) filed 9-23-97 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 97, No. 39).
8. Amendment of section and Notefiled 5-25-2000; operative 6-30-2000 (Register 2000, No. 21).
9. Change without regulatory effect amending section andNotefiled 8-25-2004 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2004, No. 35).
10. Amendment of subsection (a)(1)(B), new subsection (a)(2), subsection renumbering, amendment of newly designated subsection (a)(3) and new subsection (a)(6) filed 11-4-2019; operative 1/1/2020 (Register 2019, No. 45).