(a) Whenever there is a change in ownership of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 64, a signed change in ownership statement as provided in subdivision (b) shall be filed by the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity with the board at its office in Sacramento within 90 days from the date of the change in ownership of the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity. The statement shall list all counties in which the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or legal entity owns real property.
(b) The change in ownership statement required pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be declared to be true and under penalty of perjury and shall give such information relative to the ownership interest acquisition transaction as the board shall prescribe after consultation with the California Assessors’ Association. The information shall include, but not be limited to, a description of the property owned by the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity, the parties to the transaction, the date of the ownership interest acquisition, and a listing of the “original coowners” of the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity prior to the transaction. The change in ownership statement shall not include any question which is not germane to the assessment function. The statement shall contain a notice that is printed, with the title in at least 12-point boldface type and the body in at least 8-point boldface type, in the following form:
“The law requires any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity owning real property in California subject to local property taxation and transferring shares or other ownership interest in such legal entity which constitute a change in ownership pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 64 of the Revenue and Taxation Code to complete and file a change in ownership statement with the State Board of Equalization at its office in Sacramento. The change in ownership statement must be filed within 90 days from the date that shares or other ownership interests representing cumulatively more than 50 percent of the total control or ownership interests in the entity are transferred by any of the original coowners in one or more transactions. The law further requires that a change in ownership statement be completed and filed whenever a written request is made therefor by the State Board of Equalization, regardless of whether a change in ownership of the legal entity has occurred. The failure to file a change in ownership statement within 90 days from the earlier of the date of the change in ownership of the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity, or the date of a written request by the Board of Equalization, results in a penalty of 10 percent of the taxes applicable to the new base year value reflecting the change in ownership of the real property owned by the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or legal entity (or 10 percent of the current year’s taxes on that real property if no change in ownership occurred). This penalty will be added to the assessment roll and shall be collected like any other delinquent property taxes, and be subject to the same penalties for nonpayment.”
(c) In the case of a corporation, the change in ownership statement shall be signed either by an officer of the corporation or an employee or agent who has been designated in writing by the board of directors to sign such statements on behalf of the corporation. In the case of a partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity, the statement shall be signed by an officer, partner, manager, or an employee or agent who has been designated in writing by the partnership, limited liability company, or legal entity.
(d) No person or entity acting for or on behalf of the parties to a transfer of real property shall incur liability for the consequences of assistance rendered to the transferee in preparation of any change in ownership statement, and no action may be brought or maintained against any person or entity as a result of that assistance.
Nothing in this section shall create a duty, either directly or by implication, that such assistance be rendered by any person or entity acting for or on behalf of parties to a transfer of real property.
(e) The board or assessors may inspect any and all records and documents of a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or legal entity to ascertain whether a change in ownership as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 64 has occurred. The corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or legal entity shall upon request, make those documents available to the board during normal business hours.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 708, Sec. 3. (SB 507) Effective January 1, 2012.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018