North Carolina § 105-312 - Discovered property; appraisal; penalty.

§ 105-312. Discovered property; appraisal; penalty.

Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 34, s. 4. Duty to Discover and Assess Unlisted Property. - It shall be the duty of the assessor to see that all property not properly listed during the regular listing period be listed, assessed and taxed as provided in this Subchapter. The assessor shall file reports of such discoveries with the board of commissioners in such manner as the board may require. Carrying Forward Real Property. - At the close of the regular listing period each year, the assessor shall compare the tax lists submitted during the listing period just ended with the lists for the preceding year, and he shall carry forward to the lists of the current year all real property that was listed in the preceding year but that was not listed for the current year. When carried forward, the real property shall be listed in the name of the taxpayer who listed it in the preceding year unless, under the provisions of G.S. 105-302, it must be listed in the name of another taxpayer. Real property carried forward in this manner shall be deemed to be discovered property, and the procedures prescribed in subsection (d), below, shall be followed unless the property discovered is listed in the name of the taxpayer who listed it for the preceding year and the property is not subject to appraisal under either G.S. 105-286 or G.S. 105-287 in which case no notice of the listing and valuation need be sent to the taxpayer. Procedure for Listing, Appraising, and Assessing Discovered Property. - Subject to the provisions of subsection (c), above, and the presumptions established by subsection (f), below, discovered property shall be listed by the assessor in the name of the person required by G.S. 105-302 or G.S. 105-306. The discovery shall be deemed to be made on the date that the abstract is made or corrected pursuant to subsection (e) of this section. The assessor shall also make a tentative appraisal of the discovered property in accordance with the best information available to him. The name and address of the person in whose name the property is listed; A brief description of the property; A tentative appraisal of the property; A statement to the effect that the listing and appraisal will become final unless written exception thereto is filed with the assessor within 30 days from date of the notice. Record of Discovered Property. - When property is discovered, the taxpayer's original abstract (if one was submitted) may be corrected or a new abstract may be prepared to reflect the discovery. If a new abstract is prepared, it may be filed with the abstracts that were submitted during the regular listing period, or it may be filed separately with abstracts designated "Late Listings." Regardless of how filed, the listing shall have the same force and effect as if it had been submitted during the regular listing period. Presumptions. - When property is discovered and listed to a taxpayer in any year, it shall be presumed that it should have been listed by the same taxpayer for the preceding five years unless the taxpayer shall produce satisfactory evidence that the property was not in existence, that it was actually listed for taxation, or that it was not his duty to list the property during those years or some of them under the provisions of G.S. 105-302 and G.S. 105-306. If it is shown that the property should have been listed by some other taxpayer during some or all of the preceding years, the property shall be listed in the name of the appropriate taxpayer for the proper years, but the discovery shall still be deemed to have been made as of the date that the assessor first listed it. Taxation of Discovered Property. - When property is discovered, it shall be taxed for the year in which discovered and for any of the preceding five years during which it escaped taxation in accordance with the assessed value it should have been assigned in each of the years for which it is to be taxed and the rate of tax imposed in each such year. The penalties prescribed by subsection (h) of this section shall be computed and imposed regardless of the name in which the discovered property is listed. If the discovery is based upon an understatement of value, quantity, or other measurement rather than an omission from the tax list, the tax shall be computed on the additional valuation fixed upon the property, and the penalties prescribed by subsection (h) of this section shall be computed on the basis of the additional tax. Computation of Penalties. - Having computed each year's taxes separately as provided in subsection (g), above, there shall be added a penalty of ten percent (10%) of the amount of the tax for the earliest year in which the property was not listed, plus an additional ten percent (10%) of the same amount for each subsequent listing period that elapsed before the property was discovered. This penalty shall be computed separately for each year in which a failure to list occurred; and the year, the amount of the tax for that year, and the total of penalties for failure to list in that year shall be shown separately on the tax records; but the taxes and penalties for all years in which there was a failure to list shall be then totalled on a single tax receipt. Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 624, s. 8. Collection. - For purposes of tax collection and foreclosure, the total figure obtained and recorded as provided in subsection (h) of this section shall be deemed to be a tax for the fiscal year beginning on July 1 of the calendar year in which the property was discovered. The schedule of discounts for prepayment and interest for late payment applicable to taxes for the fiscal year referred to in the preceding sentence shall apply when the total figure on the single tax receipt is paid. Notwithstanding the time limitations contained in G.S. 105-381, any property owner who is required to pay taxes on discovered property as herein provided shall be entitled to a refund of any taxes erroneously paid on the same property to other taxing jurisdictions in North Carolina. Claim for refund shall be filed in the county where such tax was erroneously paid as provided by G.S. 105-381. Tax Receipts Charged to Collector. - Tax receipts prepared as required by subsections (h) and (i) of this section for the taxes and penalties imposed upon discovered property shall be delivered to the tax collector, and he shall be charged with their collection. Such receipts shall have the same force and effect as if they had been delivered to the collector at the time of the delivery of the regular tax receipts for the current year, and the taxes charged in the receipts shall be a lien upon the property in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 105-355. Power to Compromise. - After a tax receipt computed and prepared as required by subsections (g) and (h) of this section has been delivered and charged to the tax collector as prescribed in subsection (j), above, the board of county commissioners, upon the petition of the taxpayer, may compromise, settle, or adjust the county's claim for taxes arising therefrom. The board of commissioners may, by resolution, delegate the authority granted by this subsection to the board of equalization and review, including any board created by resolution pursuant to G.S. 105-322(a) and any special board established by local act. Municipal Corporations. - The provisions of this section shall apply to all cities, towns, and other municipal corporations having the power to tax property. Such governmental units shall designate an appropriate municipal officer to exercise the powers and duties assigned by this section to the assessor, and the powers and duties assigned to the board of county commissioners shall be exercised by the governing body of the unit. When the assessor discovers property having a taxable situs in a municipal corporation, he shall send a copy of the notice of discovery required by subsection (d) to the governing body of the municipality together with such other information as may be necessary to enable the municipality to proceed. The governing board of a municipality may, by resolution, delegate the power to compromise, settle, or adjust tax claims granted by this subsection and by subsection (k) of this section to the county board of equalization and review, including any board created by resolution pursuant to G.S. 105-322(a) and any special board established by local act. When a discovery is made, the assessor shall mail a notice to the person in whose name the discovered property has been listed. The notice shall contain the following information: Upon receipt of a timely exception to the notice of discovery, the assessor shall arrange a conference with the taxpayer to afford him the opportunity to present any evidence or argument he may have regarding the discovery. Within 15 days after the conference, the assessor shall give written notice to the taxpayer of his final decision. Written notice shall not be required, however, if the taxpayer signs an agreement accepting the listing and appraisal. In cases in which agreement is not reached, the taxpayer shall have 15 days from the date of the notice to request review of the decision of the assessor by the board of equalization and review or, if that board is not in session, by the board of commissioners. Unless the request for review by the county board is given at the conference, it shall be made in writing to the assessor. Upon receipt of a timely request for review, the provisions of G.S. 105-322 or G.S. 105-325 , as appropriate, shall be followed. History (1939, c. 310, s. 1109; 1971, c. 806, s. 1; 1973, c. 476, s. 193; c. 787; 1977, c. 864; 1981, c. 623, ss. 1, 2; 1987, c. 45, s. 1; c. 743, ss. 1, 2; 1989, c. 522; 1991, c. 34, s. 4; c. 624, s. 8; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 961, s. 12 1999-297, s. 2.) Cross References. - For definitions applicable to this Subchapter, see G.S. 105-273 . Editor's Note. - Session Laws 1999-297, s. 4, provides that Session Laws 1999-297, s. 2, which amended subsection (h) of this section, is repealed effective for taxes imposed for taxable years beginning on or after July 1, 2004. Session Laws 1999-297, s. 1 provides that it is the intent of the General Assembly to encourage all counties to adopt a permanent property tax listing system in accordance with G.S. 105-303 (b), as a permanent listing is more convenient for taxpayers and more efficient for counties; that to encourage counties to adopt permanent listing in the next few years, Session Laws 1999-297, s. 2, which amends G.S. 105-312 , prohibits counties that have not adopted such a system from charging late listing penalties in certain circumstances; and that Session Laws 1999-297, s. 3, which amends G.S. 105-303 , requires all counties to adopt permanent listing systems by the 2004 tax year. Session Laws 2013-362, s. 1, provides: "Notwithstanding G.S. 105-287 , 105-325, 105-380, any provision of law restricting the time for which a change in appraisal or valuation may be made, or any other provision of Subchapter II of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes inconsistent with the provisions of this act, a board of county commissioners shall undertake the measures required by this act if all of the following conditions are met: "(1) The county has independent evidence that the majority of commercial neighborhoods in the county reviewed by a qualified appraisal company possess significant issues of inequity. "(2) The county has independent evidence that for residential neighborhoods instances of inequity or erroneous data had an impact on the valuation of the neighborhood as a whole. "(3) The county's last general reappraisal was performed for the 2008 tax year, 2009 tax year, 2010 tax year, 2011 tax year, or 2012 tax year. "(4) The independent evidence resulted from a review performed by a qualified appraisal company selected and retained by the county and registered with the Department of Revenue and had a sample size of no less than 375 properties, the relevant characteristics of which were reviewed on location at the property." Session Laws 2013-362, s. 2, provides: "If all of the conditions of Section 1 of this act are met, a board of county commissioners shall either (i) conduct a reappraisal, using no less than one person certified by the Department of Revenue for mass valuations per 4,250 parcels, pursuant to G.S. 105-286 within 18 months, applicable to all tax years from and including the tax year when the last general reappraisal was performed pursuant to G.S. 105-286 or (ii) have a qualified appraisal company, which may be the same company that provides the evidence in Section 1 of this act, conduct a review of all the values in the county by neighborhoods and make recommendations as to the true value of the properties as of January 1 of the year of the last general reappraisal performed pursuant to G.S. 105-286. After the reappraisal or after each neighborhood review required by this section is complete, the board of county commissioners shall make any change on the abstracts and tax records to ensure that the assessed values of incorrectly appraised properties in the county reflect the true values of those properties effective for the year of the last general reappraisal performed pursuant to G.S. 105-286 and shall apply the adjusted values for those properties for each tax year until the next general reappraisal for real property is performed by the county pursuant to G.S. 105-286 unless those adjusted values are changed in accordance with G.S. 105-287 . In making changes to the abstracts and tax records mandated by this act, the board of county commissioners shall make adjustments for previous errors prioritized as follows: "(1) Adjustments to parcels with errors that resulted in the parcels having a significantly overstated value. "(2) Adjustments to parcels with errors that resulted in the parcels having a significantly understated value. "(3) Adjustments to parcels with errors that resulted in the parcels having an overstated value. "(4) Adjustments to parcels with errors that resulted in the parcels having an understated value. "In instances of parcels with errors that resulted in an overpayment of taxes, the governing board shall require that notice of refund and the refund amount be sent to the owner of record as of the date the payment was made. The provisions of G.S. 105-380 do not apply to the issuance of any refund under the provisions of this act." Session Laws 2013-362, s. 3, as amended by Session Laws 2015-266, s. 1, provides: "Interest on taxes paid on parcels with errors that resulted in the parcels having an overstated value shall be calculated at a rate of five percent (5%) per annum. Additional taxes levied on parcels as a result of errors causing the parcels to have an understated value (i) shall be treated as taxes on discovered property pursuant to G.S. 105-312 , except that the discovery penalties set forth in subsection (h) of G.S. 105-312 shall not apply, (ii) are due and payable on September 1 of the fiscal year for which the taxes are levied, but not earlier than four years from the last general reappraisal date, and (iii) shall be payable, at the taxpayer's option, by means of an agreement over a period of not more than 36 months, in equal monthly installments, if the total of the additional taxes levied is greater than one thousand dollars ($1,000). Interest shall not accrue for the period a taxpayer is making timely payments under a payment plan. The tax collector is authorized to issue forms and develop procedures to implement a payment plan authorized under this section. Notwithstanding G.S. 105-365.1(b) , for parcels that have been transferred in a tax year for which errors requiring reappraisals under this act resulted in an underpayment of taxes, the following apply: "(1) The taxes for each tax year prior to and in the fiscal year in which the transfer occurred shall be collected from the owner of record as of January 1 of each tax year for which unpaid taxes exist. Only the remedies available in G.S. 105-367 and G.S. 105-368 may be used to collect against the owner of record as of January 1 of each tax year for which unpaid taxes exist. "(2) Notwithstanding G.S. 105-355(a) , there shall be no lien on the real property for underpaid taxes that arose in a year in which the property is owned by a person other than the current owner as of January 1 of that year. The current owner shall not be held personally responsible for such underpaid taxes. "(3) If an owner not responsible for underpaid taxes pursuant to this section paid the underpaid taxes, the owner may assert a valid defense for a refund pursuant to G.S. 105-381 , as a tax imposed through clerical error. Interest on the refund shall be calculated at a rate of five percent (5%) per annum from the date the owner asserting the defense paid the underpaid taxes until the date the refund is issued." Legal Periodicals. - For note on procedural developments in the discovery of property unlisted for purposes of ad valorem taxation, see 51 N.C.L. Rev. 531 (1973). For article, "Future Advances and Title Insurance Coverage," see 15 Wake Forest L. Rev. 329 (1979).