The Business Personal Property division is responsible for locating, valuing and enrolling all taxable business and personal property, including owned and leased property such as computers, supplies, furniture, machinery, equipment, airplanes and boats. The department must audit a statutory number of businesses once every four years. The division also represents the Assessor's Office at Assessment Appeals Hearings when business or personal property assessments are contested.
The mission of the Business Personal Property division is to efficiently produce a complete, accurate and timely personal property and business improvement assessment roll in compliance with legal mandate and provide professional, timely and helpful services.
The Business Personal Property division determines the value of property as it exists at 12:01 A.M. on January 1 (lien date) of each year.
A Business Property Statement is an official request that all assessable business property located in Tulare County that is owned, claimed, possessed, controlled or managed on January 1 at 12:01 a.m. (known as lien date) be reported to the Assessor. If the equipment was sold prior to January 1, then you would report this on the form and attach copies of any supporting documentation.
Business Property Statements gather the most up-to-date information on business property so that an accurate assessment can be determined. Anyone receiving a statement is required to file, as are all owners of taxable personal property with a value greater than $100,000.
An annual filing of a Business Property Statement is a requirement of California Revenue and Taxation Code § 441(d).
Click here to download a blank statement
You may request a blank statement by calling (559) 636-5159 or sending an email to AssessorBPP@tularecounty.ca.gov.
If you are filing for the first time, please write “first-time file” at the top of your statement so we know a new assessment needs to be created.
Yes, the filing requirements that apply to businesses also apply to non-profit organizations. Non-profit organizations may qualify for exemptions. Exemption forms can be requested from the Assessor’s exemption department by calling (559) 636-5100.
If a statement is not returned, an estimated assessment will be made using the best information available. A 10% penalty will be added to the assessment for failure to file as mandated by California Revenue and Taxation Code § 463.
Yes, any equipment used for business purposes is taxable as business personal property.
Yes, all true leases, capitalized leases and lease-to-purchase assets that have not been paid off by the January 1 lien date should be reported on the property statement. They are to be reported in Part III of the property statement which can be found on the front page.
The Assessor needs to know when the business closed and what happened to the equipment in order to close the assessment. Please attach to the statement copies of any documentation showing the date of disposal for assets disposed of prior to January 1. Examples of acceptable documents include:
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Purchase agreements signed by both parties
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Depreciation schedules showing assets as disposed
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Lease termination agreements, etc.
Business property not in use but owned by the taxpayer on January 1 at 12:01 a.m. is still assessable and should be reported on the statement unless relocated to a different county.
Yes, USPS postmark dates are honored as if the statement were received by the Assessor as of the date of the postmark. This does not apply to private postage that is pre-stamped by the taxpayer.
Please call (559) 636-5159 or email AssessorBPP@tularecounty.ca.gov if you have any questions.
