CHAPTER 1. Construction [101. - 136.]

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC 1.
in effect

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 104. Section 104.

“Real estate” or “real property” includes: (a) The possession of, claim to, ownership of, or right to the possession of land. (b) All mines, minerals, and quarries in the land, all standing timber whether or not belonging to the owner of the land, and all rights and privileges appertaining thereto. (c) Improvements.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 105. Section 105.

(a) Except as provided in Section 83.5, “improvements” includes both of the following: (1) All buildings, structures, fixtures, and fences erected on or affixed to the land. (2) All fruit, nut-bearing, or ornamental trees and vines, not of natural growth, and not exempt from taxation, except date palms under eight years of age. (b) This section shall go into effect on the date Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 83) goes into effect pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 88.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 106. Section 106.

(a) “Personal property” includes all property except real estate. (b) This section shall be in effect until the date Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 83) of Part 0.5 goes into effect pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 88, and as of that date is repealed.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 107. Section 107.

“Possessory interests” means the following: (a) Possession of, claim to, or right to the possession of land or improvements that is independent, durable, and exclusive of rights held by others in the property, except when coupled with ownership of the land or improvements in the same person. For the purposes of this subdivision: (1) “Independent” means the ability to exercise authority and exert control over the management or operation of the property or improvements, separate and apart from the policies, statutes, ordinances, rules, and regulations of the public owner of the property or improvements. A possession or use is independent if the possession or operation of the property is sufficiently autonomous to constitute more than a mere agency. (2) “Durable” means for a determinable period with a reasonable certainty that the use, possession, or claim with respect to the property or improvements will continue for that period. (3) “Exclusive” means the enjoyment of a beneficial use of land or improvements, together with the ability to exclude from occupancy by means of legal process others who may interfere with that enjoyment. For purposes of this paragraph, “exclusive use” includes the following types of use in property: (A) Sole occupancy or use of property or improvements. (B) Use as a cotenant. (C) Concurrent use by a person who has a primary or prevailing right to use property or improvements at any time. (D) Concurrent uses by persons making qualitatively different uses of property or improvements. (E) Concurrent use by persons engaged in similar uses that diminish the quantity or quality of the property or improvements. (F) Concurrent use that does not diminish the quantity or quality of the property or improvements, if the number of those concurrent use grants is restricted. A use of property or improvements that does not contain one of the elements in subparagraphs (A) to (F), inclusive, shall be rebuttably presumed to be a nonexclusive use. (b) Taxable improvements on tax-exempt land. Any possessory interest may, in the discretion of the county board of supervisors, be considered as sufficient security for the payment of any taxes levied thereon and may be placed on the secured roll. Leasehold estates for the production of gas, petroleum and other hydrocarbon substances from beneath the surface of the earth, and other rights relating to these substances which constitute incorporeal hereditaments or profits a prendre, are sufficient security for the payment of taxes levied thereon. These estates and rights shall not be classified as possessory interests, but shall be placed on the secured roll. If the tax on any possessory interest or leasehold estate for the production of gas, petroleum and other hydrocarbon substances is unpaid when any installment of secured taxes become delinquent, the tax collector may use those collection procedures which are available for the collection of assessments on the unsecured roll. If the tax on any possessory interest or leasehold estate for the production of gas, petroleum and other hydrocarbon substances remains unpaid at the time set for the declaration of default for taxes carried on the secured roll, the possessory interest tax together with any penalty and costs which may be accrued thereon while on the secured roll shall be transferred to the unsecured roll.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 107.1. Section 107.1.

The full cash value of a possessory interest, when arising out of a lease of exempt property, is the excess, if any, of the value of the lease on the open market, as determined by the formula contained in the case of De Luz Homes, Inc. v. County of San Diego (1955), 45 Cal. 2d 546, over the present worth of the rentals under said lease for the unexpired term thereof. A possessory interest taxable under the provisions of this section shall be assessed to the lessee on the same basis or percentage of valuation employed as to other tangible property on the same roll. This section applies only to possessory interests created prior to the date on which the decision of the California Supreme Court in De Luz Homes, Inc. v. County of San Diego (1955), 45 Cal. 2d 546, became final. It does not, however, apply to any of such interests created prior to that date that thereafter have been, or may hereafter be, extended or renewed, irrespective of whether the renewal or extension is provided for in the instrument creating the interest. This section does not apply to leasehold estates for the production of gas, petroleum and other hydrocarbon substances from beneath the surface of the earth, and other rights relating to such substances which constitute incorporeal hereditaments or profits a prendre.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 107.2. Section 107.2.

The full cash value of leasehold estates in exempt property for the production of gas, petroleum and other hydrocarbon substances from beneath the surface of the earth, and all other taxable rights to produce gas, petroleum and other hydrocarbon substances from exempt property (all of which rights are hereinafter in this section referred to as “such oil and gas interests”), is the value of such oil and gas interests exclusive of the value of any royalties or other rights to share in production from exempt property owned by any tax-exempt entity, whether receivable in money or property and whether measured by or based upon production or income or both. This section applies to such oil and gas interests created prior to the date on which the decision in De Luz Homes, Inc. v. County of San Diego (1955) 45 Cal. 2d 546, became final. This section does not, however, apply to any of such oil and gas interests created prior to such date which have been after such date or are hereafter extended or renewed, unless such extension or renewal is pursuant to authority in a contract, lease, statute, regulation, city charter, ordinance, or other source, which authority permits no reduction of the rate of royalty or other right to share in production on grounds of an increase in the assessed valuation of such oil and gas interest. Moreover, this section does not apply to any of such oil and gas interests if the rate of royalties or other right to share in production has, prior to the effective date of this section, been reduced to adjust for the fact that certain assessors have valued such oil and gas interests without excluding the value of said royalties or other rights to share in production.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 107.3. Section 107.3.

The full cash value of leasehold estates in exempt property for the production of gas, petroleum and other hydrocarbon substances from beneath the surface of the earth and all other taxable rights to produce gas, petroleum and other hydrocarbon substances from exempt property (all of which rights are hereinafter in this section referred to as “such oil and gas interests”), is the value of such oil and gas interests, exclusive of the value of any royalties or other rights to share in production from exempt property owned by any tax-exempt entity, whether receivable in money or property and whether measured by or based upon production or income or both. This section applies to: (a) Such oil and gas interests created prior to the date on which the decision in De Luz Homes, Inc. v. County of San Diego (1955) 45 Cal. 2d 546, became final to which Section 107.2 of this code does not apply because said interests were extended or renewed on or before July 26, 1963. (b) Such oil and gas interests created on or after the date on which said decision become final and on or before July 26, 1963. This section does not, however, apply to any of such oil and gas interests extended or renewed after July 26, 1963, unless such extension or renewal is pursuant to authority in a contract, lease, statute, regulation, city charter, ordinance or other source which authority permits no reduction of the rate of royalty or other right to share in production upon the ground of an increase in the assessed valuation of such oil and gas interest. Moreover, this section does not apply to any of such oil and gas interests if the rate of royalties or other right to share in production has, prior to the effective date of this section, been reduced to adjust for the fact that certain assessors have valued such oil and gas interests without excluding the value of said royalties or other rights to share in production.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 107.4. Section 107.4.

(a) For purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 107, there is no independent possession or use of land or improvements if that possession or use is pursuant to a contract that includes, but is not limited to, a long-term lease, for the private construction, renovation, rehabilitation, replacement, management, or maintenance of housing for active duty military personnel or their dependents, or both, if all of the following criteria are met: (1) The military housing constructed and managed by private contractor is situated on a military facility under military control, and the construction of that housing is performed under military guidelines in the same manner as construction that is performed by the military. (2) All services normally provided by a municipality are required to be purchased from the military facility or a provider designated by the military. (3) The private contractor is not given the right and ability to exercise any significant authority and control over the management or operation of the military housing, separate and apart from the rules and regulations of the military. (4) The number of units, the number of bedrooms per unit, and the unit mix are set by the military, and may not be changed by the contractor without prior approval by the military. (5) Tenants are designated by a military housing agency. (6) Financing for the project is subject to the approval of the military in its sole discretion. (7) Rents charged to military personnel or their dependents are set by the military. (8) The military controls the distribution of revenues from the project to the private contractor, and the private contractor is allowed only a predetermined profit or fee for constructing the military housing. (9) Evictions from the housing units are subject to the military justice system. (10) The military prescribes rules and regulations governing the use and occupancy of the property. (11) The military has the authority to remove or bar persons from the property. (12) The military may impose access restrictions on the contractor and its tenants. (13) Any reduction or, if that amount is unknown, the private contractor’s reasonable estimate of savings, in property taxes on leased property used for military housing under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (10 U.S.C. Sec. 2871 et seq.) shall inure solely to the benefit of the residents of the military housing through improvements, such as a child care center provided by the private contractor. (14) The military housing is constructed, renovated, rehabilitated, remodeled, replaced, or managed under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, or any successor to that law. (b) This section shall not apply to a military housing unit managed by a private contractor that is rented to a tenant who is an unaffiliated member of the general public. (1) “Unaffiliated member of the general public” means a person who is not a current member of the military. A housing unit rented to or occupied by a person employed as management or maintenance personnel for the military housing property shall not be considered to be a unit rented to an unaffiliated member of the general public. (2) The private contractor shall annually notify the assessor by February 15 of any housing units rented to unaffiliated members of the general public as of the immediately preceding lien date. The private contractor shall be responsible for any property taxes on housing units rented to unaffiliated members of the general public. (c) For purposes of this section, “military facility under military control” means a military base that restricts public access to the military base.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 107.6. Section 107.6.

(a) The state or any local public entity of government, when entering into a written contract with a private party whereby a possessory interest subject to property taxation may be created, shall include, or cause to be included, in that contract, a statement that the property interest may be subject to property taxation if created, and that the party in whom the possessory interest is vested may be subject to the payment of property taxes levied on the interest. (b) Failure to comply with the requirements of this section shall not be construed to invalidate the contract. The private party may recover damages from the contracting state or local public entity, where the private party can show that without the notice, he or she had no actual knowledge of the existence of a possessory interest tax. The private party is rebuttably presumed to have no actual knowledge of the existence of a possessory interest tax. In order to show damages, the private party need not show that he or she would not have entered the contract but for the failure of notice. (c) For purposes of this section: (1) “Possessory interest” means any interest described in Section 107. (2) “Local public entity” shall have the same meaning as that set forth in Section 900.4 of the Government Code and shall include school districts and community college districts. (3) “State” means the state and any state agency as defined in Section 11000 of the Government Code and Section 89000 of the Education Code. (4) “Damages” mean the amount of the possessory interest tax for the term of the contract.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 107.7. Section 107.7.

(a) When valuing possessory interests in real property created by the right to place wires, conduits, and appurtenances along or across public streets, rights-of-way, or public easements contained in either a cable franchise or license granted pursuant to Section 53066 of the Government Code (a “cable possessory interest”) or a state franchise to provide video service pursuant to Section 5840 of the Public Utilities Code (a “video possessory interest”), the assessor shall value these possessory interests consistent with the requirements of Section 401. The methods of valuation shall include, but not be limited to, the comparable sales method, the income method (including, but not limited to, capitalizing rent), or the cost method. (b) (1) The preferred method of valuation of a cable television possessory interest or video service possessory interest by the assessor is capitalizing the annual rent, using an appropriate capitalization rate. (2) For purposes of this section, the annual rent shall be that portion of that franchise fee received that is determined to be payment for the cable possessory interest or video service possessory interest for the actual remaining term or the reasonably anticipated term of the franchise or license or the appropriate economic rent. If the assessor does not use a portion of the franchise fee as the economic rent, the resulting assessments shall not benefit from any presumption of correctness. (c) If the comparable sales method, which is not the preferred method, is used by the assessor to value a cable possessory interest or video service possessory interest when sold in combination with other property, including, but not limited to, intangible assets or rights, the resulting assessments shall not benefit from any presumption of correctness. (d) Intangible assets or rights of a cable system or the provider of video services are not subject to ad valorem property taxation. These intangible assets or rights include, but are not limited to: franchises or licenses to construct, operate, and maintain a cable system or video service system for a specified franchise term (excepting therefrom that portion of the franchise or license which grants the possessory interest); subscribers, marketing, and programming contracts; nonreal property lease agreements; management and operating systems; a workforce in place; going concern value; deferred, startup, or prematurity costs; covenants not to compete; and goodwill. However, a cable possessory interest or video service possessory interest may be assessed and valued by assuming the presence of intangible assets or rights necessary to put the cable possessory interest or video service possessory interest to beneficial or productive use in an operating cable system or video service system. (e) If a change in ownership of a cable possessory interest or video service possessory interest occurs, the person or legal entity required to file a statement pursuant to Section 480, 480.1, or 480.2 shall, at the request of the assessor, provide as a part of that statement the following, if applicable: confirmation of the sales price, allocation of the sales price among the counties, and gross revenue and franchise fee expenses of the cable system or video service system by county. Failure to provide the statement information shall result in a penalty as provided in Section 482, except that the maximum penalty shall be five thousand dollars ($5,000).

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 107.8. Section 107.8.

(a) For purposes of applying subdivision (a) of Section 107 to a lease-leaseback of publicly owned real property, the possession of, claim to, or right to the possession of, land or improvements pursuant to a lease is not independent if the lessee (1) is obligated simultaneously to sublease the property to the public owner of the property for all or substantially all of the lease period, (2) may not exercise authority and exert control over the management or operation of the property separate and apart from the policies, statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations of the public owner, (3) provides as part of the sublease that the public owner has the right to repurchase all of the lessee’s rights in the lease, and (4) cannot receive rent or other amounts from the public owner under the sublease (including any amounts due with respect to any repurchase) the present value of which, at the time the lease is entered into, exceeds the present value of the rent or other amounts payable by the lessee under the lease. (b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the term “all or substantially all” means at least 85 percent.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 107.9. Section 107.9.

(a) In addition to any taxable real property interests that an operator of certificated aircraft has at a publicly owned airport that are interests stated in a written agreement for terminal, cargo, hangar, automobile parking lot, storage and maintenance facilities and other buildings and the land thereunder leased in whole or in part by an airline (hereafter the “excluded possessory interests”), there exists an additional taxable possessory interest conferred upon an operator of certificated aircraft at a publicly owned airport. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to valuation, for assessments for the 1998–99 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, (1) regular assessments of all taxable real property interests of the operator of certificated aircraft at a publicly owned airport, other than the excluded possessory interests, and (2) timely escape assessments upon the real property interests governed by this section issued on or after April 1, 1998, pursuant to Sections 531 and 531.2, shall be presumed to be valued and assessed at full cash value for these interests only if the assessor uses the following direct income approach in capitalizing net economic rent: (1) The economic rent shall be computed by using one-half of the landing fee rate used to calculate the 1996–97 assessment for real property interests, other than excluded possessory interests, multiplied by the aggregate weight of landings by the operator for the airport’s fiscal year prior to the 1996 lien date. The one-half of the landing fee rate used to compute the 1996–97 economic rent shall be annually adjusted in accordance with the percentage change, rounded to the nearest one-thousandth of 1 percent, from October of the prior fiscal year to October of the current fiscal year in the California Consumer Price Index for all items, as determined by the California Department of Industrial Relations, except that in no instance shall this adjusted rate exceed one-half of the airport’s actual landing fee rate for the last full fiscal year. The economic rent shall also be adjusted in proportion to the increase or decrease in the aggregate weight of landings by the operator for the last full fiscal year at each airport in the taxing county. In the case of a new operator, the economic rent shall be determined by reference to a similarly situated operator. (2) The expense ratio shall be the ratio used by each county for the 1996 lien date. (3) The capitalization rates shall not exceed, or be less than, the rates used by each county for the 1996 lien date, except that they shall be annually adjusted in proportion to the changes in the “Going-in Cap Rate; All Types” as published by the Real Estate Research Corporation, and, as so adjusted, shall be rounded to the nearest one-half percent. If this information ceases to be published by the Real Estate Research Corporation or the format significantly changes, a publication or adjustment agreed to by the airlines and the taxing counties shall be substituted. (4) The term of possession for each operator shall be the term used by each county to calculate the 1996–97 assessment, but shall not exceed a maximum term of 20 years. Subject to paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 61 as applied to interests subject to this subdivision, changes of ownership and term of possessions shall be determined as follows: (A) In the case of the creation, renewal, extension or assignment of an operating agreement or permit, without the concurrent creation, renewal, extension or assignment of a terminal, hangar, or cargo facility agreement, no change in ownership will be presumed to have occurred and the term of possession shall be the term used by each county for their 1996–97 assessments, not to exceed a maximum of 20 years. (B) In the case of the creation, renewal, extension or assignment of a terminal, hangar, or cargo facility agreement, a change in ownership will be presumed to have occurred and the term of possession shall be the actual term stated in the written terminal, hangar, or cargo facility agreement, provided that the term shall not be less than 10 years or exceed 15 years. (C) In the case of any operator without a terminal, hangar, or cargo facility agreement, the actual creation, renewal, extension or assignment of a written operating agreement or permit shall constitute a change in ownership and the actual term of the operating agreement for that carrier will be used, provided that the term shall not be less than 5 years or exceed more than 15 years. (5) Nothing in this subdivision is intended to apply to the determination of a term of possession for a possessory interest in an excluded possessory interest. (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), in a county in which 1995–96 landing fees were not used to calculate the 1996–97 assessment, the county shall benefit from the presumption of correctness set forth in subdivision (b) only if the assessor uses the following direct income approach in capitalizing net economic rent: (1) The calculations required in subdivision (b) are performed using the assessment that would have been derived in the 1996–97 fiscal year had the assessor followed the methodology set forth in subdivision (b) using actual airport data for the 1995–96 fiscal year. (2) If any portion of the airport’s landing fee rate for the 1995–96 fiscal year was in dispute and resulted in the creation of an escrow account for a portion of the landing fees paid, that portion of the landing fee rate attributable to the escrowed funds shall not be included in the calculations performed in paragraph (1). However, if the dispute is resolved, in whole or in part, in favor of the publicly owned airport and all or a portion of the escrowed funds are released to the airport, the assessor shall, without regard to any other statutorily imposed time limitation, be entitled to recalculate the assessments required by this subdivision using an adjusted landing fee rate that reflects a final decision on the disposition of escrowed funds to produce escape assessments for all affected years. (d) Value shall be determined as follows: (1) Economic rent shall be calculated by applying the expense ratio described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) to reduce gross income determined pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) or (c) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) to arrive at an amount that shall be deemed to be equivalent to economic rent. (2) Economic rent, as so determined, shall be capitalized for the term provided for in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) at the capitalization rate determined in accordance with paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). (e) Assessments under this section shall not exceed the factored base year value established under Article XIII A of the California Constitution. However, adjustments made in aggregate landing weights under this section are deemed to be a valid basis for adjusting the base year value to the extent of the percentage change in landed weights for purposes of Article XIII A of the California Constitution. Pursuant to Section 65.1, adjustments in aggregate landing weights shall not be considered a change in ownership or a basis for applying a new term of possession in the airlines’ preexisting real property interest.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 107.10. Section 107.10.

For purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 107, there is no independent possession or use of land or improvements if that possession or use is a tenancy in a residential unit of a publicly owned housing project by a low-income household, as defined by Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code, rented at affordable rents as described in Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 108. Section 108.

“State-assessed property” means all property required to be assessed by the board under Section 19 of Article XIII of the Constitution and which is subject to local taxation.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 109. Section 109.

“Roll” means the entire assessment roll. The “secured roll” is that part of the roll containing State assessed property and property the taxes on which are a lien on real property sufficient, in the opinion of the assessor, to secure payment of the taxes. The remainder of the roll is the “unsecured roll.” The “local roll” is those parts of the secured and unsecured roll containing property which it is the county assessor’s duty to assess. The “board roll” is that part of the secured roll containing State assessed property.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 109.5. Section 109.5.

“Machine-prepared roll” means an assessment roll prepared by electronic data-processing equipment, bookkeeping machine, typewriter, or other mechanical device, and such a roll may be displayed in printed form, on microfilm, or by any other means that would make it readily available to the public in a legible form. When so prepared by the assessor, the roll need not contain provision for tax extensions, but the contents thereof may be reproduced by the auditor with provision for tax extensions. Upon such reproduction of the assessment data, the document with provision for tax extensions shall constitute the roll without prejudice to the roll status of the document without such provision.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 109.6. Section 109.6.

With the consent of the auditor and tax collector and approval of the board of supervisors, data normally appearing on an extended roll and abstract list may be retained in electronic data-processing equipment and no physical document need be prepared. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this code, where no physical document of the extended roll and abstract list is prepared, all entries required to be made on the extended roll and abstract list shall be entered into the electronic data-processing records. The data shall be so stored that it can be made readily available to the public in an understandable form.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 110. Section 110.

(a) Except as is otherwise provided in Section 110.1, “full cash value” or “fair market value” means the amount of cash or its equivalent that property would bring if exposed for sale in the open market under conditions in which neither buyer nor seller could take advantage of the exigencies of the other, and both the buyer and the seller have knowledge of all of the uses and purposes to which the property is adapted and for which it is capable of being used, and of the enforceable restrictions upon those uses and purposes. (b) For purposes of determining the “full cash value” or “fair market value” of real property, other than possessory interests, being appraised upon a purchase, “full cash value” or “fair market value” is the purchase price paid in the transaction unless it is established by a preponderance of the evidence that the real property would not have transferred for that purchase price in an open market transaction. The purchase price shall, however, be rebuttably presumed to be the “full cash value” or “fair market value” if the terms of the transaction were negotiated at arms length between a knowledgeable transferor and transferee neither of which could take advantage of the exigencies of the other. “Purchase price,” as used in this section, means the total consideration provided by the purchaser or on the purchaser’s behalf, valued in money, whether paid in money or otherwise. There is a rebuttable presumption that the value of improvements financed by the proceeds of an assessment resulting in a lien imposed on the property by a public entity is reflected in the total consideration, exclusive of that lien amount, involved in the transaction. This presumption may be overcome if the assessor establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that all or a portion of the value of those improvements is not reflected in that consideration. If a single transaction results in a change in ownership of more than one parcel of real property, the purchase price shall be allocated among those parcels and other assets, if any, transferred based on the relative fair market value of each. (c) For real property, other than possessory interests, the change of ownership statement required pursuant to Section 480, 480.1, or 480.2, or the preliminary change of ownership statement required pursuant to Section 480.4, shall give any information as the board shall prescribe relative to whether the terms of the transaction were negotiated at “arms length.” In the event that the transaction includes property other than real property, the change in ownership statement shall give information as the board shall prescribe disclosing the portion of the purchase price that is allocable to all elements of the transaction. If the taxpayer fails to provide the prescribed information, the rebuttable presumption provided by subdivision (b) shall not apply. (d) Except as provided in subdivision (e), for purposes of determining the “full cash value” or “fair market value” of any taxable property, all of the following shall apply: (1) The value of intangible assets and rights relating to the going concern value of a business using taxable property shall not enhance or be reflected in the value of the taxable property. (2) If the principle of unit valuation is used to value properties that are operated as a unit and the unit includes intangible assets and rights, then the fair market value of the taxable property contained within the unit shall be determined by removing from the value of the unit the fair market value of the intangible assets and rights contained within the unit. (3) The exclusive nature of a concession, franchise, or similar agreement, whether de jure or de facto, is an intangible asset that shall not enhance the value of taxable property, including real property. (e) Taxable property may be assessed and valued by assuming the presence of intangible assets or rights necessary to put the taxable property to beneficial or productive use. (f) For purposes of determining the “full cash value” or “fair market value” of real property, intangible attributes of real property shall be reflected in the value of the real property. These intangible attributes of real property include zoning, location, and other attributes that relate directly to the real property involved.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 110.1. Section 110.1.

(a) For purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 2 of Article XIII A of the California Constitution, “full cash value” of real property, including possessory interests in real property, means the fair market value as determined pursuant to Section 110 for either of the following: (1) The 1975 lien date. (2) For property which is purchased, is newly constructed, or changes ownership after the 1975 lien date, either of the following: (A) The date on which a purchase or change in ownership occurs. (B) The date on which new construction is completed, and if uncompleted, on the lien date. (b) The value determined under subdivision (a) shall be known as the base year value for the property. However, uncompleted new construction shall not acquire a base year value until completed, as described in Section 71. (c) Notwithstanding Section 405.5, for property which was not purchased or newly constructed or has not changed ownership after the 1975 lien date, if the value as shown on the 1975–76 roll is not its 1975 lien date base year value and if the value of that property had not been determined pursuant to a periodic reappraisal under Section 405.5 for the 1975–76 assessment roll, a new 1975 lien date base year value shall be determined at any time until June 30, 1980, and placed on the roll being prepared for the current year; provided, however, that for any county over four million in population the board of supervisors may adopt a resolution granting the assessor of that county until June 30, 1981, the authority to determine those values. Regardless of the foregoing restrictions, property that escaped taxation for 1975 and was not merely underassessed for that year, shall be added to the roll in any year in which the escape is discovered at its 1975 base year value indexed to reflect inflation as provided in subdivision(f). In determining the new base year value for that property, the assessor shall use only those factors and indicia of fair market value actually utilized in appraisals made pursuant to Section 405.5 for the 1975 lien date. The new base year values shall be consistent with the values established by reappraisal for the 1975 lien date of comparable properties which were reappraised pursuant to Section 405.5 for the fiscal year. In the event that determination is made, no escape assessment may be levied and the newly determined “full cash value” shall be placed on the roll for the current year only; provided, however, the preceding shall not prohibit a determination which is made prior to June 30 of a fiscal year from being reflected on the assessment roll for the current fiscal year. (d) If the value of any real property as shown on the 1975–76 roll was determined pursuant to a periodic appraisal under Section 405.5, that value shall be the 1975 lien date base year value of the property. (e) As used in subdivisions (c) and (d), a parcel of property shall be presumed to have been appraised for the 1975–76 fiscal year if the assessor’s determination of the value of the property for the 1975–76 fiscal year differed from the value used for purposes of computing the 1974–75 fiscal year tax liability for the property, but the assessor may rebut that presumption by evidence that, notwithstanding the difference in value, that parcel was not appraised pursuant to Section 405.5 for the 1975–76 fiscal year. (f) For each lien date after the lien date in which the full cash value is determined pursuant to this section, the full cash value of real property, including possessory interests in real property, shall be adjusted by an inflation factor, which shall be determined as provided in subdivision (a) of Section 51.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 110.5. Section 110.5.

“Full value” means fair market value, full cash value, or such other value standard as is prescribed by the Constitution or in this code under the authorization of the Constitution.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 121. Section 121.

“Taxing agency” includes the State, county, and city. “Taxing agency” also includes every district that assesses property for taxation purposes and levies taxes or assessments on the property so assessed.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 123. Section 123.

“Amount of defaulted taxes” on property means the sum of the following amounts: (a) The amount of taxes which were a lien on the real estate at the time of the declaration of default. (b) All other unpaid taxes of every description which were a lien on the property for the year of declaration of default and for each year since the declaration of default, as shown on the delinquent rolls for which the time of the declaration of default is past, or, if the property was not assessed for any year, which would be shown on such delinquent roll if it had been assessed in that year; except that the unpaid taxes which would be shown on such delinquent roll if the property had been assessed in any such year shall not be paid if the property was not assessed for any year because of having been acquired by the state or other public agency other than by tax deed. The amount of taxes for any year not assessed shall be based on the valuation required to be made by the assessor on redemption of unassessed property.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 124. Section 124.

“Current taxes” means taxes which are a lien on property, but which are not included in “amount of defaulted taxes” except that, between a lien date and the time in the same calendar year when property is declared to be tax-defaulted, the taxes becoming a lien on this lien date in such calendar year are not yet “current taxes.”

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 126. Section 126.

“Tax-defaulted property” is real property which is subject to a lien for taxes which, by operation of law and by declaration of the tax collector, are in default and from which the lien of the taxes for which it was declared tax-defaulted has not been removed. Where used in this division or in any other provision of law, (a) Any reference to property tax sold or tax deeded to the state shall refer to tax-defaulted property. (b) Any reference to the sale to the state shall refer to the declaration of default. (c) Any reference to the deeding to the state shall refer to property which is subject to a power of sale for nonpayment of taxes.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 129. Section 129.

“Business inventories” shall include goods intended for sale or lease in the ordinary course of business and shall include raw materials and work in process with respect to such goods. “Business inventories” shall also include animals and crops held primarily for sale or lease, or animals used in the production of food or fiber and feed for such animals. “Business inventories” shall not include any goods actually leased or rented on the lien date nor shall “business inventories” include business machinery or equipment or office furniture, machines or equipment, except when such property is held for sale or lease in the ordinary course of business. “Business inventories” shall not include any item held for lease which has been or is intended to be used by the lessor prior to or subsequent to the lease. “Business inventories” shall not include goods intended for sale or lease in the ordinary course of business which cannot be legally sold or leased in this state. If goods which cannot be legally sold or leased are not reported by the taxpayer pursuant to Section 441, it shall be conclusively presumed that the value of the goods when discovered is the value of the goods on the preceding lien date. “Business inventories” shall also include goods held by a licensed contractor and not yet incorporated into real property.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 130. Section 130.

(a) “Vessel” includes every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, but does not include aircraft. (b) “Documented vessel” means any vessel which is required to have and does have a valid marine document issued by the Bureau of Customs of the United States or any federal agency successor thereto, except documented yachts of the United States, or is registered with, or licensed by, the Department of Motor Vehicles. “Documented vessel” does not include any vessel exempt from taxation under subdivision ( l ) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution of the State of California. (c) “Vessel of the United States” means a documented vessel, that is, a vessel registered, enrolled and licensed, or licensed under the laws of the United States, except documented yachts of the United States. (d) “Port of documentation” means the home port of a vessel as shown in the marine document in force and issued to the owner of such vessel by the Bureau of Customs of the United States or any federal agency successor thereto. (e) “Marine document” includes registry, enrollment and license, and license. (f) “In this state” means within the exterior limits of the State of California, and includes all territory within these limits owned by, or ceded to, the United States of America. (g) “Natural resources” consist of both the living resources of the sea and the mineral and other nonliving resources of the seabed and subsoil together with living organisms belonging to sedentary species, which are organisms which, at the harvestable stage, either are immobile on or under the seabed or are unable to move except in constant physical contact with the seabed or the subsoil. (h) “Oceanographic research vessel” means a vessel which the secretary of the department in which the United States Coast Guard is operating, or his successor, finds is an oceanographic research vessel under the laws of the United States.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 134. Section 134.

“Unsecured property” is property: (a) The taxes on which are not a lien on real property sufficient, in the opinion of the assessor, to secure payment of the taxes. (b) The taxes on which were secured by real property on the lien date and which property was later acquired by the United States, the state, or by any county, city, school district or other public entity and the taxes required to be transferred to the unsecured roll pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 5081) of Chapter 4 of Part 9.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 135. Section 135.

(a) “Assessed value” shall mean 25 percent of full value to and including the 1980–81 fiscal year, and shall mean 100 percent of full value for the 1981–82 fiscal year and fiscal years thereafter. (b) “Tax rate” shall mean a rate based on a 25 percent assessment ratio and expressed as dollars, or fractions thereof, for each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation to and including the 1980–81 fiscal year, and shall mean a rate expressed as a percentage of full value for the 1981–82 fiscal year and fiscal years thereafter. (c) Whenever this code requires comparison of assessed values, tax rates or property tax revenues for different years, the assessment ratios and tax rates shall be adjusted as necessary so that the comparisons are made on the same basis and the same amount of tax revenues would be produced or the same relative value of an exemption or subvention will be realized regardless of the method of expressing tax rates or the assessment ratio utilized. (d) For purposes of expressing tax rates on the same basis, a tax rate based on a 25 percent assessment ratio and expressed in dollars, or fractions thereof, for each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed value may be multiplied by a conversion factor of twenty-five hundredths of 1 percent to determine a rate comparable to a rate expressed as a percentage of full value; and, a rate expressed as a percentage of full value may be multiplied by a factor of 400 to determine a rate comparable to a rate expressed in dollars, or fractions thereof, for each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed value and based on a 25 percent assessment ratio.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 136. Section 136.

Whenever any taxes or assessments are entered on the roll under any provision of law, such taxes or assessments shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, be subject to all provions of this division.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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