Code Section Group

Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC

DIVISION 1. PROPERTY TAXATION [50 - 5911]

  ( Division 1 enacted by Stats. 1939, Ch. 154. )

PART 2. ASSESSMENT [201 - 1367]

  ( Part 2 enacted by Stats. 1939, Ch. 154. )

CHAPTER 1. Taxation Base [201 - 286]

  ( Chapter 1 enacted by Stats. 1939, Ch. 154. )

ARTICLE 1. Taxable and Exempt Property [201 - 242]
  ( Article 1 enacted by Stats. 1939, Ch. 154. )

201.
  

All property in this State, not exempt under the laws of the United States or of this State, is subject to taxation under this code.

(Enacted by Stats. 1939, Ch. 154.)

201.1.
  

Property owned by a nonprofit entity, in which a transit development board has the sole ownership interest in the entity, shall be deemed to be property owned by the transit development board for purposes of this division. To the extent that the property is possessed, or a claim to or right to possession of the property exists, for other than public purposes, the interest shall be deemed a possessory interest as defined in Section 107.

It is the intent and purpose of this section to clarify Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and, therefore, this section does not constitute a change in, but is declaratory of, the existing law. Furthermore, this section shall not be construed to exempt, from ad valorem property taxation, property of any transit development board located outside of its boundaries.

(Amended by Stats. 1981, Ch. 414, Sec. 1.)

201.2.
  

(a) A nonprofit corporation which has contracted with the board of supervisors pursuant to Section 25905, 25906, 25907, or 25908 of the Government Code for the conduct of an agricultural fair, shall be deemed to be an agency of the county for purposes of this part and for no other purpose, and county-owned property, including possessory interests in that property, used or possessed by the nonprofit corporation in the conduct of an agricultural fair shall be exempt from taxation under subdivision (b) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the State Constitution.

(b) This section shall not be construed to exempt any profit-making organization or concessionaire from any property tax, including a property tax on a possessory interest, for the use of property which is used by a nonprofit corporation for the conduct of a fair.

(Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 646, Sec. 1.)

201.3.
  

Property which is exclusively devoted to public purposes and is owned by a nonprofit entity, in which a chartered city with a population of over 750,000 and located in a county of the third class has the sole ownership interest shall be deemed to be property owned by the chartered city.

This section shall not be construed to exempt from ad valorem property taxation property of the chartered city located outside of its boundaries.

(Added by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1412, Sec. 1. Applicable July 1, 1988, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1412.)

201.4.
  

(a) The possessory interest of a nonprofit entity, solely owned by the City of Palm Springs, in property which is located wholly within the boundaries of an Indian reservation and owned by the United States in trust for named Indian allottees, and which is leased to the City of Palm Springs under a master lease a portion of which for purposes of financing is subleased to a nonprofit entity, and subleased by that nonprofit entity to the City of Palm Springs which devotes that property exclusively to convention or related public purposes, shall be deemed to be property owned by the City of Palm Springs.

(b) Property which is owned in fee by a nonprofit entity in which the City of Palm Springs has the sole ownership interest, and leased by that nonprofit entity to the City of Palm Springs which devotes that property exclusively to convention or related public purposes, shall be deemed to be property owned by the City of Palm Springs.

(c) This section shall not be construed to exempt from ad valorem property taxation any possessory interest in otherwise tax-exempt property not devoted exclusively to convention or related public purposes or any property or possessory interest in property of the City of Palm Springs located outside of its boundaries.

(Added by Stats. 1989, Ch. 539, Sec. 1. Effective September 20, 1989.)

201.5.
  

(a) Possessory interests in property acquired by or for the California Pollution Control Financing Authority pursuant to Division 27 (commencing with Section 44500) of the Health and Safety Code, whether in real or personal property, shall be subject to taxation under this code.

(b) If the amount determined pursuant to subdivision (a) is less than the amount of tax which would have been imposed if the participating party owned the pollution control facility, the contract or lease between the California Pollution Control Financing Authority and such party shall provide that the difference between the amount of tax paid pursuant to subdivision (a) and the amount determined on the basis of the full cash value of the property shall be paid by such party to the tax collector for the taxing agency at the same time as the property tax is paid.

(Amended by Stats. 1975, Ch. 957.)

201.6.
  

(a) Subject to subdivision (b), property that is exclusively devoted to a public purpose and is owned by a nonprofit entity, the property, assets, profits, and net revenues of which are irrevocably dedicated to the Ventura Port District, shall be deemed to be property that is owned by the Ventura Port District.

(b) This section shall not be construed to exempt from ad valorem property taxation, including, but not limited to, any ad valorem property tax levied with respect to a possessory interest, either of the following:

(1) Any property owned by a profit-making organization or concessionaire.

(2) Any property of the Ventura Port District that is located outside of the boundaries of that district.

(Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1087, Sec. 16. Effective January 1, 1997.)

201.7.
  

A qualified nonprofit organization that has entered into an agreement with the Department of Parks and Recreation pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 5080.42 of the Public Resources Code for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, or operation of a unit or units, or portion of a unit, of the state park system shall be deemed to be an agent of the state for purposes of this division and for no other purpose, and any state-owned property, including possessory interests in that property, used or possessed by the qualified nonprofit organization for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, or operation of a unit or units, or portion of a unit, of the state park system shall be exempt from taxation under subdivision (a) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 134, Sec. 3. (SB 1464) Effective January 1, 2015.)

202.
  

(a) The exemption of the following property is as specified in subdivisions (a), (b), (d), and (h) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (a) of Section 11 thereof:

(1) Growing crops.

(2) Property used for free public libraries and free museums.

(3) Property used exclusively for public schools, community colleges, state colleges, and state universities, including the University of California.

(4) Property belonging to this state, a county, or a city. Property belonging to the State Compensation Insurance Fund is not property belonging to this state.

(b) (1) The exemption described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall apply to off-campus facilities owned or leased by an apprenticeship program sponsor, if such facilities are used exclusively by the public schools for classes of related and supplemental instruction for apprentices or trainees which are conducted by the public schools under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 3070) of Division 3 of the Labor Code.

(2) The exemption described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall apply to an interest in property, including a possessory interest as defined in Section 107, belonging to the state, a county, a city, a school district, a community college district, or any combination thereof, that is used to provide rental housing for employees of one or more public school districts or community college districts.

(c) Without prejudice to the right to assert an exemption otherwise available under subdivision (a), (d), or (e) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution, a property tax under this division shall be imposed upon that portion of the bookstore property determined to be generating the unrelated business taxable income, as defined in Section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code, to the extent property is:

(1) Owned by an educational institution of collegiate grade or used by a nonprofit corporation operating a student bookstore affiliated with such an educational institution, and

(2) Is primarily devoted to bookstore use that produces income that is taxable as unrelated business taxable income.

This tax shall be determined by establishing a ratio of the unrelated business taxable income to the bookstore’s gross income as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. That percent shall be the maximum percentage of such bookstore property on which a property tax can be levied.

At the end of a fiscal year when unrelated business income has been generated, the nonprofit organization shall file with the assessor copies of the organization’s most recent tax return filed with the Internal Revenue Service.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 717, Sec. 3. (AB 1157) Effective January 1, 2018.)

202.2.
  

Any reduction in property taxes on leased property used for libraries and museums that are free and open to the public, leased property used exclusively for public schools, community colleges, state colleges, or state universities, including the University of California, or leased property used exclusively for educational purposes by a nonprofit institution of higher education and granted the exemption set forth in subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution shall inure to the benefit of the lessee institution. If the lessor claims the exemption and if the lease or rental agreement does not specifically provide that the exemption contained in subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 3 of Article XIII is taken into account in fixing the terms of the agreement, the lessee shall receive a reduction in rental payments or a refund thereof, if already paid, in an amount equal to the reduction in taxes.

If the lessor does not claim the exemption on property eligible for the exemption contained in subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 3 of Article XIII, the lessee may file a claim for refund under Section 5096 with respect to taxes paid by the lessor on the property. For purposes of Sections 5097 and 5140, the lessee shall be deemed to be the person who paid the tax, and the refund shall be made directly to the lessee. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 270, the full amount of tax paid by the lessor shall be refunded to the lessee.

Any refund granted pursuant to this part shall not be considered a reduction in the sales price or gross receipts from the rental of the property for purposes of Part 1 (commencing with Section 6001), Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 7200), or Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251).

(Amended by Stats. 1980, Ch. 676, Sec. 283.)

202.5.
  

Personal property used exclusively in the performance of activities authorized by Division 8 (commencing with Section 89000) of the Education Code, whether by the college itself or by an auxiliary nonprofit corporation or student body organization with which the Director of Education has entered into a lease or contract for the performance of such activities, is deemed property used exclusively for public schools and shall be exempt from taxation.

It is hereby declared that this section is not a change in the present law but is a declaration of preexisting law.

(Amended by Stats. 1981, Ch. 261, Sec. 11.2.)

202.6.
  

Personal property used exclusively in the performance of activities authorized by Article 2 (commencing with Section 48930) of Chapter 6 of Part 27 of Division 4 of, or Article 4 (commencing with Section 76060) of Chapter 1 of Part 47 of Division 7 of the Education Code by a student body organization acting pursuant to those provisions, is deemed property used exclusively for public schools and shall be exempt from taxation.

(Amended by Stats. 1981, Ch. 261, Sec. 11.3.)

202.7.
  

Personal property owned or used by student governments of the University of California or by nonprofit corporations operating student book stores of colleges affiliated with the University of California is, for purposes of this section, deemed property belonging to this state and shall be exempt from taxation.

(Amended by Stats. 1974, Ch. 759.)

203.
  

(a) The college exemption is as specified in subdivision (e) of Section 3 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution.

(b) An educational institution of collegiate grade is an institution incorporated as a college or seminary of learning that requires for regular admission the completion of a four-year high school course or its equivalent, and confers upon its graduates at least one academic or professional degree, based on a course of at least one year in flight test technology or flight test science, for which the master’s degree program has been approved by the California Council for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education or the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education, on a course of at least two years in liberal arts and sciences, or on a course of at least three years in professional studies, such as law, theology, education, medicine, dentistry, engineering, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, architecture, fine arts, commerce, or journalism.

(c) An educational institution of collegiate grade is not conducted for profit when it is conducted exclusively for scientific or educational purposes and no part of its net income inures to the benefit of any private person.

(d) Without prejudice to the right to assert an exemption otherwise available under subdivision (a), (d), or (e) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution, a property tax under this division shall be imposed upon that portion of the bookstore property determined to be generating the unrelated business taxable income, as defined in Section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code, to the extent property is both of the following:

(1) Owned by an educational institution of collegiate grade or used by a nonprofit corporation operating a student bookstore affiliated with an educational institution of collegiate grade.

(2) Primarily devoted to bookstore use that produces income that is taxable as unrelated business taxable income.

This tax shall be determined by establishing a ratio of the unrelated business taxable income to the bookstore’s gross income as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. That percent shall be the maximum percentage of the bookstore property on which a property tax can be levied.

At the end of a fiscal year when unrelated business income has been generated, the nonprofit organization shall file with the assessor copies of the organization’s most recent tax return filed with the Internal Revenue Service.

(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 562, Sec. 1. Effective September 18, 1998.)

203.1.
  

Personal property owned or used by a nonprofit corporation operating a student bookstore affiliated with an educational institution, as defined in Section 203, is, for purposes of this section, deemed property belonging to such educational institution and shall be exempt from taxation.

(Added by Stats. 1979, Ch. 588.)

203.5.
  

Property owned by the California School of Mechanical Arts, California Academy of Sciences, or Cogswell Polytechnical College, or held in trust for the Huntington Library and Art Gallery, or their successors, shall be exempt from taxation as provided in subdivision (c) of Section 4 of Article XIII of the Constitution.

(Added by Stats. 1974, Ch. 311.)

204.
  

The cemetery exemption is as specified in subdivision (g) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution.

(Amended by Stats. 1974, Ch. 311.)

205.
  

The veterans’ exemption is as specified in subdivisions (o), (p), (q), and (r) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution.

The following are wars under subdivisions (o), (p), (q), and (r) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution:

(a) Revolutionary War, April 19, 1775–January 14, 1784.

(b) Second War With England, June 18, 1812–February 17, 1815.

(c) Black Hawk War, April 6, 1832–August 2, 1832.

(d) War With Mexico, April 24, 1846–May 30, 1848.

(e) Civil War, April 18, 1861–August 20, 1866.

(f) War With Spain, April 21, 1898–April 11, 1899.

(g) War in Philippines, April 11, 1899–July 4, 1902.

(h) Chinese Relief Expedition, June 20, 1900–May 15, 1901.

(i) Campaign against the Rogue River, Yakima, Nez Percé, and Snake Indians in Oregon and Washington, 1855–1856.

(j) Campaign against the Indians in southern Oregon and Idaho and northern California and Nevada, 1865–1868.

(k) Campaign against the Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas, and Comanches in Kansas, Colorado, and Indian Territory, 1867–1869.

(l) Modoc War, 1872–1873.

(m) Campaign against the Apaches in Arizona, 1873.

(n) Campaign against the Kiowas, Comanches, and Cheyennes in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Indian Territory, and New Mexico, 1874–1875.

(o) Campaign against the Northern Cheyennes and Sioux, 1876–1877.

(p) Nez Percé War, 1877.

(q) Bannock War, 1878.

(r) Campaign against the Northern Cheyennes, 1878–1879.

(s) Campaign against the Ute Indians in Colorado and Utah, September, 1879–November, 1880.

(t) Campaign against the Apache Indians in Arizona, 1885–1886.

(u) Campaign against the Sioux Indians in South Dakota, November, 1890–January, 1891.

(v) War With Germany-Austria, April 6, 1917–November 11, 1918.

(w) Campaign against the Apache Indians in Arizona, 1895–1896.

(x) World War II, December 7, 1941, to January 1, 1947.

(y) Campaign against the North Koreans and Chinese Communists in Korea, June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955.

(z) Campaign against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Communists in South Vietnam, August 5, 1964, to May 8, 1975.

The following are campaigns under subdivisions (o), (p), (q), and (r) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution:

(a) First Nicaraguan campaign.

(b) Second Nicaraguan campaign.

(c) Yangtze River campaign in China.

(d) All other campaigns for service in which a medal has been issued by the Congress of the United States.

(Amended by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1092.)

205.1.
  

Section 205 of this code fulfills the intent of subdivisions (o), (p), (q), and (r) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution. To further carry out the intent of subdivisions (o), (p), (q), and (r) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution, if the assessment ratio is increased from 25 percent to 100 percent the amount of assessed value subject to the exemption shall be increased from one thousand dollars ($1,000) to four thousand dollars ($4,000) in order to maintain the same proportionate value of the exemption. Whenever assessed value is used to determine eligibility for such exemption based on the limitations on the value of property owned, 25 percent of the assessed value shall be used when the assessment ratio is increased to 100 percent to maintain the same proportionate values of such property and such limitations.

(Amended by Stats. 1979, Ch. 1161.)

205.5.
  

(a) Property that constitutes the principal place of residence of a veteran, that is owned by the veteran, the veteran’s spouse, or the veteran and the veteran’s spouse jointly, is exempted from taxation on that part of the full value of the residence that does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), as adjusted for the relevant assessment year as provided in subdivision (i), if the veteran is blind in both eyes, has lost the use of two or more limbs, or if the veteran is totally disabled as a result of injury or disease incurred in military service. The one hundred thousand dollar ($100,000) exemption shall be one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000), as adjusted for the relevant assessment year as provided in subdivision (i), in the case of an eligible veteran whose household income does not exceed the amount of forty thousand dollars ($40,000), as adjusted for the relevant assessment year as provided in subdivision (h).

(b) (1) For purposes of this section, “veteran” means either of the following:

(A) A person who is serving in or has served in and has been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions from service in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard, and served either in time of war or in time of peace in a campaign or expedition for which a medal has been issued by Congress, or in time of peace and because of a service-connected disability was released from active duty, and who has been determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to be eligible for federal veterans’ health and medical benefits.

(B) Any person who would qualify as a veteran pursuant to subparagraph (A) except that they have, as a result of a service-connected injury or disease, died while on active duty in military service. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs shall determine whether an injury or disease is service connected.

(2) For purposes of this section, property is deemed to be the principal place of residence of a veteran, disabled as described in subdivision (a), who is confined to a hospital or other care facility, if that property would be that veteran’s principal place of residence were it not for their confinement to a hospital or other care facility, provided that the residence is not rented or leased to a third party. For purposes of this paragraph, a family member who resides at the residence is not a third party.

(c) (1) Property that is owned by, and that constitutes the principal place of residence of, the unmarried surviving spouse of a deceased veteran is exempt from taxation on that part of the full value of the residence that does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), as adjusted for the relevant assessment year as provided in subdivision (i), in the case of a veteran who was blind in both eyes, had lost the use of two or more limbs, or was totally disabled provided that either of the following conditions is met:

(A) The deceased veteran during their lifetime qualified for the exemption pursuant to subdivision (a), or would have qualified for the exemption under the laws effective on January 1, 1977, except that the veteran died prior to January 1, 1977.

(B) The veteran died from a disease that was service connected as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

The one hundred thousand dollar ($100,000) exemption shall be one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000), as adjusted for the relevant assessment year as provided in subdivision (i), in the case of an eligible unmarried surviving spouse whose household income does not exceed the amount of forty thousand dollars ($40,000), as adjusted for the relevant assessment year as provided in subdivision (h).

(2) Commencing with the 1994–95 fiscal year, property that is owned by, and that constitutes the principal place of residence of, the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran as described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) is exempt from taxation on that part of the full value of the residence that does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), as adjusted for the relevant assessment year as provided in subdivision (h). The one hundred thousand dollar ($100,000) exemption shall be one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000), as adjusted for the relevant assessment year as provided in subdivision (i), in the case of an eligible unmarried surviving spouse whose household income does not exceed the amount of forty thousand dollars ($40,000), as adjusted for the relevant assessment year as provided in subdivision (h).

(3) Beginning with the 2012–13 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter, property is deemed to be the principal place of residence of the unmarried surviving spouse of a deceased veteran, who is confined to a hospital or other care facility, if that property would be the unmarried surviving spouse’s principal place of residence were it not for their confinement to a hospital or other care facility, provided that the residence is not rented or leased to a third party. For purposes of this paragraph, a family member who resides at the residence is not a third party.

(d) As used in this section, “property that is owned by a veteran” or “property that is owned by the veteran’s unmarried surviving spouse” includes all of the following:

(1) Property owned by the veteran with the veteran’s spouse as a joint tenancy, tenancy in common, or as community property.

(2) Property owned by the veteran or the veteran’s spouse as separate property.

(3) Property owned with one or more other persons to the extent of the interest owned by the veteran, the veteran’s spouse, or both the veteran and the veteran’s spouse.

(4) Property owned by the veteran’s unmarried surviving spouse with one or more other persons to the extent of the interest owned by the veteran’s unmarried surviving spouse.

(5) So much of the property of a corporation as constitutes the principal place of residence of a veteran or a veteran’s unmarried surviving spouse when the veteran, or the veteran’s spouse, or the veteran’s unmarried surviving spouse is a shareholder of the corporation and the rights of shareholding entitle one to the possession of property, legal title to which is owned by the corporation. The exemption provided by this paragraph shall be shown on the local roll and shall reduce the full value of the corporate property. Notwithstanding any law or articles of incorporation or bylaws of a corporation described in this paragraph, any reduction of property taxes paid by the corporation shall reflect an equal reduction in any charges by the corporation to the person who, by reason of qualifying for the exemption, made possible the reduction for the corporation.

(e) For purposes of this section, being blind in both eyes means having a visual acuity of 5/200 or less, or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less; losing the use of a limb means that the limb has been amputated or its use has been lost by reason of ankylosis, progressive muscular dystrophies, or paralysis; and being totally disabled means that the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the military service from which the veteran was discharged has rated the disability at 100 percent or has rated the disability compensation at 100 percent by reason of being unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

(f) (1) The county assessor shall accept an electronically generated letter of service-connected disability in lieu of an original letter of service-connected disability, at the discretion of the claimant, for purposes of verifying eligibility for an exemption pursuant to this section.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, “letter of service-connected disability” means a letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs that provides a benefit summary of the claimant’s service-connected disability for purposes of claiming disabled veterans’ exemptions.

(g) An exemption granted to a claimant pursuant to this section shall be in lieu of the veteran’s exemption provided by subdivisions (o), (p), (q), and (r) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and any other real property tax exemption to which the claimant may be entitled. Other real property tax exemptions shall not be granted to any other person with respect to the same residence for which an exemption has been granted pursuant to this section. However, if two or more veterans qualified pursuant to this section coown a property in which they reside, each is entitled to the exemption to the extent of their interest.

(h) Commencing on January 1, 2002, and for each assessment year thereafter, the household income limit shall be compounded annually by an inflation factor that is the annual percentage change, measured from February to February of the two previous assessment years, rounded to the nearest one-thousandth of 1 percent, in the California Consumer Price Index for all items, as determined by the California Department of Industrial Relations.

(i) Commencing on January 1, 2006, and for each assessment year thereafter, the exemption amounts set forth in subdivisions (a) and (c) shall be compounded annually by an inflation factor that is the annual percentage change, measured from February to February of the two previous assessment years, rounded to the nearest one-thousandth of 1 percent, in the California Consumer Price Index for all items, as determined by the California Department of Industrial Relations.

(j) The amendments made to this section by Chapter 871 of the Statutes of 2016 shall apply for property tax lien dates for the 2017–18 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter.

(k) The county assessor may provide written or electronic determination of preliminary eligibility for an exemption under this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 773, Sec. 1.5. (SB 82) Effective January 1, 2024.)

205.6.
  

In order to prevent duplications of the disabled veterans’ property tax exemption within the state and improper overlapping with other benefits provided by law, county assessors may supply information from disabled veterans’ property tax exemption claims and county records as is specified by written request of the board necessary to fully identify all disabled veterans’ property tax exemption claims allowed by the assessors. The board may specify that the information include all or a part of the names and social security numbers of claimants and spouses and the identity and location of the dwelling to which the exemption applies. The information may be required in the form of data-processing media or other media and in such format as is compatible with the recordkeeping processes of the counties and the auditing procedures of the state.

(Added by Stats. 2009, Ch. 204, Sec. 3. (SB 822) Effective January 1, 2010.)

206.
  

The church exemption is as specified in subdivision (f) of Section 3 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the Constitution.

(Amended by Stats. 1974, Ch. 311.)

206.1.
  

(a) Pursuant to the authority of subdivision (d) of Section 4 of Article XIII of the California Constitution, and in accordance with subdivision (b) of this section, all real property that is necessarily and reasonably required for the parking of automobiles of persons who are attending religious services, or are engaged in religious services or worship or any religious activity, is exempt from taxation.

(b) For purposes of the exemption established by subdivision (a), all of the following shall apply:

(1) “Real property” means land and improvements or a possessory interest in land and improvements.

(2) The real property is not required to be contiguous to the land on which the church or other structure used for religious services or as the place of worship or religious activity is located.

(3) The real property is not at other times used for commercial purposes. For purposes of this paragraph, “commercial purposes” does not include use of the property for the parking of vehicles or bicycles, the revenue from which does not exceed the ordinary and necessary costs of maintaining the real property.

(4) The exemption shall apply to otherwise qualifying land and improvements regardless of whether the land and improvements are owned by the church, religious denomination, or sect using the land and improvements for the parking of automobiles by persons described in subdivision (a). However, the exemption shall apply to land and improvements that are not owned by the church, religious denomination, or sect using the land and improvements for the parking of automobiles by persons described in subdivision (a) only as long as all of the following conditions are met:

(A) The congregation of the church, religious denomination, or sect is no greater than 500 members.

(B) The church, religious denomination, or sect is engaged in a lease of the land and improvements for the exclusive purpose of the parking of automobiles by persons described in subdivision (a).

(C) The church, religious denomination, or sect is responsible, under the terms of its lease with the fee owner of the land and improvements, for paying the property taxes levied on the land and improvements. For purposes of this subparagraph, paying property taxes levied on land and improvements includes reimbursement paid to the fee owner of the land and improvements for those taxes.

(D) The real property is used exclusively for the parking of automobiles by persons described in subdivision (a).

(E) The fee owner of the real property and the county agree that the fee owner shall pay the total amount of taxes that would be levied on the real property for the current fiscal year and the first two subsequent fiscal years in the absence of a grant of exemption pursuant to this paragraph for the current fiscal year, if the real property is used for any purpose other than that specified in subparagraph (D) during either of those two subsequent fiscal years.

(Repealed and added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1169, Sec. 3. Effective September 30, 1996.)

206.2.
  

Any reduction in property taxes on leased property used exclusively for religious worship and granted the church exemption shall inure to the benefit of the organization entitled to the exemption. If the lease or rental agreement does not specifically provide that the church exemption is taken into account in fixing the terms of the agreement, the tenant shall receive a reduction in rental payments, or a refund of such payments, if paid, for each month of occupancy, or portion thereof, during the fiscal year equal to one-twelfth of the property taxes not paid during such fiscal year by reason of the church exemption.

(Added by Stats. 1977, Ch. 522.)

207.
  

Property used exclusively for religious purposes shall be exempt from taxation. Property owned and operated by a church and used for religious worship, preschool purposes, nursery school purposes, kindergarten purposes, school purposes of less than collegiate grade, or for purposes of both schools of collegiate grade and schools less than collegiate grade but excluding property used solely for purposes of schools of collegiate grade, shall be deemed to be used exclusively for religious purposes under this section.

The exemption provided by this section is granted pursuant to the authority in subdivision (b) of Section 4 of Article XIII of the California Constitution, and shall be known as the “religious exemption.”

This section shall be effective for the 1977–78 fiscal year and fiscal years thereafter.

(Amended [as added by Stats. 1981, Ch. 542] by Stats. 1983, Ch. 120, Sec. 1. Effective June 22, 1983. Section applicable from July 1, 1977, by this amendment and by Sec. 4 of Ch. 120.)

207.1.
  

Personal property leased to a church and used exclusively for the purposes described in Section 207 shall be deemed to be used exclusively for religious purposes under that section.

The exemption provided by this section is granted pursuant to the authority in Section 2 of Article XIII of the California Constitution.

(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 591, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1999.)

208.
  

The bonds exemption is as specified in subdivision (c) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution.

(Amended by Stats. 1974, Ch. 311.)

209.
  

The exemption of certain vessels from taxation except for state purposes is as specified in subdivision (l) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the Constitution.

(Amended by Stats. 1974, Ch. 311.)

209.5.
  

All right, title or interest in or to any vessel of more than 50 tons burden or 100 tons displacement, and the materials and parts held by the builder of the vessel at the site of construction for the specific purpose of incorporation therein, shall be exempt from taxation except for state purposes, while the vessel is under construction within this State.

(Amended by Stats. 1959, Ch. 283.)

211.
  

(a) (1) The exemption of fruit- and nut-bearing trees until four years after the season in which they were planted in orchard form and grapevines until three years after the season in which they were planted in vineyard form is as specified in subdivision (i) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution.

(2) For purposes of exemption pursuant to this subdivision, any fruit- or nut-bearing tree, or any grapevine, severely damaged during the exemption period by the December 1990 freeze so as to require pruning to the trunk or bud union to establish a new shoot as a replacement for the damaged tree or grapevine, shall be considered a new planting in orchard or vineyard form.

(3) For purposes of exemption pursuant to this subdivision, any fruit- or nut-bearing tree severely damaged during the exemption period by the December 1998 freeze or the January 2007 freeze so as to require pruning to the trunk or bud union to establish a new shoot as a replacement for the damaged tree shall be considered a new planting in orchard form.

(4) For purposes of exemption pursuant to this subdivision, any fruit- or nut-bearing tree, or any grapevine, severely damaged during the exemption period by the extremely strong and damaging winds that commenced on October 20, 2007, that were the subject of the Governor’s November 2, 2007, proclamation of a state of emergency so as to require pruning to the trunk or bud union to establish a new shoot as a replacement for the damaged tree or grapevine, shall be considered a new planting in orchard form.

(5) For purposes of exemption pursuant to this subdivision, any fruit- or nut-bearing tree, or any grapevine, severely damaged during the exemption period by the wildfires that commenced on October 21, 2007, that were the subject of the Governor’s October 21, 2007, proclamation of a state of emergency so as to require pruning to the trunk or bud union to establish a new shoot as a replacement for the damaged tree or grapevine, shall be considered a new planting in orchard form.

(b) The exemption of timber is as specified in subdivision (j) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and Section 436.

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 356, Sec. 1. Effective September 26, 2008.)

212.
  

(a) Notes, debentures, shares of capital stock, solvent credits, bonds, deeds of trust, mortgages, and any interest in that property are exempt from taxation.

(b) Money kept on hand to be used in the ordinary and regular course of a trade, profession, or business is exempt from taxation.

(c) Intangible assets and rights are exempt from taxation and, except as otherwise provided in the following sentence, the value of intangible assets and rights shall not enhance or be reflected in the value of taxable property. 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.

(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 498, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 1996.)

213.
  

The exhibition exemption is as specified in this section.

Personal property which comes within all the following descriptions is exempt from taxation:

(a) The property is brought into this State exclusively for purposes of use or exhibition at any exposition, fair, carnival or public exhibit of literary, scientific, educational, religious or artistic works in this State and is used only for these purposes while in this State.

(b) It is intended to remove the property from the State following its use or exhibition here.

(c) The property is subject to taxation in some other State or a foreign country while in this State and all taxes due in the other State or country are paid when the exemption is claimed.

(Enacted by Stats. 1939, Ch. 154.)

213.5.
  

In partial consideration of the public services provided to property exempted from taxation by Section 214, the owner or person in possession shall permit the free use of such property or portion thereof as a polling place at any election conducted by the registrar of voters if the registrar makes written request for the use of such property at least 60 days before the date of the election. The registrar shall not be entitled to the use of any property used for the practice of religion if the owner or possessor files with him at least 45 days before the election an affidavit that (a) the space requested will be required for the ordinary and usual purposes of the owner or possessor on the day of the election, setting forth what such use will be, or (b) by reason of any contract, or condition, or covenant in a deed, made or delivered before July 1, 1965, the use of any portion of such property by the registrar of voters would breach such contract, condition, or covenant. The registrar shall not be entitled to the use of other property if an affidavit under (b) is filed with him.

As used in this section, registrar of voters means county clerk in counties having no registrar of voters.

A county using this section shall insure itself, its employees, the owner, and the person in possession of the property against any liability for any injury connected with the use of the property as a polling place.

Use of property under this section shall be considered to be exclusively for religious, hospital, or charitable purposes.

(Added by Stats. 1965, Ch. 873.)

213.7.
  

(a) As used in Section 214, “property used exclusively for religious, hospital, scientific or charitable purposes” shall include the property of a volunteer fire department that is used exclusively for volunteer fire department purposes, provided that the department qualifies for exemption either under Section 23701d or 23701f of this code or under Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. This section shall not be construed to enlarge the “welfare exemption” to apply to organizations qualified under Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, but not otherwise qualified for the “welfare exemption” under other provisions of this code.

(b) As used in this section, “volunteer fire department” means any fund, foundation or corporation regularly organized for volunteer fire department purposes, that qualified as an exempt organization on or before January 1, 1969, either under Section 23701d or 23701f of this code or under Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, having official recognition and full or partial support of the government of the county, city, or district in which the volunteer fire department is located, and that has functions having an exclusive connection with the prevention and extinguishing of fires within the area of the county, city, or district extending official recognition for the benefit of the public generally and to lessen the burdens of the entity of government which would otherwise be obligated to furnish such fire protection.

(c) For purposes of subdivision (a), an organization shall not be deemed to be qualified as an exempt organization unless the organization files with the assessor a valid organizational clearance certificate issued pursuant to Section 254.6.

(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 471, Sec. 10. Effective January 1, 2004.)

214.
  

(a) Property used exclusively for religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable purposes owned and operated by community chests, funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations organized and operated for religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable purposes is exempt from taxation, including ad valorem taxes to pay the interest and redemption charges on any indebtedness approved by the voters prior to July 1, 1978, or any bonded indebtedness for the acquisition or improvement of real property approved on or after July 1, 1978, by two-thirds of the votes cast by the voters voting on the proposition, if:

(1) The owner is not organized or operated for profit. However, in the case of hospitals, the organization shall not be deemed to be organized or operated for profit if, during the immediately preceding fiscal year, operating revenues, exclusive of gifts, endowments, and grants-in-aid, did not exceed operating expenses by an amount equivalent to 10 percent of those operating expenses. As used herein, operating expenses include depreciation based on cost of replacement and amortization of, and interest on, indebtedness.

(2) No part of the net earnings of the owner inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

(3) The property is used for the actual operation of the exempt activity, and does not exceed an amount of property reasonably necessary to the accomplishment of the exempt purpose.

(A) For the purposes of determining whether the property is used for the actual operation of the exempt activity, consideration shall not be given to use of the property for either or both of the following described activities if that use is occasional:

(i) The owner conducts fundraising activities on the property and the proceeds derived from those activities are not unrelated business taxable income, as defined in Section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code, of the owner and are used to further the exempt activity of the owner.

(ii) The owner permits any other organization that meets all of the requirements of this subdivision, other than ownership of the property, to conduct fundraising activities on the property and the proceeds derived from those activities are not unrelated business taxable income, as defined in Section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code, of the organization, are not subject to the tax on unrelated business taxable income that is imposed by Section 511 of the Internal Revenue Code, and are used to further the exempt activity of the organization.

(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A):

(i) “Occasional use” means use of the property on an irregular or intermittent basis by the qualifying owner or any other qualifying organization described in clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) that is incidental to the primary activities of the owner or the other organization.

(ii) “Fundraising activities” means both activities involving the direct solicitation of money or other property and the anticipated exchange of goods or services for money between the soliciting organization and the organization or person solicited.

(C) Subparagraph (A) shall have no application in determining whether paragraph (3) has been satisfied unless the owner of the property and any other organization using the property as provided in subparagraph (A) have filed with the assessor a valid organizational clearance certificate issued pursuant to Section 254.6.

(D) For the purposes of determining whether the property is used for the actual operation of the exempt activity, consideration shall not be given to the use of the property for meetings conducted by any other organization if the meetings are incidental to the other organization’s primary activities, are not fundraising meetings or activities as defined in subparagraph (B), are held no more than once per week, and the other organization and its use of the property meet all other requirements of paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of this subdivision. The owner or the other organization also shall file with the assessor a copy of a valid, unrevoked letter or ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or the Franchise Tax Board stating that the other organization, or the national organization of which it is a local chapter or affiliate, qualifies as an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 23701d, 23701f, or 23701w.

(E) Subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) shall not be construed to either enlarge or restrict the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this section.

(4) The property is not used or operated by the owner or by any other person so as to benefit any officer, trustee, director, shareholder, member, employee, contributor, or bondholder of the owner or operator, or any other person, through the distribution of profits, payment of excessive charges or compensations, or the more advantageous pursuit of their business or profession.

(5) The property is not used by the owner or members thereof for fraternal or lodge purposes, or for social club purposes except where that use is clearly incidental to a primary religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable purpose.

(6) The property is irrevocably dedicated to religious, charitable, scientific, or hospital purposes and, upon the liquidation, dissolution, or abandonment of the owner, will not inure to the benefit of any private person except a fund, foundation, or corporation organized and operated for religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable purposes.

(7) The property, if used exclusively for scientific purposes, is used by a foundation or institution that, in addition to complying with the foregoing requirements for the exemption of charitable organizations in general, has been chartered by the Congress of the United States (except that this requirement shall not apply when the scientific purposes are medical research), and whose objects are the encouragement or conduct of scientific investigation, research, and discovery for the benefit of the community at large.

The exemption provided for herein shall be known as the “welfare exemption.” This exemption is in addition to any other exemption now provided by law, and the existence of the exemption provision in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 202 does not preclude the exemption under this section for museum or library property. Except as provided in subdivision (e), this section shall not be construed to enlarge the college exemption.

(b) Property used exclusively for school purposes of less than collegiate grade and owned and operated by religious, hospital, or charitable funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations, which property and funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations meet all of the requirements of subdivision (a), shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this section.

(c) Property used exclusively for nursery school purposes and owned and operated by religious, hospital, or charitable funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations, which property and funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations meet all the requirements of subdivision (a), shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this section.

(d) Property used exclusively for a noncommercial educational FM broadcast station or an educational television station, and owned and operated by religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations meeting all of the requirements of subdivision (a), shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this section.

(e) Property used exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, or hospital purposes and owned and operated by religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations or educational institutions of collegiate grade, as defined in Section 203, which property and funds, foundations, limited liability companies, corporations, or educational institutions meet all of the requirements of subdivision (a), shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this section. As to educational institutions of collegiate grade, as defined in Section 203, the requirements of paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) shall be deemed to be met if both of the following are met:

(1) The property of the educational institution is irrevocably dedicated in its articles of incorporation to charitable and educational purposes, to religious and educational purposes, or to educational purposes.

(2) The articles of incorporation of the educational institution provide for distribution of its property upon its liquidation, dissolution, or abandonment to a fund, foundation, or corporation organized and operated for religious, hospital, scientific, charitable, or educational purposes meeting the requirements for exemption provided by Section 203 or this section.

(f) Property used exclusively for housing and related facilities for elderly or handicapped families and financed by, including, but not limited to, the federal government pursuant to Section 202 of Public Law 86-372 (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1701q), as amended, Section 231 of Public Law 73-479 (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1715v), Section 236 of Public Law 90-448 (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1715z), or Section 811 of Public Law 101-625 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 8013), and owned and operated by religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations meeting all of the requirements of this section shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this section.

The amendment of this paragraph made by Chapter 1102 of the Statutes of 1984 does not constitute a change in, but is declaratory of, existing law. However, no refund of property taxes shall be required as a result of this amendment for any fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the amendment takes effect.

Property used exclusively for housing and related facilities for elderly or handicapped families at which supplemental care or services designed to meet the special needs of elderly or handicapped residents are not provided, or that is not financed by the federal government pursuant to Section 202 of Public Law 86-372 (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1701q), as amended, Section 231 of Public Law 73-479 (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1715v), Section 236 of Public Law 90-448 (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1715z), or Section 811 of Public Law 101-625 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 8013), shall not be entitled to exemption pursuant to this subdivision unless the property is used for housing and related facilities for low- and moderate-income elderly or handicapped families. Property that would otherwise be exempt pursuant to this subdivision, except that it includes some housing and related facilities for other than low- or moderate-income elderly or handicapped families, shall be entitled to a partial exemption. The partial exemption shall be equal to that percentage of the value of the property that is equal to the percentage that the number of low- and moderate-income elderly and handicapped families represents of the total number of families occupying the property.

As used in this subdivision, “low and moderate income” has the same meaning as the term “persons and families of low or moderate income” as defined by Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code.

(g) (1) Property used exclusively for rental housing and related facilities and owned and operated by religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations, including limited partnerships in which the managing general partner is an eligible nonprofit corporation or eligible limited liability company, meeting all of the requirements of this section, or by veterans’ organizations, as described in Section 215.1, meeting all the requirements of paragraphs (1) to (7), inclusive, of subdivision (a), shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this section and shall be entitled to a partial exemption equal to that percentage of the value of the property that is equal to the percentage that the number of units serving lower income households represents of the total number of residential units in any year in which any of the following criteria applies:

(A) The acquisition, rehabilitation, development, or operation of the property, or any combination of these factors, is financed with tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds, qualified 501(c)(3) bonds, as that term is defined in Section 145 of Title 26 of the United States Code, or general obligation bonds, or is financed by local, state, or federal loans or grants and the rents of the occupants who are lower income households do not exceed those prescribed by deed restrictions or regulatory agreements pursuant to the terms of the financing or financial assistance.

(B) The owner of the property is eligible for and receives low-income housing tax credits pursuant to Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as added by Public Law 99-514.

(C) In the case of a claim, other than a claim with respect to property owned by a limited partnership in which the managing general partner is an eligible nonprofit corporation, that is filed for the 2000–01 fiscal year or any fiscal year thereafter, 90 percent or more of the occupants of the property are lower income households whose rent does not exceed the rent prescribed by Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code. The total exemption amount allowed under this subdivision to a taxpayer, with respect to a single property or multiple properties for any fiscal year on the sole basis of the application of this subparagraph, may not exceed twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) in assessed value.

(D) (i) The property was previously purchased and owned by the Department of Transportation pursuant to a consent decree requiring housing mitigation measures relating to the construction of a freeway and is now solely owned by an organization that qualifies as an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(ii) This subparagraph does not apply to property owned by a limited partnership in which the managing partner is an eligible nonprofit corporation.

(2) In order to be eligible for the exemption provided by this subdivision, the owner of the property shall do both of the following:

(A) (i) For any claim filed for the 2000–01 fiscal year or any fiscal year thereafter, certify and ensure, subject to the limitation in clause (ii), that there is an enforceable and verifiable agreement with a public agency, a recorded deed restriction, or other legal document that restricts the project’s usage and that provides that the units designated for use by lower income households are continuously available to or occupied by lower income households, subject to the exception in clause (iii), at rents that do not exceed those prescribed by Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code, or, to the extent that the terms of federal, state, or local financing or financial assistance conflicts with Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code, rents that do not exceed those prescribed by the terms of the financing or financial assistance.

(ii) In the case of a limited partnership in which the managing general partner is an eligible nonprofit corporation, the restriction and provision specified in clause (i) shall be contained in an enforceable and verifiable agreement with a public agency, or in a recorded deed restriction to which the limited partnership certifies.

(iii) (I) (ia) In the case of an owner of property that is eligible for and receives a low-income housing tax credit pursuant to Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to low-income housing credit, a unit shall continue to be treated as occupied by a lower income household if the occupants were lower income households on the lien date in the fiscal year in which their occupancy of the unit commenced and the unit continues to be rent restricted, notwithstanding an increase in the income of the occupants of the unit to 140 percent of area median income, adjusted for family size. However, the unit shall cease to be treated as a lower income unit if the income of the occupants of the unit increases above 140 percent of area median income, adjusted for family size.

(ib) This subclause shall only be operative from the 2018–19 fiscal year through the 2027–28 fiscal year.

(II) (ia) In the case of an owner of property, other than a property described in subclause (I), that is subject to an enforceable and verifiable agreement with a public agency, a unit shall continue to be treated as occupied by a lower income household if the occupants were lower income households on the lien date in the fiscal year in which their occupancy of the unit commenced and the unit continues to be rent restricted, notwithstanding an increase in the income of the occupants of the unit to 100 percent of area median income, adjusted for family size. However, the unit shall cease to be treated as a lower income unit if the income of the occupants of the unit increases above 100 percent of area median income, adjusted for family size.

(ib) This subclause shall only be operative from the 2024–25 fiscal year through the 2028–29 fiscal year.

(iv) (I) In the case of an owner of property that is a community land trust and whose property is leased to a lower income household, subject to a contract that complies with the requirements of paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 402.1, a unit shall continue to be treated as occupied by a lower income household if the occupants were lower income households on the lien date in the fiscal year in which their occupancy of the unit commenced and the unit continues to be rent restricted, notwithstanding an increase in the income of the occupants of the unit to 140 percent of area median income, adjusted for family size. However, the unit shall cease to be treated as a lower income unit if the income of the occupants of the unit increases above 140 percent of area median income, adjusted for family size.

(II) This clause shall only be operative from the 2022–23 fiscal year through the 2027–28 fiscal year.

(B) Certify that the funds that would have been necessary to pay property taxes are used to maintain the affordability of, or reduce rents otherwise necessary for, the units occupied by lower income households.

(3) As used in this subdivision:

(A) “Community land trust” has the same meaning as defined in Section 402.1.

(B) “Lower income households” has the same meaning as the term “lower income households” as defined by Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

(C) “Related facilities” means any manager’s units and any and all common area spaces that are included within the physical boundaries of the rental housing development, including, but not limited to, common area space, walkways, balconies, patios, clubhouse space, meeting rooms, laundry facilities, and parking areas, except any portions of the overall development that are nonexempt commercial space.

(D) (i) “Units serving lower income households” shall mean units that are occupied by lower income households at an affordable rent, as defined in Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code or, to the extent that the terms of federal, state, or local financing or financial assistance conflicts with Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code, rents that do not exceed those prescribed by the terms of the financing or financial assistance. Units reserved for lower income households at an affordable rent that are temporarily vacant due to tenant turnover or repairs shall be counted as occupied.

(ii) (I) “Units serving lower income households” shall also mean units specified in clause (iii) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2).

(II) This clause shall only be operative from the 2018–19 fiscal year through the 2027–28 fiscal year.

(iii) (I) “Units serving lower income households” shall also mean units specified in clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2).

(II) This clause shall only be operative from the 2022–23 fiscal year through the 2027–28 fiscal year.

(h) Property used exclusively for an emergency or temporary shelter and related facilities for homeless persons and families and owned and operated by religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations meeting all of the requirements of this section shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this section. Property that otherwise would be exempt pursuant to this subdivision, except that it includes housing and related facilities for other than an emergency or temporary shelter, shall be entitled to a partial exemption.

As used in this subdivision, “emergency or temporary shelter” means a facility that would be eligible for funding pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 50800) of Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code.

(i) Property used exclusively for housing and related facilities for employees of religious, charitable, scientific, or hospital organizations that meet all the requirements of subdivision (a) and owned and operated by funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations that meet all the requirements of subdivision (a) shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this section to the extent the residential use of the property is institutionally necessary for the operation of the organization.

(j) For purposes of this section, charitable purposes include educational purposes. For purposes of this subdivision, “educational purposes” means those educational purposes and activities for the benefit of the community as a whole or an unascertainable and indefinite portion thereof, and do not include those educational purposes and activities that are primarily for the benefit of an organization’s shareholders. Educational activities include the study of relevant information, the dissemination of that information to interested members of the general public, and the participation of interested members of the general public.

(k) In the case of property used exclusively for the exempt purposes specified in this section, owned and operated by limited liability companies that are organized and operated for those purposes, the State Board of Equalization shall adopt regulations to specify the ownership, organizational, and operational requirements for those companies to qualify for the exemption provided by this section.

(l) The amendments made by Chapter 354 of the Statutes of 2004 apply with respect to lien dates occurring on and after January 1, 2005.

(m) The amendments made by Chapter 836 of the Statutes of 2016 apply with respect to lien dates occurring on and after January 1, 2017.

(n) The amendments made by Chapter 694 of the Statutes of 2018 apply with respect to lien dates occurring on and after January 1, 2019.

(o) Notwithstanding Section 20 or any other law, the State Board of Equalization is responsible for administering the welfare exemption provided by this section, except where the law places responsibility for administering that exemption with the county assessor.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 734, Sec. 1. (AB 84) Effective October 11, 2023.)

214.01.
  

(a) For the purpose of Section 214, property shall be deemed irrevocably dedicated to religious, charitable, scientific, or hospital purposes only if a statement of irrevocable dedication to only these purposes is found in the articles of incorporation of the corporation, or in the case of any other fund or foundation, limited liability company, or corporation chartered by an act of Congress, in the bylaws, articles of association, articles of organization, constitution, or regulations thereof, as determined by the State Board of Equalization.

(b) If, when performing the duties specified by Section 254.6, the board finds that an applicant for the welfare exemption is ineligible for an organizational clearance certificate, because at the time of the filing of the claim required by Section 254.6, the applicant’s articles of incorporation, or in the case of any noncorporate fund or foundation, its bylaws, articles of association, articles of organization, constitution or regulations, did not comply with the provisions of this section, the board shall notify the applicant in writing. The applicant shall have until the next succeeding lien date to amend its articles of incorporation, or in the case of any noncorporate fund or foundation, its bylaws, articles of association, articles of organization, constitution or regulations, and to file a certified copy of these amendments that conform to the provisions of this section with the board, and the board shall make a finding that the applicant, if otherwise qualified, is eligible for an organizational clearance certificate and forward that finding to the assessor.

(c) The amendments made by the act adding this subdivision shall apply with respect to lien dates occurring on and after January 1, 2005.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 354, Sec. 3. Effective August 30, 2004. Applicable January 1, 2005, as specified in subd. (c).)

214.02.
  

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) or (c), property that is used exclusively for the preservation of native plants or animals, biotic communities, geological or geographical formations of scientific or educational interest, or open-space lands used solely for recreation and for the enjoyment of scenic beauty, is open to the general public subject to reasonable restrictions concerning the needs of the land, and is owned and operated by a scientific or charitable fund, foundation, limited liability company, or corporation, the primary interest of which is to preserve those natural areas, and that meets all the requirements of Section 214, shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Sections 4 and 5 of Article XIII of the Constitution of the State of California and Section 214.

(b) The exemption provided by this section shall not apply to any property of an organization that owns in the aggregate 30,000 acres or more in one county that were exempt under this section prior to March 1, 1983, or that are proposed to be exempt, unless the nonprofit organization that holds the property is fully independent of the owner of any taxable real property that is adjacent to the property otherwise qualifying for tax exemption under this section. For purposes of this section, the nonprofit organization that holds the property shall be considered fully independent if the exempt property is not used or operated by that organization or by any other person so as to benefit any officer, trustee, director, shareholder, member, employee, contributor or bondholder of the exempt organization or operator, or the owner of any adjacent property, or any other person, through the distribution of profits, payment of excessive charges or compensations, or the more advantageous pursuit of their business or profession.

(c) The exemption provided by this section shall not apply to property that is reserved for future development.

(d) (1) For the purposes of determining whether the property is used for the actual operation of the exempt activity as required by subdivision (a), consideration shall not be given to the use of the property for either of the following:

(A) Activities resulting in direct or in-kind revenues provided that the activities further the conservation objectives of the property as provided in a qualified conservation management plan for the property. These revenues include those revenues derived from grazing leases, hunting and camping permits, rents from persons performing caretaking activities who reside in dwellings on the property, and admission fees collected for purposes of public enjoyment.

(B) Any lease of the property for a purpose that furthers the conservation objectives of the property as provided in a qualified conservation management plan for the property.

(2) The activities and lease described in paragraph (1) may not generate unrelated business income.

(3) For purposes of this subdivision, a “qualified conservation management plan” means a plan that satisfies all of the following:

(A) Identifies both of the following:

(i) That the foremost purpose and use of the property is for the preservation of native plants or animals, biotic communities, geological or geographical formations of scientific or educational interest, or as open-space lands used solely for recreation and for the enjoyment of scenic beauty.

(ii) The overall conservation management goals, including, but not limited to, identification of permitted activities, and actions necessary to achieve the goals.

(B) Describes both of the following:

(i) The natural resources and recreational attributes of the property.

(ii) Potential threats to the conservation values or areas of special concern.

(C) Contains a timeline for planned management activities and for regular inspections of the property, including existing structures and improvements.

(e) This section shall be operative from the lien date in 1983 to and including the lien date in 2027, after which date this section shall become inoperative, and as of January 1, 2028, this section is repealed.

(f) The amendments made by Section 4 of Chapter 354 of the Statutes of 2004 shall apply with respect to lien dates occurring on and after January 1, 2005.

(g) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall apply commencing with the lien date for the 2013–14 fiscal year.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 433, Sec. 4. (SB 825) Effective January 1, 2022. Inoperative after the January 1, 2027, lien date. Repealed as of January 1, 2028, by its own provisions.)

214.05.
  

For purposes of Section 214:

(a) If the property of an organization is granted an exemption pursuant to Section 214, that property is deemed to be used exclusively for the organization’s exempt purposes. However, to the extent that income derived from the organization’s use of the property is unrelated business taxable income, as defined in Section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code, and the regulations implementing that section, and is subject to the tax on unrelated business taxable income which is imposed by Section 511 of the Internal Revenue Code, the property shall be exempt from taxation under Section 214 only to the extent provided in subdivision (b) or (c).

(b) (1) If the use of property which has qualified for the welfare exemption under Section 214 involves activities of the organization, some of which produce income that is exempt from income or franchise taxation and some of which produce income that is taxable as unrelated business taxable income, and those activities are attributable to a reasonably ascertainable portion of the entire property, that portion of the property shall be entitled only to a partial exemption from property taxation equal to that proportion of the total value of the portion of the property which the amount of income of the organization that is exempt from income or franchise taxation and that is attributable to that portion bears to the total amount of income of the organization that is attributable to that portion. The remaining proportion of the total value of that portion of the property shall be subject to taxation pursuant to this division.

(2) If the use of property which has qualified for the welfare exemption under Section 214 involves activities of the organization, some of which are exempt for property tax purposes and produce no income and some of which produce income that is taxable as unrelated business taxable income, or produce both income that is taxable as unrelated business taxable income and income that is exempt from income or franchise taxation and those activities are attributable to a reasonably ascertainable portion of the entire property, that portion of the property shall be entitled only to a partial exemption equal to that proportion of the total value of the portion of the property which the amount of time actually devoted to those exempt nonincome-producing activities of the organization attributable to that portion bears to the total amount of time actually devoted to all of the activities of the organization attributable to that portion. The remaining proportion of the total value of that portion of the property shall be subject to taxation pursuant to this division.

(3) If the activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) cannot be attributed to a reasonably ascertainable portion of the entire property, the entire property shall be entitled only to a partial exemption. In the case of activities of the organization described in paragraph (1), the partial exemption shall be equal to that proportion of the value of the entire property which the amount of income of the organization that is exempt from income or franchise taxation and that is attributable to the entire property bears to the total amount of income of the organization that is attributable to the entire property. In the case of activities of the organization described in paragraph (2), the partial exemption shall be equal to that proportion of the value of the entire property which the amount of time actually devoted to exempt nonincome-producing activities of the organization attributable to the entire property bears to the total amount of time actually devoted to all of the activities of the organization attributable to the entire property. In either case, the remaining proportion of the total value of the entire property shall be subject to taxation pursuant to this division.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), if more than 75 percent of the income of an organization is attributable to property which has qualified for the welfare exemption under Section 214, but is not specifically related to the organization’s use of particular property, the property shall be entitled only to a partial exemption equal to that proportion of the total value of the property which the amount of the income of the organization attributable to activities in this state and exempt from income or franchise taxation bears to the amount of total income of the organization that is attributable to activities in this state.

(d) Whenever property is claimed exempt under Section 214 and activities of the organization on the property produce unrelated business taxable income, as defined in Section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code, the organization, as a part of its claim for exemption, shall file with the assessor each of the following:

(1) The organization’s information and tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service for its immediately preceding fiscal year.

(2) Information indicating the amount of time devoted to its income-producing and its nonincome-producing activities and, where applicable, a description of that portion of the property in which those activities are conducted.

(3) A statement listing the specific activities which produce the unrelated business taxable income.

(4) Whenever subdivision (c) is applicable, the amount of income of the organization that is attributable to activities in this state and is exempt from income or franchise taxation and the amount of total income of the organization that is attributable to activities in this state.

(5) Any other information as prescribed by the board.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to enlarge the welfare exemption provided in Section 214.

(Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1606, Sec. 3. Applicable July 1, 1989, by Sec. 7 of Ch. 1606.)

214.06.
  

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, on or after January 1, 2015, a local government shall not enter into a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with a property owner of a low-income housing project. Any PILOT agreement entered into in violation of this subdivision shall be void and unenforceable.

(b) An inference shall not be drawn from the enactment of this section with regard to whether the law, as it read prior to January 1, 2015, authorized a local government to enter into a PILOT agreement.

(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 671, Sec. 2. (AB 1760) Effective January 1, 2015. See identical section added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 693.)

214.06.
  

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, on or after January 1, 2015, a local government shall not enter into a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with a property owner of a low-income housing project. Any PILOT agreement entered into in violation of this subdivision shall be void and unenforceable.

(b) An inference shall not be drawn from the enactment of this section with regard to whether the law, as it read prior to January 1, 2015, authorized a local government to enter into a PILOT agreement.

(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 693, Sec. 3. (SB 1203) Effective January 1, 2015.)

214.07.
  

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, it shall be conclusively presumed that any payments made under any payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement entered into before January 1, 2015, comply with the certification requirements of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 214 and were or are used to maintain the affordability of, or reduce rents otherwise necessary for, the units occupied by lower income households.

(b) An inference shall not be drawn from the enactment of this section with regard to whether the law, as it read prior to January 1, 2015, authorized a local government to enter into a PILOT agreement.

(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 671, Sec. 3. (AB 1760) Effective January 1, 2015.)

214.08.
  

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, both of the following shall apply:

(1) Any outstanding ad valorem tax, interest, or penalty that was levied between January 1, 2012, and January 1, 2015, as a result of a PILOT agreement shall be canceled, and any tax, interest, or penalty, as so levied, that was paid prior to January 1, 2015, shall be refunded.

(2) On or after January 1, 2015, an escape or supplemental assessment shall not be levied on the basis that payments made under a PILOT agreement were, or are being, used in a manner incompatible with the certification requirement contained in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 214.

(b) An inference shall not be drawn from the enactment of this section with regard to whether the law, as it read prior to January 1, 2015, authorized a local government to enter into a PILOT agreement or impose a PILOT fee.

(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 693, Sec. 4. (SB 1203) Effective January 1, 2015.)

214.09.
  

For purposes of Sections 214.06, 214.07, and 214.08, all of the following shall apply:

(a) “Local government” means any city, county, city and county, housing authority, housing successor to a redevelopment agency, or a joint powers agency that has approved land use entitlements or building permits, provided land or financing, or approved the issuance of tax-exempt bonds pursuant to the federal Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act for the low-income housing project.

(b) “Low-income housing project” means a low-income housing project that is eligible for the exemption provided by subdivision (g) of Section 214.

(c) “Payment in lieu of taxes agreement” means any agreement entered into between a local government and a property owner of a low-income housing project that requires the owner of the low-income housing project to pay the local government a charge to compensate the local government for lost property tax revenues resulting from the low-income housing project receiving an exemption pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 214.

(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 671, Sec. 4. (AB 1760) Effective January 1, 2015.)

214.1.
  

As used in Section 214, “property used exclusively for religious, hospital or charitable purposes” shall include facilities in the course of construction on or after the first Monday of March, 1954, together with the land on which the facilities are located as may be required for their convenient use and occupation, to be used exclusively for religious, hospital or charitable purposes.

(Added by Stats. 1953, Ch. 950.)

214.2.
  

(a) As used in Section 214.1, “facilities in the course of construction” shall include the demolition or razing of a building with the intent to replace it with facilities to be used exclusively for religious, hospital, or charitable purposes.

(b) As used in Section 214.1, “facilities in the course of construction” shall include definite onsite physical activity connected with construction or rehabilitation of a new or existing building or improvement, that results in changes visible to any person inspecting the site, where the building or improvement is to be used exclusively for religious, hospital, or charitable purposes. Activity as described in the preceding sentence having been commenced and not yet finished, unless abandoned, shall establish that a building or improvement is “under construction” for the purposes of Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution. Construction shall not be considered “abandoned” if delayed due to reasonable causes and circumstances beyond the assessee’s control, that occur notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect.

(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1180, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1993.)

214.3.
  

In the event that any property described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 214 shall have been used solely for charitable or hospital purposes for a minimum period of 30 years, the “welfare exemption” granted by Section 214 shall extend to such property irrespective of any reversionary provisions in the title of the property respecting liquidation, dissolution or abandonment, if the ownership, operation, use and dedication of the property are otherwise within the purview of Section 214.

(Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 498, Sec. 5.)

214.4.
  

For the purposes of Sections 207 and 214 a school of “less than collegiate grade” is (a) any institution of learning attendance at which exempts a student from attendance at a public full-time elementary or secondary day school under Section 48222 of the Education Code or (b) any institution of learning a majority of whose students are persons that have been excused from attendance at a full-time elementary or secondary day school under Section 48221 or 48226 of the Education Code.

(Amended by Stats. 1981, Ch. 542, Sec. 3.)

214.5.
  

(a) Property used exclusively for school purposes of less than collegiate grade, or exclusively for purposes of both schools of and less than collegiate grade, and owned and operated by religious, hospital or charitable funds, foundations or corporations, which property and funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations meet all of the requirements of Section 214, shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the Constitution of the State of California and Section 214. This section shall not be construed to enlarge the college exemption.

(b) The amendments made by the act adding this subdivision shall apply with respect to lien dates occurring on and after January 1, 2005.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 354, Sec. 5. Effective August 30, 2004. Applicable January 1, 2005, as specified in subd. (b).)

214.6.
  

(a) (1) Property that is owned by an organization meeting the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 4 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and complying with the requirements of paragraphs (1) to (7), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 214 and that is leased to an exempt governmental entity for the purpose of conducting an activity that if conducted by the owner would qualify the property for an exemption, or leased to a public school, community college, state college, or state university, including the University of California, for educational purposes, shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 of Article XIII of the California Constitution if:

(A) The total income received by the exempt organization in the form of rents, fees, or charges from such lease does not exceed the ordinary and usual expenses in maintaining and operating the leased property; and

(B) With respect to entities that are political subdivisions of the state, the property is located within the boundaries of the exempt governmental entity leasing the same.

(2) To claim the exemption provided by this section for property leased by a qualifying organization to a public school, community college, state college, or state university, including the University of California, when both entities use the property in a joint manner, the organization need only attach a copy of the lease agreements with the annual filing of the welfare exemption claim.

(b) To claim the welfare exemption provided by this section for property leased by a church to a public school, community college, state college, or state university, including the University of California, when both entities use the property in a joint manner, and where the church has claimed a religious exemption, the church need only annually file a church lessor’s exemption claim and affirm each of the following:

(1) The total income received by the church in the form of rents, fees, or charges from the lease does not exceed the ordinary and usual expenses in maintaining and operating the leased property.

(2) With respect to entities that are political subdivisions of the state, the property is located within the boundaries of the exempt governmental entity leasing the same.

(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 67, Sec. 5. (SB 824) Effective January 1, 2010.)

214.7.
  

In the case of a hospital, neither the use of hospital property nor the receipt of fees or other lawful compensation by a licensed physician for the practice of his profession therein, shall be grounds for denial of the exemption provided by Sections 214 and 254.5. This section does not apply to such portions of a hospital as may be leased or rented to a physician for his office for the general practice of medicine.

(Added by Stats. 1955, Ch. 532.)

214.8.
  

(a) Except as provided in Sections 213.7 and 231, and as provided in subdivision (g) of Section 214 with respect to veterans’ organizations, the “welfare exemption” shall not be granted to any organization unless it is qualified as an exempt organization under either Section 23701d of this code or Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. This section shall not be construed to enlarge the “welfare exemption” to apply to organizations qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 but not otherwise qualified for the “welfare exemption” under other provisions of this code.

The exemption for veterans’ organizations shall not be granted to any organization unless it is qualified as an exempt organization under either Section 23701f or 23701w of this code or under Section 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code. This section shall not be construed to enlarge the “veterans’ organization exemption” to apply to organizations qualified under Section 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code but not otherwise qualified for the “veterans’ organization exemption” under other provisions of this code.

(b) For purposes of subdivision (a), an organization shall not be deemed to be qualified as an exempt organization unless the organization files with the assessor a valid organizational clearance certificate issued pursuant to Section 254.6.

(c) (1) For purposes of subdivision (a), a limited liability company wholly owned by one or more qualifying organizations, which may include governmental entities and nonprofit organizations, that are exempt under Section 23701d or under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code shall qualify as an exempt organization.

(2) In the case of a limited liability company that does not have a valid unrevoked letter from the Franchise Tax Board or the Internal Revenue Service, the limited liability company may not be deemed to be qualified as an exempt organization unless each nonprofit tax-exempt member of the limited liability company files with the board a copy of a valid, unrevoked letter or ruling from either the Franchise Tax Board or the Internal Revenue Service that states that the organization qualifies as an exempt organization under the appropriate provisions of the Revenue and Taxation Code or the Internal Revenue Code.

(d) The amendments made by the act adding this subdivision shall apply with respect to lien dates occurring on and after January 1, 2005.

(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 224, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007.)

214.9.
  

For the purposes of Section 214, a “hospital” includes an outpatient clinic, whether or not patients are admitted for overnight stay or longer, where the clinic furnishes or provides psychiatric services for emotionally disturbed children, or where the clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty clinic of the type described in subdivision (l) of Section 1206 of the Health and Safety Code, so long as the multispecialty clinic does not reduce the level of charitable or subsidized activities it provides as a proportion of its total activities.

For purposes of this section, a “hospital” does not include those portions of an outpatient clinic which may be leased or rented to a physician for an office for the general practice of medicine.

(Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1228, Sec. 2. Operative July 1, 1988, by Sec. 4 of Ch. 1228.)

214.10.
  

For purposes of Section 214, any nonprofit corporation organized and operated for the advancement of education, improvement of social conditions, and improvement of the job opportunities of low-income, unemployed and underemployed citizens of the communities in which they operate, and otherwise meeting all the requirements of Section 214, shall not be disqualified from receiving the welfare exemption solely because such organization receives all its funds from governmental agencies.

(Added by Stats. 1979, Ch. 1161.)

214.11.
  

For purposes of Section 214, property owned and operated by a nonprofit organization, otherwise qualifying for exemption under Section 214, shall be deemed to be exclusively used for hospital purposes so long as the property is exclusively used to meet the needs of hospitals which qualify for exemption from property taxation under Section 214 or any other law of the United States or this state. As used in this section, “needs of hospitals” includes any use incidental to, and reasonably necessary for, the functioning of a full hospital operation.

(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 960, Sec. 1.)

214.13.
  

Where property under development pursuant to the Community Redevelopment Law (Pt. 1 (commencing with Sec. 33000), Div. 24, H.&S.C.) is dedicated to religious, charitable, scientific, or hospital purposes in the redevelopment plan and is required by the plan to be conveyed to the state, a county, a city, or a nonprofit entity entitled to a welfare exemption, that property shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in Section 5 of Article XIII of the Constitution of the State of California and this section, and shall be exempt from property tax during construction, provided the title to the property is to be conveyed to the state, a county, a city, or nonprofit agency within three years of the completion of the construction. If that title is not passed to the state, a county, a city, or nonprofit organization entitled to a welfare exemption within three years of the completion of construction, the owner of the property shall be liable for the taxes that would have been imposed, plus a penalty of 25 percent of the amount due.

(Added by Stats. 1984, Ch. 1261, Sec. 1.)

214.14.
  

(a) Property used exclusively for the charitable purposes of museums and owned and operated by a religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable fund, foundation, limited liability company, or corporation which meets all the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section 214 shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided by Sections 4 and 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and Section 214.

(b) For purposes of this section:

(1) Property used exclusively for the charitable purposes of museums shall include property used for activities and facilities related to the primary charitable purposes of museums and reasonably necessary and incidental to those purposes.

(2) Property used exclusively for the charitable purposes of museums shall not be required to be indispensable to the primary charitable purposes of museums.

(3) Property used exclusively for the charitable purposes of museums shall not include property used for activities and facilities not related to the primary charitable purposes of museums and not reasonably necessary or incidental to those purposes.

(4) Property used exclusively for the charitable purposes of museums shall include property owned by a nonprofit association or organization performing auxiliary services to any city or county museum in the state and used for the storage of items donated for an annual rummage sale, the proceeds of which, after taking into account the expenses of the nonprofit association or organization, are used to provide support to those museums. For purposes of this subdivision, “storage of items donated for an annual rummage sale” shall not be considered a “fundraising activity,” as that term is used in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 214.

(c) The amendments made by the act adding this subdivision shall apply with respect to lien dates occurring on and after January 1, 2005.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 354, Sec. 7. Effective August 30, 2004. Applicable January 1, 2005, as specified in subd. (c).)

214.15.
  

(a) Property is within the exemption provided by Sections 4 and 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution if that property is owned and operated by a nonprofit corporation, otherwise qualifying for exemption under Section 214, that is organized and operated for the specific and primary purpose of building and rehabilitating single or multifamily residences for sale at cost to low-income families, with financing in the form of a zero interest rate loan and without regard to religion, race, national origin, or the sex of the head of household.

(b) (1) In the case of property not previously designated as open space, the exemption specified by subdivision (a) may not be denied to a property on the basis that the property does not currently include a single or multifamily residence as described in that subdivision, or a single or multifamily residence as so described that is in the course of construction.

(2) With regard to paragraph (1), the Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(A) The exempt activities of a nonprofit corporation as described in subdivision (a) qualitatively differ from the exempt activities of other nonprofit entities that provide housing in that the exempt purpose of a nonprofit corporation as described in subdivision (a) is not to own and operate a housing project on an ongoing basis, but is instead to make housing, and the land reasonably necessary for the use of that housing, available for prompt sale to low-income residents.

(B) In light of this distinction, the holding of real property by a nonprofit corporation as described in subdivision (a), for the future construction on that property of a single or multifamily residence as described in that same subdivision, is central to that corporation’s exempt purposes and activities.

(C) In light of the factors set forth in subparagraphs (A) and (B), the holding of real property by a nonprofit corporation described in subdivision (a), for the future construction on that property of a single or multifamily residence as described in that same subdivision, constitutes the exclusive use of that property for a charitable purpose within the meaning of subdivision (b) of Section 4 of Article XIII of the California Constitution.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 927, Sec. 2. Effective October 10, 1999. Applicable from January 1, 2000, as prescribed by Sec. 6 of Ch. 927.)

214.15.1.
  

(a) Subject to subdivision (b), property shall be fully exempt from property taxation and is within the exemption provided by Sections 4 and 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution if that property is owned and operated by a nonprofit corporation, otherwise qualifying for exemption under Section 214, that is organized and operated for the specific and primary purpose of building and rehabilitating single or multifamily residential units, if the property is subject to a 45-year recorded agreement with the appropriate local agency, and if the agreement requires all of the following:

(1) Requires some or all of the property’s units to be owner occupied and sold only to and purchased only by first-time homebuyers that are low-income families.

(2) Requires the initial downpayment on the units described in paragraph (1) to be 5 percent or less of the market value of the unit at the time of purchase.

(3) Requires the units described in paragraph (1) to be made available at an affordable housing cost to buyers.

(b) (1) The property for which the exemption under this section is sought may be related to a larger, mixed-income development project where a portion of the units may be available to persons or families that are not low-income families. However, only the portion of the property proposed to be built or rehabilitated with units that meet the requirements under subdivision (a) shall receive the exemption. Following completion of construction, only the portion of the property with units that meet the requirements under subdivision (a) shall receive the exemption.

(2) On each lien date, the assessor shall adjust the exemption allowed under this section by a proration factor that reflects the portion of the property proposed to be built or rehabilitated with units that meet the requirements of subdivision (a) as a percentage of the total development. Following completion of construction, the adjustment shall reflect the portion of the property with units that meet the requirements of subdivision (a) as a percentage of the total development.

(3) The assessor shall assess as escaped property, pursuant to Section 532, any property for which a welfare exemption was granted pursuant to this section if either of the following occurs:

(A) Construction is abandoned.

(B) Upon completion of construction, the property does not meet the requirements in subdivision (a). For properties described in this subparagraph, the assessor shall assess as escaped property that portion of the property that was proposed to be, but was not, built or rehabilitated with units that meet the requirements of subdivision (a).

(c) (1) In the case of property not previously designated as open space, the exemption specified by subdivision (a) shall not be denied to a property on the basis that the property does not currently include a single or multifamily residential unit as described in that subdivision, or a single or multifamily residential unit as so described that is in the course of construction.

(2) With regard to paragraph (1), the Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(A) The exempt activities of a nonprofit corporation as described in subdivision (a) qualitatively differ from the exempt activities of other nonprofit entities that provide housing in that the exempt purpose of a nonprofit corporation as described in subdivision (a) is not to own and operate a housing project on an ongoing basis, but is instead to make housing, and the land reasonably necessary for the use of that housing, available for prompt sale to low-income residents.

(B) In light of this distinction, the holding of real property by a nonprofit corporation as described in subdivision (a), for the future construction on that property of a single or multifamily residence as described in that same subdivision, is central to that corporation’s exempt purposes and activities.

(C) In light of the factors set forth in subparagraphs (A) and (B), the holding of real property by a nonprofit corporation described in subdivision (a), for the future construction on that property of a single or multifamily residence as described in that same subdivision, constitutes the exclusive use of that property for a charitable purpose within the meaning of subdivision (b) of Section 4 of Article XIII of the California Constitution.

(d) For purposes of this section, all of the following definitions apply:

(1) “Abandoned” has the same meaning as that term is used in Section 214.2.

(2) “Affordable housing cost” means a cost, with respect to low-income families, that does not exceed 30 percent of gross income.

(3) “First-time homebuyer” means a person who does not currently have any ownership interest in any principal residence and has not had any ownership interest in any principal residence in the three-year period prior to the date that the mortgage is executed for a unit purchased by the person described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of this section. For purposes of this paragraph, “principal residence” means any property used as the person’s principal place of residence.

(4) “Low-income families” means very low income households, as defined in Section 50105, extremely low income households, as defined in Section 50106, lower income households, as defined in Section 50079.5, and persons and families of low income, as defined in Section 50093, and includes persons and families of extremely low income and persons and families of very low income, as those terms are used in Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code, as those sections read on January 1, 2022.

(e) The nonprofit corporation that utilizes the exemption in this section shall be subject to an annual independent audit to ensure that the buyers of the units meet the requirements of this section. The nonprofit corporation shall make the audit available upon request to the city, county, and county assessor where the unit is located and to the Department of Housing and Community Development in order to continue to qualify for the exemption pursuant to this section.

(f) (1) A nonprofit corporation making a claim for an exemption pursuant to this section shall not be eligible for the exemption under this section unless an officer of the nonprofit corporation signs under penalty of perjury an affidavit affirming to the county assessor that the property owned and operated by the nonprofit corporation is for the future construction of single or multifamily residential units on that property, as required by this section.

(2) (A) Notwithstanding any other law, the nonprofit corporation shall be liable for property tax for the years for which the property was exempt from taxation pursuant to this section if the property was not developed or rehabilitated, or if the development or rehabilitation is not in the course of construction, in accordance with subdivision (a) as follows:

(i) In the case of property acquired by the nonprofit corporation before January 1, 2023, by January 1, 2028.

(ii) In the case of property acquired by the nonprofit corporation on and after January 1, 2023, and before January 1, 2028, within five years of the lien date following the acquisition of the property by the nonprofit corporation.

(B) The nonprofit corporation shall notify the assessor of the county in which the property is located if property owned by the nonprofit corporation granted an exemption pursuant to this section is not in the course of construction by the dates specified in subparagraph (A).

(g) (1) This section shall be operative for lien dates occurring on or after January 1, 2023, and before January 1, 2028.

(2) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2034, and as of that date is repealed.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 131, Sec. 203. (AB 1754) Effective January 1, 2024. Conditionally operative as prescribed by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2034, by its own provisions.)

214.16.
  

(a) Any outstanding tax, interest, or penalty that was levied or imposed upon property that qualifies for an exemption pursuant to Section 214 and satisfies the criteria specified in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 214 between January 1, 2002, and January 1, 2009, shall be canceled, provided that the owner of the property certifies that all of the following conditions were met at the time the tax was levied:

(1) The owner was not organized and did not operate for profit.

(2) There was a recorded deed restriction or other legal document that restricted the project’s usage and that provided that the units designated for use by lower income households were continuously available to or occupied by lower income households at rents not exceeding those prescribed by Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code.

(3) The funds that would have been necessary to pay property taxes were used to maintain the affordability of, or reduce rents otherwise necessary for, the units occupied by lower income households.

(b) For purposes of this section, “lower income households” has the same meaning as defined by Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 524, Sec. 3. Effective September 28, 2008.)

214.17.
  

(a) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Total exemption amount limitation” means the exemption amount limitation with respect to a single property or multiple properties that is specified in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 214, as that section read before January 1, 2017.

(2) (A) “Qualified property” means property used exclusively for rental housing and related facilities where 90 percent or more of the occupants of the property are lower income households whose rent does not exceed the rent prescribed by Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code and that qualifies for exemption under Section 214 on the sole basis of this criteria as specified in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 214.

(B) “Qualified property” does not include property owned by a limited partnership in which the managing general partner is an eligible nonprofit organization, as described in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 214.

(3) “Qualified taxpayer” means a taxpayer subject to the total exemption amount limitation.

(4) “Qualified claim” means a claim for exemption that was filed for a qualified property with the assessor on and after January 1, 2013, and before January 1, 2017, for which the assessor granted a partial exemption.

(5) “Qualified ad valorem tax in excess of the total exemption amount limitation, and related interest or penalty” means that portion of ad valorem tax levied to a qualified taxpayer on qualified property with respect to a single property or multiple properties that does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) of tax, and any interest or penalty imposed with regard to that portion of tax.

(b) (1) Any outstanding qualified ad valorem tax in excess of the total exemption amount limitation, and related interest or penalty, which was levied or imposed on and after January 1, 2013, and before January 1, 2017, with respect to a qualified property for which a qualified claim was filed, shall be canceled to the extent that the amount canceled does not result in a total exemption amount in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) of tax being allowed to a qualified taxpayer with respect to a single property or multiple properties that are qualified property for any fiscal year.

(2) On or after January 1, 2017, an escape assessment shall not be levied on qualified property if that amount would be subject to cancellation under paragraph (1).

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 836, Sec. 2. (SB 996) Effective January 1, 2017.)

214.18.
  

(a) Property is within the exemption provided by Sections 4 and 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution if the property is owned by a community land trust, otherwise qualifying for exemption under Section 214, and all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The property is being or will be developed or rehabilitated as any of the following:

(A) An owner-occupied single-family dwelling.

(B) As an owner-occupied unit in a multifamily dwelling.

(C) As a member-occupied unit in a limited equity housing cooperative.

(D) As a rental housing development.

(2) Improvements on the property are or will be available for use and ownership or for rent by qualified persons.

(3) (A) A deed restriction or other instrument, requiring a contract or contracts serving as an enforceable restriction on the sale or resale value of owner-occupied units or on the affordability of rental units is recorded on or before the lien date following the acquisition of the property by the community land trust.

(B) For purposes of this section:

(i) “A contract or contracts serving as an enforceable restriction on the sale or resale value of owner-occupied units” means a contract described in paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 402.1.

(ii) “A contract or contracts serving as an enforceable restriction on the affordability of rental units” means an enforceable and verifiable agreement with a public agency, a recorded deed restriction, or other legal document described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 214.

(C) A copy of the deed restriction or other instrument shall be provided to the assessor.

(b) (1) Subject to subdivision (d), the exemption provided by subdivision (a) shall not be denied to a property on the basis that the property does not currently contain a single-family dwelling, a unit in a multifamily dwelling, a unit in a limited equity housing cooperative, or a rental housing development that is in the course of construction.

(2) Once property that is a rental housing development is in the course of construction, the property shall be deemed to qualify for the exemption provided under Section 214 and on subsequent lien dates the property shall qualify for exemption pursuant to Section 214.

(c) For purposes of this section, all of the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Community land trust” has the same meaning as that term is defined in clause (ii) of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 402.1.

(2) “Course of construction” has the same meaning as the term “facilities in the course of construction,” as used and defined in Sections 214.1 and 214.2.

(3) “Limited equity housing cooperative” has the same meaning as that term is defined in Section 817 of the Civil Code.

(4) “Persons and families of low income” has the same meaning as the term “lower income households,” as defined in Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

(5) “Persons and families of low or moderate income” has the same meaning as that term is defined in Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code.

(6) “Qualified persons” means the following:

(A) In the case of property developed for owner-occupied housing, as described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), persons and families of low or moderate income, including persons and families of low or moderate income that own a dwelling or unit collectively as member occupants or resident shareholders of a limited equity housing cooperative.

(B) In the case of property developed for rental housing, as described in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), persons and families of low income.

(7) “Rental housing development” means a rental housing development in which all of the residential units in the development, other than units provided to property managers, are required to be rented to, and occupied by, persons and families of low or moderate income, at rents that do not exceed an affordable rent as described in Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the community land trust shall be liable for property tax for the years for which the property was exempt from taxation pursuant to this section if the property was not developed or rehabilitated, or if the development or rehabilitation is not in the course of construction, in accordance with paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) as follows:

(A) In the case of property acquired by the community land trust before January 1, 2022, by January 1, 2027.

(B) In the case of property acquired by the community land trust on and after January 1, 2022, and before January 1, 2027, within five years of the lien date following the acquisition of the property by the community land trust.

(2) The community land trust shall notify the assessor of the county in which the property is located if property owned by the community land trust granted an exemption pursuant to this section is not in the course of construction by the dates specified in paragraph (1).

(e) Property shall be eligible for exemption pursuant to this section as follows:

(1) In the case of property acquired by the community land trust before January 1, 2022, for lien dates occurring on and after January 1, 2020, and before January 1, 2027.

(2) (A) In the case of property acquired by the community land trust on and after January 1, 2022, and before January 1, 2027, for the first five lien dates following the acquisition of the property by the community land trust.

(B) Property shall be eligible for exemption for the lien dates specified in subparagraph (A) regardless of the repeal of this section.

(f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 656, Sec. 1. (AB 2651) Effective September 28, 2022. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, by its own provisions.)

214.19.
  

(a) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Total exemption amount limitation” means the assessed value exemption amount limitation with respect to a single property or multiple properties that is specified in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 214, as that section read before January 1, 2019.

(2) (A) “Qualified property” means property used exclusively for rental housing and related facilities where 90 percent or more of the occupants of the property are lower income households whose rent does not exceed the rent prescribed by Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code and that qualifies for exemption under Section 214 on the sole basis of this criteria as specified in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 214.

(B) “Qualified property” does not include property owned by a limited partnership in which the managing general partner is an eligible nonprofit organization, as described in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 214.

(3) “Qualified taxpayer” means a taxpayer subject to the total exemption amount limitation.

(4) “Qualified claim” means a claim for exemption that was filed for a qualified property with the assessor on and after January 1, 2017, and before January 1, 2019, for which the assessor granted a partial exemption.

(5) “Qualified ad valorem tax in excess of the total exemption amount limitation, and related interest or penalty” means that ad valorem tax levied to a qualified taxpayer on qualified property with respect to a single property or multiple properties that does not exceed twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) in assessed value and any interest or penalty imposed with regard to that portion of assessed value that was in excess of the assessed value exemption amount limitation.

(b) (1) Any outstanding qualified ad valorem tax in excess of the total exemption amount limitation, and related interest or penalty, which was levied or imposed on and after January 1, 2017, and before January 1, 2019, with respect to a qualified property for which a qualified claim was filed, shall be canceled to the extent that the amount canceled does not result in a total assessed value exemption amount in excess of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) being allowed to a qualified taxpayer with respect to a single property or multiple properties that are qualified property for any fiscal year.

(2) On or after January 1, 2019, an escape assessment shall not be levied on qualified property if that amount would be subject to cancellation under paragraph (1).

(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 694, Sec. 2. (SB 1115) Effective January 1, 2019.)

215.
  

All personal property owned by a veteran organization which has been chartered by the Congress of the United States, when the same are used solely and exclusively for the purposes of such organization, if not conducted for profit and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private individual or member thereof, shall be exempt from taxation.

(Amended by Stats. 1970, Ch. 554.)

215.1.
  

(a) All buildings, and so much of the real property on which the buildings are situated as may be required for the convenient use and occupation of the buildings, used exclusively for charitable purposes, owned by a veterans’ organization which has been chartered by the Congress of the United States, organized and operated for charitable purposes, when the same are used solely and exclusively for the purpose of the organization, if not conducted for profit and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private individual or member thereof, shall be exempt from taxation.

(b) The exemption provided for in this section shall apply to the property of all organizations meeting the requirements of this section and subdivision (b) of Section 4 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and paragraphs (1) to (7), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 214.

(c) An organization that files a claim for the exemption provided for in this section shall file with the assessor a valid organizational clearance certificate issued pursuant to Section 254.6.

(d)  (1) This exemption shall be known as the “veterans’ organization exemption.”

(2) Notwithstanding Section 20 or any other law, the State Board of Equalization is responsible for administering the veterans’ organization exemption provided by this section, except where the law places responsibility for administering that exemption with the county assessor.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 37, Sec. 55. (AB 1817) Effective June 27, 2018.)

215.2.
  

Property owned by an organization that satisfies the requirements of Section 214, 215, or 215.1 and which is used primarily for exempt purposes shall not be denied the welfare or veterans organization exemption because such property is also used for conducting bingo games pursuant to Section 326.5 of the Penal Code, provided that the proceeds from such games are used exclusively for the charitable purposes of such organization.

(Added by Stats. 1977, Ch. 271.)

215.5.
  

All personal property owned or leased by a nonprofit corporation, which does not accept advertising for a consideration and is engaged exclusively in the production of programs for educational television, and all personal property owned or leased by a nonprofit educational organization, which is engaged exclusively in the production of programs as a noncommercial educational FM or AM broadcast station, shall be exempt from taxation, if such personal property is used solely and exclusively for the purposes of such organization or corporation and no part of the corporation’s or organization’s net earnings inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

(Amended by Stats. 1978, Ch. 1394.)

216.
  

The stock in trade up to one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) of a vending stand operated by a blind person licensed by the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation pursuant to federal or state law is exempt from taxation.

(Amended by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1638.)

217.
  

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (d), the following articles of personal property that have been made available for display in a publicly owned art gallery or museum, or a museum that is regularly open to the public and that is operated by a nonprofit organization that qualifies for exemption pursuant to Section 23701d, shall be exempt from taxation:

(1) Original paintings in oil, mineral, water, vitreous enamel, or other colors, pastels, original mosaics, original drawings and sketches in pen, ink, pencil, or watercolors, or works of the free fine arts in any other media including applied paper and other materials, manufactured or otherwise, that are used on collages, artists’ proof etchings unbound, and engravings and woodcuts unbound, lithographs, or prints made by other hand transfer processes unbound, or original sculptures or statuary. As used in this subdivision:

(A) “Sculpture” and “statuary” shall include professional productions of sculptors only whether in round or in relief, in bronze, marble, stone, terra cotta, ivory, wood, metal, or other materials, or whether cut, carved, or otherwise wrought by hand from the solid block or mass of marble, stone, alabaster, or from metal, or other materials, or cast in bronze or other metal or substance, or from wax or plaster, or constructed from any material or made in any form as the professional productions of sculptors, only.

(B) “Original” when used to modify the words “sculptures” and “statuary” shall include the original work or model and the first 10 castings, replicas, or reproductions made from the sculptor’s original work or model, with or without a change in scale, regardless of whether or not the sculptor is alive at the time the castings, replicas, or reproductions are completed.

(C) “Painting,” “mosaic,” “drawing,” “work of the free fine arts,” “sketch,” “sculpture,” and “statuary” shall not include any articles of utility, articles designed for industrial use, or any articles that are made wholly or in part by stenciling or any other mechanical process.

(D) “Etchings,” “engravings,” “woodcuts,” “lithographs,” or “prints made by other hand transfer processes,” shall include only works that are printed by hand from plates, stones or blocks etched, drawn, or engraved with handtools and do not include works that are printed from plates, stones or blocks etched, drawn, or engraved by photochemical or other mechanical processes.

(2) Original works of the free fine arts, that are not described in paragraph (1), are subject to regulations, as the board may prescribe, to prove that the article represents some school, kind, or medium of the free fine arts. As used in this paragraph, “original works of the free fine arts” shall not include any article of utility or any article designed for industrial use.

(b) When making a claim for an exemption pursuant to this section, a person claiming the exemption shall provide all information required and answer all questions in an affidavit, under penalty of perjury. The assessor may require other proof of the facts stated before allowing the exemption. The affidavit shall be accompanied by a certificate of the director or other officer of the art gallery or museum in which the property for which an exemption is claimed under this section was made available for display that the property was available for public display in the art gallery or museum for the period specified in subdivision (e).

(c) Sections 255 and 260 shall be applicable to the exemption provided by this section.

(d) The exemption provided by subdivision (a) shall not apply to any work of art loaned by any person who holds works of art primarily for purposes of sale.

(e) The exemption provided by this section shall not apply unless the property was made available for public display in the art gallery or museum for a period of 90 days during the 12-month period immediately preceding the lien date for the year for which the exemption is claimed.

If the property was first made available for public display less than 90 days prior to the lien date, the exemption may be granted if the person claiming the exemption certifies in writing that the property will be made available for public display for at least 90 days during the 12-month period commencing with the first day the property was made available for public display.

(f) For purposes of this section, “regularly open to the public” means that the gallery or museum was open to the public not less than 20 hours per week for not less than 35 weeks of the 12-month period immediately preceding the lien date for the year for which the exemption is claimed.

If the gallery or museum has been open for less than 35 weeks during the 12-month period immediately preceding the lien date or for less than 20 hours per week during that period, the exemption may be granted if the director or other officer of the gallery or museum certifies in writing that the gallery or museum will be open for not less than 20 hours per week for not less than 35 weeks during the 12-month period beginning with the day the gallery or museum was first opened.

(g) If a person certifies in writing that the property will be made available and the gallery or museum open for the periods specified in subdivisions (e) and (f), and the property is not so made available or the gallery or museum is not so opened, the exemption shall be canceled, and an escape assessment may be made as provided in Section 531.1.

(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 22, Sec. 179. Effective January 1, 2006.)

217.1.
  

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (d), the following articles of personal property that are made available for display in a publicly owned aerospace museum, or an aerospace museum that is regularly open to the public and that is operated by a nonprofit organization that qualifies for exemption pursuant to Section 23701d, shall be exempt from taxation:

(1) Aircraft that have been restored or maintained, whether currently certified or not for flight purposes.

(2) Aircraft donated in perpetuity to the aerospace museum.

(b) When making a claim for an exemption pursuant to this section, a person claiming the exemption shall give all information required and answer all questions in an affidavit, and shall subscribe and swear to the affidavit, under penalty of perjury. The assessor may require other proof of the facts stated before allowing the exemption. The affidavit shall be accompanied by a certificate of the director or other officer of the aerospace museum in which the property for which an exemption is claimed under this section was made available for display that the property was available for public display in the aerospace museum for the period specified in subdivision (e).

(c) For the 1984–85 assessment year and each assessment year thereafter, the provisions of Sections 255 and 260 shall be applicable to the exemption provided by this section.

(d) The exemption provided by subdivision (a) shall not apply to any aircraft loaned by any person who holds aircraft primarily for purposes of sale.

(e) The exemption provided by this section shall not apply unless the property was made available for public display in the aerospace museum for a period of 90 days during the 12-month period immediately preceding the lien date for the year for which the exemption is claimed.

If the property was first made available for public display less than 90 days prior to the lien date, the exemption may be granted if the person claiming the exemption certifies in writing that the property will be made available for public display for at least 90 days during the 12-month period commencing with the first day the property was made available for public display.

(f) For purposes of this section, “regularly open to the public” means that the aerospace museum was open to the public not less than 20 hours per week for not less than 35 weeks of the 12-month period immediately preceding the lien date for the year for which the exemption is claimed.

If the aerospace museum has been open for less than 35 weeks during the 12-month period immediately preceding the lien date or for less than 20 hours per week during that period, the exemption may be granted if the director or other officer of the aerospace museum certifies in writing that the aerospace museum will be open for not less than 20 hours per week for not less than 35 weeks during the 12-month period beginning with the date the aerospace museum was first opened.

(g) If a person certifies in writing that the property will be made available and the aerospace museum open for the periods specified in subdivisions (e) and (f), and the property is not so made available or the aerospace museum is not so opened, the exemption shall be canceled, and an escape assessment may be made as provided in Section 531.1.

(h) The exemption provided by this section shall be applicable for the 1979–80 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 200, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2005.)

218.
  

(a) The homeowners’ property tax exemption is in the amount of the assessed value of the dwelling specified in this section, as authorized by subdivision (k) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution. That exemption shall be in the amount of seven thousand dollars ($7,000) of the full value of the dwelling.

(b) (1) The exemption does not extend to property that is rented, vacant, under construction on the lien date, or that is a vacation or secondary home of the owner or owners, nor does it apply to property on which an owner receives the veterans’ exemption.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if a person receiving the exemption is not occupying the dwelling on the lien date because the dwelling was damaged in a misfortune or calamity, the person shall be deemed to occupy that same dwelling as their principal place of residence on the lien date, provided the person’s absence from the dwelling is temporary and the person intends to return to the dwelling when possible to do so. Except as provided in paragraph (3), when a dwelling has been totally destroyed, and thus no dwelling exists on the lien date, the exemption provided by this section shall not be applicable until the structure has been replaced and is occupied as a dwelling.

(3) A dwelling that was totally destroyed in a disaster for which the Governor proclaimed a state of emergency, that qualified for the exemption provided by this section prior to the commencement date of the disaster and that has not changed ownership since the commencement date of the disaster, shall be deemed occupied by the person receiving the exemption on the lien date provided the person intends to reconstruct a dwelling on the property and occupy the dwelling as their principal place of residence when it is possible to do so.

(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if a person receiving the exemption is not occupying the dwelling because they are confined to a hospital or other care facility, the person shall be deemed to occupy that dwelling as their principal place of residence, provided that all of the following conditions are met:

(A) The person would occupy the dwelling if they were not confined to the hospital or other care facility.

(B) The person intends to return to the dwelling when possible to do so.

(C) The dwelling is not rented or leased to a person that is not described in Section 267(c)(4) of Title 26 of the United States Code.

(c) For purposes of this section, all of the following apply:

(1) “Owner” includes a person purchasing the dwelling under a contract of sale or who holds shares or membership in a cooperative housing corporation, which holding is a requisite to the exclusive right of occupancy of a dwelling.

(2) (A) “Dwelling” means a building, structure, or other shelter constituting a place of abode, whether real property or personal property, and any land on which it may be situated. A two-dwelling unit shall be considered as two separate single-family dwellings.

(B) “Dwelling” includes the following:

(i) A single-family dwelling occupied by an owner thereof as their principal place of residence on the lien date.

(ii) A multiple-dwelling unit occupied by an owner thereof on the lien date as their principal place of residence.

(iii) A condominium occupied by an owner thereof as their principal place of residence on the lien date.

(iv) Premises occupied by the owner of shares or a membership interest in a cooperative housing corporation, as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 61, as their principal place of residence on the lien date. Each exemption allowed pursuant to this subdivision shall be deducted from the total assessed valuation of the cooperative housing corporation. The exemption shall be taken into account in apportioning property taxes among owners of shares or membership interests in the cooperative housing corporations so as to benefit those owners who qualify for the exemption.

(d) The exemption provided for in subdivision (k) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution shall first be applied to the building, structure, or other shelter and the excess, if any, shall be applied to any land on which it may be located.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 781, Sec. 1. (SB 520) Effective October 11, 2023.)

218.2.
  

(a) For purposes of this section, all of the following apply:

(1) “Owner” includes a person purchasing the dwelling under a contract of sale or who holds shares or membership in a cooperative housing corporation, which holding is a requisite to the exclusive right of occupancy of a dwelling.

(2) (A) “Dwelling” means a building, structure, or other shelter constituting a place of abode, whether real property or personal property, and any land on which it may be situated. A two-dwelling unit shall be considered as two separate single-family dwellings.

(B) “Dwelling” includes the following:

(i) A single-family dwelling occupied by an owner thereof as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date.

(ii) A multiple-dwelling unit occupied by an owner thereof on the lien date as his or her principal place of residence.

(iii) A condominium occupied by an owner thereof as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date.

(iv) Premises occupied by the owner of shares or a membership interest in a cooperative housing corporation, as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 61, as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date. Each exemption allowed pursuant to this subdivision shall be deducted from the total assessed valuation of the cooperative housing corporation. The exemption shall be taken into account in apportioning property taxes among owners of share or membership interests in the cooperative housing corporations so as to benefit those owners who qualify for the exemption.

(b) Any dwelling that qualified for an exemption under Section 218 prior to January 9, 2010, that was damaged or destroyed by the earthquake and any other related casualty that occurred as a result of the disaster in the County of Humboldt, as declared by the Governor in January 2010, and that has not changed ownership since January 9, 2010, shall not be disqualified as a “dwelling” or be denied an exemption under this section solely on the basis that the dwelling was temporarily damaged or destroyed or was being reconstructed by the owner, or was temporarily uninhabited as a result of restricted access to the property due to the earthquake.

(c) The exemption provided for in subdivision (k) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution shall first be applied to the building, structure, or other shelter and the excess, if any, shall be applied to any land on which it may be located.

(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 449, Sec. 4. (AB 1690) Effective September 29, 2010.)

218.3.
  

(a) For purposes of this section, all of the following apply:

(1) “Owner” includes a person purchasing the dwelling under a contract of sale or who holds shares or membership in a cooperative housing corporation, which holding is a requisite to the exclusive right of occupancy of a dwelling.

(2) (A) “Dwelling” means a building, structure, or other shelter constituting a place of abode, whether real property or personal property, and any land on which it may be situated. A two-dwelling unit shall be considered as two separate single-family dwellings.

(B) “Dwelling” includes the following:

(i) A single-family dwelling occupied by an owner thereof as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date.

(ii) A multiple-dwelling unit occupied by an owner thereof on the lien date as his or her principal place of residence.

(iii) A condominium occupied by an owner thereof as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date.

(iv) Premises occupied by the owner of shares or a membership interest in a cooperative housing corporation, as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 61, as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date. Each exemption allowed pursuant to this subdivision shall be deducted from the total assessed valuation of the cooperative housing corporation. The exemption shall be taken into account in apportioning property taxes among owners of share or membership interests in the cooperative housing corporations so as to benefit those owners who qualify for the exemption.

(b) Any dwelling that qualified for an exemption under Section 218 prior to April 4, 2010, that was damaged or destroyed by the earthquake and any other related casualty that occurred as a result of the disaster in the County of Imperial, as declared by the Governor in April 2010, and that has not changed ownership since April 4, 2010, shall not be disqualified as a “dwelling” or be denied an exemption under Section 218 solely on the basis that the dwelling was temporarily damaged or destroyed or was being reconstructed by the owner, or was temporarily uninhabited as a result of restricted access to the property due to the earthquake.

(c) The exemption provided for in subdivision (k) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution shall first be applied to the building, structure, or other shelter and the excess, if any, shall be applied to any land on which it may be located.

(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 461, Sec. 5. (AB 2136) Effective September 29, 2010.)

218.4.
  

(a) For purposes of this section, all of the following apply:

(1) “Owner” includes a person purchasing the dwelling under a contract of sale or who holds shares or membership in a cooperative housing corporation, which holding is a requisite to the exclusive right of occupancy of a dwelling.

(2) (A) “Dwelling” means a building, structure, or other shelter constituting a place of abode, whether real property or personal property, and any land on which it may be situated. A two-dwelling unit shall be considered as two separate single-family dwellings.

(B) “Dwelling” includes the following:

(i) A single-family dwelling occupied by an owner thereof as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date.

(ii) A multiple-dwelling unit occupied by an owner thereof on the lien date as his or her principal place of residence.

(iii) A condominium occupied by an owner thereof as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date.

(iv) Premises occupied by the owner of shares or a membership interest in a cooperative housing corporation, as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 61, as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date. Each exemption allowed pursuant to this subdivision shall be deducted from the total assessed valuation of the cooperative housing corporation. The exemption shall be taken into account in apportioning property taxes among owners of share or membership interests in the cooperative housing corporations so as to benefit those owners who qualify for the exemption.

(b) Any dwelling that qualified for an exemption under Section 218 prior to the commencement dates of the wildfires listed in the Governor’s disaster proclamation of August 2009, that was damaged or destroyed by the wildfires and any other related casualty that occurred as a result of this disaster in the Counties of Los Angeles and Monterey, as declared by the Governor in August 2009, and that has not changed ownership since the commencement dates of these disasters as listed in the proclamations, shall not be disqualified as a “dwelling” or be denied an exemption under Section 218 solely on the basis that the dwelling was temporarily damaged or destroyed or was being reconstructed by the owner, or was temporarily uninhabited as a result of restricted access to the property due to the wildfires.

(c) Any dwelling that qualified for an exemption under Section 218 prior to August 30, 2009, that was damaged or destroyed by the wildfires and any other related casualty that occurred as a result of this disaster in the County of Placer, as declared by the Governor in August 2009, and that has not changed ownership since August 30, 2009, shall not be disqualified as a “dwelling” or be denied an exemption under Section 218 solely on the basis that the dwelling was temporarily damaged or destroyed or was being reconstructed by the owner, or was temporarily uninhabited as a result of restricted access to the property due to the wildfires.

(d) Any dwelling that qualified for an exemption under Section 218 prior to the commencement dates of the severe winter storms listed in the Governor’s disaster proclamations of January 2010, that was damaged or destroyed by the severe rainstorms, heavy snows, floods, or mudslides that occurred as a result of these disasters in the Counties of Calaveras, Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Francisco, and Siskiyou, as declared by the Governor in January 2010, and that has not changed ownership since the commencement dates of these disasters as listed in the proclamations, shall not be disqualified as a “dwelling” or be denied an exemption under Section 218 solely on the basis that the dwelling was temporarily damaged or destroyed or was being reconstructed by the owner, or was temporarily uninhabited as a result of restricted access to the property due to floods, mudslides, rockslides, or washed-out or damaged roads.

(e) Any dwelling that qualified for an exemption under Section 218 prior to July 26, 2010, that was damaged or destroyed by the wildfires and any other related casualty that occurred as a result of the disaster in the County of Kern, as declared by the Governor in July 2010, and that has not changed ownership since July 26, 2010, shall not be disqualified as a “dwelling” or be denied an exemption under this section solely on the basis that the dwelling was temporarily damaged or destroyed or was being reconstructed by the owner, or was temporarily uninhabited as a result of restricted access to the property due to the wildfires.

(f) The exemption provided for in subdivision (k) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution shall first be applied to the building, structure, or other shelter and the excess, if any, shall be applied to any land on which it may be located.

(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 447, Sec. 4. (AB 1662) Effective September 29, 2010.)

218.5.
  

In order to assure the accuracy of the state’s reimbursements for the homeowners’ property tax exemption and to prevent duplications of the exemptions within the state and improper overlapping with other benefits provided by law, county assessors shall supply information from homeowners’ property tax exemption claims and county records as is specified by written request of the board, and with the concurrence of the Controller, necessary to fully identify all homeowners’ property tax exemption claims allowed by the assessors. The board may specify that the information include all or a part of the names and social security numbers of claimants and spouses and the identity and location of the dwelling to which the exemption applies. The information may be required in the form of data processing media or other media and in such format as is compatible with the recordkeeping processes of the counties and the auditing procedures of the state.

(Amended by Stats. 1973, Ch. 208.)

218.6.
  

(a) For purposes of this section, all of the following apply:

(1) “Owner” includes a person purchasing the dwelling under a contract of sale or who holds shares or membership in a cooperative housing corporation, which holding is a requisite to the exclusive right of occupancy of a dwelling.

(2) (A) “Dwelling” means a building, structure, or other shelter constituting a place of abode, whether real property or personal property, and any land on which it may be situated. A two-dwelling unit shall be considered as two separate single-family dwellings.

(B) “Dwelling” includes the following:

(i) A single-family dwelling occupied by an owner thereof as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date.

(ii) A multiple-dwelling unit occupied by an owner thereof on the lien date as his or her principal place of residence.

(iii) A condominium occupied by an owner thereof as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date.

(iv) Premises occupied by the owner of shares or a membership interest in a cooperative housing corporation, as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 61, as his or her principal place of residence on the lien date. Each exemption allowed pursuant to this subdivision shall be deducted from the total assessed valuation of the cooperative housing corporation. The exemption shall be taken into account in apportioning property taxes among owners of share or membership interests in the cooperative housing corporations so as to benefit those owners who qualify for the exemption.

(b) Any dwelling that qualified for an exemption under Section 218 prior to September 9, 2010, that was damaged or destroyed by the explosion and fire that occurred in the County of San Mateo, as declared by the Governor in September 2010, and that has not changed ownership since September 9, 2010, shall not be disqualified as a “dwelling” or be denied an exemption under this section solely on the basis that the dwelling was temporarily damaged or destroyed or was being reconstructed by the owner, or was temporarily uninhabited as a result of restricted access to the property due to the explosion and fire.

(c) The exemption provided for in subdivision (k) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the California Constitution shall first be applied to the building, structure, or other shelter and the excess, if any, shall be applied to any land on which it may be located.

(Added by Stats. 2010, 6th Ex. Sess., Ch. 2, Sec. 4. (AB 11 6x) Effective October 19, 2010.)

219.
  

For the 1980–81 fiscal year and fiscal years thereafter, business inventories are exempt from taxation and the assessor shall not assess business inventories.

(Repealed and added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 411, Sec. 8. Effective July 11, 1980. Operative January 1, 1981, by Sec. 51 of Ch. 411.)

220.
  

Any aircraft which is in California on the lien date solely for the purpose of being repaired, overhauled, modified, or serviced is exempt from personal property taxation. This exemption does not apply to aircraft normally based in California, or operated intrastate or interstate in and into California.

(Amended by Stats. 1966, 1st Ex. Sess., Ch. 147.)

220.5.
  

(a) Aircraft of historical significance shall be exempt from taxation.

(b) The exemption provided in subdivision (a) applies only if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The assessee is an individual owner who does not hold the aircraft primarily for purposes of sale.

(2) The assessee does not use the aircraft for commercial purposes or general transportation.

(3) The aircraft is available for display to the public at least 12 days during the 12-month period immediately preceding the lien date for the year for which the exemption is claimed. If the aircraft was first made available for public display less than 12 days prior to the lien date, the exemption may be granted if the claimant certifies in writing that the aircraft will be made available for public display at least 12 days during the 12-month period commencing with the first day the property was made available for public display. When applying for an exemption pursuant to this section, the claimant shall attach to that application a certificate of attendance from the event coordinator of the event at which the aircraft was displayed as required by this paragraph.

(c) When claiming an exemption pursuant to this section, the claimant shall provide all information required and answer all questions contained in an affidavit furnished by the assessor. The claimant shall sign the affidavit, under penalty of perjury. The assessor may require additional proof of the information or answers provided in the affidavit before allowing the exemption.

(d) For purposes of this section, “aircraft of historical significance” means any aircraft that is an original, restored, or replica of a heavier than air powered aircraft that is 35 years or older or any aircraft of a type or model of which there are fewer than five in number known to exist worldwide.

(e) A fee of thirty-five dollars ($35) shall be charged and collected by the assessor upon the initial application for an exemption pursuant to this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 200, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2005.)

221.
  

For the purposes of Section 214 a nursery school is any group facility for minors which has obtained a written license or permit to operate as such from the State Department of Social Services or from an inspection service approved or accredited by the State Department of Social Services, and which is owned and operated for one or more of the following purposes:

(a) The facility is owned and operated to provide day care for minors whose parent or parents are unable to supervise such minors due to the hours of employment of the parent or parents.

(b) The facility is owned and operated to provide training and education for minors of preschool age.

(c) The facility is owned and operated to provide instruction to parents on the subject of raising minors and to provide training and education for minors.

(Amended by Stats. 1978, Ch. 1112.)

222.
  

Personal property used exclusively in the operation of a zoo or for purposes of horticultural display on publicly owned land which is owned by a nonprofit zoological society meeting all the requirements of Section 214 shall be exempt from taxation.

(Repealed and added by Stats. 1973, Ch. 4.)

222.5.
  

As used in Section 214, “property used exclusively for religious, hospital, scientific or charitable purposes” shall include possessory interests in publicly owned land, used exclusively for the operation of a zoo or for purposes of horticultural display by a zoological society meeting all the requirements of Section 214.

(Added by Stats. 1973, Ch. 72.)

223.
  

Fruit trees, nut trees, and grapevines of a grower, which are personal property, held on the lien date for subsequent planting in orchard or vineyard form and are planted during the assessment year by the grower shall be exempt from taxation. This section does not apply to plant nurseries.

(Amended by Stats. 1968, Ch. 236.)

224.
  

The personal effects, household furnishings, and pets of any person shall be exempt from taxation.

The phrase “personal effects, household furnishings, and pets” does not include boats, aircraft, vehicles, or personalty held or used in connection with a trade, profession or business or pets so held or used.

For purposes of this section, “pets” mean and include any animals held for noncommercial purposes and not as an investment.

(Amended by Stats. 1974, Ch. 311.)

225.
  

(a) A trailer, semitrailer, logging dolly, pole or pipe dolly, or trailer bus, that has a valid identification plate issued to it pursuant to Section 5014.1 of the Vehicle Code, or any auxiliary dolly or tow dolly is exempt from personal property taxation.

(b) The exemption provided for in subdivision (a) does not apply to a logging dolly that is used exclusively off-highway.

(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 826, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2002.)

225.5.
  

(a) For purposes of Section 214 an educational television station is any facility, which does not accept advertising for a consideration and which transmits television programs by wires, lines, radio waves, waveguides, coaxial cable, microwave transmitters or other electronic or mechanical means or any combination thereof, if the corporation, fund or foundation owning such station receives at least twenty-five (25) percent of its operating expenses by means of contributions from the general public or dues from members.

(b) For purposes of Section 214 a noncommercial educational FM broadcast station is any facility licensed and operating pursuant to subpart (C) (commencing with Section 73.501) of Part 73 of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(Added by Stats. 1966, 1st Ex. Sess., Ch. 121.)

226.
  

(a) Personal property consisting of qualified computer equipment shall be exempt from taxation.

(b) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Qualified computer equipment” means all computer equipment of the San Diego Supercomputer Center located on the campus of the University of California, San Diego.

(2) “Computer equipment” includes, but is not limited to, any supercomputer and all peripheral computer and other equipment related to the system of which the supercomputer is the principal component and all other equipment that becomes a part of that supercomputer system.

(Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1559, Sec. 1. Effective September 30, 1988. Applicable form July 1, 1988, by Sec. 4 of Ch. 1559.)

227.
  

A documented vessel, as defined in Section 130, shall be assessed at 4 percent of its full cash value only if the vessel is engaged or employed exclusively in any of the following:

(a) In the taking and possession of fish or other living resource of the sea for commercial purposes.

(b) In instruction or research studies as an oceanographic research vessel.

(c) In carrying or transporting seven or more people for hire for commercial passenger fishing purposes and holds a current certificate of inspection issued by the United States Coast Guard. A vessel shall not be deemed to be engaged or employed in activities other than the carrying or transporting of seven or more persons for hire for commercial passenger fishing purposes by reason of that vessel being used occasionally for dive, tour, or whale watching purposes. For purposes of this subdivision, “occasionally” means 15 percent or less of the total operating time logged for the immediately preceding assessment year.

(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 647, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2001.)

228.
  

(a) A vessel with a market value of four hundred dollars ($400) or less shall be free from taxation. This section shall only apply to vessels used or held for noncommercial purposes and shall not apply to lifeboats or other vessels used in conjunction with operations of vessels with a market value of more than four hundred dollars ($400). This section shall not apply to more than one vessel owned, claimed, possessed, or controlled by an assessee on the lien date.

(b) For purposes of this section, “vessel” includes every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, except vessels described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 651 of the Harbors and Navigation Code.

(c) For purposes of this section, “vessel” includes all equipment, including mode of power, and furnishings that are normally required aboard the vessel during the accomplishment of the functions for which the vessel is being utilized.

(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1281, Sec. 11. Effective September 30, 1983.)

229.
  

(a) A floating home shall be assessed in the same manner as real property.

(b) For purposes of determining the valuation of floating homes pursuant to this section, the procedures set forth in Section 110.1 shall apply, except that:

(1) The 1979 lien date shall be substituted for the 1975 lien date.

(2) The 1979–80 assessment roll shall be substituted for the 1975–76 assessment roll.

(3) The date January 1, 1983, shall be substituted for the dates June 30, 1980, and June 30, 1981.

(c) “Floating home” means a floating structure which is all of the following:

(1) It is designed and built to be used, or is modified to be used, as a stationary waterborne residential dwelling.

(2) It has no mode of power of its own.

(3) It is dependent for utilities upon a continuous utility linkage to a source originating on shore.

(4) It has a permanent continuous hookup to a shoreside sewage system.

“Floating home” does not include a vessel. This section does not affect existing law regarding residential use of tide and submerged lands.

(Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1467, Sec. 36. Effective October 2, 1985.)

230.
  

(a) With regard to taxes that attach as a lien on or after January 1, 2001, wooden vessels of historical significance, and all personal property thereon used in their operation, are exempt from taxation. This exemption applies if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The owner and operator is a nonprofit organization that has qualified for exemption under either Section 23701d of this code or under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(2) No part of the net earnings of the owner inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

(3) The vessel is used primarily as, or as a part of, a maritime museum that is regularly open to the public.

(4) Income from fundraising use and use for charter activities does not exceed 40 percent of operating revenues of the vessel, and all net earnings are used to further the exempt activity of the museum.

(b) When claiming an exemption pursuant to this section, a claiming organization shall give all information required and answer all questions in an affidavit, to be furnished by the assessor, that is signed by the claimant under penalty of perjury. The assessor may require other proof of the facts stated in the affidavit before allowing the exemption. A claimant for an exemption pursuant to this section is subject to Sections 255 and 260.

(c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Wooden vessel of historical significance” means any wooden vessel that is a refurbished original, wooden inland waters vessel of 47 feet or larger, built in California during or prior to 1910, that continuously thereafter has remained in California waters, and that has been designated a California State Historical Landmark.

(2) “Regularly open to the public” means that the museum was open to the public not less than 20 hours per week for not less than 35 weeks of the 12-month period immediately preceding the lien date for the year for which the exemption is claimed.

(Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 601, Sec. 2. Effective September 24, 2000.)

231.
  

(a) Property that is owned by a nonprofit corporation and leased to, and used exclusively by, government for its interest and benefit shall be exempt from taxation within the meaning of “charitable purposes” in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution if:

(1) All of the provisions of Section 214 are complied with, except paragraph (6) of subdivision (a). For purposes of paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 214, irrevocable dedication to charitable purpose shall be deemed to exist if the lease provides that the property shall be transferred in fee to the entity of government leasing the same upon the sooner of either the liquidation, dissolution, or abandonment of the owner or at the time the last rental payment is made under the provisions of the lease.

(2) All of the provisions of Section 254.5 relating to owners are complied with, commencing during calendar year 1969.

(3) All of the provisions of Section 214.01 are complied with by March 15, 1970.

(b) As used in this section “property” means:

(1) Any building or structure of a kind or nature which is uniquely of a governmental character and includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(A) City halls.

(B) Courthouses.

(C) Administration buildings.

(D) Police stations, jails, or detention facilities.

(E) Fire stations.

(F) Parks, playgrounds, or golf courses.

(G) Hospitals.

(H) Water systems and waste water facilities.

(I) Toll bridges.

(2) Any other property required for the use and occupation of the buildings and leased to government.

(3) Any possessory interest of the nonprofit corporation in property and in the land upon which the property was constructed and so much of the surrounding land that is required for the use and occupation of the property.

(4) Any building and its equipment in the course of construction on or after the first Monday of March, 1954, together with the land on which it is located as may be required for the use and occupation of the building when the building and equipment is being constructed for the sole purpose of being leased to government to lessen its burden.

“Uniquely of a governmental character” means the property, except hospitals, water systems, waste water facilities, golf courses, and toll bridges, is not intended to produce income or revenue in the form of rents or admission, user or service fees, or charges.

(c) As used in this section “property” does not include any possessory interest of any person or organization not exempt from taxation.

(d) As used in this section “nonprofit corporation” means a community chest, fund, foundation or corporation, not conducted for profit, and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual and that nonprofit corporation is organized and operated for the sole purpose of leasing property to government and to lessen the burden of government and, in fact, only leases property to government. That nonprofit corporation shall qualify as an exempt organization either under Section 23701f or 23701u of this code or Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. This subdivision is not intended to enlarge the “welfare exemption” to apply to organizations qualified under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 but not otherwise qualified for the “welfare exemption” under this section. Nonprofit corporations that meet the tests of this subdivision are deemed to be organized and operated for charitable purposes.

(e) As used in this section “government” means the State of California, a city, city and county, county, public corporation, and a hospital district.

(f) The exemption provided for in this section shall be deemed to be within the “welfare exemption” for purposes of Section 251.

(g) For leases first entered into by and between government and a nonprofit corporation on or after January 1, 1969, all requirements of this section shall be met for the property and the nonprofit corporation to qualify for the exemption provided by this section.

(h) For leases first entered into by and between government and a nonprofit corporation on or before December 31, 1968, all requirements of this section shall be met except that the last unnumbered paragraph of subdivision (b) shall not apply and for the purposes of subdivision (b)(1) the list of real property qualifying for this exemption includes community recreation buildings or facilities, golf courses, airports, water, sewer and drainage facilities, music centers and their related facilities, and public parking incidental to and in connection with one of the buildings or structures set forth in this section.

(i) Property exempt under this section shall be located within the boundaries of the entity of government leasing the same.

(j) Where the construction has commenced on or after January 1, 1969, improvements shall be advertised and put to competitive bid to qualify for the exemption provided by this section.

(k) For purposes of subdivision (d), a nonprofit corporation shall not be deemed to be qualified as an exempt organization unless the organization files with the assessor a valid organizational clearance certificate issued pursuant to Section 254.6.

(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 471, Sec. 12. Effective January 1, 2004.)

232.
  

All cargo containers principally used for the transportation of cargo by vessels in ocean commerce shall be exempt from property taxation.

Any tax exemption created by this section shall not apply to a cargo-carrying vehicle subject to the registration provisions of Section 4000 of the Vehicle Code.

The term “container” means a receptacle:

(a) Of a permanent character and accordingly strong enough to be suitable for repeated use;

(b) Specially designed to facilitate the carriage of goods, by one or more modes of transport, one of which shall be by vessels, without intermediate reloading;

(c) Fitted with devices permitting its ready handling, particularly its transfer from one mode of transport to another;

(d) So designed to be easy to fill and empty; and

(e) Having a cubic displacement of 1,000 cubic feet or more.

(Added by Stats. 1974, Ch. 1405. Note: Termination clause in Stats. 1979, Ch. 5, Sec. 3, was deleted by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1115.)

234.
  

Seed potatoes of a grower, which are personal property, held on the lien date for subsequent planting in field form and planted during the assessment year by the grower shall be exempt from taxation. This section does not apply to plant nurseries.

(Added by renumbering Section 232 (as added by Stats. 1974, Ch. 14) by Stats. 1981, Ch. 714, Sec. 398.)

235.
  

For the purposes of this division, the lessee of tangible personal property owned by a bank or financial corporation shall be conclusively presumed the owner of that property.

(Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1457, Sec. 8.)

236.
  

Property leased for a term of 35 years or more or any transfer of property leased with a remaining term of 35 years or more where the lessor is not otherwise qualified for a tax exemption pursuant to Section 214, which is used exclusively and solely for rental housing and related facilities for tenants who are persons of low income (as defined in Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code), and is leased and operated by religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable funds, foundations or corporations, public housing authorities, public agencies, or limited partnerships in which the managing general partner has received a determination that it is a charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is operating the property in accordance with its exempt purpose is exempt from taxation on the possessory interest and the fee interest in the property throughout the term of the lease.

Low- and moderate-income has the same meaning as the term “persons and families of low- and moderate-income” as defined by Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code.

(Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1296, Sec. 1. Applicable July 1, 1989, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1296.)

236.5.
  

Any otherwise taxable interest in real property, leased for an original term of 35 years or more and used exclusively by the lessee for the operation of a public park that is uniquely of a governmental character, as described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 231, is, during the term of the lease, within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution, if all of the following conditions are met:

(a) The lessee is a charitable foundation that has received a determination that it is a charitable organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(b) The operation of the public park by the lessee is within the tax exempt purposes of the lessee.

(c) The lessee acquired the leasehold in the property by means of a charitable donation.

(d) Under the terms of the lease, the lessee will acquire the entire ownership interest in the property on or before the end of the lease term.

(Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 609, Sec. 1. Effective October 9, 2001.)

237.
  

(a) (1) Subject to the requirements set forth in paragraph (2), there is exempt from taxation under this part that portion of the assessed value of property, owned and operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe, its tribally designated housing entity, or, for a property that has received a reservation of low-income housing tax credits pursuant to Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, a limited partnership that includes a federally recognized Indian tribe or its tribally designated housing entity as the sole general partner, that corresponds to that portion of the property that is continuously available to, or occupied by, lower income households, as defined in Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code or applicable federal, state, or local financing agreements, at rents that do not exceed those prescribed by Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code, or rents that do not exceed those prescribed by the terms of the applicable federal, state, or local financing agreements or financial assistance agreements.

(2) The exemption set forth in subdivision (a) applies only if the property and entity meet the following requirements:

(A) At least 30 percent of the property’s housing units are either continuously available to, or occupied by, lower income households, as defined in Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code or applicable federal, state, or local financing agreements, at rents that do not exceed those prescribed by Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code, or rents that do not exceed those prescribed by the terms of the applicable federal, state, or local financing agreements or financial assistance agreements.

(B) The tribally designated housing entity, if applicable, is nonprofit.

(C) No part of the net earnings of the housing entity inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, except for a limited partner in a property that has received a reservation of low-income housing tax credits pursuant to Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(b) In lieu of the tax imposed by this part, a tribe or tribally designated housing entity may agree to make payments to a county, city, city and county, or political subdivision of the state for services, improvements, or facilities provided by that entity for the benefit of a low-income housing project owned and operated by the tribe or tribally designated housing entity. Any payments in lieu of tax may not exceed the estimated cost to the city, county, city and county, or political subdivision of the state of the services, improvements, or facilities to be provided.

(c) A tribe or tribally designated housing entity applying for an exemption under this section shall provide the following documents to the assessor:

(1) Documents establishing that the designating tribe is federally recognized.

(2) Documents establishing that the tribally designated housing entity, if applicable, has been designated by the tribe.

(3) Documents establishing that there is a deed restriction, agreement, or other legally binding document requiring that the property be used in compliance with subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a).

(d) This exemption shall be known as the “tribal housing exemption.”

(Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 498, Sec. 2. (SB 1527) Effective September 22, 2024.)

241.
  

(a) The first fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) of personal property that consists of hand tools owned and supplied by an employee that are required as a condition of that employee’s employment are exempt from taxation.

(b) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Hand tools” means hand-held implements and equipment, including hand-held power tools, of which any one may be transported to and from the workplace and which are necessary for the ordinary and regular performance of the employee’s work, and also means the appropriate storage containers used to store those implements and that equipment.

(2) “Hand tools owned and supplied by an employee” means only those hand tools that are either owned by the employee prior to the employment or acquired and paid for by the employee during the employment, that the employee will continue to own after termination of the employment.

(3) “Employee” means any individual who is employed by an employer that directly or indirectly supervises that person and exercises control over the wages and working conditions of individual workers. “Employee” does not include a self-employed individual or an independent contractor.

(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 161, Sec. 1. Effective August 9, 2001.)

242.
  

(a) There is exempted from the taxes imposed by this part qualified property for use in space flight.

(b) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Qualified property” means any of the following:

(A) Tangible personal property, whether raw materials, work in process or finished goods, that has, or upon manufacture, assembly, or installation has, space flight capacity, including, but not limited to, an orbital space facility, space propulsion system, space vehicle, launch vehicle, satellite, or space station of any kind, and any component thereof, regardless of whether that property is to be ultimately returned to this state.

(B) Fuel of a quality that is not adaptable for use in ordinary motor vehicles, but is produced, sold, and used exclusively for space flight.

(2) “Space flight” means any flight designed for suborbital, orbital, or interplanetary travel by a space vehicle, satellite, space facility, or space station of any kind.

(c) The exemption established by this section shall not be denied by reason of failure, postponement, or cancellation of a launch of a space vehicle, satellite, space facility, or space station of any kind, or the destruction of any launch vehicle or any component thereof, but the exemption shall not apply to any material that is not intended to be launched into space.

(d) This section shall be operative from the January 1, 2014, lien date to, and including, the January 1, 2029, lien date, and is inoperative for any lien date thereafter.

(e) A taxpayer shall provide, upon request of the assessor, evidence that the qualified property exempted from the taxes imposed by this part pursuant to this section has been or will be used as described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).

(f) The exemption provided by this section from the taxes imposed by this part shall be limited to taxpayers that have a primary business purpose in space flight activities.

(g) For purposes of complying with Section 41, with respect to the exemption set forth in this section, as amended by the act adding this subdivision (hereafter “the exemption”), the Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) The specific goal, purpose, and objective that the exemption will achieve includes increasing employment and investment in the space flight industry in California relative to other states with comparable infrastructure and capacity to support this industry.

(2) The detailed performance indicators for the Legislature to use in determining whether the exemption meets the goal, purpose, and objective specified in paragraph (1) are:

(A) The change in the number of employees in the space flight industry in California resulting from the exemption.

(B) The change in the compensation amounts of employees in the space flight industry in California resulting from the exemption.

(C) The change in the amount of investment made in space flight facilities in California resulting from the exemption.

(3) (A) By January 1, 2028, the Legislative Analyst’s Office shall provide to the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation, the Senate Committee on Governance and Finance, and the public a report that summarizes its findings regarding the performance indicators described in paragraph (2). The findings in the report shall be provided in an aggregated data format that anonymizes all information in the report. In researching the report, the Legislative Analyst’s Office may request and receive information from county assessors, the State Board of Equalization, taxpayers benefitting from the exemption, trade associations, or other individuals or entities. The Legislative Analyst’s Office may also request and receive information from the Employment Development Department in a nonconfidential form, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 1094 of the Unemployment Insurance Code.

(B) County assessors, the State Board of Equalization, the Employment Development Department, and taxpayers claiming the exemption shall provide information specified by the Legislative Analyst’s Office as needed to research the report required by this paragraph.

(C) Notwithstanding any law, records received by and in the custody of the Legislative Analyst’s Office in accordance with this subdivision shall be deemed confidential and shall not be subject to disclosure under the Legislative Open Records Act (Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 9070) of Chapter 1.5 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

(h) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 713, Sec. 1. (SB 419) Effective October 10, 2023. Inoperative after the January 1, 2029, lien date, as provided in subd. (d). Repealed as of July 1, 2030, by its own provisions.)

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