As a business owner in the State of West Virginia your business personal property is subject to ad valorem taxes.  Tangible personal property includes material items such as animals, motor vehicles, watercrafts, furniture/fixtures, machinery/equipment, tools, dies, jigs, patterns, and stock in trade (including inventories, supplies, materials in process, and other similar items).  This tax is based on personal property owned by your business as of July 1st every year.

Senate Bill 401 passed March 13, 2010, amends West Virginia Code §11-3-12, and mandates that Personal Property Returns are due on or before September 1 for each year.  West Virginia Code requires that we estimate personal property tax assessments for all businesses that “fail” to file a return by September 1st.  Persons who fail to file or file late forfeit all rights of appeal and are subject to penalties.

In order to fulfill your obligations as a business taxpayer, we have prepared the following instructions to assist you:

BASIC BUSINESS INFORMATION    (Page 1)

It is important to make certain this section is filled out accurately and completely, in order to ensure proper assessment and billing.  If a printed label is on the form, please verify that the information is correct by noting the correction.  Also, it is important that you state the physical location of your business.

PROPERTY YOU LEASE FROM OTHERS (Page 1)

Please list all property you lease from others, with date acquired and cost of machinery, furniture & fixtures, and/or gross annual rent.  We must have the name, address, and phone number of the property owner and the property leased.  Attach additional sheets if necessary.

REAL ESTATE (Page 1)

Item I:  List all Raleigh County real estate property owned by your company.  Description asked for is the district, map, parcel number, which can be found on your tax statements.

Item II:  List improvements or deletions.

BUILDINGS ON LEASED LAND (Page 1)

If you own any buildings situated on land belonging to someone else, you must list the name and address of the landowner. Also list map and parcel number if known.

SCHEDULE A (Page 2)

Machinery & Equipment, Furniture & Fixtures, Leasehold Improvements, Computers:

List all of the above in the calendar year of purchase and purchase cost.  Property that is owned and still in use, but which has been fully depreciated or written off MUST be reported.

Computer Equipment is to be listed separately to receive correct depreciation (five year life).

Any property which has been fully depreciated and is NO LONGER USED as part of the production process should be reported on “Schedule G-Salvage Value Machinery & Equipment.”

What are leasehold improvements?  Leasehold improvements are any permanent improvements and/or additions, exclusive of buildings, to leased property which have been made by the lessee. (i.e. remodeling, wallpaper, carpet, etc.)  All leasehold improvements are to be reported on Schedule A.

SCHEDULE B (Page 3)

Inventory, Consigned Inventory, Parts, Supplies:

Taxpayer is to report all consigned goods, supplies, parts, inventory, and merchandise for resale; in warehouse or storage.

Vehicle/Mobile Home/Manufactured Home Dealers:

Dealers of new and used motor vehicles, motorcycles, recreation vehicles, trailers, mobile homes, and manufactured homes are required to complete and attach the “Vehicle Dealers Inventory Worksheet” in place of Schedule B.  Please read the instructions on the worksheet carefully before completing it, as some exemptions may apply.

All dealers must submit an Income Statement to support information appearing on the worksheet.

Warehouse Freeport Tax Amendment:

Tangible personal property moving in interstate commerce through or over the State of West Virginia, or tangible personal property consigned from a point of origin outside the State to a warehouse ,within the State, for a destination outside the State shall not have acquired situs in West Virginia.  Not applicable to raw materials and work-in-progress inventories, if business activity results in a new or different  product or one of different utility or, not applicable to inventories of natural resources.

SCHEDULE C (Page 3)

Machinery & Tools in Process of Installation: Machinery or tools purchased, but not yet installed, are reported here.

SCHEDULE D (Page 3)

Other Personal Property:

Other personal property may include business libraries, reference books, in addition to storage buildings, and furniture and fixtures in process of construction. For oil & natural gas drilling rigs, please complete supplemental schedule.

List cost and date acquired of all other personal property not reported on other schedules.

SCHEDULE E (Page 3)

Vehicles, Trailers, Boats, Aircraft and Mobile Homes:

We must have a complete listing of all licensed and unlicensed vehicles titled in the name of the company, including year purchased and cost new.  If you have more than four vehicles, please attach a separate list. Failure to file the necessary information will result in your vehicles, trailers, etc. being priced according to the highest value for that item. Do not include vehicles with apportioned plates.

We need the following information to price your vehicles, trailers, etc. properly:

Automobiles:  Year, make, model, vehicle identification number (VIN), 2 or 4 wheel drive, size (½ or ¾ ton), date acquired, and purchase price.
Trucks and Small Trailers:  Year, make, model, vehicle identification (VIN) Number, 2-or 4- wheel drive, size (1/2  or ¾ ton), date acquired, and purchase price.
Large Trucks:  Year, make, model, vehicle identification number, gross weight, number of axles, date acquired, and purchase price.  Note:  Do not report trucks used in inter-state trade.
Trailers:  Year, make model, vehicle identification number, type (van, tanker, refrigerator, dump, flatbed, etc.), length, number of axles, date acquired, and purchase price.  For tankers, please list gallon capacity.

Aircraft:  West Virginia Code §11-6H-1 et seq. provides that the value of special aircraft property shall be its salvage value. Special aircraft property is defined to be “all aircraft owned or leased by commercial airlines or private carriers.” Private carrier means “…any firm, partnership, joint venture, joint stock company, any public or private corporation, cooperative, trust, business trust or any other group or combination acting as a unit that is engaged in a primary business other than commercial air transportation that operates an aircraft for the transportation of employees or others for business purposes.” If you have reported aircraft on  Schedule E which you believe to be special aircraft proeprty, enter the dollar value of the aircraft at 100% of acquisition cost.

Breeding Age Sheep and Goats:

New legislation passed which required the county assessor to collect a fee of $1.00 on all breeding age sheep and goats.   This money will be used to help fund the USDA Coyote Control Program.

Please include a check or money order for this tax.

SCHEDULE F (Page 4)

Incomplete Construction:

The cost, new, of any materials for buildings, additions, or improvements which are incomplete and therefore are not assessed as real property, must be reported here.

SCHEDULE G (page 4)

Salvage Value Machinery and Equipment:

List cost new, of all machinery and equipment which has been fully depreciated and is NO LONGER USED AS PART OF THE PRODUCTION PROCESS.  These items should not b reported on Schedule A.

SCHEDULE H (page 4)

Pollution Control Facilities:

All pollution control facilities installed after July 1, 1973, and approved by the Water Resource Division of DEP or Office of Air Quality should be listed with location, year installed and original cost.

OTHER INFORMATION REQUIRED WITH THIS RETURN (page 4)

Type of Business Entity:

Please check one:  Corporation, Partnership, Sole Proprietorship, or Other.

Description of Business Activity:

Please describe your principal activity of business.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code:

Please list the NAICS Code for your particular business, if you do not know your code, leave the line blank.

Additional forms required:

Please make sure you include a copy of your Depreciation Schedule and Balance Sheet or Schedule C with your return.

When completed, sign date and return form to:

Raleigh County Assessor
215 Main Street
Beckley, WV  25801-4612