Business Personal Property includes all supplies, equipment, and fixtures used in the operation of a business (see page 3 of the 571-L instructions for an explanation of what specifically constitutes a business fixture). Business inventory and licensed vehicles (except Special Equipment, SE tagged, off-road vehicles) owned by the business are exempt from reporting. SE tagged and other off-road vehicles and equipment are taxable personal property and must be reported.

The BPS collects information regarding business equipment, supplies, and fixtures for each business location. The information an owner provides on the statement is then used to assess and tax property under California state law. The owner reports the acquisition costs of business equipment, supplies, and fixtures that were owned on the Lien Date at the address shown (location of the property). All 58 California County Assessors mail similar statements that enable businesses to report the cost of their equipment supplies, leased equipment, real property, and improvements.

The form is reviewed for completeness and accuracy. Then several methods are employed to convert reported costs to an estimate of their Lien Date, fair market value equivalent. After the Assessor has assessed your property and has finished processing your BPS, the form is then filed with your property tax records. By law, your BPS is a private document that is unavailable for public inspection. The assessment itself is then forwarded to the County Auditor, who computes the taxes owed and then forwards that information to the Tax Collector, who in turn creates the bill and collects the tax.

Select A or B and enter the information and description. An Auditor-Appraiser will move it to the correct schedule/life table when we process your statement.

• Call our Business Property Section at (209) 468-9908 on 8:30 to 4:30 weekdays, except holidays. Calls received after 4 pm may be returned the following business day.
• Visit us. Our office is in the County Administration Building, 44 North San Joaquin Street, Suite 230, Stockton, CA 95202. Our office is open 8:30- 4:30 weekdays, except holidays.

The Lien Date is January 1 of every year. January 1 is also the date property taxes for any fiscal year become a lien against a business property owner. Where personal property is concerned, the lien is placed on the owner of the personal property. Owners who allow their personal property taxes to become delinquent may have a Summary Judgment recorded against them.

Yes. Note that circumstance in a remark on the BPS, or attachment to it, and include the proper location and mailing address of your main office. Then sign and return the BPS to the Office of the Assessor. You may also complete and submit a Statement of Change form.

Any item that you are consuming in your business (such as office supplies, pencils, paper, calculator tape, stationery, envelopes, cleaning supplies, or fuel) is a supply item. If you are a manufacturer, ‘supplies’ are items that are other than a finished product. Materials or supplies that are integrated into the products you market are exempt, because they become business inventory once in the products. Business inventory is exempt from property taxation.

If paper, line through incorrect information and correct the information or submit a Statement of Change form.

If online filing, enter correct information in notes or submit a Statement of Change form.

When a business fails to file a BPS, as required by law or requested by the Assessor, we must then rely on the best information available to estimate the value of any personal property owned by the non-reporting business. In the absence of a BPS, an ‘average’ assessed value (based upon businesses of a similar size and use) may be used to derive such an estimate. Our office may also perform a field inspection of your business property, during which an estimate of the Lien Date/fair market value of the business personal property discovered there will be made. A 10% penalty will be added to any assessment made because of a failure to file the BPS.

If you file an incomplete BPS, the Assessor may return it to you for proper completion. An incomplete filing, or one that is received after the stated due date, is treated the same as a ‘failure to file,’ and a 10% penalty will be added.

Please contact us at (209) 468-2685 or email us at OBPF@sjgov.org if you have previously filed a BPS in San Joaquin County. You may also download the Business Property Statement form, complete and sign it, and return it to The Office of the Assessor, 44 N. San Joaquin Street, Suite 230, Stockton, CA 95202. Our office is open 8:30- 4:30 weekdays, except holidays.

The cost data is missing from the Schedules on this year’s eFile statements due to a County software conversion. The data and asset listing can be found on page 4 of the statement in an Excel spreadsheet (visible in the pdf printed statement after you log on). When we receive and process your statement for this year, your costs will appear once again in next year’s statement.

Please call our office at (209) 468-2685 or email us at OBPF@sjgov.org.

Please call our office at (209) 468-2685 or email us at OBPF@sjgov.org.

There has been a change in your account that has prompted a change in your filing status for this year.

Yes. You must complete the form even if there are zero changes. Sending back a blank form will constitute an incomplete filing. An incomplete filing is treated the same as a ‘failure to file,’ and a 10% penalty will be added.

You must manually enter all previous costs of equipment, sign and date.

When requesting current value information, please include the request with your completed BPS, and enclose a self-addressed stamped return envelope or provide your email address to receive a report.

No extensions can be granted. All property statements are due on April 1. A 10% penalty will be added to any statement that is postmarked after May 7.

Please call (209) 468-2685. We can unlock your Bin # or reset it for you.

Many of our forms are posted online. They can be downloaded and printed.

Visit our office
Office of the Assessor
44 N. San Joaquin Street
Second Floor, Suite 230
Stockton, CA 95202
Phone (209) 468-2630
Open 8:30 - 4:30 weekdays, except holidays

Email
ppmail@sjgov.org

obpf@sjgov.org

Mailing address
Office of the Assessor
Personal Property Division
44 N. San Joaquin Street
Second Floor, Suite 230
Stockton, CA 95202

Unless otherwise exempted, all forms of tangible property are taxable in California, including business personal property. Some forms of personal property are exempt from taxation under the Constitution of California. For example, household furnishings, personal effects, and business inventory are exempt under the law. Business Personal Property and privately or business-owned boats or aircraft are taxable under the law. Find more information about boat and aircraft assessments here.

Unlike most real property, which is assessed under Proposition 13, most personal property is excluded from Prop 13’s umbrella (although it does enjoy the same, maximum 1% tax rate). The only exception is personal property ‘fixtures,’ which are defined as real property for property tax purposes and are subject to Proposition 13 restrictions. Fixtures are exempt from Supplemental Assessment.

The Assessor is required to annually assess most taxable personal property at 100% of its lien date, fair market value. To determine that fair market value, the Assessor employs several methodologies. For example: The Assessor often relies on various trade publications and ‘Blue Books’ that provide current, open market sales price and/or cost data for various types of both new and used equipment, vehicles, aircraft, and boats. The Assessor often trends forward actual owner-reported costs to a present replacement cost estimate using trending tables provided by the State Board of Equalization or developed in-house. The trended costs are then reduced to reflect normal or actual depreciation and derive a market value estimate.

Approximately 50% of the property tax dollar is used to support K-12th grades and junior colleges, 32% is allocated to city government and other special districts, and 18% is allocated to support county government.

Throughout California, the property tax rate is 1% of assessed value (also applies to real property) plus any bonded indebtedness voted in by the taxpayers. In San Joaquin County, the average overall tax rate, including bond debt, averages 1.1%.

The 2021 Rate Tables are available online. Email ppmail@sjgov.org if you require more information.

The amount of taxes you will owe will depend on the amount of the assessment and the specific tax rate in your area. The average rate in San Joaquin County is approximately 1.1% (.011) of assessed value (the 1% tax rate plus bond debt). For example, if your personal property were assessed for $10,000, your property tax bill would be roughly $110.

There are two circumstances under which a Summary Judgment may be released:

1. Payment of Debt: Paying the delinquent bill (including all penalties and costs) will result in a release of the judgment. Contact the San Joaquin County Tax Collector (see sidebar) to determine the current amount due, and then simply pay the tax bill in full. Upon satisfaction of all delinquent tax, penalty, and costs, the Tax Collector will record a Satisfaction of Judgment, thereby releasing the lien.
2. Invalid or Corrected Bill: If you believe the bill or the assessment is invalid, contact the Assessor. If the Assessor determines the bill to be invalid, upon cancellation or correction of the assessment by the Assessor, the Tax Collector will record a Release without a fee.

In San Joaquin County, the filing period for an Assessment Appeal Application for the unsecured roll is July 2 through November 30 of the current fiscal year. The filing date for the secured roll is also July 2 through November 30. That filing period applies to any assessment produced for the annual assessment roll. If a bill for the current assessment roll is mailed to you after the normal filing period has expired, the filing period is extended, and you must then file an application within 60 days of the date of mailing of that tax bill. An application must be filed with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors. You may download an Assessment Appeal Application, or call (209) 468-2350 for assistance.

If you disagree with an assessment made by the Assessor, first discuss it with an Auditor-Appraiser at the Office of the Assessor. An Auditor-Appraiser is available 8:30 - 4:30 weekdays, except holidays, at (209) 468-2640, or at the Office of the County Assessor at: 44 North San Joaquin Street; Second Floor, Suite 230; Stockton, CA 95202.

In addition, you have the right to file an Assessment Appeal Application with the Assessment Appeals Board. The Appeals Board is an independent agency representing the Board of Supervisors. It is neither connected with nor under the authority of the Office of the Assessor.

Once a formal assessment appeal has been filed with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, a hearing date will be set by the Board. Before the hearing takes place, gather data and evidence to support your opinion of value and then present it during the scheduled hearing. The Office of the Assessor will also prepare evidence to present to the Board. At the hearing, all evidence and arguments are presented to a three-member Appeals Board Panel appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Once all presentations are complete, the Appeals Board may determine the value at the hearing, or it may defer its decision until a later date so that it has time to review all the data and make a proper determination of value. If the decision is deferred, you will be notified of the decision by US Mail once it has been rendered.

For guidance on how to prepare for an appeal, contact the San Joaquin County Assessment Appeals Board at (209) 468-2350. Additionally, an appeal guidelines brochure is available from the State Board of Equalization. Although the brochure is entitled Residential Property Appeals, it is helpful for personal property appeals as well. You may request a free copy of the brochure from the Board of Equalization by calling (916) 324-4019 or request it by mail at: SBOE Policy Planning & Standards, PO Box 942879, Sacramento, CA 94279-0064.

Your tax bill is due at the stated time regardless of your filing an appeal. It must be paid to avoid penalty, interest, and delinquency fees.