Section 48-5-48.1. Tangible personal property inventory exemption; application; failure to file application as waiver of exemption; denials; notice of renewals

   (a) Any person, firm, or corporation seeking a level 1 freeport exemption from ad valorem taxation of certain tangible personal property inventory when such exemption has been authorized by the governing authority of any county or municipality after approval of the electors of such county or municipality pursuant to the authority of the Constitution of Georgia or Code Section 48-5-48.2 shall file a written application and schedule of property with the county board of tax assessors on forms furnished by such board. Such application shall be filed in the year in which exemption from taxation is sought no later than the date on which the tax receiver or tax commissioner of the county in which the property is located closes the books for the return of taxes.

(b) The application for the level 1 freeport exemption shall provide for:

   (1) A schedule of the inventory of goods in the process of manufacture or production which shall include all partly finished goods and raw materials held for direct use or consumption in the ordinary course of the taxpayer's manufacturing or production business in the State of Georgia;

   (2) A schedule of the inventory of finished goods manufactured or produced within the State of Georgia in the ordinary course of the taxpayer's manufacturing or production business when held by the original manufacturer or producer of such finished goods; and

   (3) A schedule of the inventory of finished goods which on January 1 are stored in a warehouse, dock, or wharf, whether public or private, and which are destined for shipment outside the State of Georgia and the inventory of finished goods which are shipped into the State of Georgia from outside this state and which are stored for transshipment to a final destination outside this state. The information required by Code Section 48-5-48.2 to be contained in the official books and records of the warehouse, dock, or wharf where such property is being stored, which official books and records are required to be open to the inspection of taxing authorities of this state and political subdivisions thereof, shall not be required to be included as a part of or to accompany the application for such exemption.

(c) (1) For purposes of this subsection, the term "file properly" shall mean and include the timely filing of the application and complete schedule of the inventory for which exemption is sought on or before the due date specified in subsection (a) of this Code section.

   (2) The failure to file properly the application and schedule shall constitute a waiver of the exemption on the part of the person, firm, or corporation failing to make the application for such exemption for that year as follows:

      (A) The failure to report any inventory for which such exemption is sought in the schedule provided for in the application shall constitute a waiver of the exemption on the part of the person, firm, or corporation failing to so report for that taxable year in an amount equal to the difference between fair market value of the inventory as reported and the fair market value finally determined to be applicable to the inventory for which the exemption is sought; and

      (B) The failure to file timely such application and schedule shall constitute a waiver of the exemption until the first day of the month following the month such application and schedule are filed properly with the county tax assessor; provided, however, that unless the application and schedule are filed on or before June 1 of such year, the exemption shall be waived for that entire year.

(d) Upon receiving the application required by this Code section, the county board of tax assessors shall determine the eligibility of all types of tangible personal property listed on the application. If any property has been listed which the board believes is not eligible for the exemption, the board shall issue a letter notifying the applicant that all or a portion of the application has been denied. The denial letter shall list the type and total fair market value of all property listed on the application for which the exemption has been approved and the type and total fair market value of all property listed on the application for which the exemption has been denied. The applicant shall have the right to appeal from the denial of the exemption for any property listed and such appeal shall proceed as provided in Code Section 48-5-311. Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (c)(2)(A) of this Code section, the county board of assessors shall not send a second letter of notification denying the exemption of all or a portion of such property listed on the application on new grounds that could and should have been discerned at the time the initial denial letter was issued.

(e) If the level 1 freeport exemption has been granted to a taxpayer for a taxable year, the county board of tax assessors shall issue a notice of renewal to the taxpayer for the immediately following taxable year. Such notice of renewal shall be issued not later than January 15 of such immediately following taxable year to facilitate the filing of a timely application and schedule by the taxpayer for such taxable year.

Code 1981, § 48-5-48.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1982, p. 1101, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 3, § 37; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1371, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2482, § 1; Ga. L. 1997, p. 963, § 3; Ga. L. 1998, p. 128, § 48; Ga. L. 1998, p. 1120, § 1A; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 48; Ga. L. 2004, p. 464, § 1; Ga. L. 2012, p. 249, § 1/HB 48.