Tax Type
Local Taxes
Property Tax
Description
Manufactured homes; Reassessment
Topic
Basis of Tax
Local Power to Tax
Local Taxes Discussion
Rate of Tax
Date Issued
04-07-1995
You ask whether local assessments of the value of manufactured homes conducted pursuant to § 58.1-3522 of the Code of Virginia,1 are to be made as of July 1, 1994, the effective date of the statute, or whether values previously assessed remain valid until the next general reassessment period.
You relate that reassessments in Franklin County are conducted every six years, pursuant to the provisions of § 58.1-3252,2 and the county has scheduled a reassessment for 1995. In addition, Franklin County historically has used the fair market value method of assessing manufactured homes. This method normally results in an annual decrease in the value of most units.§ 58.1-3522 requires that assessments on manufactured homes be made at the same time as the real estate on which it is installed, by using the same methods applied to improvements assessed in accordance with Article 7, Chapter 32 of Title 58.1 §§ 58.1-3280 through 58.1-3294.
Section 58.1-3281 provides that each commissioner of the revenue shall ascertain annually all real estate in his locality, and before making out his land book, the commissioner shall assess the value of any building not previously assessed. "The value shall be added to the value at which the land was previously charged.' Id.
It is my opinion that if you have scheduled the reassessment of real estate in the locality for the 1995 tax year, any manufactured homes installed on the real property should be assessed at the same time. Such homes shall be assessed in the same manner and using the same methods as applied to improvements and buildings assessed in accordance with Article 7, Chapter 32 of Title 58.1.3 Any manufactured home installed in the locality after the reassessment has been completed must be assessed under the provisions of § 58.1-3281.
1 Section 58.1-3522 provides that "[m]anufactured homes ... shall be assessed at the same time as the assessment of the real property on which the manufactured home is installed. Such homes shall be assessed in the same manner and using the same methods applied to improvements and buildings which are assessed in accordance with Article 7 (§ 58.1-3280 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of [Title 58.1].'
2 Section 58.1-3252 provides that "[a]ny county which ... has a total population of 50,000 or less may elect by majority vote of its board of supervisors to conduct its general reassessments at either five-year or six-year intervals.'
3 See supra note 1.
Attorney General's Opinion