Image of the Union City-Fremont area in southern Alameda County.

Business Personal Property –

General Information

The Assessor is responsible for the discovery and assessment of all taxable business personal property located in Alameda County as of January 1st every year. Unlike real property, business personal property is not subject to Proposition 13 value limitations and is appraised annually at its fair market value.

All California County Assessors operate on a fiscal year, and that fiscal year is July 1st through June 30th. The responsibility for the tax bill rests with the owner in possession of the business personal property as of January 1st. For example, property taxes due for the fiscal year July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015 are assessed on January 1, 2014.

The California Constitution states that all property is subject to property tax unless it is specifically exempted by law. Examples of non-taxable business personal property include, household items and personal effects, goods held for sale or lease in the ordinary course of business (business inventory), and motor vehicles that pay licensing fees to the DMV.

Examples of taxable business property include:

– Office Furniture and Equipment
– Machinery
– Computers
– Supplies
– Property Leased to Others

If you own business property with a combined acquisition cost of $100,000 or greater, or if the Assessor makes a written request that you report your property (regardless of the cost or value), you are required to file a Business Property Statement (BPS) by April 1st. The BPS should detail the acquisition costs of all supplies, machinery, equipment, fixtures, and if applicable, improvements under construction at your business location as of January 1st. Businesses with multiple locations must file a separate BPS for each location where the property is situated.

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