§ 68-2820. Visual inspection of taxable property.

A.  Each county assessor shall conduct a comprehensive program for the individual visual inspection of all taxable property within his respective county.  Each assessor shall thereafter maintain an active and systematic program of visual inspection on a continuous basis and shall establish an inspection schedule which will result in the individual visual inspection of all taxable property within the county at least once each four (4) years.

B.  The first cycle of visual inspections for property shall begin upon January 1, 1991, as prescribed by Section 2481.1 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes, and shall end upon December 31, 1994.  Thereafter, each succeeding four-year cycle for visual inspections shall begin upon January 1 of the year following the fourth year of the preceding cycle and shall end upon December 31 of the applicable four-year cycle.  The county assessor shall utilize the standard parcel identification system required by law to assign each parcel of real property a unique identification code or number. The code or number shall be used to ensure that the inspection sequence for real property results in a visual inspection of each parcel at least once each four (4) years.  Each successor of the county assessor shall use the same cycle as used by the assessor's predecessor in office for visual inspections of property.

C.  Prior to the beginning of the first visual inspection cycle and each subsequent visual inspection cycle, the county assessor shall develop a plan that details the number of real property parcels to be inspected in each year of the cycle by use category, geographic area or other basis, the resources and budget proposed to complete the inspections and the valuation methodology to be used in determining the fair cash value of the real property and improvements thereon.  The plan shall be adequate to ensure the visual inspection of all parcels of real property within the county at least once each four (4) years.  The plan shall also be adequate to ensure that the information collected from the visual inspection of real property each year is sufficient to establish a representative sample from each use category in order to conduct the proper valuation of all taxable property within each use category by means of an accepted standard for mass appraisal practice.  The county assessor shall submit the proposed plan to the Oklahoma Tax Commission by the first working day in October preceding the beginning of the four-year cycle.  The Oklahoma Tax Commission shall either approve the plan if the plan and resources are adequate to complete the cycle and if the plan will result in a representative sample from each use category in order to value all taxable property each year or shall correct and modify the plan in order to establish a program for visual inspection that will be completed by the end of the cycle and that will provide a representative sample from each use category in order to value all taxable property each year.  An approved plan shall be made for each county as of the beginning date of each cycle and a copy of such plan shall be filed with the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

D.  Each year the county assessor shall submit a progress report to the Oklahoma Tax Commission indicating the number of real property parcels inspected by use category, geographic area or other basis, the resources and budget expended in the last completed fiscal year and the valuation methodology used to determine fair cash values of the real property and improvements.  The Oklahoma Tax Commission shall correct and modify any visual inspection plan during the four-year cycle if progress reports indicate that inspection of real property parcels will not be completed or will be performed in violation of legal requirements for such inspections. The county assessor shall be required to complete the four-year cycle in accordance with such plan as corrected and modified.

E.  Each county assessor shall prepare and submit to the Oklahoma Tax Commission a detailed report of the progress made in the visual inspection program in his county to the date of the report and it shall be made a matter of public record.  Such report shall be submitted upon forms supplied by the Oklahoma Tax Commission and shall consist of such information as the Oklahoma Tax Commission requires.  The progress report shall be submitted not later than October 15 each year or the first working day thereafter. Based in part on all such county progress reports, the Oklahoma Tax Commission shall prepare its own report from all sources and transmit a copy of its own report to the Legislature and the State Board of Equalization.

Added by Laws 1988, c. 162, § 20, eff. Jan. 1, 1991.  Amended by Laws 2001, c. 358, § 18, eff. July 1, 2001.