Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 560-11-5-.03 — Taxable Timber Sales and Harvests

(1) Where standing timber is sold by timber deed, contract, lease, agreement, or otherwise to be harvested within a three-year period after the date of the sale and for a lump sum price, the standing timber to be harvested within said three-year period shall be assessed for taxation as of the date of the sale. The tax shall be levied based upon the total lump sum price paid by the purchaser in an arm's length bona fide sale. (a) Ad valorem taxes shall be assessed as of the date of the sale and shall be payable by the seller who shall remit the amount of the taxes due to the purchaser in the form of a negotiable instrument payable to the tax collector or tax commissioner. The purchaser shall remit the seller's negotiable instrument to the tax collector or tax commissioner within five business days after receipt from the seller along with a report of the sale using form PT-283T or a computer generated form PT-283T as approved by the Commissioner, and the tax collector or tax commissioner shall promptly deliver a receipt to the seller showing the tax has been paid. The purchaser shall be personally liable for the tax if he does not remit the seller's negotiable instrument as required or if he fails to collect the negotiable instrument from the seller and in any event he shall remit the taxes due to the tax collector or tax commissioner within five business days of the date of the sale. With said remittance, a copy of the report form PT-283T or a computer generated form PT-283T as approved by the Commissioner, shall also be furnished by the purchaser to the board of tax assessors. (b) Any standing timber described in any sale instrument which is not harvested within three years after the date of the sale shall later be assessed for taxation following its future harvest or sale. In the event it is later harvested by the original purchaser, the board of tax assessors shall use the table of values prescribed by the Commissioner in Regulation 560-11-5-.05(1), and the taxes shall be paid by the original purchaser; otherwise, upon its sale or harvest after three years, the procedures for taxation shall be according to the manner in which such timber is sold or harvested. (c) The ad valorem taxes on lump sum sales shall be paid to the tax collector or tax commissioner prior to and as a prerequisite for the filing for record with the clerk of superior court any instrument conveying the standing timber upon which taxes are due and payable, and no such instrument shall be recorded unless it has entered upon or attached thereto a certificate from the tax collector or tax commissioner showing that the taxes have been paid. (2) Where standing timber is sold, in an arm's length, bona fide sale, by timber deed, contract, lease, agreement, or otherwise by unit prices, the purchaser shall furnish to the seller and to the board of tax assessors a report form PT-283T or a computer generated form PT-283T as approved by the Commissioner, reflecting the total dollar value paid to the seller as well as the individual volumes of timber harvested identified by timber product classes. The report shall cover all timber harvested through the last business day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter and it shall be furnished to the seller and the board of tax assessors within 45 days after the end of the calendar quarter during which the timber is harvested. A copy of the report PT-283T or a computer generated form PT-283T as approved by the Commissioner shall also be furnished by the seller to the board of tax assessors within 60 days after the end of each calendar quarter. (a) Ad valorem taxes shall be payable to the tax collector or tax commissioner as specified by Regulation 560-11-5-.04(3) based upon the fair market value of the harvested timber which shall be the total dollar values paid by the purchaser in the arm's length, bona fide sale. (3) Where standing timber is harvested by the owner of such timber from his own land, the owner shall, within 45 days after the end of the calendar quarter, file with the board of tax assessors a report form PT-283T or a computer generated form PT-283T as approved by the Commissioner of the volumes harvested through the last business day of the calendar quarter. (a) Ad valorem taxes on owner harvest timber shall be payable to the tax collector or tax commissioner within 45 days after the end of the calendar quarter, based upon the fair market value of the harvested timber which shall be the total dollar values calculated using the average standing timber price schedule specified by Regulation 560-11-5-.05(1). (4) Every sale and every harvest of standing timber occurring on or after January 1, 1992 that has not been previously taxed shall be a taxable event, with the exception of those sales of standing timber not to be harvested within three years. Where standing timber is sold or harvested (excepting only a sale not for harvest within three years) in any manner which is not a reportable taxable event under these Regulations as a lump sum sale, a unit price sale, or an owner harvest, such timber shall be subject to ad valorem taxation. Any such sale or harvest shall be reported and taxed under whichever provisions of this Regulation is most nearly applicable. (a) Where, at the time of harvest, the standing timber owner does not own the underlying land and has not acquired such timber under a taxable lump sum or unit price sale, as would be the case where timber has been acquired prior to January 1, 1992, the harvest of such timber shall be a taxable event and shall be treated as an owner harvest, with the exception that the reporting requirement and the payment of taxes due shall be the responsibility of the owner of the standing timber instead of the underlying landowner. Cite as Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 560-11-5-.03 Authority: O.C.G.A. Secs. 48-2-12 , 48-5-2 , 48-5-7.4 , 48-5-7.5 . History. Original Rule entitled "Taxable Timber Sales and Harvest" adopted. F. Jan. 21, 1992; eff. Feb. 10, 1992. Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Jan. 29, 1996; eff. Feb. 18, 1996. Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Jan. 27, 1998; eff. Feb. 16, 1998.