Form BOE-540-S, the Mutual or Private Water Company Property Statement, is the report a water company files with the Los Angeles County Office of the Assessor under section 441(a) of the Revenue and Taxation Code. It is one of the Los Angeles County property tax forms the Assessor publishes, and it is due on or before April 1. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the statement itself is filed with the Assessor, which publishes the form.
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What is BOE-540-S?
Form BOE-540-S, Mutual or Private Water Company Property Statement, is the two-page report in which a mutual or private water company lists the property of each water system it owns in the county, so the Assessor can value it. The form states that section 441(a) of the Revenue and Taxation Code requires the report.
Page 1 collects the company's name and mailing address, the location of the water system, the type of service (domestic or irrigation), the form of ownership (proprietorship, partnership, corporation or other) and the year service started. It then carries a financial-data schedule for the year ending, showing for each tangible plant item the balance at the beginning of the year, additions, retirements, other adjustments and the balance at the end of the year. Page 2 holds statistical data as of December 31, questions about water rights, and questions about property owned by others.
The statement is not a public document. The form says the Assessor holds the information secret under Code section 451, and it can be disclosed only to the district attorney, the grand jury and the agencies named in Code section 408. Attached schedules count as part of the statement, and the statement is subject to audit.
The Assessor's forms page also lists RP-962, Utility Water Company Property Statement, as a separate form. Form BOE-540-S is the one titled for mutual or private water companies.
Who needs to file BOE-540-S?
The form is required of the mutual or private water company that is named as the assessee on the statement the Assessor sends. The preprinted name and mailing address can be corrected on the form.
- One statement per system. A separate statement must be filed for each water system located in Los Angeles County.
- Who signs. The declaration must be signed by the assessee, a duly appointed fiduciary, or a person authorized to sign for the assessee. For a corporation, that is an officer, or an employee or agent designated in writing by the board of directors, by name or by title. For a partnership, it is a partner or an authorized employee or agent. For a limited liability company (LLC), it is an LLC manager, or a member where there is no manager, or an employee or agent designated by the manager or the members.
- Agents. An employee or agent who is not a member of the bar, a certified public accountant, a public accountant, an enrolled agent or a duly appointed fiduciary needs the assessee's written authorization on file with the Assessor.
A statement that is not signed and executed as the instructions describe is not validly filed.
When to file BOE-540-S
The statement must be filed with the Assessor on or before April 1 of the year printed in the form's header (the form shows "April 1, 20____"). It reports the property the assessee owned, claimed, possessed, controlled or managed at 12:01 a.m. on January 1 of that year. The statistical data on page 2 is stated as of December 31.
Filing late has a stated consequence: the Assessor's Office will estimate the value of your property from other information it holds and add a penalty of 10 percent under Code section 463. The same section's penalty applies to unsigned statements, because an unsigned statement is not validly filed.
Documents you need
- Schedule of Assessor's Parcel Numbers, only if you need more space: wells, pump houses, reservoirs, tanks, pipe lines, services and other property on land you own must be identified by the parcel number of the land.
- Schedule of parcel numbers for personal property such as office furniture and equipment, construction work in progress, materials and supplies, only if the space on the form is not enough.
- Listing and description of the water rights, only if you answer Yes to owning water rights in this county in addition to the water system.
- Separate schedule for consigned merchandise or other personal property held at 12:01 a.m. on January 1: consignor name and address, quantity, description and total amount to be remitted to the consignor, only if you answer Yes.
- Separate schedule for equipment of others held on loan, rental or lease: owner or lessor name and address, description, year constructed, cost if purchased, and rental, only if you answer Yes.
- Separate schedule naming other individuals, partnerships, corporations or joint ventures doing business on your premises, with the owner's address and a brief description of the business, only if you answer Yes.
- Written authorization from the assessee, only when an employee or agent other than a member of the bar, CPA, public accountant, enrolled agent or duly appointed fiduciary signs the declaration.
How to fill out BOE-540-S
Confirm the year and your address
Check the year in the header and the due date of April 1. Under item 1, NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS, correct the printed name and address if they are wrong.
Give the water system location
Under item 2, enter the location of each water system. File a separate statement for each system located in the county.
Add phone and optional email
Enter your local phone number in item 3. The E-Mail Address line is optional.
Select service type and ownership
In item 4, mark Domestic or Irrigation. In item 5, mark Proprietorship, Partnership, Corporation or Other, and enter the year service started in item 6.
Complete the financial data schedule
Enter the year ending, then for each tangible plant item, from Land through Tools, Shop and Other Equipment, fill in the balance at beginning of year, additions, retirements, other adjustments and balance at end of year. Omit cents, and leave the Assessor's use only column blank.
Total plant and add other lines
Enter Total Plant (sum of above items), Accrued Depreciation, Total Plant Less Accrued Depreciation, Construction Work in Progress, and Materials and Supplies. Use REMARKS for explanations.
Complete statistical data on page 2
If costs are not available, describe the physical property with date of construction or installation and original costs in the schedule headed Statistical Data as of December 31. Enter year installed, original cost, size or capacity, length or depth, and location for each item, then the average number of customers and total water delivered during the year.
Answer the water rights question
Mark Yes or No for owning water rights in this county in addition to the water system. If Yes, attach a listing and description of the water rights.
Complete property owned by others
Mark Yes or No for consigned property, equipment held on loan, rental or lease, and other businesses on your premises. For each Yes, attach the separate schedule the form describes.
Identify parcels by Assessor's Parcel Number
Identify property on land you own by the Assessor's Parcel Number of the land where it is located. Attach a schedule of parcel numbers if you need more space.
Sign the declaration
Enter the name of assessee or authorized agent, title, legal entity name (other than DBA), Federal Employer ID Number and preparer details, then sign and date. An authorized agent should check the Declaration by Assessee instructions on the back.
Review and download the PDF
Check every entry and schedule, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and file it as described under How to submit.
How to submit BOE-540-S
File the completed, signed statement with the Los Angeles County Office of the Assessor. The form names the Assessor as the office that receives it and prints no mailing address, portal or appointment rule.
- Where to find the office. The Assessor lists this form among its forms at https://assessor.lacounty.gov/forms; use that site for current contact details and filing options.
- Attachments. Send the schedules the form calls for together with the statement, since attached schedules are part of it: parcel-number lists, water rights listing, and schedules on property owned by others, as described under required documents.
- Agent filings. If an employee or agent signs, other than the professionals the form exempts, file the assessee's written authorization with the Assessor.
- Deadline. File on or before April 1.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the Assessor's channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing after April 1; the Assessor then estimates your property's value from other information and adds a 10 percent penalty under Code section 463.
- Leaving the declaration unsigned; an unsigned statement is not validly filed, and the section 463 penalty for failure to file applies to it.
- Combining several water systems in one statement when a separate statement must be filed for each system located in the county.
- Having an employee or agent sign without the assessee's written authorization on file with the Assessor, when the signer is not a bar member, CPA, public accountant, enrolled agent or fiduciary.
- Identifying property by street address or description only, instead of the Assessor's Parcel Number of the land where wells, pump houses, reservoirs, tanks, pipe lines or services are located.
- Answering Yes to water rights, consignment, loaned or leased equipment, or other businesses on your premises and not attaching the listing or schedule the form requires.
- Entering cents in the financial data schedule; the form says to omit cents.
- Leaving unmarked the preprinted name and mailing address when they are wrong; the form asks you to make necessary corrections.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form BOE-540-S?
Form BOE-540-S is the Mutual or Private Water Company Property Statement. A water company uses it to report the property of each water system it owns in the county to the Assessor, as required by section 441(a) of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
Is Form BOE-540-S a Los Angeles County property tax form?
It is a property statement filed with the Los Angeles County Office of the Assessor, which lists it on its forms page. If it is not filed on time, the Assessor estimates the value of your property from other information it holds and adds a 10 percent penalty.
When is the BOE-540-S due?
On or before April 1 of the year printed on the form. The statement covers property you owned, claimed, possessed, controlled or managed at 12:01 a.m. on January 1. Late filing leads to an estimated value and a 10 percent penalty under Code section 463.
Do I need a separate statement for each water system?
Yes. The form says a separate statement must be filed for each system located in the county. A system not connected to any other system by pipe lines or canals is treated as a unit for appraisal purposes.
Who can sign the BOE-540-S declaration?
The assessee, a duly appointed fiduciary, or a person authorized to sign for the assessee, such as a corporate officer, a partner, or an LLC manager. Most other employees or agents need the assessee's written authorization filed with the Assessor.
Is the information on the BOE-540-S public?
No. The form states it is not a public document and that the Assessor holds the information secret under Code section 451. It can be disclosed only to the district attorney, grand jury and agencies listed in Code section 408.
What if I don't have cost records for my water system?
If cost data is not available and it is not feasible to develop cost, describe the physical property in the Statistical Data schedule on page 2, with the date of construction or installation and original costs. If costs are available, complete the financial data schedule too.
Can I fill out Form BOE-540-S online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF does not file the statement or act for the Assessor; you file it yourself with the Los Angeles County Office of the Assessor.
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