§ 105-311.  Listing and signing affirmation; use of agents, mail, and electronic listing.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the person whose duty it is to list property for taxation shall file the completed abstract with the assessor for purposes of listing and shall sign the affirmation required by G.S. 105-310 to be annexed to the completed abstract on which the property is listed. The abstract must be filed with the assessor on a form approved by the Department of Revenue.

(1) In the case of an individual taxpayer who is unable to list his property, a guardian, authorized agent, or other person having knowledge of and charged with the care of the person and property of the taxpayer shall file the completed abstract and shall sign the required affirmation in the name of the taxpayer, noting thereon the capacity in which he signs.

(2) In the case of a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or unincorporated association, a person specified in sub-subdivision a., b., or c. below, shall file the completed abstract and shall sign the required affirmation in the name of the taxpayer, noting thereon the capacity in which he signs, and no other agent shall be permitted to sign the affirmation required on such a taxpayer's abstract:

a. A principal officer of the taxpayer.

b. A full-time employee of the taxpayer who has been officially empowered by a principal officer of the taxpayer in his behalf to list the taxpayer's property for taxation in the county and to sign the affirmation annexed to the abstract or abstracts on which its property is listed.

c. An agent of the taxpayer authorized by a principal officer of the taxpayer in a manner prescribed by the Department of Revenue.

(3) Repealed by Session Laws 2011-238, s. 5, effective June 23, 2011.

(b) Abstracts may be submitted in person or by mail. Additionally, if the county has provided for electronic listing of personal property under G.S. 105-310.1, personal property abstracts may be submitted by electronic listing.

(1) Submission by mail. - In no event shall an abstract submitted by mail be accepted unless the affirmation on the abstract is signed by the individual prescribed in subsection (a) of this section. For the purpose of this Subchapter, abstracts submitted by mail are considered filed as of the date shown on the postmark affixed by the United States Postal Service. If no date is shown on the postmark, or if the postmark is not affixed by the United States Postal Service, the abstract is considered filed when received in the office of the assessor.

(2) Submission by electronic listing. - In no event shall an abstract submitted by electronic listing be accepted unless the affirmation on the abstract is signed by the individual prescribed in subsection (a) of this section. The affirmation may be signed using an electronic signature method approved by the Department of Revenue. For the purpose of this Subchapter, abstracts submitted by electronic listing are considered filed when received in the office of the assessor as denoted by timestamps applied by the receiving equipment or programs.

(c) In any dispute arising under this Subchapter, the burden of proof is on the taxpayer to show that the abstract was timely filed. (1939, c. 310, ss. 901, 903, 904; 1957, c. 848; 1971, c. 806, s. 1; 1973, c. 476, s. 193; 1977, c. 327, s. 1; 1987, c. 43, s. 7; c. 45, s. 1; 2001-279, s. 3; 2001-487, s. 70; 2011-238, s. 5.)