Real Property Exemption Filing Deadline is Dec. 31, 2013

Maui County Service Center where customers go to pay property taxes and obtain information on property tax exemptions. Photo by Wendy Osher.

By Maui Now Staff

Real property owners in Maui County are reminded of the upcoming Dec. 31, 2013, deadline to file claims for real property tax exemptions, condominium use declarations, and requests for agricultural use valuations.

All current recipients of the Circuit Breaker tax credit are encouraged to file an application before the deadline as well, even if they think that they may not qualify under the new rules.

The reason for this, county officials said, is that the council is in the process of considering whether to amend the rules again, which, if passed, may be used to qualify current applications.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa reportedly instructed the Director of Finance to contact all current recipients of the Circuit Breaker to encourage them to file an application.

Applications that fail to meet the Dec. 31, 2013 deadline will be processed for the 2015-2016 tax year instead, the county announcement stated.

Deployed active-duty military personnel are required to file exemption claims on or before June 30th of the tax year for which such exemption is claimed, with proof of deployment required.

Property owners affected by these deadlines include:

• Individuals claiming the basic home exemption (currently at $200,000);
• Charitable organizations using their property exclusively for non-profit purposes;
• Public utility companies;
• Low/moderate income housing;
• Disabled veterans;
• Hansen’s disease sufferers;
• Those who are blind, deaf or totally disabled;
• Child care providers;
• Taro farmers;
• Deployed active-duty military personnel; and
• Circuit breaker tax credit applications.

County officials say a new claim does not have to be filed for property that already has an exemption if the conditions under which the exemption was granted have not changed; However, exemptions for child care providers, low/moderate income housing, public utility companies, taro farming and circuit breaker must be filed annually on or before Dec. 31, preceding the tax year being claimed.

Additional information is available by calling (808) 270-7297 on Maui; 1-800-272-0117 and ask for extension 7297 on Molokaʻi; and 1-800-272-0125 and ask for extension 7297 for residents on Lānaʻi.