Every municipal tax assessor shall, on or before October 1, 1951, obtain from each owner of real property in his taxing district, for which a tax exemption is claimed, an initial statement under oath in such form as shall be prescribed by the Director of the Division of Taxation, showing the right to the exemption claimed. Thereafter, and on or before November 1 of each year, said assessor shall obtain an initial statement, if one has not theretofore been filed. When an initial statement has theretofore been filed, then not later than November 1, 1954, and thereafter not later than November 1 of every third succeeding year, said assessor shall obtain a further statement under oath from each owner of real property for which tax exemption is claimed, provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall require a further statement to be filed in the same year in which an initial statement shall have been filed, but that the further statement shall thereafter be filed at the time and in the years hereinabove required for the filing of further statements. Each assessor may at any time inquire into the right of a claimant to the continuance of an exemption hereunder and for that purpose he may require the filing of a further statement or the submission of such proof as he shall deem necessary to determine the right of the claimant to continuance of the exemption. Such further statement shall be in such form as shall be prescribed by the director and shall set forth

(a) Whether there has been any change of use of any of such property initially determined as being entitled to exemption during any three-year period as aforesaid which would defeat the right of exemption therein, and

(b) Whether any new or additional property has been acquired for which a tax exemption is claimed and showing initially as to such new or additional property, the right to the exemption claimed.

The municipal tax assessor shall obtain the aforesaid statements in duplicate from the property owner, and the assessor shall file the duplicate copy thereof with the county board of taxation with his list of property exempt from taxation, on or before January 10 following.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to any claim for tax exemption under Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 3, of the Constitution, or under any law enacted pursuant thereto, for the benefit of veterans, disabled veterans and the surviving spouses of those citizens and residents of this State who have met or may hereafter meet their deaths while on active duty in time of war in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States.

L. 1951, c. 135, p. 570, s. 1. Amended by L. 1954, c. 102, p. 573, s. 1; L. 1985, c. 515, s. 5.