A. Property subject to valuation for property taxation purposes for the 1982 and succeeding tax years is presumed to be nonresidential and will be so recorded by the appropriate valuation authority unless the property owner declares the property to be residential. This declaration will be made on a form prescribed by the division, signed by the owner or his agent and mailed to the valuation authority not later than the last day of February of the property tax year to which it applies. The form for the declaration shall be mailed by the valuation authority to property owners no later than January 31 of each property tax year and shall include the property owner’s name and address and the description or identification of the property. It may be included as part of a preliminary notice of valuation form or any other similar form mailed to property owners during the appropriate time period. The valuation authority will take reasonable steps to verify any such declaration. Once the declaration is accepted, the valuation authority will make appropriate entries on the valuation records. Declarations, once accepted by the valuation authority, need not be made in subsequent tax years if there is no change in the use of the property.

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B. No later than the last day of February of each tax year, every owner of property subject to valuation for property taxation purposes shall report to the appropriate valuation authority as set out in Section 7-36-2 N.M. Stat. Ann. whenever the use of the property changes from residential to nonresidential or from nonresidential to residential. This report will be made on a form prescribed by the division and will be signed by the owner of the property or his agent.

C. Any person who violates Subsection A of this section by declaring a property which is nonresidential to be residential or who violates Subsection B of this section by failing to report a change of use from residential to nonresidential shall be liable, for each tax year to which declaration or failure to report applies, for:

(1)     any additional taxes because of a difference in tax rates imposed against residential and nonresidential property;

(2)     interest, calculated as provided under Section 7-38-49 N.M. Stat. Ann., on any additional taxes determined to be due under Paragraph (1) of this subsection; and

(3)     a civil penalty of five percent of any additional taxes determined to be due under Paragraph (1) of this subsection.

D. Any person who violates Subsection A of this section by declaring a property which is nonresidential to be residential with the intent to evade any tax or who violates Subsection B of this section by refusing or failing to report a change of use from residential to nonresidential with the intent to evade any tax is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by the imposition of a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). Any director, employee of the division, county assessor or employee of any assessor who knowingly records a property which is nonresidential to be residential is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and shall be automatically removed from office or dismissed from employment upon conviction under this subsection.

E. The civil penalties authorized in Subsection C of this section shall be imposed and collected at the same time and in the same manner that the tax and interest are imposed and collected. The county treasurer is responsible for making entries on the appropriate records indicating amounts due and the date of payment.