Taxable Personal Property

In the most general terms, personal property is everything subject to ownership, excluding land, any interest in land, and any improvement thereon. This broad definition includes tangible items such as airplanes, boats, furniture, fixtures, equipment, and animals as well as intangible items such as annuities, patents, copyrights, stocks, bonds, and franchises.

In Connecticut, intangible personal property is not taxable, with the exception of software bundled with tangible computer hardware purchases. The taxable status of personal property, its situs, and method of assessment are found in Section §12-71, which reads in part, "All goods, chattels and effects or any interest therein…..shall be listed for purposes of property tax…." Under the provision of §12-41 and §12-42, all property owned by anyone engaged in a business enterprise in the State of Connecticut, unless specifically exempt, must be declared to the assessor.

Even persons not engaged in a business enterprise may own personal property subject to taxation. For example, unregistered motor vehicles, vehicles registered in another state if located in Connecticut, horses, mobile homes (if not listed as real estate), farm equipment, farm and mechanics tools, and any other property not specifically excluded under §12-81 are to be declared.

Who Should Declare and When to Declare

Who Should File -

  • All owners of taxable personal property.

Declaration -

Declarations are not required to be mailed to residents or resident businesses in the Town of Killingly. If you are a first time declarant or did not receive a declaration call the Assessor’s Office at (860) 779-5323.

Filing Requirements - DUE DATE

The Personal Property Declaration must be filed annually on or before November 1st (or the Monday following if November 1st falls on Saturday or Sunday) (CGS §12-41).

Penalty Of 25% is Applied -

When no declaration is filed, submitted after the due date, or a declaration is not signed, a 25% penalty is applied to the assessment. When omitted property is discovered, the 25% penalty is applied to the difference in the assessed value as determined by the results of the discovery, and the assessment as determined by the originally filed declaration.

Exemptions -

Note that several exemptions require an additional application in order to receive that exemption. Please request the form required from the Assessor’s Office.

Signature Required -

  • The owners shall sign the declaration.
  • The owner’s agent may sign the declaration. In which case the declaration must be duly sworn to or notarized.
  • Corporate officers signing for their corporations must have the returns properly sworn to or notarized, or provide the Assessor with a statement bearing the corporate seal and signed by the corporate secretary setting out the office held by the signer of the declaration and dates office held.

Audit -

The Assessor is authorized to audit declarations, within 3 years of the date of the required filing. Substantial penalties are applicable if such an audit reveals property not declared as required by law (CGS §12-53).

Description of Personal Property to Declare

The following list gives examples of types of properties to be declared. The listing is by the State of Connecticut property codes.

Code #9 -- Motor Vehicles

Unregistered motor vehicles (e.g. campers, RV’s, snowmobiles, trailers, trucks, passenger cars, tractors, off-road construction vehicles, etc.) including any vehicle garaged in Connecticut but registered in another state, or any such vehicle not registered at all. If you are a farmer eligible for the exemption under Sec. 12-91, list tractors in Code 17.

Code #10 -- Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment

Use this category to report machinery and equipment not included under Code #13 or Code #15. Include industrial or manufacturing machinery and equipment the owner claims or claimed on a federal income tax return as three-year property (e.g., tools, dies, jigs, patterns, etc.) or ten-year or greater property (i.e., property that has a class life of more than 16 years). Include air and water pollution control equipment, regardless of its class life. (A property tax exemption for this type of equipment is available if the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection certifies it, but air/water pollution control equipment does not meet the predominant use criteria for exemption under Code #13 or Code #15.) Include all machinery and equipment located in a Distressed Municipality, Enterprise Zone, or Enterprise Corridor Zone (regardless of its class life) for which you are filing Form M-55 to claim the property tax exemption under CGS §12-81(60) or (70).

Code #11 -- Horses or Ponies

Horses and ponies. A $1,000 assessment exemption per animal will be applied. If you are a farmer, the exemption is 100% provided Form M-28 is filed with and approved by the Assessor

Code #12 -- Commercial Fishing Apparatus

All fishing apparatus exclusively used by a commercial fisherman in his business (e.g., fishing poles, nets, lobster pots, fish finders, etc.). A $500 value exemption will be applied.

Code #13 -- Manufacturing Machinery / Equipment

Manufacturing machinery and equipment used in manufacturing, used in research or engineering devoted to manufacturing, or used for the significant servicing or overhauling of industrial machinery or factory products.

Code #14 -- Manufactured Homes -- If not currently assessed as real estate.

Code #16 -- Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment

Furniture, fixtures, and equipment of all commercial, industrial, manufacturing, mercantile, trading, and all other businesses, occupations, and professions. Examples: desks, chairs, tables, file cabinets, typewriters, calculators, copy machines, telephones (including mobile telephones), telephone answering machines, facsimile machines, postage meters, cash registers, moveable air conditioners, partitions, shelving display racks, refrigerators, freezers, kitchen equipment, etc.

Code #17 -- Farm Machinery

Farm machinery (e.g., tractors, harrows, bush hogs, hay bines, hay rakes, balers, corn choppers, milking machines, milk tanks, coolers, chuck wagons, dozers, back hoes, hydroponic farm equipment, aquaculture equipment,  etc.), used in the operation of a farm.

Code #18 -- Farm Tools

Farm tools, (e.g., hoses, rakes, pitch forks, shovels, brooms, etc.).

Code #19 -- Mechanics Tools

Mechanics tools (e.g., wrenches, air hammers, jacks, sockets, etc.).

Code #20 -- EDP Equipment

Electronic data processing equipment e.g., computers, printers, peripheral computer equipment, and any computer based equipment acting as a computer as defined under Section 168 of the IRS Code of 1986, etc. Bundled software is taxable and must be included.

Code #21 -- Telecommunications Equipment

#21a - Telecommunication Equipment including cables, conduits, antennae, towers, batteries, generators, or any equipment not deemed technologically advanced by the Assessor.

#21b - Telecommunication equipment including controllers & control frames, relays switching & processing equipment, or any other equipment deemed technologically advanced by the Assessor.

Code #22 -- Cables, conduits, pipes, poles, etc.

Cables, Conduits, Pipes, Poles, Towers if not currently assessed as real estate, underground mains, wires, etc., of gas, heating, energy producing or telephone companies, water and water power companies. Included items annexed to the ground (e.g., hydraulic car lifts, gasoline holding tanks, pumps, truck scales, etc.), as well as property used for the purpose of creating or furnishing a supply of water (e.g., pumping stations).

Code #23 -- Expensed Supplies

The average monthly quantity of supplies normally consumed in the course of business (e.g., stationery, post-it notes, typewriter ribbons, computer disks, computer paper, pens, pencils, rulers, staplers, paper clips, medical and dental supplies, and maintenance supplies, etc.).

Code #24 -- All Other Goods, Chattels, and Effects

Any other taxable personal property not previously mentioned or which does not appear to fit into any of the other categories. (E.g. video tapes, vending machines, pinball games, video games, signs, billboards, coffee makers, water coolers, leasehold improvements other than realty, etc.)