Cal. Code Regs. tit. 18 § 133 : Public Revenues — State Board of Equalization-Property Tax (California Department of Tax and Fee Administration - Timber Yield Tax, See Chapter 11) — Assessment — Exemptions and Immunities — Business Inventory Exemption

(a) Scope of Exemption.

(1) "Business inventories" that are eligible for exemption from taxation under Section 129 of the Revenue and Taxation Code include all tangible personal property, whether raw materials, work in process or finished goods, which will become a part of or are themselves items of personalty held for sale or lease in the ordinary course of business.

(A) The phrase "ordinary course of business" does not constitute a limitation on the type of property which may be held for sale or lease, but it does require that the property be intended for sale or lease in accordance with the regular and usual practice and method of the business of the vendor or lessor.

(B) The phrase "goods intended for sale or lease" means property acquired, manufactured, produced, processed, raised or grown which is already the subject of a contract of sale or which is held and openly offered for sale or lease or will be so held and offered for sale or lease at the time it becomes a marketable product. Property which is ready for sale or lease must be displayed, advertised or otherwise brought to the attention of the potential purchasers or lessees by means normally employed by vendors or lessors of the product.

(2) "Business inventories" includes:

(A) Containers or container material such as kegs, bottles, cases, twine and wrapping paper, whether returnable or not, if title thereto will pass to the purchaser or lessee of the product to be sold or leased therein.

(B) New and used oak barrels used in the manufacturing process that physically incorporate the flavor- and aroma-enhancing chemical compounds of the oak into wine or brandy to be sold, when used for this purpose. However, an oak barrel is no longer business inventory once it loses the ability to impart the chemical compounds that enhance the flavor and aroma of the wine or brandy. An "oak barrel" used in the manufacturing process is defined as having a capacity of 212 gallons or less. Oak barrels not used in the manufacturing process but held for sale in the ordinary course of business are also considered business inventory.

(C) Materials such as lumber, cement, nails, steel beams, columns, girders, etc., held by a licensed contractor for incorporation into real property, providing the real property will not be retained for the licensed contractor's use.

(D) Crops and animals held primarily for sale or lease and animals used in the production of food or fiber and feed for animals in either category.

(E) Space flight property, not operationally reusable, listed in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations on the United States Munitions List ( 22 CFR § 121.1 ), the control over which is relinquished by the owner upon launch.

(i) "Space flight" means any flight designed for suborbital, orbital, or interplanetary travel.

(ii) The phrase "control over which is relinquished by the owner upon launch" means the transfer of control to a federal launch safety authority for space flight termination purposes.

(b) Exclusions. Property eligible for the "business inventories" exemption does not include:

(1) Property of any description in the hands of a vendee, lessee or other recipient on the lien date which has been purchased, leased, rented, or borrowed primarily for use by the vendee, lessee or other recipient of the property rather than for sale or lease or for physical incorporation into a product which is to be sold or leased. Examples of property excluded from business inventories are office supplies, furniture, machines and equipment and manufacturing machinery, equipment and supplies such as dies, patterns, jigs, tooling or chemicals used to produce a chemical or physical reaction, and contractors' supplies, tools, concrete forms, and other items that will not be incorporated into and become a part of the property. Also ineligible are materials that a contractor is holding to incorporate into real property that will be retained for his own use.

(2) Property being used by its owner for any purpose not directly associated with the prospective sale or lease of that property.

(3) Property actually leased or rented on the lien date.

(4) Property which has been used by the holder prior to the lien date, even though held for lease on the lien date.

(5) Property intended to be used by the lessor after being leased or during intervals between leases even though held for lease on the lien date.

(6) Property in the hands of a lessor who, with intent to enjoy the benefits of the inventory exemption, had leased the property for a period that expired shortly before the lien date but who renewed, extended or renegotiated the lease shortly thereafter.

(c) Service Enterprises. Property held by a person in connection with a profession which is primarily a service activity such as medicine, law, architecture or accountancy is not "business inventories" held for sale or lease even though such property may be transferred to a patient or client incidental to the rendition of the professional service. Property held by enterprises rendering services of a nonprofessional type such as dry cleaners, beauty shop operators and swimming pool service companies is to be regarded as "business inventories" held for sale if such property is delivered as an item regularly included in the service.

(d) Repairers and Reconditioners. Persons engaged in repairing or reconditioning tangible personal property with the intent of transferring parts and materials shall be regarded as holding said parts and materials as "business inventories."

(e) Agricultural Enterprises. Animals, crops and feed held primarily for sale or lease in the ordinary course of business are included in the term "business inventories," as are animals used in the production of food or fiber and feed for such animals.

(1) "Animals used in the production of food and fiber" includes all animals customarily employed in the raising of crops or for the feeding, breeding and management of livestock, or for dairying, or any other confined animals whose products are normally used as food for human consumption or for the production of fiber useful to man. Excluded are animals held by an owner or lessee principally for sport, recreation or pleasure such as show animals, horses held for racing or horses and other animals kept as pets.

(2) The term "crops" means all products grown, harvested, and held primarily for sale, including seeds held for sale or seeds to be used in the production of a crop which is to be held primarily for sale. It does not include growing crops exempted pursuant to Article XIII, section 3(h), of the California Constitution or fruit trees, nut trees, and grapevines exempted by section 223 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(3) The term "food" means property normally considered as food for human consumption.

(4) Feed for animals held primarily for sale or lease or for animals used in the production of food or fiber constitutes "business inventories" subject to exemption. It includes every type of natural-grown or commercial product fed to animals except medicinal commodities intended to prevent or cure disease unless the medicinal commodities are purchased as a component part of feed for such animals.

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 18, § 133

Note: Authority cited: Section 15606, Government Code. Reference: Sections 129 and 219, Revenue and Taxation Code.

1. New section filed 11-21-68; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 68, No. 44).
2. Amendment of subsections (a), (b) and (f) filed 1-9-70; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 70, No. 2).
3. Amendment filed 1-19-71; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 71, No. 4).
4. Amendment filed 2-18-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 75, No. 8).
5. Amendment filed 10-15-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 42).
6. Amendment of subsection (b) filed 1-22-85; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 85, No. 4).
7. Amendment of subsection (a)(1), redesignation of former subsections (a)(2)-(3) as subsections (a)(1)(A)-(B), and new subsections (a)(2)-(a)(2)(D) filed 6-26-2000; operative 7-26-2000 (Register 2000, No. 26).
8. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (c) filed 4-6-2001 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2001, No. 14).
9. Editorial correction of subsection (a)(1) (Register 2002, No. 43).