(1) Introduction. RCW 84.08.020 requires the department of revenue (department) to prescribe all forms to be used in the assessment and collection of property taxes under Title 84 RCW. Certain modifications to these forms, including electronic forms, by county assessors and county treasurers, must be reviewed by the department. Requests for review of modified forms must be submitted to the department in the manner described in this rule.

(2) Forms currently in use. The department maintains a list of forms it is responsible for updating. These forms are used by county assessors and county treasurers to carry out the provisions of the assessment and collection of property taxes under Titles 84 RCW and 458 WAC. The department will permit the use of department forms revised by county assessors and treasurers if, in the department's judgment, they adequately meet the applicable statutory and program requirements.

(a) Once the department approves proposed revisions to a form, that form may be used until it needs revision because of obsolescence caused by time or statutory change. Each county assessor and treasurer is responsible for ensuring their office is utilizing the most current version of a form.

(b) Department approval is not required for changes to a form's contact information, such as a county employee's name, an office address, a phone number, an email address, hours of operation, etc. For example, RCW 84.34.030 requires that applications to classify land as farm and agricultural land be made to the county assessor on forms prepared by the department and supplied by the county assessor. If a county assessor elects to alter the department's application form, other than the changes described in this subsection, it must send its proposed changes to the department for approval.

(3) Forms requiring approval. A county choosing to use a modified form, with modifications other than those listed in subsection (2)(b) of this rule and the form has not been reviewed by the department, must submit the form to the department for review and approval to ensure it meets the applicable statutory and program requirements under Titles 84 RCW and 458 WAC, as follows:

(a) The county must electronically submit the form for review to the department's property tax division and provide the proposed form revisions;

(b) The department will review the proposed form revisions and notify the county if it approves the changes or if additional changes need to be made; and

(c) Once the department approves the form revisions and the county updates the form for public use, the county must send an electronic copy of the final revised form to the department's property tax division. The department will maintain a copy of the revised form as described in subsection (4) of this rule. If a county chooses not to make the required changes, it must use the department's version of the form at dor.wa.gov.

(4) Form retention. The department will keep an electronic copy of each form it has reviewed and approved for a county when the form is required to be provided by the department under Title 84 RCW or 458 WAC.

(Rule derived from RCW 84.08.020; 84.48.010; 84.56.050; TCR 10-30-1940.)