1st Time Ever Business Property Tax Rendition Penalty Bills in Mail & Online
50,000 + Businesses Failed to Render Will Receive a 10% Late Bill

HOUSTON – February 9, 2005 – Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt announces this week’s mail out of approximately 84,668 first-time rendition penalty statements to business taxpayers that failed to comply with the new business personal property rendition law passed last year. This mailing includes 50,627 businesses that completely failed to render their business personal property to the Harris County Appraisal District or the Waller County Appraisal District.

“Businesses cannot ignore the rendition laws in Texas anymore,” said Bettencourt. “Over $6.4 million in penalties are due from about 50,627 businesses that failed to render at all in 2004 with a total of $12.6 million from 84,668 accounts in Harris County alone.”

A business is required to render all tangible personal property used for the generation of income which includes: inventories, furniture and fixtures, machinery and equipment, computers, business vehicles, vessels, and aircraft.

“A new state law that took effect last year provides that businesses which fail to render, or those that render late, are subject to a 10% penalty,” said Harris County Chief Appraiser Jim Robinson. “In the case of fraudulent renditions, the penalty is 50% plus possible criminal prosecution. If you’re a business owner you must submit a rendition statement, no exceptions.”

Completed rendition statements for 2005 must be returned to the Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) no later than April 15, 2005. Business owners may request a 30-day extension of the filing deadline, but it must be approved by HCAD’s Chief Appraiser Jim Robinson. Incomplete renditions are also subject to penalities. Almost $500,000 in penalties is owed by 2,751 businesses for filing incomplete renditions with HCAD, and 6,216 that rendered after the deadline for a total penalty of $1.6 million. The remaining 25,000 plus accounts dealt with business vehicle rendition issues.

“The Tax Office has also made it easier for businesses to pay their rendition penalty payments. A business owner can ‘Get online instead of in line’ to pay their rendition penalty payment by credit card or e-check at www.hctax.net. They are posted online today,” added Bettencourt.

For more assistance regarding payment of the penalty, please call the Harris County Tax Office at 713-368-2000 or visit our website at www.hctax.net to view and/or pay your rendition penalty statement online. Questions about rendition requirements may be made by calling HCAD at 713-957-7800 or by visiting the HCAD website at www.hcad.org.

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