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Board adopts statewide agent-authorization form to standardize representation and protect taxpayer records
Summary
After a year of stakeholder work the Board approved a prescribed statewide agent-authorization form (BOE-701A) to replace inconsistent county forms. The standardized form is intended to reduce fraud and make paperwork uniform for assessors and taxpayer representatives.
The Board of Equalization on May 27 unanimously adopted a standardized statewide agent-authorization form (BOE-701A) designed to replace dozens of county-specific forms and to provide assessors with a common, auditable authorization when a taxpayer designates a representative.
David Young, deputy director of the property tax department, said the form grew out of taxpayer-rights hearings and repeated requests from representatives who file on many counties' dockets. "We worked with assessors, tax representatives and attorneys to design a form that meets county needs while protecting taxpayer records," Young said.
Stakeholders praised the change. Kelly Hit of Ryan LLC told the board the single form will "reduce the burden for the counties and provide uniformity for taxpayers." BOE staff said the form will be effective immediately and stressed that, once prescribed by the board, counties will use the BOE-prescribed form rather than creating their own local variations. Staff also noted that attorneys often notify an assessor's office as attorney-of-record, but non-attorney representatives asked for the standardized authorization to avoid inconsistent practices across counties.
Board members applauded the multi-stakeholder negotiation and praised staff for addressing privacy and fraud concerns. The form includes explicit revocation language and allows property owners to designate representatives for specified properties or matters. The board's adoption is intended to make the agent-authority status clear in county files and reduce administrative confusion when representatives submit claims or request records.
