Aircraft for Display Exemption

This exemption provides a property tax exemption for aircraft that is made available for display in an aerospace museum. To qualify for the exemption, the aircraft must have been available for public display in an aerospace museum for a minimum of 90 days or more during the 12-month period that immediately preceded the lien date for the year that the exemption is claimed. Unlike most exemptions, the aircraft for display exemption is not based on its status as of lien date, but based on its display status (See Revenue and Taxation Code section 217.1(e)).

The aerospace museum where the aircraft is displayed must be one that is either publicly owned or one that is operated by a nonprofit organization that qualifies for exemption under Revenue and Taxation Code section 23701d and regularly open to the public. In addition, such personal property must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  1. The aircraft has been restored or maintained, whether currently certified or not for flight purposes.
  2. The aircraft is donated in perpetuity to the aerospace museum.

This exemption does not apply to any aircraft loaned to the aerospace museum by any person who holds aircraft primarily for purposes of sale.

Regularly Open to the Public

Regularly open to the public means that the aerospace museum was open to the public for 20 or more hours per week and for 35 or more weeks during the 12-month period that immediately preceded the lien date for the year for which the exemption is claimed. If the museum has been open for less than 35 weeks or for less than 20 hours per week during the required time period, the exemption may still be granted if the director or other officer of the museum certifies in writing that the museum will be open for not less than 20 hours per week for not less than 35 weeks during the 12-month period beginning with the date the aerospace museum was first opened.

Filing Requirements

To apply for the Aircraft for Display Exemption, a claim form must be filed annually with the assessor of the county where the aircraft is located by 5:00 p.m., February 15, for the preceding January 1 lien date (the exemption is waived if the claimant fails to file by February 15). The claim form, BOE-260-A, Certificate and Affidavit for Exemption of Certain Aircraft, is available from the county assessor.

The affidavit shall be accompanied by a signed certificate from the aerospace museum director or other officer of the museum where the aircraft is available for public display. If additional aircraft are listed on attachments, the museum personnel must sign each attachment. The claimant may complete the affidavit for exemption for multiple aircraft in the same aerospace museum, listing the following information for each aircraft on an attachment:

  1. Nature of the aircraft for which the exemption is claimed (restored or maintained aircraft and/or aircraft donated in perpetuity)
  2. Description of the aircraft (make, model, year, and FAA or tail number)

The following links provide additional information on Aircraft for Display Exemption: