Definitions.

All definitions set out in chapters 1 and 200 that are applicable to this chapter are included herein. In addition, the following definitions shall apply in the imposition of ad valorem taxes:

(1) “Ad valorem tax” means a tax based upon the assessed value of property. The term “property tax” may be used interchangeably with the term “ad valorem tax.”

(2) “Assessed value of property” means an annual determination of:

(a) The just or fair market value of an item or property;

(b) The value of property as limited by Art. VII of the State Constitution; or

(c) The value of property in a classified use or at a fractional value if the property is assessed solely on the basis of character or use or at a specified percentage of its value under Art. VII of the State Constitution.

(3) “County property appraiser” means the county officer charged with determining the value of all property within the county, with maintaining certain records connected therewith, and with determining the tax on taxable property after taxes have been levied. He or she shall also be referred to in these statutes as the “property appraiser” or “appraiser.”

(4) “County tax collector” means the county officer charged with the collection of ad valorem taxes levied by the county, the school board, any special taxing districts within the county, and all municipalities within the county.

(5) “Department,” unless otherwise designated, means the Department of Revenue.

(6) “Extend on the tax roll” means the arithmetic computation whereby the millage is converted to a decimal number representing one one-thousandth of a dollar and then multiplied by the taxable value of the property to determine the tax on such property.

(7) “Governing body” means any board, commission, council, or individual acting as the executive head of a unit of local government.

(8) “Homestead” means that property described in s. 6(a), Art. VII of the State Constitution.

(9) “Levy” means the imposition of a tax, stated in terms of “millage,” against all appropriately located property by a governmental body authorized by law to impose ad valorem taxes.

(10) “Mill” means one one-thousandth of a United States dollar. “Millage” may apply to a single levy of taxes or to the cumulative of all levies.

(11) “Personal property,” for the purposes of ad valorem taxation, shall be divided into four categories as follows:

(a) “Household goods” means wearing apparel, furniture, appliances, and other items ordinarily found in the home and used for the comfort of the owner and his or her family. Household goods are not held for commercial purposes or resale.

(b) “Intangible personal property” means money, all evidences of debt owed to the taxpayer, all evidences of ownership in a corporation or other business organization having multiple owners, and all other forms of property where value is based upon that which the property represents rather than its own intrinsic value.

(c)1. “Inventory” means only those chattels consisting of items commonly referred to as goods, wares, and merchandise (as well as inventory) which are held for sale or lease to customers in the ordinary course of business. Supplies and raw materials shall be considered to be inventory only to the extent that they are acquired for sale or lease to customers in the ordinary course of business or will physically become a part of merchandise intended for sale or lease to customers in the ordinary course of business. Partially finished products which when completed will be held for sale or lease to customers in the ordinary course of business shall be deemed items of inventory. All livestock shall be considered inventory. Items of inventory held for lease to customers in the ordinary course of business, rather than for sale, shall be deemed inventory only prior to the initial lease of such items. For the purposes of this section, fuels used in the production of electricity shall be considered inventory.

2. “Inventory” also means construction and agricultural equipment weighing 1,000 pounds or more that is returned to a dealership under a rent-to-purchase option and held for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. This subparagraph may not be considered in determining whether property that is not construction and agricultural equipment weighing 1,000 pounds or more that is returned under a rent-to-purchase option is inventory under subparagraph 1.

(d) “Tangible personal property” means all goods, chattels, and other articles of value (but does not include the vehicular items enumerated in s. 1(b), Art. VII of the State Constitution and elsewhere defined) capable of manual possession and whose chief value is intrinsic to the article itself. “Construction work in progress” consists of those items of tangible personal property commonly known as fixtures, machinery, and equipment when in the process of being installed in new or expanded improvements to real property and whose value is materially enhanced upon connection or use with a preexisting, taxable, operational system or facility. Construction work in progress shall be deemed substantially completed when connected with the preexisting, taxable, operational system or facility. For the purposes of tangible personal property constructed or installed by an electric utility, construction work in progress shall be deemed substantially completed upon the earlier of when all permits or approvals required for commercial operation have been received or approved, or 1 year after the construction work in progress has been connected with the preexisting, taxable, operational system or facility. Inventory and household goods are expressly excluded from this definition.

(12) “Real property” means land, buildings, fixtures, and all other improvements to land. The terms “land,” “real estate,” “realty,” and “real property” may be used interchangeably.

(13) “Taxpayer” means the person or other legal entity in whose name property is assessed, including an agent of a timeshare period titleholder.

(14) “Fee timeshare real property” means the land and buildings and other improvements to land that are subject to timeshare interests which are sold as a fee interest in real property.

(15) “Timeshare period titleholder” means the purchaser of a timeshare period sold as a fee interest in real property, whether organized under chapter 718 or chapter 721.

(16) “Taxable value” means the assessed value of property minus the amount of any applicable exemption provided under s. 3 or s. 6, Art. VII of the State Constitution and chapter 196.

(17) “Floating structure” means a floating barge-like entity, with or without accommodations built thereon, which is not primarily used as a means of transportation on water but which serves purposes or provides services typically associated with a structure or other improvement to real property. The term “floating structure” includes, but is not limited to, each entity used as a residence, place of business, office, hotel or motel, restaurant or lounge, clubhouse, meeting facility, storage or parking facility, mining platform, dredge, dragline, or similar facility or entity represented as such. Floating structures are expressly excluded from the definition of the term “vessel” provided in s. 327.02. Incidental movement upon water shall not, in and of itself, preclude an entity from classification as a floating structure. A floating structure is expressly included as a type of tangible personal property.

(18) “Complete submission of the rolls” includes, but is not limited to, accurate tabular summaries of valuations as prescribed by department rule; an electronic copy of the real property assessment roll including for each parcel total value of improvements, land value, the recorded selling prices, other ownership transfer data required for an assessment roll under s. 193.114, the value of any improvement made to the parcel in the 12 months preceding the valuation date, the type and amount of any exemption granted, and such other information as may be required by department rule; an accurate tabular summary by property class of any adjustments made to recorded selling prices or fair market value in arriving at assessed value, as prescribed by department rule; an electronic copy of the tangible personal property assessment roll, including for each entry a unique account number and such other information as may be required by department rule; and an accurate tabular summary of per-acre land valuations used for each class of agricultural property in preparing the assessment roll, as prescribed by department rule.

(19) “Computer software” means any information, program, or routine, or any set of one or more programs, routines, or collections of information used or intended for use to convey information or to cause one or more computers or pieces of computer-related peripheral equipment, or any combination thereof, to perform a task or set of tasks. Without limiting the generality of the definition provided in this subsection, the term includes operating and applications programs and all related documentation. Computer software does not include embedded software that resides permanently in the internal memory of a computer or computer-related peripheral equipment and that is not removable without terminating the operation of the computer or equipment. Computer software constitutes personal property only to the extent of the value of the unmounted or uninstalled medium on or in which the information, program, or routine is stored or transmitted, and, after installation or mounting by any person, computer software does not increase the value of the computer or computer-related peripheral equipment, or any combination thereof. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this subsection applies to the 1997 and subsequent tax rolls and to any assessment in an administrative or judicial action pending on June 1, 1997.