NRS371.104. Exemptions for veteran with a disability and surviving spouse; transfer of exemption to veteran’s current spouse.

      1.  A bona fide resident of the State of Nevada who has incurred a permanent service-connected disability and has been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States, or his or her surviving spouse, is entitled to a veteran’s exemption from the payment of governmental services taxes on vehicles of the following determined valuations:

      (a) If he or she has a disability of 100 percent, the first $20,000 of determined valuation.

      (b) If he or she has a disability of 80 to 99 percent, inclusive, the first $15,000 of determined valuation.

      (c) If he or she has a disability of 60 to 79 percent, inclusive, the first $10,000 of determined valuation.

      2.  In lieu of claiming the exemption from taxation set forth in subsection 1 in his or her name, a veteran may transfer the exemption to his or her current spouse. To transfer the exemption, the veteran must file an affidavit of transfer with the Department in the county where the exemption would otherwise have been claimed. The affidavit of transfer must be made before an authorized employee of the Department or a notary public. If a veteran makes such a transfer:

      (a) The spouse of the veteran is entitled to the exemption in the same manner as if the spouse were the veteran;

      (b) The veteran is not entitled to the exemption for the duration of the transfer;

      (c) The transfer expires upon the earlier of:

             (1) The termination of the marriage;

             (2) The death of the veteran; or

             (3) The revocation of the transfer by the veteran as described in paragraph (d); and

      (d) The veteran may, at any time, revoke the transfer of the exemption by filing with the Department in the county where the exemption is claimed an affidavit made before an authorized employee of the Department or a notary public.

      3.  For the purpose of this section, the first $20,000 of determined valuation of vehicles in which a person described in subsection 1 or 2 has any interest shall be deemed to belong entirely to that person.

      4.  A person claiming the exemption shall file annually with the Department in the county where the exemption is claimed an affidavit declaring that he or she is a bona fide resident of the State of Nevada who meets all the other requirements of subsection 1 or 2, as applicable, and that the exemption is claimed in no other county within this State. After the filing of the original affidavit of exemption and after the transfer of the exemption, if any, pursuant to subsection 2, the county assessor shall, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, mail a form for:

      (a) The renewal of the exemption; and

      (b) The designation of any amount to be credited to the Gift Account for the Veterans Home in Southern Nevada or the Gift Account for the Veterans Home in Northern Nevada established pursuant to NRS 417.145,

Ê to the person who claimed the exemption each year following a year in which the exemption was allowed for that person. The form must be designed to facilitate its return by mail by the person claiming the exemption. If so requested by the person claiming the exemption, the county assessor may provide the form to the person by electronic means in lieu of by mail.

      5.  Before allowing any exemption pursuant to the provisions of this section, the Department shall require proof of the veteran’s status, and for that purpose shall require production of:

      (a) A certificate from the Department of Veterans Affairs that the veteran has incurred a permanent service-connected disability, which shows the percentage of that disability; and

      (b) Any one of the following:

             (1) An honorable discharge;

             (2) A certificate of satisfactory service; or

             (3) A certified copy of either of these documents.

      6.  A surviving spouse claiming an exemption pursuant to this section must file with the Department in the county where the exemption is claimed an affidavit declaring that:

      (a) The surviving spouse was married to and living with the veteran with a disability for the 5 years preceding his or her death;

      (b) The veteran with a disability was eligible for the exemption at the time of his or her death or, if not for a transfer of the exemption pursuant to subsection 2, would have been eligible for the exemption at the time of his or her death; and

      (c) The surviving spouse has not remarried.

Ê The affidavit required by this subsection is in addition to the certification required pursuant to subsections 4 and 5. After the filing of the original affidavit required by this subsection, the county assessor shall, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, mail a form for renewal of the exemption to the person each year following a year in which the exemption was allowed for that person. The form must be designed to facilitate its return by mail by the person claiming the exemption. If so requested by the person claiming the exemption, the county assessor may provide the form to the person by electronic means in lieu of by mail.

      7.  If a tax exemption is allowed under this section, the veteran and his or her current spouse are not entitled to an exemption under NRS 371.103.

      8.  If any person makes a false affidavit or produces false proof to the Department, and as a result of the false affidavit or false proof the person is allowed a tax exemption to which he or she is not entitled, the person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

      9.  Beginning with the 2005-2006 Fiscal Year, the monetary amounts in subsections 1 and 3 must be adjusted for each fiscal year by adding to each amount the product of the amount multiplied by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (All Items) from December 2003 to the December preceding the fiscal year for which the adjustment is calculated.

      (Added to NRS by 1977, 1490; A 1979, 1302; 1981, 1566; 1989, 718; 1995, 1089; 2001, 292, 1532, 1533; 2003, 2778, 2779; 2011, 2542, 3529; 2013, 297, 2515)