<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<baltimore-city-law heading="Subtitle 3 – Refunds">
  <section prefix="§" num="3-1" heading="Limitations period.">
    <text>No refunds shall be made by the Director of Finance nor ordered by the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals where the claim is filed more than 3 years from the date of payment of the taxes or other municipal charges.</text>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1950, art. 37, §31(1st sen.)(2nd cl.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1966, art. 28, §32(1st sen.)(2nd cl.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 28, §1(a)(7th sen.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 34-595</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 44-149</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 67-1090</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 76-147</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="3-2" heading="Director to examine.">
    <text>The Director of Finance is hereby authorized to examine all claims for return of taxes and other municipal charges which are alleged to have been paid in error resulting in an overpayment or a double payment.</text>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1950, art. 37, §31(1st sen.)(1st cl.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1966, art. 28, §32(1st sen.)(1st cl.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 28, §1(a)(1st sen.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 34-595</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 44-149</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 67-1090</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 76-147</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="3-3" heading="Required documentation; appeal to BMZA.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="In general.">
      <para num="(1)">Where the claimant is able to present a canceled check or checks or a valid receipt or receipts as evidence of such overpayment or double payment, and where the records of the Department of Finance show that there has been such overpayment or double payment, the Director of Finance is hereby empowered to make refund of such payment.</para>
      <para num="(2)">If upon examination of a claim for an alleged overpayment or double payment of taxes or other municipal charges, the claimant is unable to establish such evidence as stipulated above, the claim shall be denied and the claimant may file a petition for a refund of such overpayment or double payment with the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Rules and regulations.">
      <para num="(1)">Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) hereof, the Director of Finance is hereby authorized, subject to Title 4 {“Administrative Procedure Act – Regulations”} of the &lt;cite data-path="|general"&gt;City General Provisions Article&lt;/cite&gt;, to adopt rules and regulations to establish the documentation necessary to be furnished by the taxpayer, to support a claim for refund of taxes paid as a result of an overpayment or a double payment on the taxpayers’ property.</para>
      <para num="(2)">If upon examination of a claim for an alleged overpayment or double payment of taxes, the claimant is unable to establish such evidence as required by the Director of Finance’s rules and regulations, the claim shall be denied and the claimant may file a petition for a refund of such overpayment or double payment with the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals, and have such rights as provided in this subtitle.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1950, art. 37, §31(1st sen.)(1st cl.), (2nd sen.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1966, art. 28, §32(1st sen.)(1st cl.), (2nd sen.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 28, §1(a)(2nd, 3rd sens.), (b)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 34-595</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 44-149</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 67-1090</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 76-147</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Text Conformed 02/25/21</annotation>
    <annotation type="Editor's Notes">By authority of Ordinance 20-431, Section 5, the Director of Legislative Reference, in consultation with the Law Department, has conformed subsection (b)(1) of this section to refer expressly to the requirements of the recently-enacted Administrative Procedure Act that, effective January 15, 2021, governs the proposal, adoption, and publication of administrative rules and regulations.</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="3-4" heading="Action by BMZA.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Examination of evidence.">It shall be the duty of the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals to examine carefully all evidence presented upon such petitions to determine whether an overpayment or double payment does in fact exist.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Doubtful claims to be rejected.">The Board shall reject all such claims as may be considered doubtful or not well founded.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Claim accepted.">If the Board finds that the petition is well founded, the Board shall by order or orders in writing direct the Director of Finance to refund or repay the amount claimed.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1950, art. 37, §31( 2nd cl.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1966, art. 28, §32( 2nd cl.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 28, §1(a)(4th - 6th sens.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 34-595</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 44-149</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 67-1090</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 76-147</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="3-5" heading="Abatement of claim already paid.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Board to investigate claim.">Upon the representation of any taxpayer that he or she has paid the taxes or other municipal charges for which the Director of Finance has demanded payment, the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals is hereby authorized to investigate the case.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Abatement on proof of payment.">If the party shall declare his or her receipt has been destroyed or lost, and if undoubted proof or satisfactory documentary evidence is given that the said bill has been paid, the claim shall be abated.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1950, art. 37, §32(1st sen.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1966, art. 28, §33(1st sen.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 28, §2(1st, 2nd sens.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 44-149</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 67-1057</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="3-6" heading="List of refunds and abatements.">
    <text>The Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals shall keep a correct list or account of all claims for the refund or abatement of taxes or other municipal charges presented to or examined by said Board, which said list or account shall contain the names and addresses of the person or persons presenting such claims, the amount of taxes or other municipal charges refunded or abated, including those rejected and the reasons for their action in the premises.</text>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1950, art. 37, §32(2nd sen)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1966, art. 28, §33(2nd sen.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 28, §2(3rd sen.)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 44-149</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 67-1057</annotation>
  </section>
</baltimore-city-law>
