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<section article="gtp" article_name="Tax - Property" number="7-238" title_number="7" title_name="Property Tax Exemptions" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="General Property Tax Exemptions">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Computer software” means any program or routine used to cause a computer to perform a specific task or set of tasks.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Computer software” includes:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>system and application programs; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>database storage and management programs.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Embedded software” means computer instructions, known as microcode, that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>reside permanently in the internal memory of a computer system or other equipment; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>are not intended to be removed without terminating the operation of the computer system or equipment and removing a computer chip, a circuit, or another mechanical device.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d) of this section, computer software and any documentation related to the computer software are not subject to valuation or property tax.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The exemption under this section does not apply to computer software or its related documentation if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the computer software is embedded software; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the computer software is sold from stock in business in a tangible medium ready for use as is.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>When reporting personal property under Title 11 of this article, a business may not reduce the original cost of the computer hardware by the value of the computer software that is acquired as part of the purchase of computer hardware.</text>
  </level>
</section>
