15-15-103. Examination of applicant -- failure to hear application. (1) Before the county tax appeal board grants any application or makes any reduction applied for, it shall examine on oath the person or agent making the application with regard to the value of the property of the person. A reduction may not be made unless the applicant makes an application, as provided in 15-15-102, and attends the county board hearing. An appeal of the county board's decision may not be made to the Montana tax appeal board unless the person or the person's agent has exhausted the remedies available through the county board. In order to exhaust the remedies, the person or the person's agent shall attend the county board hearing. On written request by the person or the person's agent and on the written concurrence of the department, the county board may waive the requirement that the person or the person's agent attend the hearing. The testimony of all witnesses at the hearing and the deliberation of the county tax appeal board in rendering a decision must be electronically recorded and preserved for 1 year. If the decision of the county board is appealed, the record of the proceedings, including the electronic recording of all testimony and the deliberation of the county tax appeal board, must be forwarded, together with all exhibits, to the Montana board. The date of the hearing, the proceedings before the county board, and the decision must be entered upon the minutes of the county board, and the county board shall notify the applicant of its decision by mail within 3 days. A copy of the minutes of the county board must be transmitted to the Montana board no later than 3 days after the county board holds its final hearing of the year.

(2) (a) Except as provided in 15-15-201, if a county board refuses or fails to hear a taxpayer's timely application for a reduction in valuation of property, the taxpayer's application is considered to be granted on the day following the county board's final meeting for that year. The department shall enter the appraisal or classification sought in the application in the property tax record. An application is not automatically granted for the following appeals:

(i) those listed in 15-2-302(1); and

(ii) if a taxpayer's appeal from the department's determination of classification or appraisal made pursuant to 15-7-102 was not received in time, as provided for in 15-15-102, to be considered by the county board during its current session.

(b) The county board shall provide written notification of each application that was automatically granted pursuant to subsection (2)(a) to the department, the Montana board, and any affected municipal corporation. The notice must include the name of the taxpayer and a description of the subject property.

(3) The county tax appeal board shall consider an independent appraisal provided by the taxpayer if the appraisal meets standards set by the Montana board of real estate appraisers and the appraisal was conducted within 6 months of the valuation date. If the county tax appeal board does not use the appraisal provided by the taxpayer in conducting the appeal, the county board shall provide to the taxpayer the reason for not using the appraisal.