The overall current use review process has not changed. This includes applications being entered into eCuse, acreage and use value being certified by the Current Use Staff at PVR and local assessors and listers providing local values in order to calculate the exempt reduction. Your communication of these local values to PVR will occur in VTPIE and the exempt reduction will be downloaded into your local billing software.

Review the State's detailed Current Use Instructions here.

  1. eCuse Application: The eCuse portion of the current use review process remains unchanged. Applications will come in through eCuse and clerks will continue to print approved applications and complete recording within eCuse.
  2. State Initial Review:  PVR current use staff perform an initial review of the current use enrollment prior to allowing the town to input their values. As soon as the state has completed their review the enrollment is available for local verification.
  3. Local Verification: The data requested during local verification has not changed and includes values of enrolled farm buildings, dwellings, non-enrolled farm buildings, and enrolled and excluded land. Values must be entered as either homestead or non-homestead depending on current homestead status.
  4. State Certification: State certification is completed automatically if you are able to successfully complete local verification (there are a number of checks discussed below). If you propose an acreage change or make a change to the parcel, current use staff will need to manually complete state certification. Note: current use records may be downloaded to billing even if state certification is incomplete.
  5. Download to Billing: Instructions and recording training can be found here.


Watch recorded training here.

 

Step 1: Upload assessment information

In order to ensure you have the appropriate assessed values and acreages to compare during review of current use enrollments, please follow the instructions to upload your CAMA information here.


Step 2: Determine if you have Current Use enrollments to Review

  1. When you log into VTPIE the Tax Programs module will display how many Current Use enrollments you have to review. In the screenshot below we have reviewed 6 of the 57 available Current Use records. Clicking on "Tax Programs", then "Current Use" will bring you to the Current Use homepage.


Step 3: Prepare to review Current Use Enrollments

  1. Filters:  By default, records are filtered to show those awaiting local verification. This is your work queue. You may also select filter by other queues or "Show All" to view all current use records which have completed state initial review.
  2. Reports: The reports dropdown provides access to current use reports.
  3. Questions: This column indicates if there are any questions associated with a record. You may click on the column header to sort the records by the number of unresolved questions.
  4. Flag: This column indicates if a record has been flagged by CU staff. It includes records which are under review by PVR current use staff which could have pending changes.


Step 4: General Enrollment Information

 

Note: Clicking on a current use enrollment record will bring you to general enrollment information. You will complete Local Verification from this screen.

  1. Tabs:
    1. Property: Each current use enrollment will have one attached property. If the property is incorrect you may search for and attach the correct property
    2. Attachments: A PDF of the application as submitted (or as approved) will be available here. It is anticipated that current use maps will eventually be available from this interface, as well.
    3. Questions:  Questions may be asked by either state or local users. If a question exists, the tab will display an exclamation point.
  2. Reports: The reports tab allows you to print a parcel report.
  3. Verify Button: Clicking the verify button will bring you to the verify screen where you can enter or update your values or acreages.
  4. Grand List Information: The grand list information section contains information from your grand list. This information comes from your CAMA upload.
  5. Enrollment Information: Enrollment information contains data from the current use application or record.
  6. Status and Accounts: Status and accounts contains the PVR account information as well as enrollment and VTPIE status.
  7. Notes: The notes section contains various notes about the current use enrollment.


Step 5: Update/Review Current Use Valuation

Begin by clicking the blue Verify Button on the top of the current use record screen to access the Verify Screen.

  1. Overview Information: The overview section provides basic information about the enrollment as well as valuation and acreage information from the Grand List. Note: if the grand list information is not up to date, you may need to upload a new CAMA file.
  2. Span Number: This displays the SPAN that is associated with the enrollment. Click on the blue pencil to search for and attach a new SPAN, if needed. Note: if a new SPAN is attached, the enrollment will need to go through the state certification process.
  3. Homestead/Non-Homestead Value: The homestead and non-homestead values are provided from the Grand List. Note: these are updated both when you upload a new CAMA and when a new homestead declaration is received (this happens weekly).
  4. Valuation Information: The valuation section contains the values for dwelling and non-enrolled farm buildings, enrolled farm buildings, excluded land, and enrolled land. Please consult with your DA for assistance on developing these valuations.
    1. Homestead/Non-Homestead: By default, only Non-Homestead fields are available unless. If a homestead is filed, then homestead fields will become available. Note that the total listed value for Non-Homestead and Homestead must match what is in the grand list highlighted in Item 3.
      1. Special Homestead Cases:
        1. Dwelling and Non-enrolled Farm Buildings: If a Homestead has been filed, this field will allow entry into both the homestead and Non-Homestead fields
        2. Enrolled Farm Buildings: Enrolled farm buildings are always Non-Homestead, even if a Homestead has been filed.


Step 6: Review Enrolled and Excluded Acreage

Note: if you make changes to acreage you must provide an acreage change reason and the acreage must equal the total acreage on the parcel. This will trigger the need for state certification.

  1. State Acres: State acres shows the acres that the state has certified as enrolled or excluded from the Current Use Program.
  2. Municipal Acres: Municipal acres agree with state acres by default. If you wish to propose a change to the enrolled acres you may edit these and provide an acreage change reason. Note if you edit the municipal acres and the state has not completed its review these acres will be used for the exempt reduction calculation for billing export.
  3. Acreage Change Reason: If you do change acres you will be required to supply an acreage change reason.


Step 7: Save and Verify (including verification math and logical checks)

  1. Cancel: Cancels without saving your changes and returns you to the previous screen.
  2. Save: Saves your changes and remains on the same screen. This will update the calculated totals.
  3. Save and Return: Saves your changes and returns you to the previous screen.
  4. Save and Verify: Saves and completes Local Verification.


Logical Checks

  1. Acreage: Total Enrolled + Excluded acreage must match the parcel acreage
  2. Value Checks:
    1. Totals: Homestead and Non-Homestead total listed value must match the grand list totals.
    2. Enrolled Farm Buildings: If there are enrolled farm buildings, the value must be greater than zero. If there are no enrolled farm buildings the value must be 0.
    3. Excluded Land: If there are excluded acres this value must be greater than zero. If there are no excluded acres this value must be 0.
    4. Enrolled Land Value: If there is enrolled land this value must be greater than zero. If there is no enrolled land this value must be 0.