SDCL § 10-4-40: Partial exemption--Owner-occupied dwellings of certain disabled veterans.

Two hundred thousand dollars of the full and true value of the total amount of a dwelling or portion thereof classified as owner-occupied pursuant to §§ 10-13-39 to 10-13-40.4, inclusive, which is owned and occupied by a veteran who is rated as permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability, is exempt from property taxation. The veteran shall apply for this partial exemption on a form prescribed by the secretary of revenue. Any application or supporting document for this exemption is confidential.

Any veteran who would otherwise qualify for this exemption but fails to comply with the application deadline for the owner-occupied classification or the deadline for application for this exemption may petition the board of county commissioners to recalculate the taxes based upon the owner-occupied classification and this exemption, and the board may abate or refund the difference in taxes in the same manner set forth in chapter 10-18.

If the veteran meets all eligibility requirements for this exemption except for the application deadline due to a pending claim for a permanent and total disability rating through the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, the board must abate or refund the difference in taxes accumulated since the effective date of the claim, but not exceeding the previous four years. The abatement or refund of taxes must be made in accordance with chapter 10-18.

If the director of equalization determines that the veteran receives an exemption for the veteran's dwelling pursuant to this section, the veteran retains that exemption until the property ownership is transferred, the veteran does not occupy the dwelling, or the property has a change in use. If the legal description of property is changed or amended and the veteran continues to reside in the dwelling, the veteran retains the exemption provided by this section.