Bewertungsgesetz

Bewertungsgesetz, literally meaning "Valuation Law," is the name given to one or more statutes in German-speaking countries that regulate how assets are valued for legal and administrative purposes. The term is commonly used in reference to valuation rules within tax systems and civil-law contexts, and it appears in governing texts in countries such as Austria and Germany, though each jurisdiction has its own specific law or set of provisions bearing the title.

In Austria, the Bewertungsgesetz (often abbreviated BewG) prescribes the methods and bases for valuing real estate, agricultural and forestry assets, and other property for tax and civil-law purposes. It outlines accepted valuation approaches, such as market value or income/value-based methods, and provides rules on valuation dates, the performance of appraisals, and the formality of valuation reports. The law serves as a framework for determining values used in property taxation, transfer taxation, inheritance and gift taxation, and related civil transactions.

In Germany, concepts of value determination also appear in valuation provisions that support tax assessments and property-related transactions, and they interact with broader laws governing taxation, inheritance and gift tax, and real estate transfer. The exact scope and application of a Bewertungsgesetz can vary over time as statutes are amended to reflect market conditions and policy objectives.

Common features across Bewertungsgesetze include the specification of valuation bases and methods, procedural rules for conducting valuations, the designation of responsible authorities, and provisions for appeals or challenges to valuations. The statutes thus provide a standardized framework to ensure consistent, transparent asset valuations for taxation and civil-law purposes.