(a) The tax assessor or other assessing official in each of the several counties shall have the right and authority to assess all real estate, together with improvements thereon, and all personal property to the party last assessing the same, or to the owner of record, except such real estate and personal property which is now or may hereafter be assessed by the Department of Revenue. The failure of the tax assessor or other assessing official to assess said property to the true owner shall not invalidate the assessment. The tax assessor or other assessing official shall have the right and authority to prescribe the proper bookkeeping method to carry out the provisions of this article, subject to the approval of the Chief Examiner of Public Accounts. Should the owner of any real estate make improvements on such property, or should any improvements be removed or destroyed or partially removed or destroyed during any taxable year, it shall be the duty of such owner to make a tax return between October 1 and prior to January 1 covering all such changes made subsequent to October 1 of the preceding tax year. Improvements partially completed on October 1 shall be reported to the tax assessor or other assessing official by the owner thereof and shall be assessed as incomplete for that tax year. It shall be the duty of any person who purchases real estate prior to October 1 of any taxable year and who owns said real estate on that date to report such purchase to and assess that property with the tax assessor or other assessing official between October 1 and prior to January 1 following such purchase. No penalty shall be charged such taxpayer for failure to report the purchase or sale of any real estate.

(b) Every person, firm, or corporation who owns, maintains, or keeps a manufactured home shall receive a decal upon the payment of the ad valorem tax on said manufactured home. Said decals shall be designed by the state Department of Revenue and displayed on the manufactured home for which the ad valorem taxes were paid, as set out in subsection (a) of Section 40-12-255.

This decal shall take the place of all other decals of any county or municipality, and there will be no other decals required. Said decal shall be proof of payment of said ad valorem taxes.