(a) For purposes of Sections 24943 through 24945, if real property (not including stock in trade or other property held primarily for sale) held for productive use in trade or business or for investment is (as a result of its seizure, requisition, or condemnation, or threat or imminence thereof) compulsorily or involuntarily converted, property of a like kind to be held either for productive use in trade or business or for investment shall be treated as property similar or related in service or use to the property so converted.

(b) (1) Subdivision (a) shall not apply to the purchase of stock in the acquisition of control of a corporation described in subdivision (a) of Section 24944.

(2) Subdivision (a) shall apply with respect to the compulsory or involuntary conversion of any real property only if the disposition of the converted property (within the meaning of subdivision (b) of Section 24943) occurs after December 31, 1960.

(c) (1) A taxpayer may elect, at such time and in such manner as the Franchise Tax Board may prescribe, to treat property which constitutes an outdoor advertising display as real property for purposes of this part with respect to which an election under Section 24356.2 (relating to election to expense certain depreciable business assets) is in effect.

(2) An election made under paragraph (1) may not be revoked without the consent of the Franchise Tax Board.

(3) For purposes of this subdivision, the term “outdoor advertising display” means a rigidly assembled sign, display, or device permanently affixed to the ground or permanently attached to a building or other inherently permanent structure constituting, or used for the display of, a commercial or other advertisement to the public.

(4) For purposes of this subdivision, an interest in real property purchased as replacement property for a compulsorily or involuntarily converted outdoor advertising display defined in paragraph (3) (and treated by the taxpayer as real property) shall be considered property of a like kind as the property converted without regard to whether the taxpayer’s interest in the replacement property is the same kind of interest the taxpayer held in the converted property.

(d) In the case of a compulsory or involuntary conversion described in subdivision (a), paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 24944 shall be applied by substituting “three years” for “two years.”

(e) Subdivision (d) shall apply with respect to any disposition of converted property (within the meaning of Section 24944) after December 31, 1976.

(Amended by Stats. 1984, Ch. 45, Sec. 16. Effective March 20, 1984.)