Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 273.5

(a) If a claimant for the veterans’ exemption for the 1976–77 fiscal year or any year thereafter fails to file the required affidavit with the assessor by 5 p.m. on February 15 of the calendar year in which the fiscal year begins, but files that claim on or before the following December 10, an exemption of the lesser of three thousand two hundred dollars ($3,200) or 80 percent of the full value of the property shall be granted by the assessor.
(b) On those claims filed pursuant to subdivision (a) after November 15, this exemption may be applied to the second installment, and if applied to the second installment, the first installment will still become delinquent on December 10, and the delinquent penalty provided for in this division will attach if the tax amount due is not paid.
If this exemption is applied to the second installment and if both installments are paid on or before December 10, or if the reduction in taxes from this exemption exceeds the amount of taxes due on the second installment, a refund shall be made to the taxpayer upon a claim submitted by the taxpayer to the auditor.