82.32.087 - Direct pay permits. - Washington Statutes

Direct pay permits.

(1) The director may grant a direct pay permit to a taxpayer who demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the director, that the taxpayer meets the requirements of this section. The direct pay permit allows the taxpayer to accrue and remit directly to the department use tax on the acquisition of tangible personal property or sales tax on the sale of or charges made for labor and/or services, in accordance with all of the applicable provisions of this title. Any taxpayer that uses a direct pay permit shall remit state and local sales or use tax directly to the department. The agreement by the purchaser to remit tax directly to the department, rather than pay sales or use tax to the seller, relieves the seller of the obligation to collect sales or use tax and requires the buyer to pay use tax on the tangible personal property and sales tax on the sale of or charges made for labor and/or services.

     (2)(a) A taxpayer may apply for a permit under this section if: (i) The taxpayer's cumulative tax liability is reasonably expected to be two hundred forty thousand dollars or more in the current calendar year; or (ii) the taxpayer makes purchases subject to the taxes imposed under chapter 82.08 or 82.12 RCW in excess of ten million dollars per calendar year. For the purposes of this section, "tax liability" means the amount required to be remitted to the department for taxes administered under this chapter, except for the taxes imposed or authorized by chapters 82.14A, 82.14B, 82.24, 82.27, 82.29A, and 84.33 RCW.

     (b) Application for a permit must be made in writing to the director in a form and manner prescribed by the department. A taxpayer who transacts business in two or more locations may submit one application to cover the multiple locations.

     (c) The director must review a direct pay permit application in a timely manner and shall notify the applicant, in writing, of the approval or denial of the application. The department must approve or deny an application based on the applicant's ability to comply with local government use tax coding capabilities and responsibilities; requirements for vendor notification; recordkeeping obligations; electronic data capabilities; and tax reporting procedures. Additionally, an application may be denied if the director determines that denial would be in the best interest of collecting taxes due under this title. The department must provide a direct pay permit to an approved applicant with the notice of approval. The direct pay permit shall clearly state that the holder is solely responsible for the accrual and payment of the tax imposed under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW and that the seller is relieved of liability to collect tax imposed under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW on all sales to the direct pay permit holder. The taxpayer may petition the director for reconsideration of a denial.

     (d) A taxpayer who uses a direct pay permit must continue to maintain records that are necessary to a determination of the tax liability in accordance with this title. A direct pay permit is not transferable and the use of a direct pay permit may not be assigned to a third party.

     (3) Taxes for which the direct pay permit is used are due and payable on the tax return for the reporting period in which the taxpayer (a) receives the tangible personal property purchased or in which the labor and/or services are performed or (b) receives an invoice for such property or such labor and/or services, whichever period is earlier.

     (4) The holder of a direct pay permit must furnish a copy of the direct pay permit to each vendor with whom the taxpayer has opted to use a direct pay permit. Sellers who make sales upon which the sales or use tax is not collected by reason of the provisions of this section, in addition to existing requirements under this title, must maintain a copy of the direct pay permit and any such records or information as the department may specify.

     (5) A direct pay permit is subject to revocation by the director at any time the department determines that the taxpayer has violated any provision of this section or that revocation would be in the best interests of collecting the taxes due under this title. The notice of revocation must be in writing and is effective either as of the end of the taxpayer's next normal reporting period or a date deemed appropriate by the director and identified in the revocation notice. The taxpayer may petition the director for reconsideration of a revocation and reinstatement of the permit.

     (6) Any taxpayer who chooses to no longer use a direct pay permit or whose permit is revoked by the department, must return the permit to the department and immediately make a good faith effort to notify all vendors to whom the permit was given, advising them that the permit is no longer valid.

     (7) Except as provided in this subsection, the direct pay permit may be used for any purchase of tangible personal property and any retail sale under RCW 82.04.050. The direct pay permit may not be used for:

     (a) Purchases of meals or beverages;

     (b) Purchases of motor vehicles, trailers, boats, airplanes, and other property subject to requirements for title transactions by the department of licensing;

     (c) Purchases for which a reseller permit or other documentation authorized under RCW 82.04.470 may be used;

     (d) Purchases that meet the definitions of RCW 82.04.050 (2) (e) and (f), (3) (a) through (d), (f), and (g), and (5); or

     (e) Other activities subject to tax under chapter 82.08 or 82.12 RCW that the department by rule designates, consistent with the purposes of this section, as activities for which a direct pay permit is not appropriate and may not be used.

[2010 c 112 § 10. Prior: 2009 c 563 § 210; 2009 c 176 § 5; 2001 c 188 § 2.]

Notes: Retroactive application -- 2010 c 112: See note following RCW 82.32.780.

Finding -- Intent -- Construction -- Effective date -- Reports and recommendations -- 2009 c 563: See notes following RCW 82.32.780.

Finding -- Intent -- 2001 c 188: "The legislature finds that programs to allow buyers to remit sales and use tax, rather than traditional collection and remittance by the seller of sales and use tax, can assist in tax compliance, ease administrative burdens, and reduce impacts on buyers and sellers. It is the intent of the legislature to grant the department of revenue the authority to permit certain buyers direct payment authority of tax in those instances where it can be shown, to the satisfaction of the department, that direct payment does not burden sellers and does not complicate administration for the department. Buyers authorized for direct payment will remit tax directly to the department, and will pay use tax on tangible personal property and sales tax on retail labor and/or services.

     This act does not affect the requirements to use a resale certificate nor does it affect the business and occupation tax treatment of the seller." [2001 c 188 § 1.]

Effective date -- 2001 c 188: "This act takes effect August 1, 2001." [2001 c 188 § 7.]