Z-0458.1
HOUSE BILL 1550
| | |
State of Washington | 64th Legislature | 2015 Regular Session |
By Representatives Carlyle, Nealey, Reykdal, and Wylie; by request of Department of Revenue
Read first time 01/22/15. Referred to Committee on Finance.
AN ACT Relating to simplifying the taxation of amusement, recreation, and physical fitness services; amending RCW
82.04.050, 82.04.060, 82.04.190, 82.08.0291, 82.12.020, 82.12.02595, 82.12.035, 82.12.040, 82.12.860, and 82.32.087; reenacting and amending RCW
82.12.010; creating a new section; repealing RCW
82.12.02917; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW
82.04.050 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 13 s 802 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)(a) "Sale at retail" or "retail sale" means every sale of tangible personal property (including articles produced, fabricated, or imprinted) to all persons irrespective of the nature of their business and including, among others, without limiting the scope hereof, persons who install, repair, clean, alter, improve, construct, or decorate real or personal property of or for consumers other than a sale to a person who:
(i) Purchases for the purpose of resale as tangible personal property in the regular course of business without intervening use by such person, but a purchase for the purpose of resale by a regional transit authority under RCW
81.112.300 is not a sale for resale; or
(ii) Installs, repairs, cleans, alters, imprints, improves, constructs, or decorates real or personal property of or for consumers, if such tangible personal property becomes an ingredient or component of such real or personal property without intervening use by such person; or
(iii) Purchases for the purpose of consuming the property purchased in producing for sale as a new article of tangible personal property or substance, of which such property becomes an ingredient or component or is a chemical used in processing, when the primary purpose of such chemical is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of a new article being produced for sale; or
(iv) Purchases for the purpose of consuming the property purchased in producing ferrosilicon which is subsequently used in producing magnesium for sale, if the primary purpose of such property is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of ferrosilicon; or
(v) Purchases for the purpose of providing the property to consumers as part of competitive telephone service, as defined in RCW
82.04.065; or
(vi) Purchases for the purpose of satisfying the person's obligations under an extended warranty as defined in subsection (7) of this section, if such tangible personal property replaces or becomes an ingredient or component of property covered by the extended warranty without intervening use by such person.
(b) The term includes every sale of tangible personal property that is used or consumed or to be used or consumed in the performance of any activity defined as a "sale at retail" or "retail sale" even though such property is resold or used as provided in (a)(i) through (vi) of this subsection following such use.
(c) The term also means every sale of tangible personal property to persons engaged in any business that is taxable under RCW
82.04.280(1) (a), (b), and (g), 82.04.290, and 82.04.2908.
(2) The term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" includes the sale of or charge made for tangible personal property consumed and/or for labor and services rendered in respect to the following:
(a) The installing, repairing, cleaning, altering, imprinting, or improving of tangible personal property of or for consumers, including charges made for the mere use of facilities in respect thereto, but excluding charges made for the use of self-service laundry facilities, and also excluding sales of laundry service to nonprofit health care facilities, and excluding services rendered in respect to live animals, birds and insects;
(b) The constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving of new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for consumers, including the installing or attaching of any article of tangible personal property therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation, and also includes the sale of services or charges made for the clearing of land and the moving of earth excepting the mere leveling of land used in commercial farming or agriculture;
(c) The constructing, repairing, or improving of any structure upon, above, or under any real property owned by an owner who conveys the property by title, possession, or any other means to the person performing such construction, repair, or improvement for the purpose of performing such construction, repair, or improvement and the property is then reconveyed by title, possession, or any other means to the original owner;
(d) The cleaning, fumigating, razing, or moving of existing buildings or structures, but does not include the charge made for janitorial services; and for purposes of this section the term "janitorial services" means those cleaning and caretaking services ordinarily performed by commercial janitor service businesses including, but not limited to, wall and window washing, floor cleaning and waxing, and the cleaning in place of rugs, drapes and upholstery. The term "janitorial services" does not include painting, papering, repairing, furnace or septic tank cleaning, snow removal or sandblasting;
(e) Automobile towing and similar automotive transportation services, but not in respect to those required to report and pay taxes under chapter
82.16 RCW;
(f) The furnishing of lodging and all other services by a hotel, rooming house, tourist court, motel, trailer camp, and the granting of any similar license to use real property, as distinguished from the renting or leasing of real property, and it is presumed that the occupancy of real property for a continuous period of one month or more constitutes a rental or lease of real property and not a mere license to use or enjoy the same. For the purposes of this subsection, it is presumed that the sale of and charge made for the furnishing of lodging for a continuous period of one month or more to a person is a rental or lease of real property and not a mere license to enjoy the same;
(g) The installing, repairing, altering, or improving of digital goods for consumers;
(h) Persons taxable under (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) of this subsection when such sales or charges are for property, labor and services which are used or consumed in whole or in part by such persons in the performance of any activity defined as a "sale at retail" or "retail sale" even though such property, labor and services may be resold after such use or consumption. Nothing contained in this subsection may be construed to modify subsection (1) of this section and nothing contained in subsection (1) of this section may be construed to modify this subsection.
(3) The term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" includes the sale of or charge made for personal, business, or professional services including amounts designated as interest, rents, fees, admission, and other service emoluments however designated, received by persons engaging in the following business activities:
(a)(((i) Amusement and recreation services including but not limited to golf, pool, billiards, skating, bowling, ski lifts and tows, day trips for sightseeing purposes, and others, when provided to consumers.
(ii) Until July 1, 2017, amusement and recreation services do not include the opportunity to dance provided by an establishment in exchange for a cover charge.
(iii) For purposes of this subsection (3)(a):
(A) "Cover charge" means a charge, regardless of its label, to enter an establishment or added to the purchaser's bill by an establishment or otherwise collected after entrance to the establishment, and the purchaser is provided the opportunity to dance in exchange for payment of the charge.
(B) "Opportunity to dance" means that an establishment provides a designated physical space, on either a temporary or permanent basis, where customers are allowed to dance and the establishment either advertises or otherwise makes customers aware that it has an area for dancing;
(b))) Abstract, title insurance, and escrow services;
(((c))) (b) Credit bureau services;
(((d))) (c) Automobile parking and storage garage services;
(((e))) (d) Landscape maintenance and horticultural services but excluding (i) horticultural services provided to farmers and (ii) pruning, trimming, repairing, removing, and clearing of trees and brush near electric transmission or distribution lines or equipment, if performed by or at the direction of an electric utility;
(((f))) (e) Service charges associated with tickets to professional sporting events; ((and
(g))) (f) The following personal services: ((Physical fitness services,)) Tanning salon services, tattoo parlor services, steam bath services, turkish bath services, escort services, and dating services; and
(g)(i) Operating an athletic or fitness facility, including all charges for the use of such a facility or for any associated services and amenities, except as provided in (g)(ii) of this subsection.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in (g)(i) of this subsection (3), the term "sale at retail" and "retail sale" under this subsection does not include:
(A) Separately stated charges for the use of an athletic or fitness facility where such use is primarily for a purpose other than engaging in or receiving instruction in a physical fitness activity;
(B) Separately stated charges for the use of a discrete portion of an athletic or fitness facility, other than a pool, where such discrete portion of the facility does not by itself meet the definition of "athletic or fitness facility" in this subsection;
(C) Separately stated charges for services, such as advertising, massage, nutritional consulting, and body composition testing, that do not require the customer to engage in physical fitness activities to receive the service. The exclusion in this subsection (3)(g)(ii)(C) does not apply to personal training services and instruction in a physical fitness activity;
(D) Separately stated charges for physical therapy provided by a physical therapist, as those terms are defined in RCW 18.74.010, or occupational therapy provided by an occupational therapy practitioner, as those terms are defined in RCW 18.59.020, when performed pursuant to a referral from an authorized health care practitioner or in consultation with an authorized health care practitioner. For the purposes of this subsection (3)(g)(ii)(D), an authorized health care practitioner means a health care practitioner licensed under chapter 18.83, 18.25, 18.36A, 18.57, 18.57A, 18.71, or 18.71A RCW; (E) Rent or association fees charged by a landlord or residential association to a tenant or residential owner with access to an athletic or fitness facility maintained by the landlord or residential association, unless the rent or fee varies depending on whether the tenant or owner has access to the facility;
(F) Services provided in the regular course of employment by an employee with access to an athletic or fitness facility maintained by the employer for use without charge by its employees or their family members;
(G) The provision of access to an athletic or fitness facility by an educational institution to its students and staff. However, charges made by an educational institution to its alumni or other members of the public for the use of any of the educational institution's athletic or fitness facilities are a retail sale under this subsection (3)(g). For purposes of this subsection (3)(g)(ii)(G), "educational institution" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.170; and (H) Yoga, tai chi, or chi gong classes held at a community center, park, gymnasium, college or university, hospital or other medical facility, private residence, or any facility that is not primarily used for physical fitness activities other than yoga, tai chi, or chi gong classes.
(iii) Nothing in (g)(ii) of this subsection (3) may be construed to affect the taxation of sales made by the operator of an athletic or fitness facility, where such sales are defined as a retail sale under any provision of this section other than this subsection (3).
(iv) For the purposes of this subsection (3)(g), the following definitions apply:
(A) "Athletic or fitness facility" means an indoor or outdoor facility or portion of a facility that is primarily used for: Exercise classes; strength and conditioning programs; personal training services; tennis, racquetball, handball, squash, or pickleball; yoga; boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, martial arts, or mixed martial arts training; or other activities requiring the use of exercise or strength training equipment, such as treadmills, elliptical machines, stair climbers, stationary cycles, rowing machines, pilates equipment, balls, climbing ropes, jump ropes, and weightlifting equipment.
(B) "Physical fitness activities" means activities that involve physical exertion for the purpose of improving or maintaining the general fitness, strength, flexibility, conditioning, or health of the participant.
(4)(a) The term also includes the renting or leasing of tangible personal property to consumers.
(b) The term does not include the renting or leasing of tangible personal property where the lease or rental is for the purpose of sublease or subrent.
(5) The term also includes the providing of "competitive telephone service," "telecommunications service," or "ancillary services," as those terms are defined in RCW
82.04.065, to consumers.
(6)(a) The term also includes the sale of prewritten computer software to a consumer, regardless of the method of delivery to the end user. For purposes of this subsection (6)(a), the sale of prewritten computer software includes the sale of or charge made for a key or an enabling or activation code, where the key or code is required to activate prewritten computer software and put the software into use. There is no separate sale of the key or code from the prewritten computer software, regardless of how the sale may be characterized by the vendor or by the purchaser.
The term "retail sale" does not include the sale of or charge made for:
(i) Custom software; or
(ii) The customization of prewritten computer software.
(b)(i) The term also includes the charge made to consumers for the right to access and use prewritten computer software, where possession of the software is maintained by the seller or a third party, regardless of whether the charge for the service is on a per use, per user, per license, subscription, or some other basis.
(ii)(A) The service described in (b)(i) of this subsection (6) includes the right to access and use prewritten computer software to perform data processing.
(B) For purposes of this subsection (6)(b)(ii), "data processing" means the systematic performance of operations on data to extract the required information in an appropriate form or to convert the data to usable information. Data processing includes check processing, image processing, form processing, survey processing, payroll processing, claim processing, and similar activities.
(7) The term also includes the sale of or charge made for an extended warranty to a consumer. For purposes of this subsection, "extended warranty" means an agreement for a specified duration to perform the replacement or repair of tangible personal property at no additional charge or a reduced charge for tangible personal property, labor, or both, or to provide indemnification for the replacement or repair of tangible personal property, based on the occurrence of specified events. The term "extended warranty" does not include an agreement, otherwise meeting the definition of extended warranty in this subsection, if no separate charge is made for the agreement and the value of the agreement is included in the sales price of the tangible personal property covered by the agreement. For purposes of this subsection, "sales price" has the same meaning as in RCW
82.08.010.
(8)(a) The term also includes the following sales to consumers of digital goods, digital codes, and digital automated services:
(i) Sales in which the seller has granted the purchaser the right of permanent use;
(ii) Sales in which the seller has granted the purchaser a right of use that is less than permanent;
(iii) Sales in which the purchaser is not obligated to make continued payment as a condition of the sale; and
(iv) Sales in which the purchaser is obligated to make continued payment as a condition of the sale.
(b) A retail sale of digital goods, digital codes, or digital automated services under this subsection (8) includes any services provided by the seller exclusively in connection with the digital goods, digital codes, or digital automated services, whether or not a separate charge is made for such services.
(c) For purposes of this subsection, "permanent" means perpetual or for an indefinite or unspecified length of time. A right of permanent use is presumed to have been granted unless the agreement between the seller and the purchaser specifies or the circumstances surrounding the transaction suggest or indicate that the right to use terminates on the occurrence of a condition subsequent.
(9) The term also includes the charge made for providing tangible personal property along with an operator for a fixed or indeterminate period of time. A consideration of this is that the operator is necessary for the tangible personal property to perform as designed. For the purpose of this subsection (9), an operator must do more than maintain, inspect, or set up the tangible personal property.
(10) The term does not include the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to the building, repairing, or improving of any street, place, road, highway, easement, right-of-way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle which is owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state or by the United States and which is used or to be used primarily for foot or vehicular traffic including mass transportation vehicles of any kind.
(11) The term also does not include sales of chemical sprays or washes to persons for the purpose of postharvest treatment of fruit for the prevention of scald, fungus, mold, or decay, nor does it include sales of feed, seed, seedlings, fertilizer, agents for enhanced pollination including insects such as bees, and spray materials to: (a) Persons who participate in the federal conservation reserve program, the environmental quality incentives program, the wetlands reserve program, and the wildlife habitat incentives program, or their successors administered by the United States department of agriculture; (b) farmers for the purpose of producing for sale any agricultural product; and (c) farmers acting under cooperative habitat development or access contracts with an organization exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code or the Washington state department of fish and wildlife to produce or improve wildlife habitat on land that the farmer owns or leases.
(12) The term does not include the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to the constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving of new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority created pursuant to chapter
35.82 RCW, including the installing, or attaching of any article of tangible personal property therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation. Nor does the term include the sale of services or charges made for the clearing of land and the moving of earth of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority. Nor does the term include the sale of services or charges made for cleaning up for the United States, or its instrumentalities, radioactive waste and other by-products of weapons production and nuclear research and development.
(13) The term does not include the sale of or charge made for labor, services, or tangible personal property pursuant to agreements providing maintenance services for bus, rail, or rail fixed guideway equipment when a regional transit authority is the recipient of the labor, services, or tangible personal property, and a transit agency, as defined in RCW
81.104.015, performs the labor or services.
(14) The term does not include the sale for resale of any service described in this section if the sale would otherwise constitute a "sale at retail" and "retail sale" under this section.
(15)(a) The term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" includes amounts charged, however labeled, to consumers to engage in any of the activities listed in this subsection (15)(a), including the furnishing of any associated equipment or, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, providing instruction in such activities, where such charges are not otherwise defined as a "sale at retail" or "retail sale" in this section:
(i)(A) Golf, including any variant in which either golf balls or golf clubs are used, such as miniature golf, hitting golf balls at a driving range, and golf simulators, and including fees charged by a golf course to a player for using his or her own cart. However, charges for golf instruction are not a retail sale, provided that if the instruction involves the use of a golfing facility that would otherwise require the payment of a fee, such as green fees or driving range fees, such fees, including the applicable retail sales tax, must be separately identified and charged by the golfing facility operator to the instructor or the person receiving the instruction.
(B) Notwithstanding (a)(i)(A) of this subsection (15) and except as otherwise provided in this subsection (15)(a)(i)(B), the term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" does not include amounts charged to participate in, or conduct, a golf tournament or other competitive event. However, amounts paid by event participants to the golf facility operator are retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(i). Likewise, amounts paid by the event organizer to the golf facility are retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(i), if such amounts vary based on the number of event participants;
(ii) Ballooning, hang gliding, indoor or outdoor sky diving, paragliding, parasailing, and similar activities;
(iii) Air hockey, billiards, pool, foosball, darts, shuffleboard, ping pong, and similar games;
(iv) Access to amusement park, theme park, and water park facilities, including but not limited to charges for admission and locker or cabana rentals. Discrete charges for rides or other attractions or entertainment that are in addition to the charge for admission are not a retail sale under this subsection (15)(a)(iv). For the purposes of this subsection, an amusement park or theme park is a location that provides permanently affixed amusement rides, games, and other entertainment, but does not include parks or zoos for which the primary purpose is the exhibition of wildlife, or fairs, carnivals, and festivals as defined in (b)(i) of this subsection;
(v) Batting cage activities;
(vi) Bowling, but not including competitive events, except that amounts paid by the event participants to the bowling alley operator are retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(vi). Likewise, amounts paid by the event organizer to the operator of the bowling alley are retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(vi), if such amounts vary based on the number of event participants;
(vii) Climbing on artificial climbing structures, whether indoors or outdoors;
(viii) Day trips for sightseeing purposes;
(ix) Bungee jumping, zip lining, and riding inside a ball, whether inflatable or otherwise;
(x) Horseback riding offered to the public, where the seller furnishes the horse to the buyer and providing instruction is not the primary focus of the activity, including guided rides, but not including therapeutic horseback riding provided by an instructor certified by a nonprofit organization that offers national or international certification for therapeutic riding instructors;
(xi) Fishing, including providing access to private fishing areas and charter or guided fishing, except that fishing contests and license fees imposed by a government entity are not a retail sale under this subsection;
(xii) Guided hunting and hunting at game farms and shooting preserves, except that hunting contests and license fees imposed by a government entity are not a retail sale under this subsection;
(xiii) Swimming, but only in respect to (A) recreational or fitness swimming that is open to the public, such as open swim, lap swimming, and special events like kids night out and pool parties during open swim time, and (B) pool parties for private events, such as birthdays, family gatherings, and employee outings. Fees for swimming lessons, to participate in swim meets and other competitions, or to join a swim team, club, or aquatic facility are not retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(xiii);
(xiv) Go-karting, bumper cars, and other motorized activities where the seller provides the vehicle and the premises where the buyer will operate the vehicle;
(xv) Indoor or outdoor playground activities, such as inflatable bounce structures and other inflatables; mazes; trampolines; slides; ball pits; games of tag, including laser tag and soft-dart tag; and human gyroscope rides, regardless of whether such activities occur at the seller's place of business, but not including playground activities provided for children by a licensed child day care center or licensed family day care provider as those terms are defined in RCW 43.215.010; (xvi) Shooting sports and activities, such as target shooting, skeet, trap, sporting clays, "5" stand, and archery, but only in respect to discrete charges to members of the public to engage in these activities, but not including fees to enter a competitive event, instruction that is entirely or predominately classroom based, or to join or renew a membership at a club, range, or other facility;
(xvii) Paintball and airsoft activities;
(xviii) Skating, including ice skating, roller skating, and inline skating, but only in respect to discrete charges to members of the public to engage in skating activities, but not including skating lessons, competitive events, team activities, or fees to join or renew a membership at a skating facility, club, or other organization;
(xix) Nonmotorized snow sports and activities, such as downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping, sledding, snow tubing, snowshoeing, and similar snow sports and activities, whether engaged in outdoors or in an indoor facility with or without snow, but only in respect to discrete charges to the public for the use of land or facilities to engage in nonmotorized snow sports and activities, such as fees, however labeled, for the use of ski lifts and tows and daily or season passes for access to trails or other areas where nonmotorized snow sports and activities are conducted. However, fees for the following are not retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(xix): (A) Instructional lessons; (B) permits issued by a governmental entity to park a vehicle on or access public lands; and (C) permits or leases granted by an owner of private timberland for recreational access to areas used primarily for growing and harvesting timber; and
(xx) Scuba diving; snorkeling; river rafting; surfing; kiteboarding; flyboarding; water slides; inflatables, such as water pillows, water trampolines, and water rollers; and similar water sports and activities.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection (15), the term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" does not include charges:
(i) Made for admission to, and rides or attractions at, fairs, carnivals, and festivals. For the purposes of this subsection, fairs, carnivals, and festivals are events that do not exceed twenty-one days and a majority of the amusement rides, if any, are not affixed to real property;
(ii) Made by an educational institution to its students and staff for activities defined as retail sales by (a)(i) through (xx) of this subsection. However, charges made by an educational institution to its alumni or other members of the general public for these activities are a retail sale under this subsection (15). For purposes of this subsection (15)(b)(ii), "educational institution" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.170; (iii) Made by a vocational school for commercial diver training that is licensed by the workforce training and education coordinating board under chapter 28C.10 RCW; or (iv) Made for day camps offered by a nonprofit organization or state or local governmental entity that provide youth not older than age eighteen, or that are focused on providing individuals with disabilities or mental illness, the opportunity to participate in a variety of supervised activities.
Sec. 2. RCW
82.04.060 and 2010 c 106 s 203 are each amended to read as follows:
"Sale at wholesale" or "wholesale sale" means:
(1) Any sale, which is not a sale at retail, of:
(a) Tangible personal property;
(b) Services defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050(2) (a) or (g);
(c) ((
Amusement or recreation services as defined))
Activities defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050((
(3)(a)))
(15);
(d) Prewritten computer software;
(e) Services described in RCW
82.04.050(6)(b);
(f) Extended warranties as defined in RCW
82.04.050(7);
(g) Competitive telephone service, ancillary services, or telecommunications service as those terms are defined in RCW
82.04.065; or
(h) Digital goods, digital codes, or digital automated services;
(2) Any charge made for labor and services rendered for persons who are not consumers, in respect to real or personal property, if such charge is expressly defined as a retail sale by RCW
82.04.050 when rendered to or for consumers. For the purposes of this subsection (2), "real or personal property" does not include any natural products named in RCW
82.04.100; and
(3) The sale of any service for resale, if the sale is excluded from the definition of "sale at retail" and "retail sale" in RCW
82.04.050(14).
Sec. 3. RCW 82.04.190 and 2014 c 97 s 302 are each amended to read as follows:
"Consumer" means the following:
(1) Any person who purchases, acquires, owns, holds, or uses any article of tangible personal property irrespective of the nature of the person's business and including, among others, without limiting the scope hereof, persons who install, repair, clean, alter, improve, construct, or decorate real or personal property of or for consumers other than for the purpose of:
(a) Resale as tangible personal property in the regular course of business;
(b) Incorporating such property as an ingredient or component of real or personal property when installing, repairing, cleaning, altering, imprinting, improving, constructing, or decorating such real or personal property of or for consumers;
(c) Consuming such property in producing for sale as a new article of tangible personal property or a new substance, of which such property becomes an ingredient or component or as a chemical used in processing, when the primary purpose of such chemical is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of a new article being produced for sale;
(d) Consuming the property purchased in producing ferrosilicon which is subsequently used in producing magnesium for sale, if the primary purpose of such property is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of ferrosilicon; or
(e) Satisfying the person's obligations under an extended warranty as defined in RCW
82.04.050(7), if such tangible personal property replaces or becomes an ingredient or component of property covered by the extended warranty without intervening use by such person;
(2)(a) Any person engaged in any business activity taxable under RCW
82.04.290 or 82.04.2908; (b) any person who purchases, acquires, or uses any competitive telephone service, ancillary services, or telecommunications service as those terms are defined in RCW
82.04.065, other than for resale in the regular course of business; (c) any person who purchases, acquires, or uses any service defined in RCW
82.04.050(2) (a) or (g), other than for resale in the regular course of business or for the purpose of satisfying the person's obligations under an extended warranty as defined in RCW
82.04.050(7); (d) any person who
((purchases, acquires, or uses any amusement and recreation service defined in RCW 82.04.050(3)(a)))makes a purchase meeting the definition of "sale at retail" and "retail sale" under RCW 82.04.050(15), other than for resale in the regular course of business; (e) any person who purchases or acquires an extended warranty as defined in RCW
82.04.050(7) other than for resale in the regular course of business; and (f) any person who is an end user of software. For purposes of this subsection (2)(f) and RCW
82.04.050(6), a person who purchases or otherwise acquires prewritten computer software, who provides services described in RCW
82.04.050(6)(b) and who will charge consumers for the right to access and use the prewritten computer software, is not an end user of the prewritten computer software;
(3) Any person engaged in the business of contracting for the building, repairing or improving of any street, place, road, highway, easement, right
-of
-way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle which is owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state of Washington or by the United States and which is used or to be used primarily for foot or vehicular traffic including mass transportation vehicles of any kind as defined in RCW
82.04.280, in respect to tangible personal property when such person incorporates such property as an ingredient or component of such publicly owned street, place, road, highway, easement, right
-of
-way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle by installing, placing or spreading the property in or upon the right
-of
-way of such street, place, road, highway, easement, bridge, tunnel, or trestle or in or upon the site of such mass public transportation terminal or parking facility;
(4) Any person who is an owner, lessee or has the right of possession to or an easement in real property which is being constructed, repaired, decorated, improved, or otherwise altered by a person engaged in business, excluding only (a) municipal corporations or political subdivisions of the state in respect to labor and services rendered to their real property which is used or held for public road purposes, and (b) the United States, instrumentalities thereof, and county and city housing authorities created pursuant to chapter
35.82 RCW in respect to labor and services rendered to their real property. Nothing contained in this or any other subsection of this definition
((shall))may be construed to modify any other definition of "consumer";
(5) Any person who is an owner, lessee, or has the right of possession to personal property which is being constructed, repaired, improved, cleaned, imprinted, or otherwise altered by a person engaged in business;
(6) Any person engaged in the business of constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority created pursuant to chapter
35.82 RCW, including the installing or attaching of any article of tangible personal property therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation; also, any person engaged in the business of clearing land and moving earth of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority created pursuant to chapter
35.82 RCW. Any such person is a consumer within the meaning of this subsection in respect to tangible personal property incorporated into, installed in, or attached to such building or other structure by such person, except that consumer does not include any person engaged in the business of constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for the United States, or any instrumentality thereof, if the investment project would qualify for sales and use tax deferral under chapter
82.63 RCW if undertaken by a private entity;
(7) Any person who is a lessor of machinery and equipment, the rental of which is exempt from the tax imposed by RCW
82.08.020 under RCW
82.08.02565, with respect to the sale of or charge made for tangible personal property consumed in respect to repairing the machinery and equipment, if the tangible personal property has a useful life of less than one year. Nothing contained in this or any other subsection of this section may be construed to modify any other definition of "consumer";
(8) Any person engaged in the business of cleaning up for the United States, or its instrumentalities, radioactive waste and other by-products of weapons production and nuclear research and development;
(9) Any person who is an owner, lessee, or has the right of possession of tangible personal property that, under the terms of an extended warranty as defined in RCW
82.04.050(7), has been repaired or is replacement property, but only with respect to the sale of or charge made for the repairing of the tangible personal property or the replacement property;
(10) Any person who purchases, acquires, or uses services described in RCW
82.04.050(6)(b) other than:
(a) For resale in the regular course of business; or
(b) For purposes of consuming the service described in RCW
82.04.050(6)(b) in producing for sale a new product, but only if such service becomes a component of the new product. For purposes of this subsection (10), "product" means a digital product, an article of tangible personal property, or the service described in RCW
82.04.050(6)(b);
(11)(a) Any end user of a digital product or digital code. "Consumer" does not include any person who is not an end user of a digital product or a digital code and purchases, acquires, owns, holds, or uses any digital product or digital code for purposes of consuming the digital product or digital code in producing for sale a new product, but only if the digital product or digital code becomes a component of the new product. A digital code becomes a component of a new product if the digital good or digital automated service acquired through the use of the digital code becomes incorporated into a new product. For purposes of this subsection, "product" has the same meaning as in subsection (10) of this section.
(b)(i) For purposes of this subsection, "end user" means any taxpayer as defined in RCW
82.12.010 other than a taxpayer who receives by contract a digital product for further commercial broadcast, rebroadcast, transmission, retransmission, licensing, relicensing, distribution, redistribution or exhibition of the product, in whole or in part, to others. A person that purchases digital products or digital codes for the purpose of giving away such products or codes will not be considered to have engaged in the distribution or redistribution of such products or codes and will be treated as an end user;
(ii) If a purchaser of a digital code does not receive the contractual right to further redistribute, after the digital code is redeemed, the underlying digital product to which the digital code relates, then the purchaser of the digital code is an end user. If the purchaser of the digital code receives the contractual right to further redistribute, after the digital code is redeemed, the underlying digital product to which the digital code relates, then the purchaser of the digital code is not an end user. A purchaser of a digital code who has the contractual right to further redistribute the digital code is an end user if that purchaser does not have the right to further redistribute, after the digital code is redeemed, the underlying digital product to which the digital code relates;
(12) Any person who provides services described in RCW
82.04.050(9). Any such person is a consumer with respect to the purchase, acquisition, or use of the tangible personal property that the person provides along with an operator in rendering services defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050(9). Any such person may also be a consumer under other provisions of this section;
(13) Any person who purchases, acquires, owns, holds, or uses chemical sprays or washes for the purpose of postharvest treatment of fruit for the prevention of scald, fungus, mold, or decay, or who purchases feed, seed, seedlings, fertilizer, agents for enhanced pollination including insects such as bees, and spray materials, is not a consumer of such items, but only to the extent that the items:
(a) Are used in relation to the person's participation in the federal conservation reserve program, the environmental quality incentives program, the wetlands reserve program, the wildlife habitat incentives program, or their successors administered by the United States department of agriculture;
(b) Are for use by a farmer for the purpose of producing for sale any agricultural product; or
(c) Are for use by a farmer to produce or improve wildlife habitat on land the farmer owns or leases while acting under cooperative habitat development or access contracts with an organization exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code or the Washington state department of fish and wildlife; and
(14) A regional transit authority is not a consumer with respect to labor, services, or tangible personal property purchased pursuant to agreements providing maintenance services for bus, rail, or rail fixed guideway equipment when a transit agency, as defined in RCW
81.104.015, performs the labor or services.
Sec. 4. RCW
82.08.0291 and 2000 c 103 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
The tax imposed by RCW
82.08.020 ((
shall))
does not apply to ((
the sale of amusement and recreation services, or personal services specified in RCW 82.04.050(3)(g)))
sales defined as a sale at retail and retail sale under RCW 82.04.050 (3)(g) or (15), by a nonprofit youth organization, as defined in RCW
82.04.4271, to members of the organization;
((nor shall))and the tax
does not apply to physical fitness classes provided by a local government.
Sec. 5. RCW
82.12.010 and 2010 c 127 s 4 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
For the purposes of this chapter:
(1) The meaning ascribed to words and phrases in chapters
82.04 and
82.08 RCW, insofar as applicable, has full force and effect with respect to taxes imposed under the provisions of this chapter. "Consumer," in addition to the meaning ascribed to it in chapters
82.04 and
82.08 RCW insofar as applicable, also means any person who distributes or displays, or causes to be distributed or displayed, any article of tangible personal property, except newspapers, the primary purpose of which is to promote the sale of products or services. With respect to property distributed to persons within this state by a consumer as defined in this subsection (1), the use of the property is deemed to be by such consumer.
(2) "Extended warranty" has the same meaning as in RCW
82.04.050(7).
(3) "Purchase price" means the same as sales price as defined in RCW
82.08.010.
(4)(a)(i) Except as provided in (a)(ii) of this subsection (4), "retailer" means every seller as defined in RCW
82.08.010 and every person engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property at retail and every person required to collect from purchasers the tax imposed under this chapter.
(ii) "Retailer" does not include a professional employer organization when a covered employee coemployed with the client under the terms of a professional employer agreement engages in activities that constitute a sale of tangible personal property, extended warranty, digital good, digital code, or a sale of any digital automated service or service defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050 (2) (a) or (g)((
, (3)(a),)) or (6)(b) that is subject to the tax imposed by this chapter. In such cases, the client, and not the professional employer organization, is deemed to be the retailer and is responsible for collecting and remitting the tax imposed by this chapter.
(b) For the purposes of (a) of this subsection, the terms "client," "covered employee," "professional employer agreement," and "professional employer organization" have the same meanings as in RCW
82.04.540.
(5) "Taxpayer" and "purchaser" include all persons included within the meaning of the word "buyer" and the word "consumer" as defined in chapters
82.04 and
82.08 RCW.
(6) "Use," "used," "using," or "put to use" have their ordinary meaning, and mean:
(a) With respect to tangible personal property, except for natural gas and manufactured gas, the first act within this state by which the taxpayer takes or assumes dominion or control over the article of tangible personal property (as a consumer), and include installation, storage, withdrawal from storage, distribution, or any other act preparatory to subsequent actual use or consumption within this state;
(b) With respect to a service defined in RCW
82.04.050(2)(a), the first act within this state after the service has been performed by which the taxpayer takes or assumes dominion or control over the article of tangible personal property upon which the service was performed (as a consumer), and includes installation, storage, withdrawal from storage, distribution, or any other act preparatory to subsequent actual use or consumption of the article within this state;
(c) With respect to an extended warranty, the first act within this state after the extended warranty has been acquired by which the taxpayer takes or assumes dominion or control over the article of tangible personal property to which the extended warranty applies, and includes installation, storage, withdrawal from storage, distribution, or any other act preparatory to subsequent actual use or consumption of the article within this state;
(d) With respect to a digital good or digital code, the first act within this state by which the taxpayer, as a consumer, views, accesses, downloads, possesses, stores, opens, manipulates, or otherwise uses or enjoys the digital good or digital code;
(e) With respect to a digital automated service, the first act within this state by which the taxpayer, as a consumer, uses, enjoys, or otherwise receives the benefit of the service;
(f) With respect to a service defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050(6)(b), the first act within this state by which the taxpayer, as a consumer, accesses the prewritten computer software;
(g) With respect to a service defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050(2)(g), the first act within this state after the service has been performed by which the taxpayer, as a consumer, views, accesses, downloads, possesses, stores, opens, manipulates, or otherwise uses or enjoys the digital good upon which the service was performed; and
(h) With respect to natural gas or manufactured gas, the use of which is taxable under RCW
82.12.022, including gas that is also taxable under the authority of RCW
82.14.230, the first act within this state by which the taxpayer consumes the gas by burning the gas or storing the gas in the taxpayer's own facilities for later consumption by the taxpayer.
(7)(a) "Value of the article used" is the purchase price for the article of tangible personal property, the use of which is taxable under this chapter. The term also includes, in addition to the purchase price, the amount of any tariff or duty paid with respect to the importation of the article used. In case the article used is acquired by lease or by gift or is extracted, produced, or manufactured by the person using the same or is sold under conditions wherein the purchase price does not represent the true value thereof, the value of the article used is determined as nearly as possible according to the retail selling price at place of use of similar products of like quality and character under such rules as the department may prescribe.
(b) In case the articles used are acquired by bailment, the value of the use of the articles so used must be in an amount representing a reasonable rental for the use of the articles so bailed, determined as nearly as possible according to the value of such use at the places of use of similar products of like quality and character under such rules as the department of revenue may prescribe. In case any such articles of tangible personal property are used in respect to the construction, repairing, decorating, or improving of, and which become or are to become an ingredient or component of, new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority created pursuant to chapter
35.82 RCW, including the installing or attaching of any such articles therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation, then the value of the use of such articles so used is determined according to the retail selling price of such articles, or in the absence of such a selling price, as nearly as possible according to the retail selling price at place of use of similar products of like quality and character or, in the absence of either of these selling price measures, such value may be determined upon a cost basis, in any event under such rules as the department of revenue may prescribe.
(c) In the case of articles owned by a user engaged in business outside the state which are brought into the state for no more than one hundred eighty days in any period of three hundred sixty-five consecutive days and which are temporarily used for business purposes by the person in this state, the value of the article used must be an amount representing a reasonable rental for the use of the articles, unless the person has paid tax under this chapter or chapter
82.08 RCW upon the full value of the article used, as defined in (a) of this subsection.
(d) In the case of articles manufactured or produced by the user and used in the manufacture or production of products sold or to be sold to the department of defense of the United States, the value of the articles used is determined according to the value of the ingredients of such articles.
(e) In the case of an article manufactured or produced for purposes of serving as a prototype for the development of a new or improved product, the value of the article used is determined by: (i) The retail selling price of such new or improved product when first offered for sale; or (ii) the value of materials incorporated into the prototype in cases in which the new or improved product is not offered for sale.
(f) In the case of an article purchased with a direct pay permit under RCW
82.32.087, the value of the article used is determined by the purchase price of such article if, but for the use of the direct pay permit, the transaction would have been subject to sales tax.
(8) "Value of the digital good or digital code used" means the purchase price for the digital good or digital code, the use of which is taxable under this chapter. If the digital good or digital code is acquired other than by purchase, the value of the digital good or digital code must be determined as nearly as possible according to the retail selling price at place of use of similar digital goods or digital codes of like quality and character under rules the department may prescribe.
(9) "Value of the extended warranty used" means the purchase price for the extended warranty, the use of which is taxable under this chapter. If the extended warranty is received by gift or under conditions wherein the purchase price does not represent the true value of the extended warranty, the value of the extended warranty used is determined as nearly as possible according to the retail selling price at place of use of similar extended warranties of like quality and character under rules the department may prescribe.
(10) "Value of the service used" means the purchase price for the digital automated service or other service, the use of which is taxable under this chapter. If the service is received by gift or under conditions wherein the purchase price does not represent the true value thereof, the value of the service used is determined as nearly as possible according to the retail selling price at place of use of similar services of like quality and character under rules the department may prescribe.
Sec. 6. RCW
82.12.020 and 2010 1st sp.s. c 23 s 206 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) There is levied and collected from every person in this state a tax or excise for the privilege of using within this state as a consumer any:
(a) Article of tangible personal property acquired by the user in any manner, including tangible personal property acquired at a casual or isolated sale, and including by-products used by the manufacturer thereof, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, irrespective of whether the article or similar articles are manufactured or are available for purchase within this state;
(b) Prewritten computer software, regardless of the method of delivery, but excluding prewritten computer software that is either provided free of charge or is provided for temporary use in viewing information, or both;
(c) Services defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050 (2) (a) or (g)((
, (3)(a),)) or (6)(b), excluding services defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050(6)(b) that are provided free of charge;
(d) Extended warranty; or
(e)(i) Digital good, digital code, or digital automated service, including the use of any services provided by a seller exclusively in connection with digital goods, digital codes, or digital automated services, whether or not a separate charge is made for such services.
(ii) With respect to the use of digital goods, digital automated services, and digital codes acquired by purchase, the tax imposed in this subsection (1)(e) applies in respect to:
(A) Sales in which the seller has granted the purchaser the right of permanent use;
(B) Sales in which the seller has granted the purchaser a right of use that is less than permanent;
(C) Sales in which the purchaser is not obligated to make continued payment as a condition of the sale; and
(D) Sales in which the purchaser is obligated to make continued payment as a condition of the sale.
(iii) With respect to digital goods, digital automated services, and digital codes acquired other than by purchase, the tax imposed in this subsection (1)(e) applies regardless of whether or not the consumer has a right of permanent use or is obligated to make continued payment as a condition of use.
(2) The provisions of this chapter do not apply in respect to the use of any article of tangible personal property, extended warranty, digital good, digital code, digital automated service, or service taxable under RCW
82.04.050 (2) (a) or (g)((
, (3)(a),)) or (6)(b), if the sale to, or the use by, the present user or the present user's bailor or donor has already been subjected to the tax under chapter
82.08 RCW or this chapter and the tax has been paid by the present user or by the present user's bailor or donor.
(3)(a) Except as provided in this section, payment of the tax imposed by this chapter or chapter
82.08 RCW by one purchaser or user of tangible personal property, extended warranty, digital good, digital code, digital automated service, or other service does not have the effect of exempting any other purchaser or user of the same property, extended warranty, digital good, digital code, digital automated service, or other service from the taxes imposed by such chapters.
(b) The tax imposed by this chapter does not apply:
(i) If the sale to, or the use by, the present user or his or her bailor or donor has already been subjected to the tax under chapter
82.08 RCW or this chapter and the tax has been paid by the present user or by his or her bailor or donor;
(ii) In respect to the use of any article of tangible personal property acquired by bailment and the tax has once been paid based on reasonable rental as determined by RCW
82.12.060 measured by the value of the article at time of first use multiplied by the tax rate imposed by chapter
82.08 RCW or this chapter as of the time of first use;
(iii) In respect to the use of any article of tangible personal property acquired by bailment, if the property was acquired by a previous bailee from the same bailor for use in the same general activity and the original bailment was prior to June 9, 1961; or
(iv) To the use of digital goods or digital automated services, which were obtained through the use of a digital code, if the sale of the digital code to, or the use of the digital code by, the present user or the present user's bailor or donor has already been subjected to the tax under chapter
82.08 RCW or this chapter and the tax has been paid by the present user or by the present user's bailor or donor.
(4)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection (4), the tax is levied and must be collected in an amount equal to the value of the article used, value of the digital good or digital code used, value of the extended warranty used, or value of the service used by the taxpayer, multiplied by the applicable rates in effect for the retail sales tax under RCW
82.08.020.
(b) In the case of a seller required to collect use tax from the purchaser, the tax must be collected in an amount equal to the purchase price multiplied by the applicable rate in effect for the retail sales tax under RCW
82.08.020.
(5) For purposes of the tax imposed in this section, "person" includes anyone within the definition of "buyer," "purchaser," and "consumer" in RCW
82.08.010.
Sec. 7. RCW
82.12.02595 and 2009 c 535 s 615 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) This chapter does not apply to the use by a nonprofit charitable organization or state or local governmental entity of personal property that has been donated to the nonprofit charitable organization or state or local governmental entity, or to the subsequent use of the property by a person to whom the property is donated or bailed in furtherance of the purpose for which the property was originally donated.
(2) This chapter does not apply to the donation of personal property without intervening use to a nonprofit charitable organization, or to the incorporation of tangible personal property without intervening use into real or personal property of or for a nonprofit charitable organization in the course of installing, repairing, cleaning, altering, imprinting, improving, constructing, or decorating the real or personal property for no charge.
(3) This chapter does not apply to the use by a nonprofit charitable organization of labor and services rendered in respect to installing, repairing, cleaning, altering, imprinting, or improving personal property provided to the charitable organization at no charge, or to the donation of such services.
((
(4) This chapter does not apply to the donation of amusement and recreation services without intervening use to a nonprofit organization or state or local governmental entity, to the use by a nonprofit organization or state or local governmental entity of amusement and recreation services, or to the subsequent use of the services by a person to whom the services are donated or bailed in furtherance of the purpose for which the services were originally donated. As used in this subsection, "amusement and recreation services" has the meaning in RCW 82.04.050(3)(a).))
Sec. 8. RCW
82.12.035 and 2009 c 535 s 1107 are each amended to read as follows:
A credit is allowed against the taxes imposed by this chapter upon the use in this state of tangible personal property, extended warranty, digital good, digital code, digital automated service, or services defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050 (2) (a) or (g)((
, (3)(a),)) or (6)(b), in the amount that the present user thereof or his or her bailor or donor has paid a legally imposed retail sales or use tax with respect to such property, extended warranty, digital good, digital code, digital automated service, or service defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050 (2) (a) or (g)((
, (3)(a),)) or (6)(b) to any other state, possession, territory, or commonwealth of the United States, any political subdivision thereof, the District of Columbia, and any foreign country or political subdivision thereof.
Sec. 9. RCW 82.12.040 and 2015 c 1 s 11 (Initiative Measure No. 594) are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Every person who maintains in this state a place of business or a stock of goods, or engages in business activities within this state,
((shall))must obtain from the department a certificate of registration, and
((shall))must, at the time of making sales of tangible personal property, digital goods, digital codes, digital automated services, extended warranties, or sales of any service defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050 (2) (a) or (g)
((, (3)(a),)) or (6)(b), or making transfers of either possession or title, or both, of tangible personal property for use in this state, collect from the purchasers or transferees the tax imposed under this chapter. The tax to be collected under this section must be in an amount equal to the purchase price multiplied by the rate in effect for the retail sales tax under RCW
82.08.020. For the purposes of this chapter, the phrase "maintains in this state a place of business"
((shall)) include
s the solicitation of sales and/or taking of orders by sales agents or traveling representatives. For the purposes of this chapter, "engages in business activity within this state" includes every activity which is sufficient under the Constitution of the United States for this state to require collection of tax under this chapter. The department must in rules specify activities which constitute engaging in business activity within this state, and must keep the rules current with future court interpretations of the Constitution of the United States.
(2) Every person who engages in this state in the business of acting as an independent selling agent for persons who do not hold a valid certificate of registration, and who receives compensation by reason of sales of tangible personal property, digital goods, digital codes, digital automated services, extended warranties, or sales of any service defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050 (2) (a) or (g)
((, (3)(a),)) or (6)(b), of his or her principals for use in this state, must, at the time such sales are made, collect from the purchasers the tax imposed on the purchase price under this chapter, and for that purpose is deemed a retailer as defined in this chapter.
(3) The tax required to be collected by this chapter is deemed to be held in trust by the retailer until paid to the department, and any retailer who appropriates or converts the tax collected to the retailer's own use or to any use other than the payment of the tax provided herein to the extent that the money required to be collected is not available for payment on the due date as prescribed is guilty of a misdemeanor. In case any seller fails to collect the tax herein imposed or having collected the tax, fails to pay the same to the department in the manner prescribed, whether such failure is the result of the seller's own acts or the result of acts or conditions beyond the seller's control, the seller is nevertheless personally liable to the state for the amount of such tax, unless the seller has taken from the buyer a copy of a direct pay permit issued under RCW
82.32.087.
(4) Any retailer who refunds, remits, or rebates to a purchaser, or transferee, either directly or indirectly, and by whatever means, all or any part of the tax levied by this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(5) Notwithstanding subsections (1) through (4) of this section, any person making sales is not obligated to collect the tax imposed by this chapter if:
(a) The person's activities in this state, whether conducted directly or through another person, are limited to:
(i) The storage, dissemination, or display of advertising;
(ii) The taking of orders; or
(iii) The processing of payments; and
(b) The activities are conducted electronically via a web site on a server or other computer equipment located in Washington that is not owned or operated by the person making sales into this state nor owned or operated by an affiliated person. "Affiliated persons" has the same meaning as provided in RCW
82.04.424.
(6) Subsection (5) of this section expires when: (a) The United States congress grants individual states the authority to impose sales and use tax collection duties on remote sellers; or (b) it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, in a judgment not subject to review, that a state can impose sales and use tax collection duties on remote sellers.
(7) Notwithstanding subsections (1) through (4) of this section, any person making sales is not obligated to collect the tax imposed by this chapter if the person would have been obligated to collect retail sales tax on the sale absent a specific exemption provided in chapter
82.08 RCW, and there is no corresponding use tax exemption in this chapter. Nothing in this subsection (7) may be construed as relieving purchasers from liability for reporting and remitting the tax due under this chapter directly to the department.
(8) Notwithstanding subsections (1) through (4) of this section, any person making sales is not obligated to collect the tax imposed by this chapter if the state is prohibited under the Constitution or laws of the United States from requiring the person to collect the tax imposed by this chapter.
(9) Notwithstanding subsections (1) through (4) of this section, any licensed dealer facilitating a firearm sale or transfer between two unlicensed persons by conducting background checks under chapter
9.41 RCW is not obligated to collect the tax imposed by this chapter.
Sec. 10. RCW
82.12.860 and 2009 c 535 s 621 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) This chapter does not apply to state credit unions with respect to the use of any article of tangible personal property, digital good, digital code, digital automated service, service defined as a retail sale in RCW
82.04.050 (2) (a) or (g)((
, (3)(a),)) or (6)(b), or extended warranty, acquired from a federal credit union, foreign credit union, or out-of-state credit union as a result of a merger or conversion.
(2) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Federal credit union" means a credit union organized and operating under the laws of the United States.
(b) "Foreign credit union" means a credit union organized and operating under the laws of another country or other foreign jurisdiction.
(c) "Out-of-state credit union" means a credit union organized and operating under the laws of another state or United States territory or possession.
(d) "State credit union" means a credit union organized and operating under the laws of this state.
Sec. 11. RCW
82.32.087 and 2010 c 112 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
(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))must 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))
must 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))must 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)))
(c), (e), (f), and (g), ((
and)) (5)
, and (15); 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.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. RCW
82.12.02917 (Exemptions--Use of amusement and recreation services by nonprofit youth organization) and 1999 c 358 s 7 are each repealed.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. The repeal in section 12 of this act does not affect any existing right acquired or liability or obligation incurred under the statute repealed or under any rule or order adopted under that statute nor does it affect any proceedings instituted under the statute repealed.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. This act takes effect January 1, 2016.
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