The term "printing plate makers" includes, among others, photoengravers, electrotypers, stereotypers, and lithographic plate makers.

Printing plate makers, typesetters and trade binderies (referred to in the trade as "trade shops") are primarily engaged in the business of altering or improving tangible personal property owned by them for sale or altering or improving tangible personal property owned by their customers. In either case the gross proceeds (including the value of any property exchanged by the customer in kind) from sales of, or services rendered to, plates, mats, engravings, type, etc., which are delivered in this state are taxable under retailing if the sale is to a "consumer" or wholesaling-all others if the sale is to one who will resell the property in the regular course of business without intervening "use." (See WAC 458-20-102A Resale certificates and WAC 458-20-102 Reseller permits.) Neither of these classifications is applicable however, if the article sold is delivered to an out-of-state customer at an out-of-state point or if an article is produced for commercial or industrial use (see WAC 458-20-134). In these cases tax is due under the manufacturing classification on the "value of products."

Sales to the printing industry and others of tangible personal property, or of services of altering or improving tangible personal property, by printing plate makers, typesetters, and trade binderies are sales at retail and subject to the retail sales tax unless the purchaser resells the article in the regular course of business without any intervening "use." For example, a trade shop must collect and account for the retail sales tax where a printing plate is sold to a printer who uses the plate to produce copy for a customer, even though he subsequently sells and delivers both the plate and the copy to the customer. In this situation the printer has made "intervening use" of the plate as a printing tool and is a "consumer" liable for payment of the retail sales tax to the trade shop.

Sales of plates, engravings, etc., to advertising agencies are retail sales and subject to the retail sales tax.

Sales by supply houses to trade shops of metal or other materials becoming a component part of an article produced for sale are not subject to the retail sales tax. As evidence of this, trade shops are required to furnish their vendors resale certificates for purchases made before January 1, 2010, or reseller permits for purchases made on or after January 1, 2010, to document the wholesale nature of any purchase as provided in WAC 458-20-102A (Resale certificates) and WAC 458-20-102 (Reseller permits). On the other hand, sales to trade shops of items for use such as machinery, equipment, tools, and other articles or materials, including chemicals which are used in the production of plates, mats, engravings, type, etc., are retail sales subject to the retail sales tax.