RCW
82.72.020 requires the department of revenue (department) to collect certain telephone program excise taxes. Those taxes include the tax on switched access lines imposed by RCW
43.20A.725 (telephone relay service—TRS) and
80.36.430 (Washington telephone assistance program—WTAP). Pursuant to those statutes, the department must annually determine the rate of each respective tax according to the statutory formulas.
Effective August 1, 2013, Second Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill No. 1971 (chapter 8, Laws of 2013 2nd sp.s.) repeals the TRS and WTAP taxes. Telephone service providers will no longer collect these taxes as of the effective date.
The monthly telephone program excise tax rates per switched access line are as follows:
Period | TRS Rate | WTAP Rate |
7/1/2009 - 6/30/2010 | 11 cents | 13 cents |
7/1/2010 - 6/30/2011 | 19 cents | 14 cents |
7/1/2011 - 6/30/2012 | 19 cents | 14 cents |
7/1/2012 - 6/30/2013 | 17 cents | 14 cents |
7/1/2013 - 7/31/2013 | 17 cents | 14 cents |
[Statutory Authority: RCW
82.32.300,
82.01.060(2),
43.20A.725, and
80.36.430. WSR 13-15-074, § 458-20-270, filed 7/16/13, effective 8/16/13; WSR 12-14-039, § 458-20-270, filed 6/27/12, effective 7/28/12; WSR 11-13-110, § 458-20-270, filed 6/21/11, effective 7/22/11; WSR 10-14-032, § 458-20-270, filed 6/28/10, effective 7/29/10; WSR 09-14-037, § 458-20-270, filed 6/24/09, effective 7/25/09; WSR 08-16-054, § 458-20-270, filed 7/30/08, effective 8/30/08; WSR 07-17-110, § 458-20-270, filed 8/17/07, effective 9/17/07; WSR 06-16-137, § 458-20-270, filed 8/2/06, effective 9/2/06; WSR 05-18-017, § 458-20-270, filed 8/26/05, effective 9/26/05.]