BUSINESS AND OCCUPATION TAX RATES
NEW SECTION. Sec. 501. A new section is added to chapter
82.04 RCW to read as follows:
(1) Upon every person engaging within the state in the business of providing high-technology services, the amount of tax with respect to such activities is equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by a rate of three percent.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "high-technology services" means the following activities:
(a) Information technology technical consulting services including, but not limited to, planning and designing information technology systems, network systems integration design services, and systems integration design and consulting;
(b) Information technology training services, technical support, and other services including, but not limited to, assisting with network operations and support, help desk services, in-person training related to hardware or software, network system support services, data entry services, and data processing services; and
(c) Custom website development services. For the purposes of this subsection (2)(c), "website development services" means the design, development, and support of a website provided by a website developer to a customer.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 502. A new section is added to chapter
82.04 RCW to read as follows:
(1) Upon every person engaging within the state in the business of advertising services, the amount of tax with respect to such activities is equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by a rate of three percent.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "advertising services" include, but are not limited to, all digital and nondigital services directly related to the creation, preparation, production, or dissemination of advertisements. "Advertising services" include layout, art direction, graphic design, mechanical preparation, production supervision, placement, and rendering advice to a client concerning the best methods of advertising that client's products or services. "Advertising services" also include online referrals, search engine marketing, and lead generation optimization, web campaign planning, the acquisition of advertising space in the internet media, and the monitoring and evaluation of website traffic for purposes of determining the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. "Advertising services" do not include web hosting services and domain name registration. "Advertising services" also do not include services rendered in respect to printing, publishing, radio, and television.
Sec. 503. RCW
82.04.460 and 2023 c 286 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, any person earning apportionable income taxable under this chapter and also taxable in another state must, for the purpose of computing tax liability under this chapter, apportion to this state, in accordance with RCW
82.04.462, that portion of the person's apportionable income derived from business activities performed within this state.
(2) The department must by rule provide a method of apportioning the apportionable income of financial institutions, where such apportionable income is taxable under RCW
82.04.290. The rule adopted by the department must, to the extent feasible, be consistent with the multistate tax commission's recommended formula for the apportionment and allocation of net income of financial institutions as existing on June 1, 2010, or such subsequent date as may be provided by the department by rule, consistent with the purposes of this section, except that:
(a) The department's rule must provide for a single factor apportionment method based on the receipts factor; and
(b) The definition of "financial institution" contained in appendix A to the multistate tax commission's recommended formula for the apportionment and allocation of net income of financial institutions is advisory only.
(3) The department may by rule provide a method or methods of apportioning or allocating gross income derived from sales of telecommunications service and competitive telephone service taxed under this chapter, if the gross proceeds of sales subject to tax under this chapter do not fairly represent the extent of the taxpayer's income attributable to this state. The rule must provide for an equitable and constitutionally permissible division of the tax base.
(4) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) "Apportionable income" means gross income of the business generated from engaging in apportionable activities, including income received from apportionable activities performed outside this state if the income would be taxable under this chapter if received from activities in this state, less the exemptions and deductions allowable under this chapter. For purposes of this subsection, "apportionable activities" means only those activities taxed under:
(ii) RCW
82.04.260 (3), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), and (13);
(ix) RCW
82.04.263, but only to the extent of any activity that would be taxable under any of the provisions enumerated under (a)(i) through (viii) of this subsection (4) if the tax classification in RCW
82.04.263 did not exist; ((
and))
(x) RCW
82.04.280(1)(a) or exempted under RCW
82.04.759, but only with respect to advertising
;(xi) Section 501 of this act; and
(xii) Section 502 of this act.
(b)(i) "Taxable in another state" means that the taxpayer is subject to a business activities tax by another state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activities; or the taxpayer is not subject to a business activities tax by another state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activities, but any other state has jurisdiction to subject the taxpayer to a business activities tax on such income under the substantial nexus standards in RCW
82.04.067(1).
(ii) For purposes of this subsection (4)(b), "business activities tax" and "state" have the same meaning as in RCW
82.04.462.
Sec. 504. RCW
82.04.460 and 2014 c 97 s 304 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, any person earning apportionable income taxable under this chapter and also taxable in another state must, for the purpose of computing tax liability under this chapter, apportion to this state, in accordance with RCW
82.04.462, that portion of the person's apportionable income derived from business activities performed within this state.
(2) The department must by rule provide a method of apportioning the apportionable income of financial institutions, where such apportionable income is taxable under RCW
82.04.290. The rule adopted by the department must, to the extent feasible, be consistent with the multistate tax commission's recommended formula for the apportionment and allocation of net income of financial institutions as existing on June 1, 2010, or such subsequent date as may be provided by the department by rule, consistent with the purposes of this section, except that:
(a) The department's rule must provide for a single factor apportionment method based on the receipts factor; and
(b) The definition of "financial institution" contained in appendix A to the multistate tax commission's recommended formula for the apportionment and allocation of net income of financial institutions is advisory only.
(3) The department may by rule provide a method or methods of apportioning or allocating gross income derived from sales of telecommunications service and competitive telephone service taxed under this chapter, if the gross proceeds of sales subject to tax under this chapter do not fairly represent the extent of the taxpayer's income attributable to this state. The rule must provide for an equitable and constitutionally permissible division of the tax base.
(4) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) "Apportionable income" means gross income of the business generated from engaging in apportionable activities, including income received from apportionable activities performed outside this state if the income would be taxable under this chapter if received from activities in this state, less the exemptions and deductions allowable under this chapter. For purposes of this subsection, "apportionable activities" means only those activities taxed under:
(ii) RCW
82.04.260 (3), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), and (13);
(ix) RCW
82.04.263, but only to the extent of any activity that would be taxable under any of the provisions enumerated under (a)(i) through (viii) of this subsection (4) if the tax classification in RCW
82.04.263 did not exist; ((
and))
(xi) Section 501 of this act; and
(xii) Section 502 of this act.
(b)(i) "Taxable in another state" means that the taxpayer is subject to a business activities tax by another state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activities; or the taxpayer is not subject to a business activities tax by another state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activities, but any other state has jurisdiction to subject the taxpayer to a business activities tax on such income under the substantial nexus standards in RCW
82.04.067(1).
(ii) For purposes of this subsection (4)(b), "business activities tax" and "state" have the same meaning as in RCW
82.04.462.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 601. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 602. This act is necessary for the support of the state government and its existing public institutions.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 603. Sections 101 and 201 of this act take effect October 1, 2025.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 604. Section 301 of this act takes effect January 1, 2026.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 605. Sections 501 through 503 of this act take effect January 1, 2026.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 606. Section 504 of this act takes effect January 1, 2034.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 607. Section 503 of this act expires January 1, 2034."
EFFECT: • Removes the following services and digital automated services from being subject to the retail sales and use tax and business and occupation tax:
• Information technology technical consulting services;
• Information technology training services and technical support;
• Custom website development services;
• Advertising services;
• Live presentations;
• Any service that primarily involves the application of human effort by the seller; and
• Digital processing services.
• Removes the exclusion from retail sales and use tax and the retailing business and occupation tax when the sale of such service is between members of an affiliated group.
• Adds a business and occupation tax rate for high-technology services at a rate of 3 percent of gross income derived from such activities effective January 1, 2026. "High technology services" means the following activities:
• Information technology technical consulting services including, but not limited to, planning and designing information technology systems, network systems integration design services, and systems integration design and consulting.
• Information technology training services, technical support, and other services including, but not limited to, assisting with network operations and support, help desk services, in-person training related to hardware or software, network system support services, data entry services, and data processing services.
• Custom website development services which means the design, development, and support of a website provided by a website developer to a customer.
• Adds a business and occupation tax rate for advertising services at a rate of 3 percent of gross income derived from such activities effective January 1, 2026. "Advertising services" include, but are not limited to, all digital and nondigital services directly related to the creation, preparation, production, or dissemination of advertisements. "Advertising services" include layout, art direction, graphic design, mechanical preparation, production supervision, placement, and rendering advice to a client concerning the best methods of advertising that client's products or services. "Advertising services" also include online referrals, search engine marketing, and lead generation optimization, web campaign planning, the acquisition of advertising space in the internet media, and the monitoring and evaluation of website traffic for purposes of determining the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. "Advertising services" do not include web hosting services and domain name registration. "Advertising services" also do not include services rendered in respect to printing, publishing, radio, and television.
• Removes the additional cigarette tax on the sale, use, consumption, handling, possession, or distribution of cigarettes imposed at a rate of 10 cents per cigarette, or $2.00 per pack.
• Removes section 705, the effective date for sections 401 and 402 of this act.
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