R865-20T. Tobacco Tax, R865. Tax Commission, Auditing, Utah Administrative Code

Utah Administrative Code (Current through November 1, 2019)

R865-20T-1. Assessment of Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Sections 59-14-204 and 59-14-302

Latest version.

A. The cigarette tax is a tax on the first purchase, use, storage, or consumption of cigarettes by a manufacturer, jobber, wholesaler, distributor, retailer, user, or consumer within the state.

B. If cigarettes are purchased outside the state for use, storage, or consumption within the state, the tax must be paid by the user, storer, or consumer.

C. The tobacco products tax is a tax on the first purchase, use, storage, or consumption of tobacco products by a manufacturer, wholesaler, jobber, distributor, retailer, user, storer, or consumer within the state.

D. No tax is due from nonresidents or tourists who import cigarettes or tobacco products for their own use while in the state.

R865-20T-3. Licensing of Cigarette and Tobacco-Products Dealers Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Sections 59-14-202 and 59-14-301

Latest version.

A. Each cigarette vending machine shall be licensed as a separate place of business, provided that only one machine needs to be licensed at any place of business where the licensee has more than one machine in operation.

1. The license shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the vending machine.

2. If a licensee operates more than one place of business, the application shall contain the required information about each place of business.

3. The application must be accompanied by the required fee for each place of business.

B. If a licensee's place of business changes, the licensee shall forward the license to the Tax Commission with a request for notation of the change in location.

C. A license under which business has been transacted has no redeemable value when the licensee ceases to transact business.

R865-20T-5. Bonding Requirements For Cigarette and Tobacco Products Dealers Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Sections 59-14-201 and 59-14-301

Latest version.

(1) Dealers who only sell tobacco products upon which the taxes imposed by this act have been paid by a previous seller are not required to post a bond.

(2) Subject to Subsections (3) and (4), the commission shall calculate the amount of a bond required under Title 59, Chapter 14, Cigarette and Tobacco Tax and Licensing ("Chapter 14"), on the basis of:

(a) for an applicant:

(i) commission estimates of the applicant's tax liability under Chapter 14; and

(ii) the amount of a tax owed under Chapter 14 by any of the following:

(A) the applicant;

(B) a fiduciary of the applicant; and

(C) a person for which the applicant is required to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over a tax under Chapter 14; and

(b) for a licensee:

(i) commission estimates of the licensee's tax liability under Chapter 14; and

(ii) the amount of a tax owed under Chapter 14 by any of the following:

(A) the licensee;

(B) a fiduciary of the licensee; and

(3) If the commission determines it is necessary to ensure compliance with Chapter 14, the commission may require a licensee to increase the amount of a bond filed with the commission.

(4) A licensee that does not purchase cigarette stamps on credit may not make any single purchase of cigarette stamps that exceeds 90% of the amount of the bond the licensee has filed with the commission.

R865-20T-7. Export Sales of Cigarette and Tobacco Products Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Sections 59-14-205 and 59-14-401

Latest version.

A. Sales of cigarettes and tobacco products to jobbers dealers outside the state are not subject to the taxes imposed by this act provided that physical delivery of the goods is made outside the state.

B. All export sales for which an exemption or refund is claimed must be supported by invoices and delivery tickets or bills of lading showing all of the following:

1. date of sale;

2. name and address of customer;

3. address to which delivered;

4. quantity and type of product sold.

R865-20T-8. Records Pertaining To Cigarette and Tobacco-Product Sales Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Section 59-14-404

Latest version.

A. It is the duty of manufacturers, jobbers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, users, or consumers of cigarettes or tobacco products to keep records necessary to determine the amount of tax due on the sale, purchase, or consumption of those products.

B. All pertinent records must be preserved for a period of three years.

C. The records shall be available for inspection by the Tax Commission or its authorized agents at all times during normal business hours or at other times determined by mutual agreement.

R865-20T-9. Cigarette-Manufacturer Inventory Requirements Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Section 59-14-205

Latest version.

A. Inventories of cigarettes held by manufacturers in warehouses located in Utah may be delivered to wholesalers or jobbers without being stamped. A record of those deliveries must be kept by the manufacturer at its place of business in this state or at the warehouse. The record shall contain all of the following:

1. date of delivery;

2. the person to whom the cigarettes were delivered;

3. place of delivery;

4. quantity delivered.

B. The record must be available for inspection by the Tax Commission or its agents at any reasonable time.

C. If the merchandise is sold to retailers, consumers or persons other than wholesalers or jobbers, the manufacturer must qualify as a licensed dealer.

R865-20T-10. Procedures for the Revocation, Renewal, and Reinstatement of Licenses Issued Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Sections 59-14-202, 59-14-203.5, and 59-14-301.5.

Latest version.

A. In order to renew a license issued under Sections 59-14-202 and 59-14-301, a licensee shall file form TC-38B, Cigarette and Tobacco Products License Renewal Application, with the Tax Commission on or before the last day of the month prior to the month in which the license expires.

1. The form shall be accompanied by the statutory renewal fee.

B. A license revoked pursuant to Section 26-42-103 shall be revoked for a period of one year commencing on the date the commission receives notification to revoke by the enforcing agency.

C. In order to reinstate a license revoked or suspended, or allowed to expire, a licensee shall file form TC-69, Utah State Business and Tax Registration, with the Tax Commission.

1. The form shall be accompanied by the statutory reinstatement fee.

D. A revoked or suspended license may not be reinstated prior to the expiration of the revocation or suspension period.

R865-20T-11. Reporting of Imported Cigarettes Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Section 59-14-212

Latest version.

A. A manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, or retail dealer required by Section 59-14-212 to provide the Tax Commission, on a quarterly basis, a copy of the importer's federal import permit and the customs form showing the tax information required by federal law:

1. is not required to enclose that information with the quarterly report;

2. shall retain that information in its records; and

3. at the request of the Tax Commission, provide copies of that information to the Tax Commission.

R865-20T-12. Definition of Counterfeit Tax Stamp Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Section 59-14-102

Latest version.

"Counterfeit tax stamp," for purposes of the definition of a counterfeit cigarette in Section 59-14-102, includes a cigarette stamp that has previously been affixed to another pack of cigarettes.

R865-20T-13. Calculation of Tax on Moist Snuff Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Section 59-14-302

Latest version.

(1) Moisture content, for purposes of ascertaining whether a tobacco product meets the definition of moist snuff, shall be the moisture content annually reported by the manufacturer to the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(2)(a) Tax on moist snuff shall be calculated by multiplying the net weight as listed by the manufacturer, in ounces, of the taxable moist snuff by the tax rate for moist snuff required under Section 59-14-302.

(b) If the net weight includes a fractional part of an ounce, that fractional part of an ounce shall be included in the calculation.

(3) The calculation described in Subsection (2) shall be carried to three decimal places and rounded up to the nearest cent whenever the third decimal place of the calculation in Subsection (2) is greater than 4.

R865-20T-14. Directory of Cigarettes Approved for Stamping Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Sections 59-14-603 and 59-14-607

Latest version.

(1) The commission shall update the directory of cigarettes approved for stamping required under Section 59-14-603 on the first business day of each month.

(2) Additions or modifications of brand families shall be by supplemental certification delivered to the commission by the manufacturer no later than 30 days before the next scheduled monthly update of the directory.

(3) Approved brand family additions or modifications shall be made to the directory on the next scheduled monthly update only if the manufacturer submitted a complete and accurate supplemental certification with requested additions or modifications 30 days prior to the scheduled monthly directory update.

(4) If the manufacturer does not submit a complete and accurate supplemental certification to the commission within 30 days of the next scheduled monthly update, approved brand family additions or modifications will not be made to the directory until the following monthly update.

(5) Directory updates between the regularly scheduled monthly updates are generally only permitted to correct errors or omissions in the directory made by the commission.