Ala. Code § 40-25-4 — Method and Time of Affixing Stamps

The license taxes imposed by this article shall be paid by affixing stamps in the manner and at the time herein set forth. In the case of cigars, stogies, cheroots, chewing tobacco, and like products, the stamps shall be affixed to the box or container in which or from which normally sold at retail. In the case of cigarettes, smoking tobacco, heated tobacco products, and snuff, the stamps shall be affixed to each individual package. Time allowed for affixing stamps shall be as follows: Every wholesale or retail dealer in this state, except wholesalers who are issued a permit by the Department of Revenue, shall immediately after receipt of any unstamped cigars, stogies, cheroots, chewing tobacco, cigarettes, smoking tobacco, heated tobacco products, or snuff, unless sooner offered for sale, cause the same to have the requisite denominations and amount of stamp or stamps to represent the tax affixed as stated herein. The stamping of the cigars, stogies, cheroots, chewing tobacco, cigarettes, smoking tobacco, heated tobacco products, and snuff shall actually begin within one hour after receipt of the cigars, stogies, cheroots, chewing tobacco, cigarettes, smoking tobacco, heated tobacco products, and snuff in the premises of the wholesale or retail dealer, except wholesalers who are issued a permit by the Department of Revenue, and the stamping shall be continued with reasonable diligence by the wholesale or retail dealer until all of the unstamped cigars, stogies, cheroots, chewing tobacco, cigarettes, smoking tobacco, heated tobacco products, and snuff have been stamped. Wholesalers who have been issued a permit by the department shall affix the required stamps prior to any sale. Every wholesale dealer shall at the time of shipping or delivering any tobacco products as enumerated herein make a true duplicate invoice of the same which shall show full and complete details of the sale or delivery of the taxable article, shall state the tobacco tax separately from the price of the tobacco products, and shall retain the same subject to the use and inspection of the Department of Revenue, or its duly authorized agents for a period of three years. Wholesaler invoices must be computer or machine generated and the seller’s or supplier’s name must be on the invoice. Handwritten invoices may not be considered legitimate documentations to substantiate proof of sale. Wholesale and retail dealers shall also keep a record of purchases of all tobacco products enumerated and defined in this article and hold all books, records, and memoranda pertaining to the purchase and sale of those tobacco products open to the inspection of the Department of Revenue or its duly authorized agents at any and all times. Every wholesale dealer shall furnish to the Department of Revenue a monthly report, between the first and twentieth of each month for the preceding month, of all orders for tobacco products purchased through the wholesale dealer from without this state on a drop shipment and consigned direct to the person, firm, corporation, or association of persons ordering the tobacco products from without this state through the wholesale dealer. If, upon examination of invoices of any tobacco product sold by a wholesaler or purchased or received, or both, by a retail dealer, he or she is unable to furnish evidence to the Department of Revenue of sufficient stamp purchases to cover the unstamped tobaccos purchased, the prima facie presumption shall arise that the tobacco products were sold without the proper stamps affixed thereto. Any wholesaler or retailer who fails or refuses to comply with any or all of the above provisions shall be deemed a violator of this section and, upon conviction, punished by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, or imprisonment in the county jail for a period of six months, either or both, at the discretion of the court.