A.R.S. § 42-2075 — Audit duration; applicability; initial audit contact

42-2075 . Audit duration; applicability; initial audit contact A. An audit of a taxpayer's return or claim for refund shall not exceed two years after the date of initial audit contact to the issuance of a notice of proposed deficiency assessment or proposed overpayment, except: 1. An audit of a fraudulent tax return. 2. An audit delayed as the result of the taxpayer's bankruptcy proceeding. 3. An audit in which the department has issued a letter to the taxpayer or the taxpayer's representative citing the potential imposition of the penalty described in section 42-1125, subsection C for the taxpayer's failure or refusal to provide information pursuant to the department's written request. 4. An audit involving proceedings concerning the enforcement or validity of a subpoena or subpoena duces tecum issued pursuant to section 42-1006, subsection C. 5. An audit involving a proceeding under section 42-2056. 6. An audit in which a taxpayer has filed a petition pursuant to section 43-1148, but only in relation to the effect of the petition request. 7. An audit in which the taxpayer provides a written request to extend the audit beyond the two-year period. A request for extension under this paragraph is not a substitute for a waiver of the statute of limitations pursuant to section 42-1104, subsection B, paragraph 9. However, a waiver of the statute of limitations is considered to be a written request to extend the audit beyond the two-year period under this paragraph. B. This section applies to audits conducted by the department and to audits conducted by the department and cities and towns pursuant to section 42-6002. C. For the purposes of subsection A of this section, an initial audit contact occurs: 1. For a field audit, on the date of the first meeting between the taxpayer or the taxpayer's representative and a member of the department's audit staff. 2. For a desk or office audit or a review conducted pursuant to section 42-1109, on the date of the first letter to the taxpayer regarding the audit or review. A letter is not considered to be regarding the audit or review if the letter is only requesting one or more of the following: (a) The required filing of a tax return. (b) A copy of the taxpayer's federal return. (c) Required documents that the taxpayer failed to include with the return. (d) Documentation to resolve an inconsistency within the return or a discrepancy between the return and other information that is received from a third party or that is otherwise already in the department's possession, if the adjustment of the return due to the inconsistency or discrepancy would be considered a nonaudit adjustment under section 42-1108, subsection G or H. (e) Information that was left out of the taxpayer's return because a submitted form was incomplete. (f) Replacements for documents that are not legible.