§ 206.43, F.S. — Terminal supplier, importer, exporter, blender, and wholesaler to report to department monthly; deduction

The taxes levied and assessed as provided in this part shall be paid to the department monthly in the following manner:

# (1)

(a) Taxes are due on the first day of the succeeding month and shall be paid on or before the 20th day of each month. The terminal supplier, importer, exporter, blender, or wholesaler shall mail to the department verified reports on forms prescribed by the department and shall at the same time pay to the department the amount of tax computed to be due. However, if the 20th day falls on a Saturday, a Sunday, or a federal or state legal holiday, returns shall be accepted if postmarked on the next succeeding workday. The terminal supplier or importer shall deduct from the amount of tax shown by the report to be payable an amount equivalent to .2 percent of the tax on motor fuels imposed by s. 206.41(1)(a), (b), (c), and (g), which deduction is hereby allowed to the terminal supplier or importer on account of services and expenses in complying with the provisions of the law. The allowance on taxable gallons of motor fuel sold to persons licensed under this chapter shall not be deductible unless the terminal supplier or importer has allowed 50 percent of the allowance provided by this section to a purchaser with a valid wholesaler or terminal supplier license. However, this allowance shall not be deductible unless payment of the tax is made on or before the 20th day of the month as herein required. The United States post office date stamped on the envelope in which the report is submitted shall be considered as the date the report is received by the department. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize a deduction from the constitutional fuel tax or fuel sales tax.(b) In addition to the allowance authorized by paragraph (a), every terminal supplier and wholesaler shall be entitled to a deduction of 1.1 percent of the tax imposed under s. 206.41(1)(d) and the first 6 cents of tax imposed under s. 206.41(1)(e), which deduction is hereby allowed on account of services and expenses in complying with the provisions of this part. This allowance shall not be deductible unless payment of the tax is made on or before the 20th day of the month as herein required.

# (2)

Such report may show in detail the number of gallons so sold and delivered by the terminal supplier, importer, exporter, blender, or wholesaler in the state, and the destination as to the county in the state to which the motor fuel was delivered for resale at retail or use shall be specified in the report. The total taxable gallons sold shall agree with the total gallons reported to the county destinations for resale at retail or use. All gallons of motor fuel sold shall be invoiced and shall name the county of destination for resale at retail or use.

# (3)

All terminal suppliers, importers, exporters, blenders, and wholesalers shall report monthly:(a) The consumption of motor fuel by the licensee and the county or counties in which the gallons of motor fuel were consumed.(b) All sales to the ultimate consumer and the county or counties to which the gallons of motor fuel were delivered.(c) All sales to retail dealers and service stations and the county or counties to which the gallons of motor fuel were delivered.

# (4)

The taxes herein levied and assessed shall be in addition to any and all other taxes authorized, imposed, assessed, or levied on motor fuel under any laws of this state.

# (5)

(a) A licensed wholesaler may, after obtaining written consent of the executive director of the department, remit the taxes imposed by s. 206.41 to its supplier by electronic funds transfer or other approved methods, no later than the last business day prior to the 20th day of the succeeding month following the date of the transaction. Consent of the department shall be conditioned solely upon a wholesaler having a license currently in good standing and shall be subject to the bond required pursuant to s. 206.05(1).(b) If a terminal supplier or position holder sells motor fuel to a licensed wholesaler with electronic funds transfer authority from the department and is unable to collect the taxes imposed pursuant to this part by the end of the last day of the succeeding month following the date of the transaction, the terminal supplier or position holder shall be entitled to a refund or credit of taxes which it has been unable to collect from the wholesaler and which were reported and remitted to the department on fuel sold to the wholesaler through the end of the last day of such succeeding month.(c) A terminal supplier or position holder which is unable to collect the taxes imposed pursuant to this part from a licensed wholesaler by the 10th day after the funds are due pursuant to paragraph (a) shall immediately notify the department of the wholesaler’s failure to pay such taxes. The department shall immediately notify all terminal suppliers and position holders that any sales of motor fuel to the wholesaler after the last day of the month following the date of the transaction shall not qualify for the refund or credit provided under paragraph (b), until the wholesaler shall have paid the amount of all applicable tax, penalties, and interest due to the department on the transaction, in which event the department shall immediately notify all terminal suppliers and position holders that sales to the wholesaler will thereafter qualify for the refund or credit provided under paragraph (b).(d) Any terminal supplier or position holder which fails to timely notify the department as required pursuant to paragraph (c) shall not be entitled to the refund or credit provided under paragraph (b). However, nothing contained in this section shall be construed to impose liability upon the terminal supplier or position holder for taxes due on fuel sold to the wholesaler by any other terminal supplier or position holder.

# (6)

(a) A licensed wholesaler shall self-accrue and remit to the department the tax on motor fuel imposed by s. 206.41(1)(d), (e), and (f) in accordance with subsections (1)-(3).(b) All motor fuel local option taxes required to be returned pursuant to this section by a licensed wholesaler shall be reported to the department on a consolidated fuel tax return. A wholesaler may, in lieu of applying for a refund, take a credit against any motor fuel local option taxes due to the department on said return for any motor fuel taxes, including local option taxes, paid by the wholesaler on fuel subsequently sold by it in a transaction which is exempt from fuel tax or eligible for a refund of fuel tax under this chapter.(c) A terminal supplier or wholesaler that has paid the tax required under s. 206.41(1)(d), (e), and (f) upon sales to a retail dealer or reseller may take credit for any unpaid tax due on worthless accounts within 12 months after the month the bad debt was written off for federal income tax purposes, if the debt for the fuel upon which the tax was paid was also written off and if the credit for taxes paid is limited to the sales of fuel and taxes remitted within the first 60 days of nonpayment, not to exceed 120 percent of the 60-day average based on the prior 12 months of business. Any taxes due on sales to retailers and resellers resulting in worthless accounts receivable following the first 60 days of nonpayment shall not be credited or refunded. If any accounts so charged off for which a credit or refund has been obtained are thereafter in whole or in part paid to the licensee, the amount so paid shall be included in the first return filed after such collection and the tax paid accordingly.

# (7)

(a) Any terminal supplier or wholesaler who inadvertently reports a sale or use of motor fuel in a county other than the county in which such sale or use occurred shall have the right, prior to being contacted by the department concerning such liability, to correct the reporting error by filing an amended return and paying the correct amount of tax due, plus any applicable interest due on the difference between the correct tax due and the amount of tax originally reported. However, interest shall not be due if the amended return is filed with the department on or before the due date of the next return. The terminal supplier or wholesaler shall be entitled to a credit or refund of the amount, if any, by which the amount of tax originally reported exceeds the correct tax due.(b) Any terminal supplier or wholesaler who fails to correct a reporting error under the circumstances provided in paragraph (a) within 180 days after making the error and prior to any request made by the department to examine the records of the licensee shall be liable for all the additional taxes due, applicable delinquency penalty and interest, a specific penalty of 100 percent of the additional tax due, and an additional specific penalty, for improper reporting, of 10 percent of the tax due to any county without benefit of credit for taxes paid in error.

Note.—Former s. 208.06.