LAC 61:I.4371 — Sales Tax Refund for Tangible Personal Property Destroyed in a Natural Disaster

A. Under certain circumstances, a refund is allowed for state sales or use tax paid on tangible personal property that has been destroyed in a natural disaster. The conditions and requirements are as follows.
1. The property destroyed must be classified as tangible personal property at the time of destruction rather than being classified as real or immovable property. For purposes of determination of the classification of such property, reference and guidance shall be to the rules of the Louisiana Civil Code. In Louisiana, property is classified as either movable or immovable rather than as personal or real. Under Louisiana law a corporeal movable is equivalent to tangible personal property at common law, and an immovable is equivalent to real property. Generally speaking a house or a building and all central heating or cooling systems, lighting fixtures, lavatories, etc., that are actually connected with or attached to the house or building by the owner are immovable by their nature. Such items as clothing, drugs, food, recreation equipment, appliances not permanently attached to a house or building where the removal thereof would not damage the movable or immovable, etc., would be classified as tangible personal property or movable property, and the sales tax paid on these items would be eligible to be refunded. Automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, boats, boat trailers, and other vehicles will not be considered tangible personal property used in or about a person's home, apartment, or homestead. The sales tax paid on these items is not eligible to be refunded under this statute.
2. Such property destroyed must be a part of and used in or about a person's home, apartment or homestead, on which Louisiana sales tax has been paid by the owner of the property destroyed in an area subsequently determined by the president of the United States to warrant assistance by the federal government. Therefore, it is necessary that individuals suffer the loss, since R.S. 47:315.1 does not apply to partnerships or corporations. Further, it does not apply to business losses, even by individuals, since the law limits the losses to property that is part of and used in or about a person's home, apartment or homestead. Also, the area where the natural disaster occurred must be designated as an area warranting assistance by the federal government in order to qualify under this Section.
3. The claimant suffering the loss of the tangible personal property must be the owner of such property that purchased and paid the Louisiana sales tax on such property. Any refund claim filed shall be made in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the secretary. Accordingly, any refund claim shall be filed on or before the end of the third calendar year following the year in which the property was destroyed, and the refund claim shall be limited to the tax paid on such tangible personal property destroyed for which no reimbursement was received by insurance or otherwise.
4. A refund claim packet can be obtained from the secretary, and when the claimant properly executes the required forms and prepares a sworn statement attesting to the facts, a refund will be processed.