La. R.S. 47:818.119 — Returns and payments; discounts; penalties for failure to file

A. A licensed dealer shall file a monthly return no later than the twentieth day of the
month. If a licensed dealer files a return and remits the tax due on or before the due date,
one-third of one percent of the tax due is allocated to the licensed dealer for the expense of
collecting, accounting for, reporting, and timely remitting the taxes collected and for keeping
the records. The licensed dealer shall deduct the allocated amount from the tax due when
paying the tax to the state. A licensed dealer who has not made taxable deliveries during the
reporting period shall file a return with the secretary that includes those facts or that
information. A return shall be filed with the secretary on forms provided for that purpose
and shall contain the total gallons or gallon equivalents sold or used and other information
required by the secretary.
B. A licensed dealer may take a credit on a filed return if the dealer paid the taxes
imposed by this Subpart on compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, or liquefied
petroleum gas sold on account and the dealer determines that the account is uncollectible and
worthless. The credit authorized by this Section shall be applicable only if the licensed
dealer writes off the account as a bad debt on the dealer's accounting books. The return on
which the credit shall be taken shall state, if applicable, the name of the person whose
account has been written off as a bad debt or who failed to remit the tax and any other
information required by the secretary. The amount of the credit may equal, but shall not
exceed, the amount of taxes paid on the compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, or
liquefied petroleum gas to which the written-off account applies. If, after a credit is taken,
the account on which the credit was based is paid, or if the secretary otherwise determines
that the credit was not authorized, the dealer who took the credit shall pay the unpaid taxes
plus a penalty of ten percent of the amount of the unpaid taxes and interest. Interest shall
accrue beginning on the day the return showing the credit was filed and ending on the date
the taxes and penalty are paid.
C. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to a sale of compressed natural gas,
liquefied natural gas, or liquefied petroleum gas for which payment is made through the use
and acceptance of a credit card. The credit granted pursuant to the provisions of this Section
shall be taken at the time the account is written off as a bad debt but before the tax reporting
period prescribes. The secretary may take action against a person in relation to whom a
dealer has taken a credit for collection of the tax owed and for penalty and interest.
D. Failure to file any informational report or return within thirty days of the due date
of the report or return shall result in a penalty of one hundred dollars and may result in a
revocation of the license.