N.D.C.C. § 57-36-09 — Records to be kept by distributors and reports made - Penalty

Distributors shall keep records and make reports relating to purchases and sales of
cigarettes, cigarette papers, cigars, pipe tobacco, electronic smoking devices, or other tobacco
products made by them, and must be punished for failure so to do, as follows:
1. Each distributor who shall dispose of cigarettes, cigarette papers, cigars, pipe tobacco,
electronic smoking devices, or other tobacco products shall keep and preserve for
three years all invoices of cigarettes, cigarette papers, cigars, pipe tobacco, electronic
smoking devices, or other tobacco products purchased by the distributor and shall
permit the state tax commissioner, and assistants, authorized agents, or
representatives of the state tax commissioner, to inspect and examine all taxable
merchandise, invoices, receipts, books, papers, and memoranda as may be deemed
necessary by the state tax commissioner, and assistants, authorized agents, or
representatives of the state tax commissioner in determining the amount of the tax as
may be yet due. Each person selling or otherwise disposing of cigarettes, cigarette
papers, cigars, pipe tobacco, electronic smoking devices, or other tobacco products as
a distributor shall keep a record of all sales made within the state showing the name
and address of the purchaser and the date of sale. For sales of other tobacco
products, the records must also include the net weight in ounces, as listed by the
manufacturer.
2. On or before the fifteenth day of each month, each licensed distributor, on such form
as the state tax commissioner shall prescribe, shall report to the tax commissioner all
purchases and sales of cigarettes, cigarette papers, cigars, pipe tobacco, electronic
smoking devices, or other tobacco products made from or to any persons either within
or without this state during the preceding month. For sales of other tobacco products,
each licensed distributor shall also report to the tax commissioner the net weight in
ounces, as listed by the manufacturer. The tax levied by this chapter is payable
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monthly and must be remitted to the tax commissioner by each licensed distributor on
or before the fifteenth day of the month following the monthly period.
3. Any person failing to file any prescribed form or return or to pay any tax within the time
required or permitted by this section is subject to a penalty of five percent of the
amount of tax due or five dollars, whichever is greater, plus interest of one percent of
the tax per month or fraction of a month of delay except the first month after the return
or the tax became due. The tax commissioner, if satisfied that the delay was
excusable, may waive all or any part of the penalty. The penalty must be paid to the
tax commissioner and disposed of in the same manner as are other receipts under this
chapter.