Neb. Admin. Code § 316-1-015 — Common and Contract Carriers (Multistate Operations) - Tax Deferral

015.01 Any person, firm, or corporation operating as a common or contract carrier engaged in multistate operations, may apply to the Nebraska Department of Revenue for special permission to defer the incidence of the sales and use tax on certain purchases within or without this state, where the item purchased is first stored here for subsequent use in multistate operations, and at the time of purchase, the final location of the use of the item is unknown. The special permission referred to in this regulation is not related to the common and contract carrier exemption referred to in Reg-1-069, Common and Contract Carrier Vehicles. 015.02 Upon receipt of a request for permission to defer taxes, an investigation will be made to determine whether the applicant maintains satisfactory records to show where the purchased property is actually used. Such request must be written and be accompanied by a $10.00 fee. If a favorable report results from the investigation, the Nebraska Department of Revenue will issue a special permission letter to the respective common or contract carrier. This special permission letter is issued in the form of a certificate of exemption. The common or contract carrier receiving the letter should furnish a copy of the letter to those vendors from whom purchases are made where use is unknown at the time of purchase in order that sales or use tax will be excluded from such purchases. Such letter shall not be used when purchases are made which knowingly have been or will be used or consumed within this state. 015.03 A retailer (seller) repeatedly making the same type of exempt sale to common or contract carriers need not take a separate copy of the special permission letter for each sale but may, at his or her risk, take a blanket certificate covering all future sales. If the Nebraska Department of Revenue determines that any such sale was not exempt, the retailer (seller) shall be liable for the tax, penalty, and interest. If a single special permission letter is taken, identification of the common or contract carrier must appear upon the memoranda created at the time of sale. 015.04 When items that were purchased tax exempt are later used in this state by the common or contract carrier, use tax is due at the applicable rate in effect at the time of use. This liability must be reported on the appropriate return to be filed for the period corresponding to the month of use. (Section 77-2706(6), R.R.S. 1943.January 24, 1993.) Print this regulation REG-1-016 Changes in the Rate of Tax This regulation has been marked with an asterisk and has been affected by legislation or court cases, and is currently undergoing review. Legislation has repealed the special provision for motor vehicle leases contained in Reg-1-016.02A. This regulation is currently undergoing review for amendment ( Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-2703 ). 016.01 The rate at which the sales and use tax is imposed is subject to change or the base may be altered by legislation which extends the tax to transactions previously not taxed. The purpose of this regulation is to set out the manner in which such occurrences will affect the tax on sales and purchases made where pre-existing contracts or obligations are involved so that retailers and consumers alike can take note of possible increases for which they may become liable. 016.02 For sales, leases, or rentals, the sales tax is imposed and shall be collected and remitted by the retailer at the rate in effect at the time the gross receipts are recorded as sales under the accounting method used by the retailer to maintain his or her books and records. A lease or rental agreement which extends through a tax rate change, will recognize the changed tax rate on payments recorded on or after the rate change. (Reg-1-009, Accounting Methods.) 016.02A For the rental or lease of a motor vehicle, the sales tax is imposed at the rate in effect at the time of the delivery of the motor vehicle regardless of changes in the rate during the term of the lease. 016.03 If the use tax is not required to be remitted at the time of purchase, the applicable use tax rate is that rate in effect at the time of use according to the accounting basis used to maintain the taxpayer's books and records. 016.04 The retailer on a cash basis of accounting will collect and report the tax at the rate in effect at the time he or she receives a payment without regard to whether the payment is in satisfaction of an obligation predating a change in the rate. The retailer using an accrual basis of accounting will collect and report the tax at the rate in effect at the time he or she records the sale. 016.05 Persons providing services covering a period starting before, and ending after, the effective date of a rate change will bill tax as follows: (a) for a rate increase, the change will apply to the first billing period starting on or after the effective date of the change; and (b) for a rate decrease, the change will apply to bills rendered on or after the effective date of the change. 016.06 When construction contractors operating under either Option 2 or Option 3 purchase construction materials to be consumed by them, they are obligated to pay the tax on the same basis as other consumers without regard to whether the purchase of such materials is for use in completion of a construction contract executed prior to a change in the rate. However, when a written contract exists for a fixed-price construction, reconstruction, alteration, or improvement project and the sales tax rate is increased during the term of that fixed-price contract, the contractor may apply for a refund of the increased sales tax; provided, such refund amount exceeds ten dollars ($10.00). The contractor must submit a copy of the contract and any other evidence necessary to establish his or her entitlement to the refund. 016.06A In the event that the sales tax rate is decreased during the term of the fixed-price contract, the contractor shall pay to the Department of Revenue the difference between the decreased tax rate and the tax rate in effect prior to the decrease; provided, the amount of such payment exceeds ten dollars ($10.00). This procedure results in the contractor's final sales tax liability on fixed-price written contracts, to equal the rate in effect at the time the contract was entered into. 016.07 For fixed-price contracts in which the contractor labor is taxable and which were in progress on October 1, 2007, the date on which such contractor labor became exempt, , the taxpayer shall pay to the Department of Revenue the difference between the decreased tax collected and the tax that would have been due on the contractor labor prior to the change; provided, the amount of such payment exceeds ten dollars ($10.00). Failure to make the required payment constitutes a criminal act. (Section 77-2701.03, R.R.S. 2003, and sections 77-2703(1) and (2), 77-2704.32, and 77-2704.33, R.S.Supp., 2008. February 22, 2009.) Print this regulation