2013 Arizona Revised Statutes
Title 42 - Taxation
§ 42-5009; Version 2 Certificates establishing deductions; liability for making false certificate

42-5009. Certificates establishing deductions; liability for making false certificate

(L13, Ch. 255, sec. 5. Eff. 1/1/15)

A. A person who conducts any business classified under article 2 of this chapter may establish entitlement to the allowable deductions from the tax base of that business by both:

1. Marking the invoice for the transaction to indicate that the gross proceeds of sales or gross income derived from the transaction was deducted from the tax base.

2. Obtaining a certificate executed by the purchaser indicating the name and address of the purchaser, the precise nature of the business of the purchaser, the purpose for which the purchase was made, the necessary facts to establish the appropriate deduction and the tax license number of the purchaser to the extent the deduction depends on the purchaser conducting business classified under article 2 of this chapter and a certification that the person executing the certificate is authorized to do so on behalf of the purchaser. The certificate may be disregarded if the seller has reason to believe that the information contained in the certificate is not accurate or complete.

B. A person who does not comply with subsection A of this section may establish entitlement to the deduction by presenting facts necessary to support the entitlement, but the burden of proof is on that person.

C. The department may prescribe a form for the certificate described in subsection A of this section. Under such rules as it may prescribe, the department may also describe transactions with respect to which a person is not entitled to rely solely on the information contained in the certificate provided for in subsection A of this section but must instead obtain such additional information as required by the rules in order to be entitled to the deduction.

D. If a seller is entitled to a deduction by complying with subsection A of this section, the department may require the purchaser that caused the execution of the certificate to establish the accuracy and completeness of the information required to be contained in the certificate that would entitle the seller to the deduction. If the purchaser cannot establish the accuracy and completeness of the information, the purchaser is liable in an amount equal to any tax, penalty and interest that the seller would have been required to pay under this article if the seller had not complied with subsection A of this section. Payment of the amount under this subsection exempts the purchaser from liability for any tax imposed under article 4 of this chapter. The amount shall be treated as tax revenues collected from the seller in order to designate the distribution base for purposes of section 42-5029.

E. If a seller is entitled to a deduction by complying with subsection B of this section, the department may require the purchaser to establish the accuracy and completeness of the information provided to the seller that entitled the seller to the deduction. If the purchaser cannot establish the accuracy and completeness of the information, the purchaser is liable in an amount equal to any tax, penalty and interest that the seller would have been required to pay under this article if the seller had not complied with subsection B of this section. Payment of the amount under this subsection exempts the purchaser from liability for any tax imposed under article 4 of this chapter. The amount shall be treated as tax revenues collected from the seller in order to designate the distribution base for purposes of section 42-5029.

F. The department may prescribe a form for a certificate used to establish entitlement to the deductions described in section 42-5061, subsection A, paragraph 46 and section 42-5063, subsection B, paragraph 3. Under rules the department may prescribe, the department may also require additional information for the seller to be entitled to the deduction. If a seller is entitled to the deductions described in section 42-5061, subsection A, paragraph 46 and section 42-5063, subsection B, paragraph 3, the department may require the purchaser who executed the certificate to establish the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in the certificate that would entitle the seller to the deduction. If the purchaser cannot establish the accuracy and completeness of the information, the purchaser is liable in an amount equal to any tax, penalty and interest that the seller would have been required to pay under this article. Payment of the amount under this subsection exempts the purchaser from liability for any tax imposed under article 4 of this chapter. The amount shall be treated as tax revenues collected from the seller in order to designate the distribution base for purposes of section 42-5029.

G. If a seller claims a deduction under section 42-5061, subsection A, paragraph 25 and establishes entitlement to the deduction with an exemption letter that the purchaser received from the department and the exemption letter was based on a contingent event, the department may require the purchaser that received the exemption letter to establish the satisfaction of the contingent event within a reasonable time. If the purchaser cannot establish the satisfaction of the event, the purchaser is liable in an amount equal to any tax, penalty and interest that the seller would have been required to pay under this article if the seller had not been furnished the exemption letter. Payment of the amount under this subsection exempts the purchaser from liability for any tax imposed under article 4 of this chapter. The amount shall be treated as tax revenues collected from the seller in order to designate the distribution base for purposes of section 42-5029. For the purposes of this subsection, " reasonable time" means a time limitation that the department determines and that does not exceed the time limitations pursuant to section 42-1104.

H. The department shall prescribe forms for certificates used to establish the satisfaction of the criteria necessary to qualify the sale of a motor vehicle for the deductions described in section 42-5061, subsection A, paragraph 14, paragraph 28, subdivision (a) and paragraph 44 and subsection U. To establish entitlement to these deductions, a motor vehicle dealer shall retain:

1. A valid certificate as prescribed by this subsection completed by the purchaser and obtained prior to the issuance of the nonresident registration permit authorized by section 28-2154.

2. A copy of the nonresident registration permit authorized by section 28-2154.

3. A legible copy of a current valid driver license issued to the purchaser by another state or foreign country that indicates an address outside of this state. For the sale of a motor vehicle to a nonresident entity, the entity's representative must have a current valid driver license issued by the same jurisdiction as that in which the entity is located.

4. For the purposes of the deduction provided by section 42-5061, subsection A, paragraph 14, a certificate documenting the delivery of the motor vehicle to an out-of-state location.

I. Notwithstanding subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section, if a motor vehicle dealer has established entitlement to a deduction by complying with subsection H of this section, the department may require the purchaser who executed the certificate to establish the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in the certificate that entitled the motor vehicle dealer to the deduction. If the purchaser cannot establish the accuracy and completeness of the information, the purchaser is liable in an amount equal to any tax, penalty and interest that the motor vehicle dealer would have been required to pay under this article and under articles IV and V of the model city tax code as defined in section 42-6051. Payment of the amount under this subsection exempts the purchaser from liability for any tax imposed under article 4 of this chapter and any tax imposed under article VI of the model city tax code as defined in section 42-6051. The amount shall be treated as tax revenues collected from the motor vehicle dealer in order to designate the distribution base for purposes of section 42-5029.

J. Notwithstanding any other law, compliance with subsection H of this section by a motor vehicle dealer entitles the motor vehicle dealer to the exemption provided in section 42-6004, subsection A, paragraph 4.

K. The department shall prescribe a form for a certificate to be used by a contractor that is not otherwise subject to tax under section 42-5075 when purchasing tangible personal property to be incorporated or fabricated by the person into any real property, structure, project, development or improvement. The contractor shall obtain a new certificate for each project and is subject to the following conditions:

1. The contractor is not working for the owner of the real property but is working on a job that is in the control of a prime contractor and that the prime contractor is liable for the tax on the gross income, gross proceeds of sales or gross receipts attributable to the job and from which the contractor is paid.

2. The contractor may use the certificate issued pursuant to this subsection only with respect to materials that will be incorporated into a project the gross receipts of which are subject to tax under section 42-5075.

3. The department shall issue the certificate to the contractor on receiving sufficient documentation to establish that the contractor meets the requirements of this subsection.

4. The department shall not issue a certificate to a contractor that has a delinquent tax balance owing the department under this title or title 43.

5. If the department determines that the contractor has failed to meet any of the requirements of this subsection, any deductions from taxation from the use of the certificate are subject to recapture and payment by the contractor.