2016 North Carolina General Statutes
Chapter 105 - Taxation.
Article 5 - Sales and Use Tax.
§ 105-164.4H - 4H. Real property contract.

105-164.4H. Real property contract.

(a) Applicability. - A real property contractor is the consumer of the tangible personal property, digital property, or service that the real property contractor purchases, installs, or applies for others to fulfill a real property contract and that becomes part of real property or used to fulfill the contract. A retailer engaged in business in the State shall collect tax on the sales price of the tangible personal property, digital property, or service sold at retail to a real property contractor unless a statutory exemption in G.S. 105-164.13 or G.S. 105-164.13E applies. Where a real property contractor purchases tangible personal property or digital property for storage, use, or consumption in this State, or a service sourced to this State, and the tax due is not paid at the time of purchase, the provisions of G.S. 105-164.6 apply except as provided in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Retailer-Contractor. - This section applies to a retailer-contractor as follows:

(1) Acting as a real property contractor. - A retailer-contractor acts as a real property contractor when it contracts to perform a real property contract. A retailer-contractor that purchases tangible personal property or digital property to be installed or applied to real property or a service to fulfill the contract may purchase those items exempt from tax under a certificate of exemption pursuant to G.S. 105-164.28 provided the retailer-contractor also purchases inventory items or services from the seller for resale. When the property is withdrawn from inventory and installed or applied to real property, or when the service is deemed used, use tax must be accrued and paid on the retailer-contractor's purchase price of the property. Property that the retailer-contractor withdraws from inventory for use that does not become part of real property is also subject to the tax imposed by this Article.

(2) Acting as a retailer. - A retailer-contractor is acting as a retailer when it makes a sale at retail.

(b1) Joint and Several Liability. - If a retailer-contractor subcontracts any part of the real property contract, tax is payable by the subcontractor on the subcontractor's purchase of the tangible personal property or digital property that is installed or applied to real property or a service used to fulfill the contract. The retailer-contractor, the subcontractor, the owner of the real property, and the lessee of the real property, are jointly and severally liable for the tax. The liability of a retailer-contractor, a subcontractor, an owner, or lessee who did not purchase the property or service is satisfied by receipt of an affidavit from the purchaser certifying that the tax has been paid.

(c) Erroneous Collection if Separately Stated. - An invoice or other documentation issued to a person by a real property contractor shall not separately state any amount for tax for a real property contract. Any amount for tax separately stated on an invoice or other documentation given to a person by a real property contractor is an erroneous collection and must be remitted to the Secretary.

(d) Mixed Transaction Contract. - A contract that includes both a real property contract for a capital improvement and repair, maintenance, and installation services is taxable as follows:

(1) If the price of the taxable repair, maintenance, and installation services included in the contract does not exceed ten percent (10%) of the contract price, then the repair, maintenance, and installation services portion of the contract, and the tangible personal property, digital property, or service used to perform that service, are taxable as a real property contract in accordance with this section.

(2) If the price of the taxable repair, maintenance, and installation services included in the contract is equal to or greater than ten percent (10%) of the contract price, then sales and use tax applies to the taxable repair, maintenance, and installation services portion of the contract. The person must determine an allocated price for each taxable repair, maintenance, and installation service in the contract based on a reasonable allocation of revenue that is supported by the person's business records kept in the ordinary course of business. Any purchase of tangible personal property, digital property, or services to fulfill the real property contract are taxed in accordance with this section.

(e) Definitions. - The following definitions apply in this Article:

(1) Capital improvement. - An addition or alteration to real property that is new construction, reconstruction, or remodeling of a building, structure, or fixture on land that becomes part of the real property or is permanently installed or applied to the real property so that removal would cause material damage to the property or article itself. The term includes an addition or an alteration to real property for or by a lessee or tenant, provided it is intended to become a permanent installation and title to it vests in the owner or lessor of the real property immediately upon installation. The term does not include the replacement of a fixture in or on a building or structure unless the replacement is part of a remodeling. The term does not include a single repair, maintenance, or installation service. The term includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:

a. Removal of items from real property, such as debris, construction materials, asbestos, or excavation activities, including the removal of items from a structure such as a dumpster.

b. Performance of work that requires the issuance of a permit under the State Building Code, other than repair or replacement of electrical components, gas logs, water heater, and similar individual items that are not part of new construction, reconstruction, or remodeling.

c. Installation of underground utilities, notwithstanding that charges for such are included in the gross receipts derived from services subject to the combined general rate under G.S. 105-164.4.

d. Installation of equipment or fixture that is attached to real property so that removal of the item would cause physical, functional, or economic damage to the property and that is capitalized under one or more of the following: the Code, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or International Financial Reporting Standards.

e. Painting or wallpapering.

f. Replacement or installation of a roofing, septic tank, plumbing, electrical, commercial refrigeration, irrigation, sprinkler, or other similar system.

g. Replacement or installation of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit or system.

h. Replacement or installation of roads, driveways, parking lots, and sidewalks.

i. Landscaping service.

(2) New construction. - Construction of or site preparation for a permanent new building, structure, or fixture on land or an increase in the square footage of an existing building, structure, or fixture on land.

(3) Reconstruction. - Rebuild or construct again a prior existing permanent building, structure, or fixture on land and may include a change in the square footage from the prior existing building, structure, or fixture on land.

(4) Remodeling. - The process of improving or updating a permanent building, structure, or fixture on land or major portions thereof. The term includes renovation. (2014-3, s. 7.1(c); 2015-6, s. 2.1(b); 2016-5, s. 3.5; 2016-94, ss. 38.5(c), (g); 2016-123, ss. 11.2, 11.3(b), 11.4(a), 11.5.)