Washington has required remote sellers meeting the $100,000 annual revenue of 200 annual transaction threshold to collect and remit sales tax since October 1, 2018. The requirement was first introduced by regulation and later confirmed and clarified by statute. In a May 22 emergency regulation, the Washington Department of Revenue warned taxpayers not to
Digital Economy
North Carolina Legislature Approves Sales and Use Tax Exclusion for Digital Educational Services
By Jonathan Feldman on
Posted in Digital Economy
North Carolina HB 1079, providing a variety of sales tax changes, has been approved by both houses of the legislature and now awaits the Governor’s signature. In particular, the bill would exclude from sales and use tax sales of digital educational services and would exempt: (1) sales to home school operators of digital audio…
Maryland’s Digital Advertising Tax and Sales Tax Expansion Vetoed
Posted in Digital Economy
Earlier today, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan vetoed H.B. 732, which proposed a first of its kind Digital Advertising Tax. The Governor also vetoed H.B. 932, which would have expanded Maryland’s sales tax to sales of digital products (both downloads and streaming).
Unless a special session is scheduled between now and the end…
California Amends Remote Seller Regulations
By Jonathan Feldman on
Posted in California, Digital Economy
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration announced that the state’s Office of Administrative Law has approved amendments to regulations on the state’s remote seller law. The amendments are retroactive to April 1, 2019, the effective date of the legislation.
Under the amended regulations, a remote seller that did not surpass the $500,000…
New York Bill Would Expand Sales Tax Base to Digital Advertising Services
Posted in Digital Economy, New York
On April 13, 2020, legislation (S.8166) was introduced in the New York State Senate that would expand the sales tax base to digital advertising services. “Digital advertising services” is defined as “advertisement services on a digital interface, including advertisements in the form of banner advertising, search engine advertising, interstitial advertising, and other comparable…
South Carolina Issues PLR Guidance Finding Car Rental Company Responsible for Sales Tax
By Jonathan Feldman on
Posted in Digital Economy
On March 31, the South Carolina Department of Revenue issued a private letter ruling (PLR) finding that a car rental company in the state is responsible for sales tax on short-term rentals because it qualifies as a marketplace facilitator. The DOR determined that the company was a marketplace facilitator because it operates on a website…
Utah Governor Signs Amendment for Sales and Use Tax Exemptions
By Jonathan Feldman on
Posted in Digital Economy
The Utah Governor signed a law amending sales and use tax exemptions in relation to certain data centers on March 31, 2020. S.B. 114 includes several measures including the definition of a qualifying data center for purposes of the Sales and Use Tax Act; the exemption for an occupant of a qualifying data center for…
Illinois Supreme Court will not review Chicago streaming tax
By Jonathan Feldman on
Posted in Digital Economy
In 2015, Chicago expanded its 9% “amusement tax” to reach amusements that are delivered electronically. In September , 2019, an Illinois appellate court held in Labell v. City of Chicago that the new streaming tax complied with the state constitution and did not violate the Internet Tax Freedom Act. On March 25, 2020, the Illinois…
Florida appellate court rules vacation rental platforms not obligated to collect local lodging tax
By Jonathan Feldman on
Posted in Digital Economy
In Gannon v. Airbnb, Inc., a Florida appellate court held that vacation rental platforms are not required to collect local lodging tax. The ruling reasons that the tax is imposed on the owner of the property, and vacation rental platforms are “conduits,” not owners. A dissenting opinion analogized rental platforms to property managers, which…
10 Things You Need to Know About the Maryland Digital Advertising Tax
Posted in Digital Economy
On a recent podcast, our State and Local Tax team discussed the Maryland digital advertising tax, which proposes a first of its kind state tax on digital advertising imposed on gross revenues of up to 10%. The bill awaits Governor Larry Hogan’s signature – and he is expected to veto it.
Here are…