On August 25, California’s Department of Tax and Fee Administration released a discussion paper and proposed amended regulations to clarify when marketplace facilitators are considered the retailer with regard to drop shipment transactions. The CDTFA is accepting written comments and will hold a virtual hearing on the proposal September 15.
Sales and Use Tax
South Carolina Reminds Marketplace Facilitators of Responsibility for COVID-19 Surcharges
South Carolina Information Letter No. 20-23 clarified that COVID-19-related surcharges, takeout charges, and the like are subject to sales tax. The information letter, released August 5, “remind[ed]” taxpayers that the 6% sales tax applies to “gross proceeds of sales,” which includes all value that comes from the sale of tangible personal property, such as restaurant…
On Call: Tennessee DOR Says B2B Digital Services Subject to Sales Tax as “Specified Digital Products”
In a recently issued revenue ruling, the Tennessee Department of Revenue determined that a taxpayer’s digital services provided to other businesses were taxable “specified digital products,” a broad term based on definitions (and subject to detailed operating rules) in the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. Sellers of business-to-business digital services should review this ruling…
Georgia DOR Rules that Sales Tax does not Apply to Most of Taxpayer’s Healthcare Document Management Services
In a recently released letter ruling, the Georgia Department of Revenue concluded that charges for the electronic delivery of medical records, and services related to the management and processing of medical records, are not subject to sales and use tax, while charges for transferring medical records delivered on paper or another “tangible format” are subject…
Ohio and Texas Issue Guidance on Expiration of Internet Tax Freedom Act Grandfather Clause
On June 30th, 2020, the Internet Tax Freedom Act’s grandfather clause will expire. ITFA prohibits states and political subdivisions from imposing taxes on Internet access. But the grandfather clause has permitted such taxes if they were generally imposed and actually enforced prior to October 1, 1998. In particular, Ohio and Texas have imposed their sales…
North Carolina Excludes Sales of Certain Digital Goods from Sales and Use Taxes
On June 5, 2020, Governor Cooper signed HB 1079, which will exclude sales of certain digital audio and visual works from the state’s sales and use tax, and make other tax changes. The law exempts sales of digital educational services and the sales of digital audio or digital audiovisual works that consist of nontaxable…
Kansas Legislative Committee Continues to Work on Marketplace Seller and Facilitator Legislation
During a series of remote committee hearings, the Kansas House Committee on Taxation discussed revisions and amendments to marketplace facilitator legislation. Kansas is currently one of the few states without a marketplace facilitator or remote seller law, and the only state that has a remote seller rule without any thresholds for application. As initially drafted,…
Recapture Not Required: COVID-19 May Excuse Businesses from Repayment of Nebraska Incentives
The Nebraska Department of Revenue (“Department”) issued guidance explaining that Nebraska Advantage Act (“Act”) project-holders may not have to repay incentives if they cannot meet their project obligations due to COVID-19. The Act provides incentives to businesses that commit to certain levels of employment and investment as part of an expansion project in Nebraska. The…
Try As They Might, Telco’s Electricity Purchases Still Do Not Qualify for New York’s Resale Exemption
A New York appellate court affirmed the Division of Tax Appeals (DTA) denial of a telecommunications company’s refund request on sales tax paid on its purchases of electricity. The telecommunications company argued that its electricity purchases were exempt from sales tax under one of two alternative grounds. First, the company argued that its purchase of…
I’ll Take the Desk to Go: Missouri Supreme Court Denies Sale-For-Resale Exemption to Hotel Furnisher
The Missouri Supreme Court held that a company’s sales of linens, mattresses, desks, garbage cans, and DVD players to a company operating a chain of hotels were not exempt from sales tax as sales for resale. The court rejected the furnishing company’s argument that the sales were exempt because the hotels built the cost of…



