The South Carolina Administrative Law Court (ALC) held that it could not enforce a Department of Revenue (Department) summons for delivery records issued to a North Carolina freight carrier that regularly transported out-of-state furniture into South Carolina. The Department’s summons requested records of all deliveries the company made into South Carolina, including each purchaser’s name,
South Carolina
Incidentally, Damage Waivers Are Subject to South Carolina Sales Tax
The South Carolina Court of Appeals upheld the imposition of sales tax on sales of optional “waivers,” which were sold to renters and relieved them from liability of damaged or stolen rental property. Rent-A-Center East, Inc. and Rent Way, Inc. (collectively, the “Taxpayers”) operated retail stores in South Carolina from which customers could rent-to-own durable…
Don’t Bank on It: South Carolina Administrative Law Court Holds Banks Not Allowed to Utilize NOL Carryforwards
The South Carolina Administrative Law Court found that the taxpayer bank could not deduct net operating loss (NOL) carryforwards when computing its bank tax liability. The taxpayer argued that banks should be allowed to deduct NOLs regardless of whether it is paying under the income or the franchise tax, because of the state’s conformity with…
Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard Publication–Third Quarter 2018
This is the eleventh edition of the Eversheds Sutherland SALT Scoreboard, and the third edition of 2018. Each quarter, we tally the results of what we deem to be significant taxpayer wins and losses and analyze those results. This edition of the SALT Scoreboard includes a discussion of California combined reporting, insights regarding the Washington…
South Carolina Administrative Law Court Rules Prepaid Unlimited Cell Phone Service Taxable
The South Carolina Administrative Law Court ruled that the taxpayer was required to collect sales tax on its retail sales of prepaid cellular telephone service. The taxpayer argued that its sales did not constitute “prepaid wireless calling arrangements,” which must be “sold in units or dollars which decline with use in a known amount.” Because…
South Carolina Court of Appeals Sends Taxpayers Clear Signal; Rules DIRECTV Must Source Receipts Based on Satellite Signal Delivery
By Dmitrii Gabrielov and Tim Gustafson
The South Carolina Court of Appeals held that all of DIRECTV’s South Carolina customer subscription receipts were properly sourced to the state for purposes of determining DIRECTV’s corporate income tax apportionment factor due to the location of its satellite signal delivery. South Carolina’s apportionment statute requires a taxpayer to…
Two Bites, Zero Success: South Carolina Court of Appeals Determines Department Did Not Satisfy Its Burden to Justify Alternative Apportionment
By Elizabeth Cha and Timothy Gustafson
On October 26, 2016, the South Carolina Court of Appeals reversed a lower court ruling and determined the Department of Revenue (Department) failed to satisfy its burden of showing that the statutory apportionment formula did not fairly represent Rent-A-Center West Inc.’s (RAC) business activities in South Carolina. This case…
Taxing the Internet Media Stream – South Carolina Determines Streaming Media Charges Are Taxable
By Robert Merten and Madison Barnett
The South Carolina Department of Revenue issued a revenue ruling concluding that charges paid by customers to stream media content over the Internet, such as movies, music and television programs, are subject to state sales and use tax. Under South Carolina law, the statutory definition of “tangible personal property&rdquo…
Signals Crossed: Satellite TV Receipts Sourced to South Carolina Based on Subscriber Location
By Mike Kerman and Andrew Appleby
The South Carolina Administrative Law Court determined that a satellite television provider must source its subscription receipts to South Carolina based on the percentage of in-state subscribers. The administrative law judge (ALJ) determined that South Carolina is not a “strict” costs of performance state for apportionment purposes because its…
Cell Phone Insurance Not Subject to South Carolina Sales Tax
By Samantha Trencs and Andrew Appleby
A South Carolina administrative law judge (ALJ) determined that cell phone insurance is not subject to South Carolina sales tax even though the wireless provider sells it with taxable communication services.
Alltel provided its wireless customers with an option to purchase insurance for the loss, theft or damage to…



