§ 48-5-507 — Change of method of evaluating heavy-duty equipment motor vehicles for ad valorem taxes; purpose

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section, every heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle owned in this state by a natural person or other entity is subject to ad valorem taxation by the various tax jurisdictions authorized to impose an ad valorem tax on property only if owned by such natural person or entity on the first day of January of any taxable year. Taxes shall be charged against the owner of the property, if known, and, if unknown, against the specific property itself. The owner shall return the heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle for taxation as provided in Article 1 of this chapter. (b) (1) Any and all purchases of heavy-duty equipment motor vehicles by dealers for the purpose of resale shall be exempt from ad valorem tax at the time of the purchase by the dealer. (2) Any person or entity which purchases a heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle from a dealer shall, for the taxable year in which the heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle is purchased only, return such heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle for ad valorem taxation purposes, within 30 days of the end of the month in which such purchase is made, to the appropriate county and shall pay a tax for such taxable year. Upon receipt of such return, the tax commissioner shall within five days prepare and bill the purchaser for the ad valorem tax. Such tax shall be equal to 33 1/3 percent of the amount derived by multiplying the amount of ad valorem tax which would otherwise be due on the heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle and shall be based on the selling price to the end user times 40 percent, thus deriving the taxable assessment, times the tax rate imposed by the tax authority for the preceding tax year, by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of months remaining in the calendar year not counting the month of purchase and the denominator of which is 12. In no event shall the ad valorem tax due be less than $100.00 for the year of purchase. The taxes levied under this subsection shall be due 60 days after the billing therefor. (3) Any ad valorem tax due shall be based on the selling price of the heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle purchased. (4) In the event that any heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle is purchased other than for resale by a person or entity not domiciled in this state, at the time of the sale the dealer shall collect the ad valorem tax which would be applicable for the county where the heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle was held in inventory at the time of the sale. Each dealer, on or before the last day of the month following a sale to such person or entity, shall transmit returns and remit the ad valorem taxes collected to the tax commissioner of the county where the heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle was held in inventory at the time of the sale. Such returns shall show all sales and purchases taxable under this article during the preceding calendar month. The returns required by this subsection shall be made upon forms prescribed, prepared, and furnished by the state revenue commissioner. If any dealer liable for any tax, interest, or penalty imposed by this article sells out his or her business's heavy-duty equipment motor vehicles or quits the business, he or she shall make a final return and payment within 30 days after the date of selling or quitting the business. Any dealer who does not collect tax as required under this paragraph or who fails to properly remit taxes collected under this paragraph shall be liable for the tax and the tax commissioner shall collect such tax, penalty, and interest in the same manner that other taxes are collected. (c) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, heavy-duty equipment motor vehicles which are owned by a dealer are not included within the distinct subclassification of tangible property made by this article for all other heavy-duty equipment motor vehicles. The procedures prescribed in this article for returning heavy-duty equipment motor vehicles for ad valorem taxation, determining the applicable rates for taxation, and collecting the ad valorem taxes imposed on heavy-duty equipment motor vehicles do not apply to heavy-duty equipment motor vehicles which are owned by a dealer. Heavy-duty equipment motor vehicles which are owned by a dealer shall not be returned for ad valorem taxation, shall not be taxed, and no taxes shall be collected on such heavy-duty equipment motor vehicles until they become subject to taxation as provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section. No heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle held by a dealer in inventory for resale shall be subject to ad valorem taxation unless such heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle was in the dealer's inventory on January 1 of the taxable year and continued to remain in such dealer's inventory on December 20 of such taxable year, in which case the dealer shall be required to return the heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle for ad valorem taxation on December 21 of that taxable year. The assessed value of each heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle owned by a dealer shall be 40 percent of the fair market value of the heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle on January 1 of that taxable year. The tax commissioner shall prepare and mail a tax bill within five days of receipt of such dealer's return. The taxes levied under this subsection shall be due 60 days after the billing therefor. (d) Within 30 days of the last day of a month during which there is a sale of any heavy-duty equipment motor vehicle other than for resale, the dealer shall mail to the tax commissioner of the county where the purchaser is domiciled a statement notifying the tax commissioner of the sale which shall include information such as the date of the sale, the selling price, and the name and address of the purchaser. Such statement shall be upon forms prescribed, prepared, and furnished by the state revenue commissioner. (e) The failure of any person or entity to return property as required by this Code section shall subject such person or entity to penalties as provided in Code Section 48-5-299 . The failure of any person or entity to pay the taxes as required by this Code section shall subject such person or entity to penalties and interest as provided by Code Section 48-2-44 .