Code of Virginia — Title 58.1 (Taxation), Chapter 6 (Retail Sales and Use Tax)
§ 58.1-610. Contractors.
A. Any person who contracts orally, in writing, or by purchase order, to perform construction, reconstruction, installation, repair, or any other service with respect to real estate or fixtures thereon, and in connection therewith to furnish tangible personal property, shall be deemed to have purchased such tangible personal property for use or consumption. Any sale, distribution, or lease to or storage for such person shall be deemed a sale, distribution, or lease to or storage for the ultimate consumer and not for resale, and the dealer making the sale, distribution, or lease to or storage for such person shall be obligated to collect the tax to the extent required by this chapter.

B. Any person who contracts to perform services in this Commonwealth and is furnished tangible personal property for use under the contract by the person, or his agent or representative, for whom the contract is performed, and a sales or use tax has not been paid to this Commonwealth by the person supplying the tangible personal property, shall be deemed to be the consumer of the tangible personal property so used, and shall pay a use tax based on the fair market value of the tangible personal property so used, irrespective of whether or not any right, title or interest in the tangible personal property becomes vested in the contractor. This subsection, however, shall not apply to the industrial materials exclusion or the other industrial exclusions set out in § 58.1-609.3, including those set out in subdivisions 2, 3 and 4 thereof; the media-related exemptions set out in subdivision 2 of § 58.1-609.6; the governmental exclusions set out in subdivision 4 of § 58.1-609.1; the agricultural exclusions set forth in subdivisions 1 and 8 of § 58.1-609.2; or the exclusion for baptistries set forth in § 58.1-609.10.

C. Any person who contracts orally, in writing, or by purchase order to perform any service in the nature of equipment rental, and the principal part of that service is the furnishing of equipment or machinery which will not be under the exclusive control of the contractor, shall be liable for the sales or use tax on the gross proceeds from such contract to the same extent as the lessor of tangible personal property.

D. Tangible personal property incorporated in real property construction which loses its identity as tangible personal property shall be deemed to be tangible personal property used or consumed within the meaning of this section.

E. Nothing in this section shall be construed to (i) affect or limit the resale exclusion provided for in this chapter, or the industrial materials and other industrial exclusions set out in § 58.1-609.3, the exclusion for baptistries set out in § 58.1-609.10, or the partial exclusion for the sale of modular buildings as set out in § 58.1-610.1, or (ii) impose any sales or use tax with respect to the use in the performance of contracts with the United States, this Commonwealth, or any political subdivision thereof, of tangible personal property owned by a governmental body which actually is not used or consumed in the performance thereof.

F. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, any person engaged in the business of furnishing and installing locks and locking devices shall be deemed a retailer of such items and not a using or consuming contractor with respect to them.

G. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, any person or entity primarily engaged in the business of furnishing and installing tangible personal property that provides electronic or physical security on real property for the use of a financial institution, shall be deemed a retailer of such personal property, including when such personal property is installed on real property not for the use of a financial institution.

Code 1950, § 58-441.15; 1966, c. 151; 1973, c. 224; 1977, c. 591; 1978, c. 207; 1980, cc. 611, 627; 1984, c. 675; 1986, c. 605; 1989, c. 739; 1992, cc. 404, 415; 1993, c. 310; 2000, c. 425; 2003, cc. 757, 758; 2010, c. 119; 2011, cc. 360, 851; 2017, cc. 436, 449; 2023, cc. 516, 517.