NE Code § 77-2703 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 77 - Revenue and Taxation|77-2703 - Sales and use tax; rate; collection; collection fee; understatement; prohibited acts; violation; penalty; interest.

77-2703.  Sales and use tax; rate; collection; collection fee; understatement; prohibited acts; violation; penalty; interest.(1) There is hereby imposed a tax at the rate provided in section 77-2701.02 upon the gross receipts from all sales of tangible personal property sold at retail in this state; the gross receipts of every person engaged as a public utility, as a community antenna television service operator, or as a satellite service operator, any person involved in the connecting and installing of the services defined in subdivision (2)(a), (b), (d), or (e) of section 77-2701.16, or every person engaged as a retailer of intellectual or entertainment properties referred to in subsection (3) of section 77-2701.16; the gross receipts from the sale of admissions in this state; the gross receipts from the sale of warranties, guarantees, service agreements, or maintenance agreements when the items covered are subject to tax under this section; beginning January 1, 2008, the gross receipts from the sale of bundled transactions when one or more of the products included in the bundle are taxable; the gross receipts from the provision of services defined in subsection (4) of section 77-2701.16; and the gross receipts from the sale of products delivered electronically as described in subsection (9) of section 77-2701.16. Except as provided in section 77-2701.03, when there is a sale, the tax shall be imposed at the rate in effect at the time the gross receipts are realized under the accounting basis used by the retailer to maintain his or her books and records.(a) The tax imposed by this section shall be collected by the retailer from the consumer. It shall constitute a part of the purchase price and until collected shall be a debt from the consumer to the retailer and shall be recoverable at law in the same manner as other debts. The tax required to be collected by the retailer from the consumer constitutes a debt owed by the retailer to this state.(b) It is unlawful for any retailer to advertise, hold out, or state to the public or to any customer, directly or indirectly, that the tax or part thereof will be assumed or absorbed by the retailer, that it will not be added to the selling, renting, or leasing price of the property sold, rented, or leased, or that, if added, it or any part thereof will be refunded. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to a public utility.(c) The tax required to be collected by the retailer from the purchaser, unless otherwise provided by statute or by rule and regulation of the Tax Commissioner, shall be displayed separately from the list price, the price advertised in the premises, the marked price, or other price on the sales check or other proof of sales, rentals, or leases.(d) For the purpose of more efficiently securing the payment, collection, and accounting for the sales tax and for the convenience of the retailer in collecting the sales tax, it shall be the duty of the Tax Commissioner to provide a schedule or schedules of the amounts to be collected from the consumer or user to effectuate the computation and collection of the tax imposed by the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967. Such schedule or schedules shall provide that the tax shall be collected from the consumer or user uniformly on sales according to brackets based on sales prices of the item or items. Retailers may compute the tax due on any transaction on an item or an invoice basis. The rounding rule provided in section 77-3,117 applies.(e) The use of tokens or stamps for the purpose of collecting or enforcing the collection of the taxes imposed in the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967 or for any other purpose in connection with such taxes is prohibited.(f) For the purpose of the proper administration of the provisions of the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967 and to prevent evasion of the retail sales tax, it shall be presumed that all gross receipts are subject to the tax until the contrary is established. The burden of proving that a sale of property is not a sale at retail is upon the person who makes the sale unless he or she takes from the purchaser (i) a resale certificate to the effect that the property is purchased for the purpose of reselling, leasing, or renting it, (ii) an exemption certificate pursuant to subsection (7) of section 77-2705, or (iii) a direct payment permit pursuant to sections 77-2705.01 to 77-2705.03. Receipt of a resale certificate, exemption certificate, or direct payment permit shall be conclusive proof for the seller that the sale was made for resale or was exempt or that the tax will be paid directly to the state.(g) In the rental or lease of automobiles, trucks, trailers, semitrailers, and truck-tractors as defined in the Motor Vehicle Registration Act, the tax shall be collected by the lessor on the rental or lease price, except as otherwise provided within this section.(h) In the rental or lease of automobiles, trucks, trailers, semitrailers, and truck-tractors as defined in the act, for periods of one year or more, the lessor may elect not to collect and remit the sales tax on the gross receipts and instead pay a sales tax on the cost of such vehicle. If such election is made, it shall be made pursuant to the following conditions:(i) Notice of the desire to make such election shall be filed with the Tax Commissioner and shall not become effective until the Tax Commissioner is satisfied that the taxpayer has complied with all conditions of this subsection and all rules and regulations of the Tax Commissioner;(ii) Such election when made shall continue in force and effect for a period of not less than two years and thereafter until such time as the lessor elects to terminate the election;(iii) When such election is made, it shall apply to all vehicles of the lessor rented or leased for periods of one year or more except vehicles to be leased to common or contract carriers who provide to the lessor a valid common or contract carrier exemption certificate. If the lessor rents or leases other vehicles for periods of less than one year, such lessor shall maintain his or her books and records and his or her accounting procedure as the Tax Commissioner prescribes; and(iv) The Tax Commissioner by rule and regulation shall prescribe the contents and form of the notice of election, a procedure for the determination of the tax base of vehicles which are under an existing lease at the time such election becomes effective, the method and manner for terminating such election, and such other rules and regulations as may be necessary for the proper administration of this subdivision.(i) The tax imposed by this section on the sales of motor vehicles, semitrailers, and trailers as defined in sections 60-339, 60-348, and 60-354 shall be the liability of the purchaser and, with the exception of motor vehicles, semitrailers, and trailers registered pursuant to section 60-3,198, the tax shall be collected by the county treasurer as provided in the Motor Vehicle Registration Act or by an approved licensed dealer participating in the electronic dealer services system pursuant to section 60-1507 at the time the purchaser makes application for the registration of the motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer for operation upon the highways of this state. The tax imposed by this section on motor vehicles, semitrailers, and trailers registered pursuant to section 60-3,198 shall be collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles at the time the purchaser makes application for the registration of the motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer for operation upon the highways of this state. At the time of the sale of any motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer, the seller shall (i) state on the sales invoice the dollar amount of the tax imposed under this section and (ii) furnish to the purchaser a certified statement of the transaction, in such form as the Tax Commissioner prescribes, setting forth as a minimum the total sales price, the allowance for any trade-in, and the difference between the two. The sales tax due shall be computed on the difference between the total sales price and the allowance for any trade-in as disclosed by such certified statement. Any seller who willfully understates the amount upon which the sales tax is due shall be subject to a penalty of one thousand dollars. A copy of such certified statement shall also be furnished to the Tax Commissioner. Any seller who fails or refuses to furnish such certified statement shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars. If the purchaser does not register such motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer for operation on the highways of this state within thirty days of the purchase thereof, the tax imposed by this section shall immediately thereafter be paid by the purchaser to the county treasurer or the Department of Motor Vehicles. If the tax is not paid on or before the thirtieth day after its purchase, the county treasurer or Department of Motor Vehicles shall also collect from the purchaser interest from the thirtieth day through the date of payment and sales tax penalties as provided in the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967. The county treasurer or Department of Motor Vehicles shall report and remit the tax so collected to the Tax Commissioner by the fifteenth day of the following month. The county treasurer, for his or her collection fee, shall deduct and withhold, from all amounts required to be collected under this subsection, the collection fee permitted to be deducted by any retailer collecting the sales tax, all of which shall be deposited in the county general fund, plus an additional amount equal to one-half of one percent of all amounts in excess of six thousand dollars remitted each month. Prior to January 1, 2023, fifty percent of such additional amount shall be deposited in the county general fund and fifty percent of such additional amount shall be deposited in the county road fund. On and after January 1, 2023, seventy-five percent of such additional amount shall be deposited in the county general fund and twenty-five percent of such additional amount shall be deposited in the county road fund. In any county with a population of one hundred fifty thousand inhabitants or more, the county treasurer shall remit one dollar of his or her collection fee for each of the first five thousand motor vehicles, semitrailers, or trailers registered with such county treasurer on or after January 1, 2020, to the State Treasurer for credit to the Department of Revenue Enforcement Fund. The Department of Motor Vehicles, for its collection fee, shall deduct, withhold, and deposit in the Motor Carrier Division Cash Fund the collection fee permitted to be deducted by any retailer collecting the sales tax. The collection fee for the county treasurer or the Department of Motor Vehicles shall be forfeited if the county treasurer or department violates any rule or regulation pertaining to the collection of the use tax.(j)(i) The tax imposed by this section on the sale of a motorboat as defined in section 37-1204 shall be the liability of the purchaser. The tax shall be collected by the county treasurer at the time the purchaser makes application for the registration of the motorboat. At the time of the sale of a motorboat, the seller shall (A) state on the sales invoice the dollar amount of the tax imposed under this section and (B) furnish to the purchaser a certified statement of the transaction, in such form as the Tax Commissioner prescribes, setting forth as a minimum the total sales price, the allowance for any trade-in, and the difference between the two. The sales tax due shall be computed on the difference between the total sales price and the allowance for any trade-in as disclosed by such certified statement. Any seller who willfully understates the amount upon which the sales tax is due shall be subject to a penalty of one thousand dollars. A copy of such certified statement shall also be furnished to the Tax Commissioner. Any seller who fails or refuses to furnish such certified statement shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars. If the purchaser does not register such motorboat within thirty days of the purchase thereof, the tax imposed by this section shall immediately thereafter be paid by the purchaser to the county treasurer. If the tax is not paid on or before the thirtieth day after its purchase, the county treasurer shall also collect from the purchaser interest from the thirtieth day through the date of payment and sales tax penalties as provided in the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967. The county treasurer shall report and remit the tax so collected to the Tax Commissioner by the fifteenth day of the following month. The county treasurer, for his or her collection fee, shall deduct and withhold for the use of the county general fund, from all amounts required to be collected under this subsection, the collection fee permitted to be deducted by any retailer collecting the sales tax. The collection fee shall be forfeited if the county treasurer violates any rule or regulation pertaining to the collection of the use tax.(ii) In the rental or lease of motorboats, the tax shall be collected by the lessor on the rental or lease price.(k)(i) The tax imposed by this section on the sale of an all-terrain vehicle as defined in section 60-103 or a utility-type vehicle as defined in section 60-135.01 shall be the liability of the purchaser. The tax shall be collected by the county treasurer or by an approved licensed dealer participating in the electronic dealer services system pursuant to section 60-1507 at the time the purchaser makes application for the certificate of title for the all-terrain vehicle or utility-type vehicle. At the time of the sale of an all-terrain vehicle or a utility-type vehicle, the seller shall (A) state on the sales invoice the dollar amount of the tax imposed under this section and (B) furnish to the purchaser a certified statement of the transaction, in such form as the Tax Commissioner prescribes, setting forth as a minimum the total sales price, the allowance for any trade-in, and the difference between the two. The sales tax due shall be computed on the difference between the total sales price and the allowance for any trade-in as disclosed by such certified statement. Any seller who willfully understates the amount upon which the sales tax is due shall be subject to a penalty of one thousand dollars. A copy of such certified statement shall also be furnished to the Tax Commissioner. Any seller who fails or refuses to furnish such certified statement shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars. If the purchaser does not obtain a certificate of title for such all-terrain vehicle or utility-type vehicle within thirty days of the purchase thereof, the tax imposed by this section shall immediately thereafter be paid by the purchaser to the county treasurer. If the tax is not paid on or before the thirtieth day after its purchase, the county treasurer shall also collect from the purchaser interest from the thirtieth day through the date of payment and sales tax penalties as provided in the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967. The county treasurer shall report and remit the tax so collected to the Tax Commissioner by the fifteenth day of the following month. The county treasurer, for his or her collection fee, shall deduct and withhold for the use of the county general fund, from all amounts required to be collected under this subsection, the collection fee permitted to be deducted by any retailer collecting the sales tax. The collection fee shall be forfeited if the county treasurer violates any rule or regulation pertaining to the collection of the use tax.(ii) In the rental or lease of an all-terrain vehicle or a utility-type vehicle, the tax shall be collected by the lessor on the rental or lease price.(iii) County treasurers are appointed as sales and use tax collectors for all sales of all-terrain vehicles or utility-type vehicles made outside of this state to purchasers or users of all-terrain vehicles or utility-type vehicles which are required to have a certificate of title in this state. The county treasurer shall collect the applicable use tax from the purchaser of an all-terrain vehicle or a utility-type vehicle purchased outside of this state at the time application for a certificate of title is made. The full use tax on the purchase price shall be collected by the county treasurer if a sales or occupation tax was not paid by the purchaser in the state of purchase. If a sales or occupation tax was lawfully paid in the state of purchase at a rate less than the tax imposed in this state, use tax must be collected on the difference as a condition for obtaining a certificate of title in this state.(l) The Tax Commissioner shall adopt and promulgate necessary rules and regulations for determining the amount subject to the taxes imposed by this section so as to insure that the full amount of any applicable tax is paid in cases in which a sale is made of which a part is subject to the taxes imposed by this section and a part of which is not so subject and a separate accounting is not practical or economical.(2) A use tax is hereby imposed on the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of property purchased, leased, or rented from any retailer and on any transaction the gross receipts of which are subject to tax under subsection (1) of this section on or after June 1, 1967, for storage, use, or other consumption in this state at the rate set as provided in subsection (1) of this section on the sales price of the property or, in the case of leases or rentals, of the lease or rental prices.(a) Every person storing, using, or otherwise consuming in this state property purchased from a retailer or leased or rented from another person for such purpose shall be liable for the use tax at the rate in effect when his or her liability for the use tax becomes certain under the accounting basis used to maintain his or her books and records. His or her liability shall not be extinguished until the use tax has been paid to this state, except that a receipt from a retailer engaged in business in this state or from a retailer who is authorized by the Tax Commissioner, under such rules and regulations as he or she may prescribe, to collect the sales tax and who is, for the purposes of the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967 relating to the sales tax, regarded as a retailer engaged in business in this state, which receipt is given to the purchaser pursuant to subdivision (b) of this subsection, shall be sufficient to relieve the purchaser from further liability for the tax to which the receipt refers.(b) Every retailer engaged in business in this state and selling, leasing, or renting property for storage, use, or other consumption in this state shall, at the time of making any sale, collect any tax which may be due from the purchaser and shall give to the purchaser, upon request, a receipt therefor in the manner and form prescribed by the Tax Commissioner.(c) The Tax Commissioner, in order to facilitate the proper administration of the use tax, may designate such person or persons as he or she may deem necessary to be use tax collectors and delegate to such persons such authority as is necessary to collect any use tax which is due and payable to the State of Nebraska. The Tax Commissioner may require of all persons so designated a surety bond in favor of the State of Nebraska to insure against any misappropriation of state funds so collected. The Tax Commissioner may require any tax official, city, county, or state, to collect the use tax on behalf of the state. All persons designated to or required to collect the use tax shall account for such collections in the manner prescribed by the Tax Commissioner. Nothing in this subdivision shall be so construed as to prevent the Tax Commissioner or his or her employees from collecting any use taxes due and payable to the State of Nebraska.(d) All persons designated to collect the use tax and all persons required to collect the use tax shall forward the total of such collections to the Tax Commissioner at such time and in such manner as the Tax Commissioner may prescribe. For all use taxes collected prior to October 1, 2002, such collectors of the use tax shall deduct and withhold from the amount of taxes collected two and one-half percent of the first three thousand dollars remitted each month and one-half of one percent of all amounts in excess of three thousand dollars remitted each month as reimbursement for the cost of collecting the tax. For use taxes collected on and after October 1, 2002, such collectors of the use tax shall deduct and withhold from the amount of taxes collected two and one-half percent of the first three thousand dollars remitted each month as reimbursement for the cost of collecting the tax. Any such deduction shall be forfeited to the State of Nebraska if such collector violates any rule, regulation, or directive of the Tax Commissioner.(e) For the purpose of the proper administration of the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967 and to prevent evasion of the use tax, it shall be presumed that property sold, leased, or rented by any person for delivery in this state is sold, leased, or rented for storage, use, or other consumption in this state until the contrary is established. The burden of proving the contrary is upon the person who purchases, leases, or rents the property.(f) For the purpose of the proper administration of the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967 and to prevent evasion of the use tax, for the sale of property to an advertising agency which purchases the property as an agent for a disclosed or undisclosed principal, the advertising agency is and remains liable for the sales and use tax on the purchase the same as if the principal had made the purchase directly.Source   Laws 1967, c. 487, § 3, p. 1543;   Laws 1967, c. 490, § 2, p. 1652;   Laws 1969, c. 684, § 1, p. 2646;   Laws 1969, c. 683, § 2, p. 2621;   Laws 1974, LB 820, § 2;   Laws 1981, LB 179, § 14;   Laws 1983, LB 17, § 2;   Laws 1983, LB 169, § 1;   Laws 1983, LB 571, § 1;   Laws 1985, LB 715, § 3;   Laws 1985, LB 273, § 42;   Laws 1986, LB 1027, § 204;   Laws 1987, LB 224, § 28;   Laws 1987, LB 523, § 14;   Laws 1991, LB 239, § 1;   Laws 1991, LB 47, § 7;   Laws 1991, LB 829, § 21;   Laws 1992, LB 871, § 25;   Laws 1992, LB 1063, § 182;   Laws 1992, Second Spec. Sess., LB 1, § 155;   Laws 1992, Fourth Spec. Sess., LB 1, § 26;   Laws 1993, LB 112, § 45;   Laws 1993, LB 345, § 33;   Laws 1993, LB 767, § 1;   Laws 1994, LB 123, § 24;   Laws 1994, LB 994, § 1;   Laws 1994, LB 1207, § 15;   Laws 1995, LB 17, § 1;   Laws 1996, LB 1041, § 6;   Laws 1996, LB 1218, § 65;   Laws 1997, LB 62, § 1;   Laws 1997, LB 182A, § 3;  Laws 2002, LB 1085, § 11;  Laws 2002, Second Spec. Sess., LB 32, § 1;  Laws 2003, LB 282, § 48;  Laws 2003, LB 381, § 3;  Laws 2003, LB 563, § 43;  Laws 2003, LB 759, § 12;  Laws 2004, LB 1017, § 10;  Laws 2005, LB 274, § 274;  Laws 2007, LB223, § 7;  Laws 2007, LB367, § 15;  Laws 2008, LB916, § 15;  Laws 2011, LB211, § 3;  Laws 2012, LB801, § 98;  Laws 2014, LB814, § 9;  Laws 2017, LB263, § 98;  Laws 2019, LB237, § 1.  Cross References   Facilitating Business Rapid Response to State Declared Disasters Act, see section 48-3201.  Motor Vehicle Registration Act, see section 60-301. Annotations  1. Sales tax 2. Use tax 3. Miscellaneous 1. Sales tax A sales tax is a tax upon the sale, lease, rental, use, storage, distribution, or other consumption of all tangible personal property in the chain of commerce. Anthony, Inc. v. City of Omaha, 283 Neb. 868, 813 N.W.2d 467 (2012). Although sales taxes and occupation taxes often have a similar appearance and effect, they are substantively distinct, because of the distinct identities of the taxpayers upon whom the tax is levied. Anthony, Inc. v. City of Omaha, 283 Neb. 868, 813 N.W.2d 467 (2012). The legal incidence of a sales tax falls upon the purchaser, because it is a tax upon the privilege of buying tangible personal property. Anthony, Inc. v. City of Omaha, 283 Neb. 868, 813 N.W.2d 467 (2012). Syndicated programming purchased by broadcasters is tangible property and taxable under the Nebraska sales tax. May Broadcasting Co. v. Boehm, 241 Neb. 660, 490 N.W.2d 203 (1992). Sale of reusable bottles, cartons, and shells to bottlers by manufacturers or suppliers is a sale at retail subject to the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967. Pepsi Cola Bottling Co. v. Peters, 189 Neb. 271, 202 N.W.2d 582 (1972). This section imposes a sales tax upon the purchaser. Jacob v. State, 12 Neb. App. 696, 685 N.W.2d 88 (2004). 2. Use tax A contractor who provided thermal paper and play slips to the Nebraska Lottery as one element of a contract to provide the Nebraska Lottery with a comprehensive on-line lottery gaming system was not purchasing the items for resale to the Nebraska Lottery; thus, the items were not exempt from consumer's use tax. Intralot, Inc. v. Nebraska Dept. of Rev., 276 Neb. 708, 757 N.W.2d 182 (2008). The distribution of direct mail catalogs sent from outside Nebraska via common carrier, the U.S. mail, or both to Nebraska residents constitutes a "use" of tangible personal property subjecting the catalogs to a tax under this section. J.C. Penney Co., Inc. v. Balka, 254 Neb. 521, 577 N.W.2d 283 (1998). In view of properly adopted regulations of the Department of Revenue, direct mail advertiser's consumption and use of materials and services purchased by it to produce direct mail advertising are a taxable use under this section. However, use tax does not apply to charges by advertising agency for services that are not a part of the sale of tangible property or do not represent labor or service cost in the agency's production of any tangible personal property which is subject to the tax. Val-Pak of Omaha v. Department of Revenue, 249 Neb. 776, 545 N.W.2d 447 (1996). Where graphite electrodes are used in the manufacture of steel for the dual purpose of providing essential carbon for the steel manufacturing process and for the conduction of electricity which provides heat for the process, and where a substantial part of the graphite electrodes enters into and becomes an essential ingredient or component part of the finished steel and the remainder is consumed in the manufacturing and refining process, the use of such graphite electrodes in the manufacturing and processing of steel for ultimate sale at retail is not subject to taxation under the provisions of this section. Nucor Steel v. Herrington, 212 Neb. 310, 322 N.W.2d 647 (1982). City use tax was properly imposed upon property stored in the city for approximately one year before shipment to its ultimate destination within this state. Management fee and loss reimbursement payments paid by an employer to a food service hired to provide a cafeteria for employees were not subject to either state or city sales or use taxes. Omaha P. P. Dist. v. Nebraska State Tax Commissioner, 210 Neb. 309, 314 N.W.2d 246 (1982). 3. Miscellaneous This section places the legal incidence of admissions taxes on the consumer, not the retailer. Therefore, the consumer, and not the retailer, has standing to claim a refund of admissions taxes under section 77-2708. Aline Bae Tanning v. Nebraska Dept. of Rev., 293 Neb. 623, 880 N.W.2d 61 (2016). The method of computation of a tax is generally considered to be of no significance in determining the nature of the exaction imposed in any particular tax legislation. Anthony, Inc. v. City of Omaha, 283 Neb. 868, 813 N.W.2d 467 (2012). The amounts paid by a community antenna television operator to independent contractors to install community antenna television services is subject to use tax. Subsection (2)(a) of this section provides that if a taxpayer pays sales tax on a transaction, his or her liability for use tax is extinguished. Cox Cable of Omaha, Inc. v. Nebraska Dept. of Revenue, 254 Neb. 598, 578 N.W.2d 423 (1998). Section 2-1208 imposes a tax directly upon the licensee racetrack. Section 77-2701 et seq. imposes a sales tax upon the purchaser. Thus, section 77-2701 does not conflict with the provisions of section 2-1208 which prohibit any additional taxes from being imposed upon the licensee. Governors of Ak-Sar-Ben v. Department of Rev., 217 Neb. 518, 349 N.W.2d 385 (1984). Processing oils which function as rust inhibitors in the manufacture of steel bars are essential component parts of the finished product and are not subject to taxation under the provisions of this section. Vulcraft v. Balka, 5 Neb. App. 85, 555 N.W.2d 344 (1996).