Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 27 - TAXATION AND FINANCE (§§ 27-1-1 — 27-117-15) › Chapter 55 - GASOLINE AND MOTOR FUEL TAXES (§§ 27-55-1 — 27-55-569) › Article 7 - SPECIAL FUEL TAX (§§ 27-55-501 — 27-55-569) › Section 27-55-545 - Retention of records by distributors of special fuel and other persons; statute of limitations for actions by state for recovery of additional amounts

Each distributor of special fuel shall maintain and keep for a period of three (3) years a record of all special fuel purchased, received, procured, manufactured, refined, compounded, used, sold, stored or delivered within this state by such distributor, together with invoices, bills of lading, and other pertinent records and papers as may be reasonably required by the commission.
It shall be the duty of every person purchasing special fuel from a distributor of special fuel or other person for the purpose of sale or distribution to maintain and keep for a period of three (3) years a record of all special fuel received, together with delivery tickets, invoices, bills of lading and such other records as the commission may require.
All sales made by a distributor of special fuel, other than retail sales from a service station, shall be evidenced in writing, signed by the seller, or his agent, shall bear the date of purchase, name and address of the purchaser and the seller, and shall show the kind and quantity of the product purchased. Sales tickets and invoices made to cash shall not be considered as complying with the terms of this article.
If, in the normal conduct of business of a distributor of special fuel or purchaser, the records of such distributor or purchaser are maintained and kept at an office outside this state, it shall be a sufficient compliance with this section if the records shall be made available for audit and examination by the commission at such office located outside Mississippi. If a distributor or purchaser fails or refuses to permit the commission or any of its employees to check and audit its records during the usual business hours of the day, the commission shall have authority to subpoena said records and have them brought to the office of the commission within ten (10) days after the subpoena is served on the distributor of special fuel or purchaser.
If a distributor of special fuel or purchaser fails to maintain adequate records, or if an audit of the records of said distributor or purchaser, or any report filed by him or any other information discloses that taxes are due and unpaid, the commission shall make assessments of taxes, damages and interest from any information available, which shall be prima facie correct.
All actions by this state for the recovery of additional amounts claimed as tax due under this article must be commenced within a period of three (3) years from the date of the filing of the required report with the commission, provided that in the case of a fraudulent or false report with intent to evade tax or of a failure to file a report, action may be commenced at any time. However, when an examination of a taxpayer's records to verify returns made under this article has been initiated and the taxpayer notified thereof either by certified mail or personal delivery of a notice by an agent of the commissioner, within the thirty-six-month examination period provided herein, the determination of the correct tax liability may be made by the commission after the expiration of said thirty-six-month examination period, provided that said determination shall be made with reasonable promptness and diligence.
Laws, 1999, ch. 461, § 23; Laws, 2006, ch. 344, § 2, eff. 7/1/2006.