2023 Texas Statutes › Tax Code › Title 2 - State Taxation › Subtitle F - Franchise Tax; Credits › Chapter 171 - Franchise Tax › Subchapter A. Definitions; Tax Imposed › Section 171.0001. General Definitions

Sec. 171.0001.  GENERAL DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
(1)  "Affiliated group" means a group of one or more entities in which a controlling interest is owned by a common owner or owners, either corporate or noncorporate, or by one or more of the member entities.
(1-a)  "Artist" means a natural person or an entity that contracts to perform or entertain at a live entertainment event.
(2)  Repealed by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 117, Sec. 28(3), eff. September 1, 2013.
(3)  "Banking corporation" means each state, national, domestic, or foreign bank, whether organized under the laws of this state, another state, or another country, or under federal law, including a limited banking association organized under Subtitle A, Title 3, Finance Code, and each bank organized under Section 25(a), Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. Sections 611-631) (edge corporations), but does not include a bank holding company as that term is defined by Section 2, Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. Section 1841).
Text of subdivision effective until January 01, 2026
(4)  "Beginning date" means:
(A)  except as provided by Paragraph (B):
(i)  for a taxable entity chartered or organized in this state, the date on which the taxable entity's charter or organization takes effect; and
(ii)  for any other taxable entity, the date on which the taxable entity begins doing business in this state; or
(B)  for a taxable entity that qualifies as a new veteran-owned business as defined by Section 171.0005, the earlier of:
(i)  the fifth anniversary of the date on which the taxable entity begins doing business in this state; or
(ii)  the date the taxable entity ceases to qualify as a new veteran-owned business as defined by Section 171.0005.
Text of subdivision effective on January 01, 2026
(4)  "Beginning date" means:
(A)  for a taxable entity chartered or organized in this state, the date on which the taxable entity's charter or organization takes effect; and
(B)  for any other taxable entity, the date on which the taxable entity begins doing business in this state.
(5)  "Charter" includes a limited liability company's certificate of organization, a limited partnership's certificate of limited partnership, and the registration of a limited liability partnership.
(6)  "Client" means:
(A)  a client as that term is defined by Section 91.001, Labor Code; or
(B)  a client of a temporary employment service, as that term is defined by Section 93.001(2), Labor Code, to whom individuals are assigned for a purpose described by that subdivision.
(7)  "Combined group" means taxable entities that are part of an affiliated group engaged in a unitary business and that are required to file a group report under Section 171.1014.
(8)  "Controlling interest" means:
(A)  for a corporation, either more than 50 percent, owned directly or indirectly, of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the corporation, or more than 50 percent, owned directly or indirectly, of the beneficial ownership interest in the voting stock of the corporation;
(B)  for a partnership, association, trust, or other entity other than a limited liability company, more than 50 percent, owned directly or indirectly, of the capital, profits, or beneficial interest in the partnership, association, trust, or other entity; and
(C)  for a limited liability company, either more than 50 percent, owned directly or indirectly, of the total membership interest of the limited liability company or more than 50 percent, owned directly or indirectly, of the beneficial ownership interest in the membership interest of the limited liability company.
(8-a)  "Covered employee" has the meaning assigned by Section 91.001, Labor Code.
(9)  "Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in effect for the federal tax year beginning on January 1, 2007, not including any changes made by federal law after that date, and any regulations adopted under that code applicable to that period.
(10)  "Lending institution" means an entity that makes loans and:
(A)  is regulated by the Federal Reserve Board, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Texas Department of Banking, the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, the Credit Union Department, or any comparable regulatory body;
(B)  is licensed by, registered with, or otherwise regulated by the Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending;
(C)  is a "broker" or "dealer" as defined by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 at 15 U.S.C. Section 78c; or
(D)  provides financing to unrelated parties solely for agricultural production.
(10-a)  "Live entertainment event" means an event that occurs on a specific date to which tickets are sold in advance by a third-party vendor and at which:
(A)  a natural person or a group of natural persons, physically present at the venue, performs for the purpose of entertaining a ticket holder who is present at the event;
(B)  a traveling circus or animal show performs for the purpose of entertaining a ticket holder who is present at the event; or
(C)  a historical, museum-quality artifact is on display in an exhibition.
(10-b)  "Live event promotion services" means services related to the promotion, coordination, operation, or management of a live entertainment event.  The term includes services related to:
(A)  the provision of staff for the live entertainment event; or
(B)  the scheduling and promotion of an artist performing or entertaining at the live entertainment event.
(11)  "Management company" means a corporation, limited liability company, or other limited liability entity that conducts all or part of the active trade or business of another entity (the "managed entity") in exchange for:
(A)  a management fee; and
(B)  reimbursement of specified costs incurred in the conduct of the active trade or business of the managed entity, including "wages and cash compensation" as determined under Sections 171.1013(a) and (b).
(11-a)  "Natural person" means a human being or the estate of a human being.  The term does not include a purely legal entity given recognition as the possessor of rights, privileges, or responsibilities, such as a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or trust.
(11-b)  "Qualified live event promotion company" means a taxable entity that:
(A)  receives at least 50 percent of the entity's annual total revenue from the provision or arrangement for the provision of three or more live event promotion services;
(B)  maintains a permanent nonresidential office from which the live event promotion services are provided or arranged;
(C)  employs 10 or more full-time employees during all or part of the period for which taxable margin is calculated;
(D)  does not provide services for a wedding or carnival; and
(E)  is not a movie theater.
(12)  "Retail trade" means:
(A)  the activities described in Division G of the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification Manual published by the federal Office of Management and Budget;
(B)  apparel rental activities classified as Industry 5999 or 7299 of the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification Manual published by the federal Office of Management and Budget;
(C)  the activities classified as Industry Group 753 of the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification Manual published by the federal Office of Management and Budget;
(D)  rental-purchase agreement activities regulated by Chapter 92, Business & Commerce Code;
(E)  activities involving the rental or leasing of tools, party and event supplies, and furniture that are classified as Industry 7359 of the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification Manual published by the federal Office of Management and Budget; and
(F)  heavy construction equipment rental or leasing activities classified as Industry 7353 of the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification Manual published by the federal Office of Management and Budget.
(13)  "Savings and loan association" means a savings and loan association or savings bank, whether organized under the laws of this state, another state, or another country, or under federal law.
(13-a)  "Security," for purposes of Sections 171.1011(g), 171.1011(g-2), and 171.106(f) only, has the meaning assigned by Section 475(c)(2), Internal Revenue Code, and includes instruments described by Sections 475(e)(2)(B), (C), and (D) of that code.
(14)  "Shareholder" includes a limited liability company's member and a limited banking association's participant.
(15)  "Professional employer organization" means:
(A)  a business entity that offers professional employer services, as that term is defined by Section 91.001, Labor Code; or
(B)  a temporary employment service, as that term is defined by Section 93.001, Labor Code.
(16)  "Total revenue" means the total revenue of a taxable entity as determined under Section 171.1011.
(17)  "Unitary business" means a single economic enterprise that is made up of separate parts of a single entity or of a commonly controlled group of entities that are sufficiently interdependent, integrated, and interrelated through their activities so as to provide a synergy and mutual benefit that produces a sharing or exchange of value among them and a significant flow of value to the separate parts.  In determining whether a unitary business exists, the comptroller shall consider any relevant factor, including whether:
(A)  the activities of the group members  are in the same general line, such as manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing of tangible personal property, insurance, transportation, or finance;
(B)  the activities of the group members are steps in a vertically structured enterprise or process, such as the steps involved in the production of natural resources, including exploration, mining, refining, and marketing; or
(C)  the members are functionally integrated through the exercise of strong centralized management, such as authority over purchasing, financing, product line, personnel, and marketing.
(18)  "Wholesale trade" means the activities described in Division F of the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification Manual published by the federal Office of Management and Budget.
Amended by:
Acts 2006, 79th Leg., 3rd C.S., Ch. 1 (H.B. 3), Sec. 2, eff. January 1, 2008.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1282 (H.B. 3928), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2008.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 1), Sec. 45.01, eff. January 1, 2012.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 1), Sec. 51.01, eff. January 1, 2012.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 117 (S.B. 1286), Sec. 23, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 117 (S.B. 1286), Sec. 28(3), eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1232 (H.B. 500), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 329 (S.B. 1049), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2016.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 329 (S.B. 1049), Sec. 2, eff. January 1, 2020.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 859 (S.B. 938), Sec. 2, eff. January 1, 2022.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 859 (S.B. 938), Sec. 3, eff. January 1, 2026.