2023 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations › Chapter 77 - Taxation of forest croplands; real estate transfer fees; sales and use taxes; county, municipality, and special district sales and use taxes; managed forest land; economic development surcharge; local food and beverage tax; local rental car tax; premier resort area taxes; state rental vehicle fee; dry cleaning fees. › 77.51 - Definitions.

77.51
Definitions.
Except where the context requires otherwise, the definitions given in this section govern the construction of terms in this subchapter.
(1a)
(a)
“Additional digital goods" means all of the following, if they are transferred electronically:
1.
Greeting cards.
2.
Finished artwork.
3.
Periodicals.
4.
Video or electronic games.
5.
Newspapers or other news or information products.
(b)
For purposes of this subchapter, the sale, license, lease, or rental of or the storage, use, or other consumption of a digital code is treated the same as the sale, license, lease, or rental of or the storage, use, or other consumption of any additional digital goods for which the digital code relates.
(1ag)
“Advertising and promotional direct mail" means direct mail that has the primary purpose of attracting public attention to a product, person, business, or organization or to attempt to sell, popularize, or secure financial support for a product, person, business, or organization.
(1b)
“Alcoholic beverage" means a beverage that is suitable for human consumption and that contains 0.5 percent or more of alcohol by volume.
(1ba)
“Ancillary services" means services that are associated with or incidental to providing telecommunications services, including detailed telecommunications billing, directory assistance, vertical service, and voice mail services.
(1bm)
“Beekeeping” means the business of moving, raising, producing, and other management of bees or bee products, regardless of the number of hives of bees managed.
(1c)
“Biotechnology" means the application of biotechnologies, including recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid techniques, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, genetics, genetic engineering, biological cell fusion, and other bioprocesses, that use living organisms or parts of an organism to produce or modify products to improve plants or animals or improve animal health, develop microorganisms for specific uses, identify targets for small molecule pharmaceutical development, or transform biological systems into useful processes and products.
(1d)
“Biotechnology business" means a business, as certified by the department in the manner prescribed by the department, that is primarily engaged in the application of biotechnologies that use a living organism or parts of an organism to produce or modify products to improve plants or animals, develop microorganisms for specific uses, identify targets for small molecule pharmaceutical development, or transform biological systems into useful processes and products.
(1f)
“Bundled transaction" means the retail sale of 2 or more products, not including real property and services to real property, if the products are distinct and identifiable products and sold for one nonitemized price. “Bundled transaction" does not include any of the following:
(a)
The sale of any products for which the sales price varies or is negotiable based on the purchaser's selection of the products included in the transaction.
(b)
1.
The retail sale of tangible personal property and a service, if the tangible personal property is essential to the use of the service, and provided exclusively in connection with the service, and if the true object of the transaction is the service.
2.
The retail sale of a service and items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), if such items, property, or goods are essential to the use of the service, and provided exclusively in connection with the service, and if the true object of the transaction is the service.
(c)
The retail sale of services, if one of the services is essential to the use or receipt of another service, and provided exclusively in connection with the other service, and if the true object of the transaction is the other service.
(d)
A transaction that includes taxable and nontaxable products, if the seller's purchase price or the sales price of the taxable products is no greater than 10 percent of the seller's total purchase price or sales price of all the bundled products, as determined by the seller using either the seller's purchase price or sales price, but not a combination of both, or, in the case of a service contract, the full term of the service contract.
(e)
The retail sale of taxable tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) and tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) that is exempt from the taxes imposed under this subchapter, if the transaction includes food and food ingredients, drugs, durable medical equipment, mobility-enhancing equipment, prosthetic devices, or medical supplies and if the seller's purchase price or the sales price of the taxable tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) is no greater than 50 percent of the seller's total purchase price or sales price of all the tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) included in what would otherwise be a bundled transaction, as determined by the seller using either the seller's purchase price or the sales price, but not a combination of both.
(1fd)
“Business" includes any activity engaged in by any person or caused to be engaged in by any person with the object of gain, benefit or advantage, either direct or indirect, and includes also the furnishing and distributing of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services for a consideration by social clubs and fraternal organizations to their members or others.
(1fm)
“Candy" means a preparation of sugar, honey, or other natural or artificial sweetener combined with chocolate, fruit, nuts, or other ingredients or flavorings in the form of bars, drops, or pieces. “Candy" does not include any of the following:
(a)
A preparation that contains flour or that requires refrigeration.
(b)
A preparation that has as its predominant ingredient dried or partially dried fruit along with one or more sweeteners, and which may also contain other additives including oils, natural flavorings, fiber, or preservatives. This paragraph does not apply to a preparation that includes chocolate, nuts, yogurt, or a preparation that has a confectionary coating or glazing on the dried or partially dried fruit. For purposes of this paragraph, “dried or partially dried fruit” does not include fruit that has been ground, crushed, grated, flaked, pureed, or jellied.
(1fr)
“Catalog" means a printed and bound, stitched, sewed, or stapled book containing a list and description of property or services for sale, regardless of whether a price is specified.
(1g)
“Certified service provider" means an agent that is certified jointly by the states that are signatories to the agreement, as defined in s. 77.65 (2) (a), and that performs all of a seller's sales tax and use tax functions related to the seller's retail sales, except that a certified service provider is not responsible for a retailer's obligation to remit tax on the retailer's own purchases.
(1m)
“Cloth diaper" means a cloth diaper used for sanitary purposes.
(1n)
“Computer" means an electronic device that accepts information in digital or similar form and that manipulates such information to achieve a result based on a sequence of instructions.
(1p)
“Computer software" means a set of coded instructions designed to cause a computer or automatic data processing equipment to perform a task.
(1pd)
“Computer software maintenance contract" means a contract that obligates a vendor of computer software to provide a customer with future updates or upgrades to computer software, computer software support services, or both.
(1r)
“Conference bridging service" means an ancillary service that links 2 or more participants of an audio or video conference call and may include providing a telephone number, but does not include the telecommunications services used to reach the conference bridge.
(2)
“Contractors" and “subcontractors" are the consumers of tangible personal property or items or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (d) used by them in real property construction activities, and the sales and use tax applies to the sale of tangible personal property or items or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (d) to them. A contractor engaged primarily in real property construction activities may use resale certificates only with respect to purchases of tangible personal property or items or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (d) that the contractor has sound reason to believe the contractor will sell to customers for whom the contractor will not perform real property construction activities involving the use of such tangible personal property or items or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (d).
(2d)
“Custom farming services" include services performed by a veterinarian to animals that are farm livestock or work stock and used exclusively in the business of farming.
(2k)
“Delivered electronically" means delivered to a purchaser by means other than by tangible storage media.
(2m)
“Delivery charges" means charges by a seller to prepare and deliver tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services to a location designated by the purchaser of the tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services, including charges for transportation, shipping, postage, handling, crating, and packing.
(3)
“Department" means the department of revenue, its duly authorized employees and agents.
(3c)
“Detailed telecommunications billing service" means an ancillary service that separately indicates information pertaining to individual calls on a customer's billing statement.
(3m)
“Diaper service" means a business primarily engaged in the lease or rental, delivery and laundering of cloth diapers.
(3n)
“Dietary supplement" means a product, other than tobacco, that is intended to supplement a person's diet, if all of the following apply:
(a)
The product contains any of the following ingredients or any combination of any of the following ingredients:
1.
A vitamin.
2.
A mineral.
3.
An herb or other botanical.
4.
An amino acid.
5.
A dietary substance that is intended for human consumption to supplement the diet by increasing total dietary intake.
6.
A concentrate, metabolite, constituent, or extract.
(b)
The product is intended for ingestion in tablet, capsule, powder, soft-gel, gel-cap, or liquid form, or, if not intended for ingestion in such forms, is not represented as conventional food and is not represented for use as the sole item of a meal or diet.
(c)
The product is required to be labeled as a dietary supplement as required under 21 CFR 101.36.
(3p)
“Digital audiovisual works" means a series of related images that, when shown in succession, impart an impression of motion, along with accompanying sounds, if any, and that are transferred electronically. “Digital audiovisual works" includes motion pictures, musical videos, news and entertainment programs, and live events, but does not include video greeting cards or video or electronic games.
(3pa)
“Digital audio works" means works that result from the fixation of a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds that are transferred electronically, including prerecorded or live music, prerecorded or live readings of books or other written materials, prerecorded or live speeches, ringtones, or other sound recordings but not including audio greeting cards sent by electronic mail.
(3pb)
“Digital books" means works that are generally recognized in the ordinary and usual sense as books and are transferred electronically. “Digital books" includes any literary work, other than a digital audio work or digital audiovisual work, that is expressed in words, numbers, or other verbal or numerical symbols or indicia, if the literary work is generally recognized in the ordinary and usual sense as a book, work of fiction or nonfiction, or a short story, but does not include newspapers or other news or information products, periodicals, chat room discussions, or blogs.
(3pc)
“Digital code" means a code that provides the person who holds the code a right to obtain an additional digital good, a digital audiovisual work, digital audio work, or digital book and that may be obtained by any means, including tangible forms and electronic mail, regardless of whether the code is designated as song code, video code, or book code. “Digital code" includes codes used to access or obtain any specified digital goods, or any additional digital goods that have been previously purchased, and promotion cards or codes that are purchased by a retailer or other business entity for use by the retailer's or entity's customers. “Digital code" does not include the following:
(a)
A code that represents any redeemable card, gift card, or gift certificate that entitles the holder of such card or certificate to select any specified digital goods or additional digital goods at the cash value indicated by the card or certificate.
(b)
Digital cash that represents a monetary value that a customer may use to pay for a future purchase.
(3pd)
“Direct mail" means printed material that is delivered or distributed by the U.S. postal service or other delivery service to a mass audience or to addressees on a mailing list provided by or at the direction of the purchaser of the printed material, if the cost of the printed material or any tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) included with the printed material is not billed directly to the recipients of the printed material. “Direct mail" includes any tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) provided directly or indirectly by the purchaser of the printed material to the seller of the printed material for inclusion in any package containing the printed material, including billing invoices, return envelopes, and additional marketing materials. “Direct mail" does not include multiple items of printed material delivered to a single address.
(3pe)
“Directory assistance" means an ancillary service that provides telephone numbers or addresses.
(3pf)
“Distinct and identifiable product" does not include any of the following:
(a)
Packaging, including containers, boxes, sacks, bags, bottles, and envelopes; and other materials, including wrapping, labels, tags, and instruction guides; that accompany, and are incidental or immaterial to, the retail sale of any product.
(b)
A product that is provided free of charge to the consumer in conjunction with the required purchase of another product, if the sales price of the other product does not vary depending on whether the product provided free of charge is included in the transaction.
(c)
Any items specified under sub. (12m) (a) or (15b) (a).
(3pj)
“Drug" means a compound, substance, or preparation, or any component of them, other than food and food ingredients, dietary supplements, or alcoholic beverages, to which any of the following applies:
(a)
It is listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia, Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States, or National Formulary, or any supplement to any of them.
(b)
It is intended for use in diagnosing, curing, mitigating, treating, or preventing a disease.
(c)
It is intended to affect a function or structure of the body.
(3pm)
“Durable medical equipment" means equipment, including the repair parts and replacement parts for the equipment, that is primarily and customarily used for a medical purpose related to a person; that can withstand repeated use; that is not generally useful to a person who is not ill or injured; and that is not placed in or worn on the body. “Durable medical equipment" does not include mobility-enhancing equipment.
(3pn)
“Eight hundred service" means a telecommunications service that allows a caller to dial a toll-free number without incurring a charge for the call and is marketed under “800," “855," “866," “877," or “888" toll-free calling, or any other number designated as toll-free by the federal communications commission.
(3po)
“Electronic" means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities.
(3r)
“File" means mail or deliver a document that the department prescribes to the department or, if the department prescribes another method of submitting or another destination, use that other method or submit to that other destination.
(3rm)
“Finished artwork" means the final art used for actual reproduction by photomechanical or other processes or for display purposes, but does not include website or home page designs. “Finished artwork" includes all of the following items regardless of whether such items are reproduced:
(a)
Drawings.
(b)
Paintings.
(c)
Designs.
(d)
Photographs.
(e)
Lettering.
(f)
Paste-ups.
(g)
Mechanicals.
(h)
Assemblies.
(i)
Charts.
(j)
Graphs.
(k)
Illustrative materials.
(3rn)
“Fixed wireless service" means a telecommunications service that provides radio communication between fixed points.
(3t)
“Food and food ingredient" means a substance in liquid, concentrated, solid, frozen, dried, or dehydrated form, that is sold for ingestion, or for chewing, by humans and that is ingested or chewed for its taste or nutritional value. “Food and food ingredient" does not include alcoholic beverages or tobacco.
(4m)
“Gun club" includes a trapshooting club, skeet-shooting club, sporting-clay club, rifle and pistol club, sportsmen's club, hunting club, rod and gun club, hunting and fishing club, and conservation club. “Gun club" does not include a wild animal farm or bird hunting preserve licensed under ch. 169.
(5)
For purposes of subs. (13) (e) and (f) and (15a) and s. 77.52 (2m), “incidental" means depending upon or appertaining to something else as primary; something necessary, appertaining to, or depending upon another which is termed the principal; or something incidental to the main purpose of the service. Tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) transferred by a service provider is incidental to the service if the purchaser's main purpose or objective is to obtain the service rather than the property, items, or goods, even though the property, items, or goods may be necessary or essential to providing the service.
(5d)
“International telecommunications services" means telecommunications services that originate or terminate in the United States, including the District of Columbia and any U.S. territory or possession and originate or terminate outside of the United States, including the District of Columbia and any U.S. territory or possession.
(5f)
“Internet access services" means sending messages and information transmitted through the use of local, toll and wide-area telephone service; channel services; telegraph services; teletypewriter; computer exchange services; cellular mobile telecommunications service; specialized mobile radio; stationary two-way radio; paging service; or any other form of mobile and portable one-way or two-way communications; or any other transmission of messages or information by electronic or similar means between or among points by wire, cable, fiber optics, laser, microwave, radio, satellite or similar facilities. “Internet access services" does not include telecommunications services to the extent that such services are taxable under s. 77.52 (2) (a) 5. am.
(5m)
For purposes of s. 77.585 (9), “Internet equipment used in the broadband market" means equipment that is capable of transmitting data packets or Internet signals at speeds of at least 200 kilobits per second in either direction.
(5n)
“Interstate telecommunications services" means telecommunications services that originate in one state or U.S. territory or possession and terminate in a different state or U.S. territory or possession.
(5r)
“Intrastate telecommunications services" means telecommunications services that originate in one state or U.S. territory or possession and terminate in the same state or U.S. territory or possession.
(6)
“In this state" or “in the state" means within the exterior limits of the state of Wisconsin.
(7)
(a)
“Lease or rental" means any transfer of possession or control of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) for a fixed or indeterminate term and for consideration and includes:
1.
A transfer that includes future options to purchase or extend.
2.
Agreements related to the transfer of possession or control of motor vehicles or trailers, if the amount of any consideration may be increased or decreased by reference to the amount realized on the sale or other disposition of such motor vehicles or trailers, consistent with section 7701 (h) (1) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(b)
“Lease or rental" does not include any of the following:
1.
A transfer of possession or control of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) under a security agreement or deferred payment plan, if such agreement or plan requires transferring title to the tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) after making all required payments.
2.
A transfer of possession or control of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) under any agreement that requires transferring title to the tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) after making all required payments and after paying an option price that does not exceed the greater of $100 or 1 percent of the total amount of the required payments.
3.
Providing tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) along with an operator, if the operator is necessary for the tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to perform in the manner for which it is designed and if the operator does more than maintain, inspect, or set up the tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d).
(c)
1.
Transfers described under par. (a) are considered a lease or rental, regardless of whether such transfer is considered a lease or rental under generally accepted accounting principles, or any provision of federal or local law, or any other provision of state law.
2.
Transfers described under par. (b) are not considered a lease or rental, regardless of whether such transfer is considered a lease or rental under generally accepted accounting principles, or any provision of federal or local law, or any other provision of state law.
(7g)
“Load-and-leave" means delivery to a purchaser by using a tangible storage media that is not physically transferred to the purchaser.
(7h)
(a)
“Manufacturing" means the production by machinery of a new article of tangible personal property or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c) with a different form, use, and name from existing materials, by a process popularly regarded as manufacturing, and that begins with conveying raw materials and supplies from plant inventory to the place where work is performed in the same plant and ends with conveying finished units of tangible personal property or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c) to the point of first storage in the same plant. “Manufacturing" includes:
1.
Crushing, washing, grading and blending sand, rock, gravel and other minerals.
2.
Ore dressing, including the mechanical preparation, by crushing and other processes, and the concentration, by flotation and other processes, of ore, and beneficiation, including the preparation of ore for smelting.
3.
Conveying work in progress directly from one manufacturing process to another in the same plant; testing or inspecting, throughout the manufacturing process, the new article of tangible personal property or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c) that is being manufactured; storing work in progress in the same plant where the manufacturing occurs; assembling finished units of tangible personal property or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c); and packaging a new article of tangible personal property or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), if the manufacturer, or another person on the manufacturer's behalf, performs the packaging and if the packaging becomes part of the new article as it is customarily offered for sale by the manufacturer.
(b)
“Manufacturing" does not include storing raw materials or finished units of tangible personal property or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), research or development, delivery to or from the plant, or repairing or maintaining plant facilities.
(7i)
“Marketplace provider" means any person who facilitates a retail sale by a seller by listing or advertising for sale by the seller, in any manner, tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or a service specified under s. 77.52 (2) (a) and, who directly or indirectly, through agreements or arrangements with 3rd parties, processes the payment from the purchaser for the retail sale, regardless of whether the person receives compensation or other consideration in exchange for the services provided by the person.
(7j)
“Marketplace seller" means a seller who sells products through a physical or electronic marketplace operated by a marketplace provider, regardless of whether the seller is required to be registered with the department.
(7k)
“Mobile wireless service" means a telecommunications service for which the origination or termination points of the service's transmission, conveyance, or routing are not fixed, regardless of the technology used to transmit, convey, or route the service. “Mobile wireless service" includes a telecommunications service provided by a commercial mobile radio service provider.
(7m)
“Mobility-enhancing equipment" means equipment, including the repair parts and replacement parts for the equipment, that is primarily and customarily used to provide or increase the ability of a person to move from one place to another; that may be used in a home or motor vehicle; and that is generally not used by a person who has normal mobility. “Mobility-enhancing equipment" does not include a motor vehicle or any equipment on a motor vehicle that is generally provided by a motor vehicle manufacturer. “Mobility-enhancing equipment" does not include durable medical equipment.
(8)
“Newspaper" means those publications which are commonly understood to be newspapers and which are printed and distributed periodically at daily, weekly or other short intervals for the dissemination of current news and information of a general character and of a general interest to the public. In addition, any publication which qualifies as a newspaper under s. 985.03 (1) is a newspaper. “Newspaper" also includes advertising supplements if they are printed by a newspaper and distributed as a component part of one of that newspaper's publications or if they are printed by a newspaper or a commercial printer and sold to a newspaper for inclusion in publications of that newspaper. A “newspaper" does not include handbills, circulars, flyers, or the like, advertising supplements not described in this subsection which are distributed with a newspaper, nor any publication which is issued to supply information on certain subjects of interest to particular groups, unless such publication otherwise qualifies as a newspaper within this subsection. In this subsection, advertising is not considered news of a general character and of a general interest.
(8m)
“Nine hundred service" means an inbound toll telecommunications service purchased by a subscriber that allows the subscriber's customers to call the subscriber's prerecorded announcement or live service. “Nine hundred service" does not include any charge for collection services provided by the seller of the telecommunications services to the subscriber or for any product or service the subscriber sells to the subscriber's customers. A “nine hundred service" is designated with the “900" number or any other number designated by the federal communications commission.
(9)
“Occasional sales" includes:
(a)
1.
Isolated and sporadic sales of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services where the infrequency, in relation to the other circumstances, including the sales price and the gross profit, support the inference that the seller is not pursuing a vocation, occupation or business or a partial vocation or occupation or part-time business as a vendor of personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services. No sale of any tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable service may be deemed an occasional sale if at the time of such sale the seller holds or is required to hold a seller's permit, except that this provision does not apply to an organization required to hold a seller's permit solely for the purpose of conducting bingo games and except as provided in par. (am).
2.
For purposes of subd. 1., it is presumed that a seller is not pursuing a vocation, occupation, or business or a partial vocation or occupation or part-time business as a vendor of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services if the seller's total taxable sales price from sales of tangible personal property, items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), and taxable services is less than $2,000 during a calendar year.
(am)
The sale of personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), other than inventory held for sale, previously used by a seller to conduct its trade or business at a location after that person has ceased actively operating in the regular course of business as a seller of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services at that location, even though the seller holds a seller's permit for one or more other locations.
(e)
Five or fewer auctions that are the sale of personal farm property or household goods and that are held by the same auctioneer at the same location during the year. In this paragraph, with respect to indoor locations, “location" means a building, except that in the case of a shopping center or a shopping mall “location" means a store.
(9p)
“One nonitemized price" does not include a price that is separately identified by product on a binding sales document, or other sales-related document, that is made available to the customer in paper or electronic form, including an invoice, a bill of sale, a receipt, a contract, a service agreement, a lease agreement, a periodic notice of rates and services, a rate card, or a price list.
(9r)
(a)
“Other direct mail" means any direct mail that is not advertising and promotional direct mail, regardless of whether advertising and promotional direct mail is included in the same mailing. “Other direct mail" includes all of the following:
1.
Transactional direct mail that contains personal information specific to the addressee, including invoices, bills, account statements, and payroll advices.
2.
Any legally required mailings, including privacy notices, tax reports, and stockholder reports.
3.
Other nonpromotional direct mail, including newsletters and informational pieces, that is delivered to existing or former shareholders, customers, employees, or agents.
(b)
“Other direct mail" does not include printed materials that result from developing billing information or providing any data processing service that is more than incidental, as defined in sub. (5), to producing the other direct mail.
(9s)
“Paging service" means a telecommunications service that transmits coded radio signals to activate specific pagers and may include messages or sounds.
(10)
“Person" includes any natural person, firm, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, joint stock company, association, public or private corporation, the United States, the state, including any unit or division of the state, any county, city, village, town, municipal utility, municipal power district or other governmental unit, cooperative, unincorporated cooperative association, estate, trust, receiver, personal representative, any other fiduciary, any other legal entity, and any representative appointed by order of any court or otherwise acting on behalf of others.
(10b)
For purposes of sub. (7h), “plant" means a parcel of property or adjoining parcels of property, including parcels that are separated only by a public road, and the buildings, machinery, and equipment that are located on the parcel, that are owned by or leased to the manufacturer.
(10c)
For purposes of sub. (7h), “plant inventory" does not include unsevered mineral deposits.
(10d)
“Prepaid calling service" means the right to exclusively access telecommunications services, if that right is paid for in advance of providing such services, requires using an access number or authorization code to originate calls, and is sold in predetermined units or dollars that decrease with use in a known amount.
(10f)
“Prepaid wireless calling service" means a telecommunications service that provides the right to utilize mobile wireless service as well as other nontelecommunications services, including the download of digital products delivered electronically, content, and ancillary services, and that is paid for prior to use and sold in predetermined units or dollars that decrease with use in a known amount.
(10m)
(a)
“Prepared food" means:
1.
Food and food ingredients sold in a heated state.
2.
Food and food ingredients heated by the retailer, except as provided in par. (b).
3.
Food and food ingredients sold with eating utensils that are provided by the retailer of the food and food ingredients, including plates, bowls, knives, forks, spoons, glasses, cups, napkins, or straws. In this subdivision, “plate" does not include a container or packaging used to transport food and food ingredients. For purposes of this subdivision, a retailer provides utensils if any of the following applies:
a.
The utensils are available to purchasers and the retailer's sales of prepared food under subds. 1., 2., and 4., and food for which plates, bowls, glasses, or cups are necessary to receive the food, are more than 75 percent of the retailer's total sales of all food and food ingredients, as determined under par. (c).
b.
For retailers not described under subd. 3. a., the retailer's customary practice is to physically give or hand the utensils to the purchaser, except that plates, bowls, glasses, or cups that are necessary for the purchaser to receive the food and food ingredients need only be made available to the purchaser.
4.
Except as provided in par. (b), 2 or more food ingredients mixed or combined by a retailer for sale as a single item.
(b)
“Prepared food" does not include:
1.
For purposes of par. (a) 2. and 4., 2 or more food ingredients mixed or combined by a retailer for sale as a single item, if the retailer's primary classification in the North American Industry Classification System, 2002 edition, published by the federal office of management and budget, is manufacturing under subsector 311, not including bakeries and tortilla manufacturing under industry group number 3118.
2.
For purposes of par. (a) 2. and 4., 2 or more food ingredients mixed or combined by a retailer for sale as a single item, sold unheated, and sold by volume or weight.
3.
For purposes of par. (a) 2. and 4., bakery items made by a retailer, including breads, rolls, pastries, buns, biscuits, bagels, croissants, donuts, danish, cakes, tortes, pies, tarts, muffins, bars, cookies, and tortillas.
4.
For purposes of par. (a) 4., food and food ingredients that are only sliced, repackaged, or pasteurized by a retailer.
5.
For purposes of par. (a) 4., eggs, fish, meat, and poultry, and foods containing any of them in raw form, that require cooking by the consumer, as recommended by the food and drug administration in chapter 3, part 401.11 of its food code to prevent food-borne illnesses.
(c)
1.
The percentage specified under par. (a) 3. a. shall be determined using the following:
a.
A numerator that includes sales of prepared food, as defined in par. (a) 1., 2., and 4., and food for which plates, bowls, glasses, or cups are necessary to receive the food, but not including alcoholic beverages.
b.
A denominator that includes all food and food ingredients, including prepared food, candy, dietary supplements, and soft drinks, but not including alcoholic beverages.
2.
a.
If the percentage determined under subd. 1. is 75 percent or less, utensils are considered to be provided by the retailer if the retailer's customary practice is to physically give or hand the utensils to the purchaser or, in the case of plates, bowls, glasses, or cups that are necessary to receive the food, to make such items available to the purchaser.
b.
If the percentage determined under subd. 1. is greater than 75 percent, utensils are considered to be provided by the retailer if the utensils are made available to the purchaser.
3.
For a retailer whose percentage determined under subd. 1. is greater than 75 percent, an item sold by the retailer that contains 4 or more servings packaged as one item and sold for a single price does not become prepared food simply because the retailer makes utensils available to the purchaser of the item, but does become prepared food if the retailer physically gives or hands utensils to the purchaser of the item, except that plates, bowls, glasses, or cups necessary for the purchaser to receive the food need only be made available to the purchaser. For purposes of this subdivision 3., serving sizes are based on the information contained on the label of each item sold, except that, if the item has no label, the serving size is based on the retailer's reasonable determination.
4.
a.
Except as provided in subd. 4. b., if a retailer sells food items that have a utensil placed in a package by a person other than the retailer, the utensils are considered to be provided by the retailer.
b.
Except as provided in subds. 2. and 3., if a retailer sells food items that have a utensil placed in a package by a person other than the retailer and the person's primary classification in the North American Industry Classification System, 2002 edition, published by the federal office of management and budget, is manufacturing under subsector 311, the utensils are not considered to be provided by the retailer.
5.
For purposes of par. (a) 3., a retailer shall determine the percentage for the retailer's tax year or business fiscal year, based on the retailer's data from the retailer's prior tax year or business fiscal year, as soon as practical after the retailer's accounting records are available, but not later than 90 days after the day on which the retailer's tax year or business fiscal year begins. For a retailer with more than one establishment in this state, a single determination under subd. 1. that combines the information for all of the retailer's establishments in this state shall be made annually, as provided in this subdivision, and apply to each of the retailer's establishments in this state. A retailer that has no prior tax year or business fiscal year shall make a good faith estimate of its percentage for purposes of par. (a) 3. for the retailer's first tax year or business fiscal year and shall adjust the estimate prospectively after the first 3 months of the retailer's operations if the actual percentage is materially different from the estimated percentage.
(10n)
“Prescription" means an order, formula, or recipe that is issued by any oral, written, electronic, or other means of transmission and by a person who is authorized by the laws of this state to issue such an order, formula, or recipe.
(10r)
“Prewritten computer software" means computer software, including prewritten upgrades, that is not designed and developed by the author or other creator to the specifications of a specific purchaser. The combining of 2 or more “prewritten computer software" programs or prewritten portions of computer software does not cause the combination to be other than “prewritten computer software." “Prewritten computer software" includes software designed and developed by the author or other creator to the specifications of a specific purchaser if it is sold to a person other than the specific purchaser. For purposes of this subsection, if a person modifies or enhances computer software of which the person is not the author or creator, the person is the author or creator only of the person's modifications or enhancements. “Prewritten computer software" or a prewritten portion of computer software that is modified or enhanced to any degree, with regard to a modification or enhancement that is designed and developed to the specifications of a specific purchaser, remains “prewritten computer software," except that if there is a reasonable, separately stated charge or an invoice or other statement of the price given to the purchaser for the modification or enhancement, the modification or enhancement is not “prewritten computer software."
(10rn)
“Primarily" means more than 50 percent.
(11)
“Printing" and “imprinting" include lithography, photolithography, rotogravure, gravure, letterpress, silk screen printing, multilithing, multigraphing, mimeographing, photostating, steel die engraving and similar processes.
(11b)
“Prison" means a prison described in s. 302.01, except it does not include the correctional institution under s. 301.046 (1) if the institution is the prisoner's place of residence and does not include a Type 2 prison, as defined in s. 301.01 (6).
(11c)
“Private communication service" means a telecommunications service that entitles the customer to exclusive or priority use of a communications channel or group of communications channels, regardless of the manner in which the communications channel or group of communications channels is connected, and includes switching capacity, extension lines, stations, and other associated services that are provided in connection with the use of such channel or channels.
(11d)
For purposes of subs. (1ag), (1f), (3pf), (7j), and (9p) and ss. 77.52 (20) and (21), 77.522, 77.54 (9g), (51), (52), and (60), and 77.59 (5r), “product" includes tangible personal property, and items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), and services.
(11m)
“Prosthetic device" means a replacement, corrective, or supportive device, including the repair parts and replacement parts for the device, that is placed in or worn on the body to artificially replace a missing portion of the body; to prevent or correct a physical deformity or malfunction; or to support a weak or deformed portion of the body.
(12)
“Purchase" includes:
(a)
Any transfer of title, possession, ownership, enjoyment, or use by: cash or credit transaction, exchange, barter, lease or rental, conditional or otherwise, in any manner or by any means whatever of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) for a consideration, including any transaction for which a person's books and records show the transaction created, with regard to the transferee, an obligation to pay a certain amount of money or an increase in accounts payable or, with regard to the transferor, a right to receive a certain amount of money or an increase in accounts receivable.
(b)
A transaction whereby the possession of property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) is transferred but the seller retains the title as security for the payment of the price.
(12m)
(a)
“Purchase price" means the total amount of consideration, including cash, credit, property, and services, for which tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services are sold, licensed, leased, or rented, valued in money, whether paid in money or otherwise, without any deduction for the following:
1.
The seller's cost of the property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) sold.
2.
The cost of materials used, labor or service cost, interest, losses, all costs of transportation to the seller, all taxes imposed on the seller, except as provided in par. (b) 3m. and 3s., and any other expense of the seller.
3.
Charges by the seller for any services necessary to complete a sale, not including delivery and installation charges.
4.
a.
Delivery charges, except as provided in par. (b) 4.
b.
If a shipment includes property or items that are subject to tax under this subchapter and property or items that are not subject to tax under this subchapter, the amount of the delivery charge that the seller allocates to the property and items that are subject to tax under this subchapter is based either on the total purchase price of the property and items that are subject to tax under this subchapter as compared to the total purchase price of all the property and items or on the total weight of the property and items that are subject to tax under this subchapter as compared to the total weight of all the property and items, except that if the seller does not make the allocation under this subd. 4. b., the purchaser shall allocate the delivery charge amount, consistent with this subd. 4. b.
5.
Installation charges.
(b)
“Purchase price" does not include:
1.
Discounts, including cash, terms, or coupons, that are not reimbursed by a 3rd party, except as provided in par. (c); that are allowed by a seller; and that are taken by a purchaser on a sale.
2.
Interest, financing, and carrying charges from credit that is extended on a sale of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services, if the amount of the interest, financing, or carrying charges is separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser.
3.
Any taxes legally imposed directly on the purchaser that are separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser.
3m.
Taxes imposed on the seller that are separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser if the law imposing or authorizing the tax provides that the seller may, but is not required to, pass on to and collect the tax from the user or consumer.
3s.
The federal tax imposed on the seller in a retail sale of a heavy truck or trailer under section 4051 of the Internal Revenue Code that is separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser.
4.
Delivery charges for direct mail, if the delivery charges for direct mail are separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser.
5.
In all transactions in which an article of tangible personal property, an item under s. 77.52 (1) (b), property under s. 77.52 (1) (c), or a good under s. 77.52 (1) (d) is traded toward the purchase of an article, item, property, or good of greater value, the amount of the purchase price that represents the amount allowed for the article, item, property, or good traded, except that this subdivision does not apply to any transaction to which subd. 7. or 8. applies.
6.
If a person who purchases a motor vehicle presents a statement issued under s. 218.0171 (2) (cq) to the seller at the time of purchase, and the person presents the statement to the seller within 60 days from the date of receiving a refund under s. 218.0171 (2) (b) 2. b., the trade-in amount specified in the statement issued under s. 218.0171 (2) (cq), but not to exceed the purchase price from the sale of the motor vehicle. This subdivision applies only to the first motor vehicle purchased by a person after receiving a refund under s. 218.0171 (2) (b) 2. b.
7.
Thirty-five percent of the purchase price, excluding trade-ins, of a new manufactured home, as defined in s. 101.91 (11). This subdivision does not apply to a lease or rental.
8.
At the retailer's option; except that after the retailer chooses an option the retailer may not use the other option for other sales without the department's written approval; either 35 percent of the purchase price of a modular home, as defined in s. 101.71 (6), or an amount equal to the purchase price of the home minus the cost of materials that become an ingredient or component part of the home.
(c)
“Purchase price" includes consideration received by the seller from a 3rd party, if:
1.
The seller actually receives consideration from a 3rd party, other than the purchaser, and the consideration is directly related to a price reduction or discount on a sale.
2.
The seller is obliged to pass the price reduction or discount to the purchaser.
3.
The amount of the consideration that is attributable to the sale is a fixed amount and the seller is able to determine that amount at the time of the sale to the purchaser.
4.
One of the following also applies:
a.
The purchaser presents a coupon, certificate, or other documentation to the seller to claim the price reduction or discount, if the coupon, certificate, or other documentation is authorized, distributed, or granted by the 3rd party with the understanding that the 3rd party will reimburse the seller for the amount of the price reduction or discount.
b.
The purchaser identifies himself or herself to the seller as a member of a group or organization that may claim the price reduction or discount.
c.
The seller provides an invoice to the purchaser, or the purchaser presents a coupon, certificate, or other documentation to the seller, that identifies the price reduction or discount as a 3rd-party price reduction or discount.
(12p)
“Purchaser" means a person to whom a sale of tangible personal property is made or to whom a service is furnished.
(12t)
“Real property construction activities" means activities that occur at a site where tangible personal property or items or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (d) that are applied or adapted to the use or purpose to which real property is devoted are permanently affixed to that real property. “Real property construction activities" does not include affixing property subject to tax under s. 77.52 (1) (c) to real property or affixing to real property tangible personal property that remains tangible personal property after it is affixed. The department may promulgate rules to determine whether activities that occur at a site where tangible personal property or items or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (d) are affixed to real property are real property construction activities for purposes of this subchapter. If the classification of property or an activity is not identified by rule, the department's determination of whether personal property becomes a part of real property shall be made by considering the following criteria:
(a)
Actual physical annexation to the real property.
(b)
Application or adaptation to the use or purpose to which the real property is devoted.
(c)
An intention on the part of the person making the annexation to make a permanent accession to the real property.
(13)
“Retailer” includes:
(a)
Every seller who makes any sale on the seller's own behalf or on behalf of another person, regardless of whether the sale is mercantile in nature, of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or a service specified under s. 77.52 (2) (a).
(am)
Any person making any retail sale of a motor vehicle, aircraft, snowmobile, recreational vehicle, as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), trailer, semitrailer, all-terrain vehicle, utility terrain vehicle, off-highway motorcycle, as defined in s. 23.335 (1) (q), or boat registered or titled, or required to be registered or titled, under the laws of this state or of the United States.
(b)
Every person engaged in the business of making sales of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) for storage, use or consumption or in the business of making sales at auction of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) owned by the person or others for storage, use or other consumption.
(c)
When the department determines that it is necessary for the efficient administration of this subchapter to regard any salespersons, representatives, peddlers, marketplace providers, or canvassers as the agents of the dealers, distributors, marketplace sellers, supervisors, or employers under whom they operate or from whom they obtain the tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) sold by them, irrespective of whether they are making the sales on their own behalf or on behalf of such dealers, distributors, marketplace sellers, supervisors, or employers, the department may so regard them and may regard the dealers, distributors, marketplace sellers, supervisors, or employers as retailers for purposes of this subchapter.
(d)
Every wholesaler to the extent that the wholesaler sells tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a person other than a seller as defined in sub. (17) provided such wholesaler is not expressly exempt from the sales tax on such sale or from collecting the use tax on such sale.
(e)
A person selling tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a service provider who transfers the property, items, or goods in conjunction with the selling, performing or furnishing of any service and the property, items, or goods are incidental to the service, unless the service provider is selling, performing or furnishing services under s. 77.52 (2) (a) 7., 10., 11. and 20. This subsection does not apply to sub. (2).
(f)
A service provider who transfers tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) in conjunction with but not incidental to the selling, performing or furnishing of any service and a service provider selling, performing or furnishing services under s. 77.52 (2) (a) 7., 10., 11. and 20. This subsection does not apply to sub. (2).
(fm)
A person selling, performing, or furnishing any service under s. 77.52 (2) (a) 5. or 12. to a service provider described in s. 77.52 (2m) (am).
(i)
A person selling items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), materials, or supplies to barbers, beauty shop operators, or bootblacks for use by them in the performance of their services.
(j)
A person selling items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), materials, and supplies to producers of X-ray films.
(k)
With respect to a lease, any person deriving rentals from a lease of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) sourced to this state as provided under s. 77.522.
(m)
A person selling tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a veterinarian to be used or furnished by the veterinarian in the performance of services in some manner related to domestic animals, including pets or poultry.
(n)
A person selling household furniture, furnishings, equipment, appliances or other items of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a landlord for use by tenants in leased or rented living quarters.
(o)
A person selling drugs for animals or bees to a veterinarian. As used in this paragraph, “animal" includes livestock, pets, and poultry.
(p)
All persons described in this subsection regardless of all of the following:
1.
Whether the transaction is mercantile in nature.
2.
Whether the seller sells smaller quantities from inventory.
3.
Whether the seller makes or intends to make a profit on the sale.
4.
Whether the seller or the buyer receives a benefit the seller or buyer bargained for.
5.
The percentage of the seller's total sales that the sale represents.
6.
Any activities other than those described in pars. (a) to (o) in which the seller is engaged.
7.
Whether the seller sells on the seller's own behalf or on behalf of another person.
(q)
A marketplace provider who facilitates, on behalf of a marketplace seller, sales that are sourced to this state as provided under s. 77.522 of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services.
(13g)
Except as provided in subs. (13gm) and (13h), “retailer engaged in business in this state", for purposes of the use tax, includes any of the following:
(a)
Any retailer owning any real property in this state.
(ab)
Any retailer leasing or renting out any tangible personal property, or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), if such property or items are located in this state.
(ac)
Any retailer maintaining, occupying, or using, permanently or temporarily, directly or indirectly, or through a subsidiary, an agent, or some other person, an office, place of distribution, sales or sample room or place, warehouse or storage place, or other place of business in this state.
(b)
Any retailer having any representative, including a manufacturer's representative, agent, salesperson, canvasser, or solicitor operating in this state under authority of the retailer or its subsidiary for the purpose of selling, delivering, or the taking orders for any tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services or for the purpose of performing any of the other activities described in this subsection.
(c)
Any retailer selling tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services for storage, use, or other consumption in this state, unless otherwise limited by federal law.
(d)
Any person who has an affiliate in this state, if the person is related to the affiliate and if the affiliate uses facilities or employees in this state to advertise, promote, or facilitate the establishment of or market for sales of items by the related person to purchasers in this state or for providing services to the related person's purchasers in this state, including accepting returns of purchases or resolving customer complaints. For purposes of this paragraph, 2 persons are related if any of the following apply:
1.
One person, or each person, is a corporation and one person and any person related to that person in a manner that would require a stock attribution from the corporation to the person or from the person to the corporation under section 318 of the Internal Revenue Code owns directly, indirectly, beneficially, or constructively at least 50 percent of the corporation's outstanding stock value.
2.
One person, or each person, is a partnership, estate, or trust and any partner or beneficiary; and the partnership, estate, or trust and its partners or beneficiaries; own directly, indirectly, beneficially, or constructively, in the aggregate, at least 50 percent of the profits, capital, stock, or value of the other person or both persons.
3.
An individual stockholder and the members of the stockholder's family, as defined in section 318 of the Internal Revenue Code, owns directly, indirectly, beneficially, or constructively, in the aggregate, at least 50 percent of both persons' outstanding stock value.
(e)
Any person servicing, repairing, or installing equipment or other tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) in this state.
(f)
Any person delivering tangible personal property or items under s. 77.52 (1) (b) into this state in a vehicle operated by the person that sells the property or items that are delivered.
(g)
Any person performing construction activities in this state.
(13gm)
(a)
“Retailer engaged in business in this state” does not include a retailer who has no activities as described in sub. (13g), except for activities described in sub. (13g) (c), unless the retailer's annual gross sales into this state exceed $100,000 in the previous or current calendar year.
(b)
If an out-of-state retailer's annual gross sales into this state exceed $100,000 in the previous calendar year, the retailer shall register with the department and collect the taxes administered under s. 77.52 or 77.53 on sales sourced to this state under s. 77.522 for the entire current calendar year.
(c)
If an out-of-state retailer's annual gross sales into this state are $100,000 or less in the previous calendar year, the retailer is not required to register with the department and collect the taxes administered under s. 77.52 or 77.53 on sales sourced to this state under s. 77.522 until the retailer's gross sales exceed $100,000 for the current calendar year, at which time the retailer shall register with the department and collect the tax for the remainder of the current calendar year.
(d)
All of the following apply for purposes of this subsection:
2.
“Gross sales” includes both taxable and nontaxable sales.
5.
An out-of-state retailer's annual gross sales include all sales into this state by the retailer on behalf of other persons and all sales into this state by another person on the retailer's behalf.
(13h)
“Retailer engaged in business in this state", notwithstanding sub. (13g), beginning on the applicable date does not include a foreign corporation that is the publisher of printed materials the only activities of which in this state do not exceed the storage of its raw materials for any length of time in this state in or on property owned by a person other than the foreign corporation and the delivery of its raw materials to another person in this state if that storage and delivery are for printing by that other person, and the purchase from a printer of a printing service or of printed materials in this state for the publisher and the storage of the printed materials for any length of time in this state in or on property owned by a person other than the publisher and do not exceed maintaining, occupying and using, directly or by means of another person, a place that is in this state, that is not owned by the publisher and that is used for the distribution of printed materials. In this subsection, “applicable date" for publishers of books and periodicals other than catalogs means January 1, 1980, and for all other publishers means January 1, 1990. In this subsection “raw materials" means tangible personal property which becomes an ingredient or component part of the printed materials or which is consumed or destroyed or loses its identity in the printing of the printed materials.
(13r)
Any person purchasing from a retailer as defined in sub. (13) shall be deemed the consumer of the tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services purchased.
(13rm)
“Retail sale" or “sale at retail" means any sale, lease, or rental for any purpose other than resale, sublease, or subrent.
(13rn)
“Ringtones" means digitized sound files that are downloaded onto a device and that may be used to alert the customer regarding a communication, but not including ringback tones or other digital audio files that are not stored on the purchaser's communication device.
(13s)
“Safety classes" means all classes approved by the department of natural resources related to hunting, including hunting with a bow, and related to firearms, all-terrain vehicles, utility terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles, boats, and snowmobiles.
(14)
“Sale" includes any of the following: the transfer of the ownership of, title to, possession of, or enjoyment of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services for use or consumption but not for resale as tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services and includes:
(a)
Any sale at an auction with respect to tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) which are sold to a successful bidder, except the sale of tangible personal property, items, or goods sold at auction which are bid in by the seller and on which title does not pass to a new purchaser.
(b)
The furnishing or distributing of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services for a consideration by social clubs and fraternal organizations to their members or others.
(c)
A transaction whereby the possession of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) are transferred but the seller retains the title as security for the payment of the price.
(f)
The furnishing, preparing or serving for consideration of food, meals, confections or drinks.
(h)
A transfer for a consideration of the title or possession of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) which have been produced, fabricated, or printed to the special order of the customer or of any publication.
(j)
The granting of possession of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) by a lessor to a lessee, or to another person at the direction of the lessee. Such a transaction is deemed a continuing sale.
(m)
A transaction for which a person's books and records show the transaction created, with regard to the transferee, an obligation to pay a certain amount of money or an increase in accounts payable or, with regard to the transferor, a right to receive a certain amount of money or an increase in accounts receivable.
(n)
All activities described in this subsection regardless of all of the following:
1.
Whether the transaction is mercantile in nature.
2.
Whether the seller sells smaller quantities from inventory.
3.
Whether the seller makes or intends to make a profit on the sale.
4.
Whether the seller or the buyer receives a benefit the seller or buyer bargained for.
5.
The percentage of the seller's total sales that the sale represents.
6.
Any activities other than those described in sub. (13) (a) to (o) in which the seller is engaged.
7.
Whether the seller sells on the seller's own behalf or on behalf of another person.
(14a)
For purposes of ss. 77.54, 77.55, and 77.56, “sale" includes licenses, leases, and rentals.
(14g)
“Sale" does not include:
(a)
The transfer of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a corporation upon its organization solely in consideration for the issuance of its stock;
(b)
The contribution of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a newly formed partnership solely in consideration for a partnership interest therein;
(bm)
The contribution of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a limited liability company upon its organization solely in consideration for a membership interest;
(c)
The transfer of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a corporation, solely in consideration for the issuance of its stock, pursuant to a merger or consolidation;
(cm)
The transfer of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a limited liability company, solely in consideration for a membership interest, pursuant to a merger;
(d)
The distribution of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) by a corporation to its stockholders as a dividend or in whole or partial liquidation;
(e)
The distribution of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) by a partnership to its partners in whole or partial liquidation;
(em)
The distribution of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) by a limited liability company to its members in whole or partial liquidation;
(f)
Repossession of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) by the seller from the purchaser when the only consideration is cancellation of the purchaser's obligation to pay the remaining balance of the purchase price;
(fm)
The transfer of transmission facilities, as defined in s. 196.485 (1) (h), to a transmission company, as defined in s. 196.485 (1) (ge), after the organizational start-up date, as defined in s. 196.485 (1) (dv), of such company in exchange for securities, as defined in s. 196.485 (1) (fe);
(g)
The transfer of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) in a reorganization as defined in section 368 of the internal revenue code in which no gain or loss is recognized for franchise or income tax purposes; or
(h)
Any transfer of all or substantially all the property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) held or used by a person in the course of an activity requiring the holding of a seller's permit, if after the transfer the real or ultimate ownership of the property, items, or goods is substantially similar to that which existed before the transfer. For the purposes of this section, stockholders, bondholders, partners, members or other persons holding an interest in a corporation or other entity are regarded as having the real or ultimate ownership of the property, items, or goods of the corporation or other entity. In this paragraph, “substantially similar" means 80 percent or more of ownership.
(15a)
(a)
“Sales, lease, or rental for resale, sublease, or subrent" includes transfers of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a service provider that the service provider transfers in conjunction with but not incidental to the selling, performing, or furnishing of any service, and transfers of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a service provider that the service provider physically transfers in conjunction with the selling, performing, or furnishing services under s. 77.52 (2) (a) 7., 10., 11., or 20. This paragraph does not apply to sub. (2).
(b)
“Sales, lease, or rental for resale, sublease, or subrent" does not include any of the following:
1.
The sale of building materials, supplies, and equipment to owners, contractors, subcontractors, or builders for use in real property construction activities or the alteration, repair, or improvement of real property, regardless of the quantity of such materials, supplies, and equipment sold.
2.
Any sale of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a purchaser even though such property, items, or goods may be used or consumed by some other person to whom such purchaser transfers the property, items, or goods without valuable consideration, such as gifts, and advertising specialties distributed at no charge and apart from the sale of other tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) or service.
3.
Transfers of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a service provider that the service provider transfers in conjunction with the selling, performing, or furnishing of any service, if the tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) are incidental to the service, unless the service provider is selling, performing, or furnishing services under s. 77.52 (2) (a) 7., 10., 11., or 20.
4.
A sale of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) to a contractor or subcontractor for use in the performance of contracts with the United States or its instrumentalities for the construction of improvements on or to real property.
(15b)
(a)
“Sales price" means the total amount of consideration, including cash, credit, property, and services, for which tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) or services are sold, licensed, leased, or rented, valued in money, whether received in money or otherwise, without any deduction for the following:
1.
The seller's cost of the property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) sold.
2.
The cost of materials used, labor or service cost, interest, losses, all costs of transportation to the seller, all taxes imposed on the seller, except as provided in par. (b) 3m. and 3s., and any other expense of the seller.
3.
Charges by the seller for any services necessary to complete a sale, not including delivery and installation charges.
4.
a.
Delivery charges, except as provided in par. (b) 4.
b.
If a shipment includes property or items that are subject to tax under this subchapter and property or items that are not subject to tax under this subchapter, the amount of the delivery charge that the seller allocates to the property and items that are subject to tax under this subchapter is based either on the total sales price of the property and items that are subject to tax under this subchapter as compared to the total sales price of all the property and items or on the total weight of the property and items that are subject to tax under this subchapter as compared to the total weight of all the property and items.
5.
Installation charges.
(b)
“Sales price" does not include:
1.
Discounts, including cash, terms, or coupons, that are not reimbursed by a 3rd party, except as provided in par. (c); that are allowed by a seller; and that are taken by a purchaser on a sale.
2.
Interest, financing, and carrying charges from credit that is extended on a sale of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services, if the amount of the interest, financing, or carrying charges is separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser.
3.
Any taxes legally imposed directly on the purchaser that are separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser.
3m.
Taxes imposed on the seller that are separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser if the law imposing or authorizing the tax provides that the seller may, but is not required to, pass on to and collect the tax from the user or consumer.
3s.
The federal tax imposed on the seller in a retail sale of a heavy truck or trailer under section 4051 of the Internal Revenue Code that is separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser.
4.
Delivery charges for direct mail, if the delivery charges for direct mail are separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser.
5.
In all transactions in which an article of tangible personal property, an item under s. 77.52 (1) (b), property under s. 77.52 (1) (c), or a good under s. 77.52 (1) (d) is traded toward the purchase of an article, item, property, or good of greater value, the amount of the sales price that represents the amount allowed for the article, item, property, or good traded, except that this subdivision does not apply to any transaction to which subd. 7. or 8. applies.
6.
If a person who purchases a motor vehicle presents a statement issued under s. 218.0171 (2) (cq) to the seller at the time of purchase, and the person presents the statement to the seller within 60 days from the date of receiving a refund under s. 218.0171 (2) (b) 2. b., the trade-in amount specified in the statement issued under s. 218.0171 (2) (cq), but not to exceed the sales price from the sale of the motor vehicle. This subdivision applies only to the first motor vehicle purchased by a person after receiving a refund under s. 218.0171 (2) (b) 2. b.
7.
Thirty-five percent of the sales price, excluding trade-ins, of a new manufactured home, as defined in s. 101.91 (11). This subdivision does not apply to a lease or rental.
8.
At the retailer's option; except that after the retailer chooses an option the retailer may not use the other option for other sales without the department's written approval; either 35 percent of the sales price of a modular home, as defined in s. 101.71 (6), or an amount equal to the sales price of the home minus the cost of materials that become an ingredient or component part of the home.
(c)
“Sales price" includes consideration received by the seller from a 3rd party, if:
1.
The seller actually receives consideration from a 3rd party, other than the purchaser, and the consideration is directly related to a price reduction or discount on a sale.
2.
The seller is obliged to pass the price reduction or discount to the purchaser.
3.
The amount of the consideration that is attributable to the sale is a fixed amount and the seller is able to determine that amount at the time of the sale to the purchaser.
4.
One of the following also applies:
a.
The purchaser presents a coupon, certificate, or other documentation to the seller to claim the price reduction or discount, if the coupon, certificate, or other documentation is authorized, distributed, or granted by the 3rd party with the understanding that the 3rd party will reimburse the seller for the amount of the price reduction or discount.
b.
The purchaser identifies himself or herself to the seller as a member of a group or organization that may claim the price reduction or discount.
c.
The seller provides an invoice to the purchaser, or the purchaser presents a coupon, certificate, or other documentation to the seller, that identifies the price reduction or discount as a 3rd-party price reduction or discount.
(16)
“Sales tax" means the tax imposed by s. 77.52.
(17)
“Seller" includes every person selling, licensing, leasing, or renting tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) or selling, performing, or furnishing services of a kind the sales price from the sale, license, lease, rental, performance, or furnishing of which is required to be included in the measure of the sales tax, regardless of all of the following:
(a)
Whether the transaction is mercantile in nature.
(b)
Whether the seller sells smaller quantities from inventory.
(c)
Whether the seller makes or intends to make a profit on the sale.
(d)
Whether the seller or the buyer receives a benefit the seller or buyer bargained for.
(e)
The percentage of the seller's total sales that the sale represents.
(f)
Any activities other than those described in sub. (13) (a) to (o) in which the seller is engaged.
(g)
Whether the seller sells on the seller's own behalf or on behalf of another person.
(17m)
“Service address" means any of the following:
(a)
The location of the telecommunications equipment to which a customer's telecommunications service is charged and from which the telecommunications service originates or terminates, regardless of where the telecommunications service is billed or paid.
(b)
If the location described under par. (a) is not known by the seller who sells the telecommunications service, the location where the signal of the telecommunications service originates, as identified by the seller's telecommunications system or, if the signal is not transmitted by the seller's telecommunications system, by information that the seller received from the seller's service provider.
(c)
If the locations described under pars. (a) and (b) are not known by the seller who sells the telecommunications service, the customer's place of primary use.
(17r)
“Sign" means write one's signature or, if the department prescribes another method of authenticating, use that other method.
(17w)
“Soft drink" means a beverage that contains less than 0.5 percent of alcohol and that contains natural or artificial sweeteners. “Soft drink" does not include a beverage that contains milk or milk products; soy, rice, or similar milk substitutes; or more than 50 percent vegetable or fruit juice by volume.
(17x)
“Specified digital goods" means digital audio works, digital audiovisual works, and digital books. For purposes of this subchapter, the sale, license, lease, or rental of or the storage, use, or other consumption of a digital code is treated the same as the sale, license, lease, or rental of or the storage, use, or other consumption of any specified digital goods for which the digital code relates.
(18)
“Storage" includes any keeping or retention in this state of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) purchased from a retailer for any purpose except sale in the regular course of business.
(20)
“Tangible personal property" means personal property that can be seen, weighed, measured, felt, or touched, or that is in any other manner perceptible to the senses, and includes electricity, gas, steam, water, and prewritten computer software, regardless of how it is delivered to the purchaser.
(21)
“Taxpayer" means the person who is required to pay, collect, or account for or who is otherwise directly interested in the taxes imposed by this subchapter, including a certified service provider.
(21n)
“Telecommunications services" means electronically transmitting, conveying, or routing voice, data, audio, video, or other information or signals to a point or between or among points. “Telecommunications services" includes the transmission, conveyance, or routing of such information or signals in which computer processing applications are used to act on the content's form, code, or protocol for transmission, conveyance, or routing purposes, regardless of whether the service is referred to as a voice over Internet protocol service or classified by the federal communications commission as an enhanced or value-added nonvoice data service. “Telecommunications services" does not include any of the following:
(a)
Data processing and information services that allow data to be generated, acquired, stored, processed, or retrieved and delivered to a purchaser by an electronic transmission, if the purchaser's primary purpose for the underlying transaction is the processed data.
(b)
Installing or maintaining wiring or equipment on a customer's premises.
(c)
Tangible personal property.
(d)
Advertising, including directory advertising.
(e)
Billing and collection services provided to 3rd parties.
(f)
Internet access services.
(g)
Radio and television audio and video programming services, regardless of the medium in which the services are provided, including cable service, as defined in 47 USC 522 (6), audio and video programming services delivered by commercial mobile radio service providers, as defined in 47 CFR 20.3, and the transmitting, conveying, or routing of such services by the programming service provider.
(h)
Ancillary services.
(i)
Digital products delivered electronically, including software, music, video, reading materials, or ringtones.
(21p)
“Tobacco" means cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and any other item that contains tobacco.
(21q)
“Transferred electronically" means accessed or obtained by the purchaser by means other than tangible storage media.
(22)
(a)
“Use" includes the exercise of any right or power over tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services incident to the ownership, possession or enjoyment of the property, items, goods, or services, or the results produced by the services, including installation or affixation to real property and including the possession of, or the exercise of any right or power over tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), by a lessee under a lease, except that “use" does not include the activities under sub. (18).
(b)
In this subsection “ enjoyment" includes a purchaser's right to direct the disposition of property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), whether or not the purchaser has possession of the property, items, or goods. “Enjoyment" also includes, but is not limited to, having shipped into this state by an out-of-state supplier printed material which is designed to promote the sale of property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services, or which is otherwise related to the business activities, of the purchaser of the printed material or printing service.
(bm)
In this subsection, “exercise of any right or power over tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services" includes distributing, selecting recipients, determining mailing schedules, or otherwise directing the distribution, dissemination, or disposal of tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or taxable services, regardless of whether the purchaser of such property, items, goods, or services owns or physically possesses, in this state, the property, items, goods, or services.
(23)
“Use tax" means the tax imposed by s. 77.53.
(24)
“Value-added nonvoice data service" means a service that otherwise meets the definition of telecommunications services, in which computer processing applications are used to act on the form, content, code, or protocol of the information or data provided by the service and are used primarily for a purpose other than for transmitting, conveying, or routing data.
(25)
“Vertical service" means an ancillary service that is provided with one or more telecommunications services and allows customers to identify callers and to manage multiple calls and call connections, including conference bridging services.
(26)
“Voice mail service" means an ancillary service that allows a customer to store, send, or receive recorded messages, not including any vertical service that the customer must have to use the voice mail service.
History:  1973 c. 333; 1975 c. 39, 41, 99, 224; 1975 c. 413 s. 18; 1977 c. 29, 418; 1979 c. 1 ss. 57 to 59, 61, 62; 1979 c. 174; 1981 c. 20; 1981 c. 79 s. 17; 1983 a. 23, 27; 1983 a. 189 ss. 92 to 108, 329 (12); 1983 a. 510, 538; 1983 a. 544 ss. 13 to 46, 47 (1) (b); 1985 a. 29, 332; 1987 a. 27, 399; 1989 a. 31, 335, 336; 1991 a. 39, 269, 316; 1993 a. 16, 112, 184; 1997 a. 27, 237; 1999 a. 9, 83; 2001 a. 45, 102; 2003 a. 48; 2005 a. 25, 327, 441, 479; 2007 a. 11, 20, 130; 2009 a. 2 ss. 225 to 345, 389; 2009 a. 12 s. 18; 2009 a. 28 ss. 1830b to 1836h, 1844 to 1846; 2009 a. 276, 330; 2011 a. 208; 2013 a. 20 ss. 1475 to 1484, 1489 to 1491; 2015 a. 55, 170, 361; 2017 a. 17, 59, 190, 324; 2017 a. 365 ss. 111, 112; 2017 a. 366, 368; 2019 a. 10; 2021 a. 1, 58; 2023 a. 12.
A tax on personal property assets was upheld since the seller had a permit under sub. (10) (a) [now sub. (9) (a) 1.]. Ramrod, Inc. v. DOR, 64 Wis. 2d 499, 219 N.W.2d 604 (1974).
Provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code as to the time title passes are inapplicable to sales tax law. Discussing the application of this section. Harold W. Fuchs Agency, Inc. v. DOR, 91 Wis. 2d 283, 282 N.W.2d 625 (Ct. App. 1979).
The sale of business assets of a taxpayer who held a seller's permit was not exempted as an “occasional sale" under sub. (10) (a) [now sub. (9) (a)]. Discussing constitutionality. Midcontinent Broadcasting Co. of Wisconsin, Inc. v. DOR, 98 Wis. 2d 379, 297 N.W.2d 191 (1980).
A manhole fabricator was not engaged in real property construction activities under sub. (2) [now sub. (12t)]. Advance Pipe & Supply Co. v. DOR, 128 Wis. 2d 431, 383 N.W.2d 502 (Ct. App. 1986).
Photocopying expenses billed to a law firm's clients are not subject to sales tax. Frisch, Dudek & Slattery, Ltd. v. DOR, 133 Wis. 2d 444, 396 N.W.2d 355 (Ct. App. 1986).
Whether articles of personal property are fixtures and thus real estate is determined by the following tests: 1) actual physical annexation to the real estate; 2) application or adaptation to the use or purpose to which the realty is devoted; and 3) an intention on the part of the person making the annexation to make a permanent accession to the freehold. All City Communication Co. v. DOR, 2003 WI App 77, 263 Wis. 2d 394, 661 N.W.2d 845, 02-1201.
For the use tax to apply to intercompany transfers with wholly-owned subsidiaries, the subsidiaries that transferred the fixed assets must be considered “retailers" under sub. (13). It is not the case that Wisconsin has a statutory scheme that taxes all transfers of tangible personal property, unless an explicit exemption applies. When the person transferring tangible personal property lacks mercantile intent, the person will not be subject to tax, even though no explicit exemption applies. DOR v. River City Refuse Removal, Inc., 2007 WI 27, 299 Wis. 2d 561, 729 N.W.2d 396, 04-2468.