(1) For the privilege of engaging in business, a fee for each new or remanufactured lead-acid battery sold at retail, including those sold to any governmental entity, is imposed on any person engaging in the business of making retail sales of lead-acid batteries within this state. Such fee shall be imposed at the rate of $1.50 for each new or remanufactured lead-acid battery sold. However, the fee shall not be imposed on any battery which has previously been taxed pursuant to s. 206.9935(2), provided the person claiming exemption from the tax can document payment of such tax. The fee imposed shall be paid to the Department of Revenue on or before the 20th day of the month following the calendar month in which the sale occurs. The department may authorize a quarterly return under the conditions described in s. 212.11(1)(c). A dealer selling motor vehicles, vessels, or aircraft at retail can purchase lead-acid batteries exempt as a sale for resale by presenting a sales tax resale certificate. However, if a dealer thereafter withdraws any such battery from inventory to put into a new or used motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft for sale, to use on her or his own motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, to give away, or any purpose other than for resale, the dealer will owe the fee at the time the battery is withdrawn from inventory. If the dealer sells the battery at retail, that sale will be subject to the fee. If the dealer sells it to a purchaser who presents her or him a sales tax resale certificate, the dealer will owe no fee. The terms “sold at retail” and “retail sales” do not include the sale of lead-acid batteries to a person solely for the purpose of resale; however, a subsequent retail sale of a new or remanufactured battery in this state is subject to the fee one time. Such fee shall be subject to all applicable taxes imposed in chapter 212. The provisions of s. 212.07(4) shall not apply to the provisions of this section. When a sale of a lead-acid battery, upon which the fee has been paid, is canceled or the battery is returned to the seller, and the sale price, taxes, and fees are refunded in full to the purchaser, the seller may take credit for the fee previously paid. If, instead of refunding the purchase price of the battery, the customer is given a new or remanufactured battery in exchange for the returned battery, the dealer cannot take credit for the fee on the returned battery, but no fee is due on the new or remanufactured battery that is given in exchange. However, no credit shall be taken by the dealer for returns resulting in partial refunds or partial credits on purchase of replacement batteries.
(2) The fee imposed by this section shall be reported to the Department of Revenue. The payment shall be accompanied by such form as the Department of Revenue may prescribe. The proceeds of the lead-acid battery fee, less administrative costs, shall be transferred by the Department of Revenue into the Water Quality Assurance Trust Fund. For the purposes of this section, “proceeds” of the fee shall mean all funds collected and received by the department hereunder, including interest and penalties on delinquent fees. The amount deducted for the costs of administration shall not exceed 3 percent of the total revenues collected hereunder and shall be only those costs reasonably attributable to the fee.
(3)(a) The Department of Revenue shall administer, collect, and enforce the fee authorized under this section pursuant to the same procedures used in the administration, collection, and enforcement of the general state sales tax imposed under chapter 212, except as provided in this section. The provisions of chapter 212 regarding the authority to audit and make assessments, keeping of books and records, and interest and penalties on delinquent fees shall apply. The fee shall not be included in the computation of estimated taxes pursuant to s. 212.11, nor shall the dealer’s credit for collecting taxes or fees in s. 212.12 or the exemptions in chapter 212 apply to this fee.
(b) The Department of Revenue is authorized to employ persons and incur other expenses for which funds are appropriated by the Legislature. The department is empowered to adopt such rules and shall prescribe and publish such forms as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section. The department is authorized to establish audit procedures and to assess delinquent fees.
History.—s. 8, ch. 89-171; s. 34, ch. 90-132; s. 122, ch. 91-112; s. 20, ch. 93-233; s. 13, ch. 97-99; s. 16, ch. 97-103; s. 2, ch. 99-281; s. 2, ch. 2005-174.
