Section 63-3624 - ADMINISTRATION(a) The state tax commission shall enforce the provisions of this act and may prescribe, adopt, and enforce rules relating to the administration and enforcement of this act. The state tax commission may prescribe the extent to which any rule shall be applied without retroactive effect.(b) The state tax commission shall employ qualified auditors for examination of taxpayers' records and books. The state tax commission shall also employ such accountants, investigators, regional supervisors, assistants, clerks, and other personnel as are necessary for the efficient administration of this act, and may delegate authority to its representatives to conduct hearings, or perform any other duties imposed by this act.(c) Every seller, every retailer, and every person storing, using, or otherwise consuming in this state tangible personal property purchased from a retailer shall keep such records, receipts, invoices and other pertinent papers as the state tax commission may require. Every such seller, retailer or person who files the returns required under this act shall keep such records for not less than four (4) years from the making of such records unless the state tax commission in writing sooner authorizes their destruction.(d) Retail food stores may petition to the state tax commission to be relieved from the responsibility of retaining detailed invoices of nontaxed sales for which the documentation required in sections 63-3620, 63-3621, or 63-3622, Idaho Code, and any other documentation which may be required by the tax commission, has been obtained by the store from the purchaser. The tax commission shall review each petition and may examine the books and records of the petitioner to insure that the products sold by the petitioner are those sold by a retail food store. The tax commission shall give written notice of its determination to the petitioner as soon as practicable after receiving the written request, but in no event later than sixty (60) days after receiving the petition. As used in this section, "retail food stores" shall mean those retail stores primarily engaged in selling food for home preparation and consumption described in major group 54 of the standard industrial classification manual (SIC) of 1987, as amended, published by the office of management and budget of the executive office of the president of the United States.(e) The state tax commission, or any person authorized in writing by it, may examine the books, papers, records, and equipment of any person selling tangible personal property and any person liable for the use tax and may investigate the character of the business of the person in order to verify the accuracy of any return made, or, if no return is made by the person, to ascertain and determine the amount required to be paid.(f) Purchasers claiming exemption from tax and retailers whose pertinent records are kept outside of the state must bring the records to Idaho for examination by the state tax commission upon request of the latter, or, by agreement with the state tax commission, permit an auditor designated by the state tax commission to visit the place where the records are kept, and there audit such records.(g) In the administration of the use tax, the state tax commission may require the filing of reports by any person or class of persons having in his or their possession or custody information relating to sales of tangible personal property the storage, use, or other consumption of which is subject to the tax. The reports shall be filed when the state tax commission requires and shall set forth the names and addresses of purchasers of tangible personal property, the sale price of the property, the date of sale, and such other information as the state tax commission may require.(h) When the tax commission determines that a retail sale is not exempt and the purchaser has failed to voluntarily pay sales or use tax in regard to the property or services purchased, the tax commission may collect the sales tax which was due at the time of the sale or the use tax due at the time of storage, use or other consumption of the taxable goods or services by issuing to the purchaser a notice of deficiency determination, asserting tax together with interest, at the rate provided in section 63-3045, Idaho Code, and may assert penalties found elsewhere in this chapter.(i) If the tax commission determines that the purchaser has repeatedly or intentionally made purchases claimed to be exempt that are not exempt, and the purchaser has failed to voluntarily report and pay use tax in regard to those purchases, or the commission determines that the purchaser has repeatedly or intentionally made purchases claimed to be exempt that are not exempt and has removed the goods from this state, the commission may assert a penalty equal to five percent (5%) of the sales price of the property or two hundred dollars ($200), whichever is greater. The tax commission may abate the penalty when the purchaser establishes during a proceeding for redetermination that there were reasonable grounds for believing that the purchase was properly exempt from tax.[63-3624, added 1965, ch. 195, sec. 24, p. 408; am. 1967, ch. 290, sec. 8, p. 805; am. 1991, ch. 176, sec. 7, p. 437; am. 1992, ch. 16, sec. 7, p. 46; am. 1994, ch. 111, sec. 4, p. 251; am. 1996, ch. 46, sec. 15, p. 138.]