Wash. Rev. Code § 82.32.020

Current through 2024

Section 82.32.020 - Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter:

(1) The meaning attributed in chapters 82.01 through 82.27 RCW to the words and phrases "tax year," "taxable year," "person," "company," "gross proceeds of sales," "gross income of the business," "business," "engaging in business," "successor," "gross operating revenue," "gross income," "taxpayer," "retail sale," "seller," "buyer," "purchaser," "extended warranty," and "value of products" apply equally to the provisions of this chapter.

(2) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the term "tax" includes any monetary exaction, regardless of its label, that the department is responsible for collecting, but not including interest, penalties, the surcharge imposed in RCW 40.14.027, or fees incurred by the department and recouped from taxpayers.

(3) Whenever "property" or "personal property" is used, those terms must be construed to include digital goods and digital codes unless:

(a) It is clear from the context that the term "personal property" is intended only to refer to tangible personal property;

(b) it is clear from the context that the term "property" is intended only to refer to tangible personal property, real property, or both; or

(c) to construe the term "property" or "personal property" as including digital goods and digital codes would yield unlikely, absurd, or strained consequences.

(4) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(a) "Agreement" means the streamlined sales and use tax agreement.

(b) "Associate member" means a petitioning state that is found to be in compliance with the agreement and changes to its laws, rules, or other authorities necessary to bring it into compliance are not in effect, but are scheduled to take effect on or before January 1, 2008. The petitioning states, by majority vote, may also grant associate member status to a petitioning state that does not receive an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the petitioning states upon a finding that the state has achieved substantial compliance with the terms of the agreement as a whole, but not necessarily each required provision, measured qualitatively, and there is a reasonable expectation that the state will achieve compliance by January 1, 2008.

(c) "Certified automated system" means software certified under the agreement to calculate the tax imposed by each jurisdiction on a transaction, determine the amount of tax to remit to the appropriate state, and maintain a record of the transaction.

(d) "Certified service provider" means an agent certified under the agreement to perform all of the seller's sales and use tax functions, other than the seller's obligation to remit tax on its own purchases.

(e)

(i) "Member state" means a state that:

(A) Has petitioned for membership in the agreement and submitted a certificate of compliance; and

(B) Before the effective date of the agreement, has been found to be in compliance with the requirements of the agreement by an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the other petitioning states; or

(C) After the effective date of the agreement, has been found to be in compliance with the agreement by a three-fourths vote of the entire governing board of the agreement.

(ii) Membership by reason of (e)(i)(A) and (B) of this subsection is effective on the first day of a calendar quarter at least sixty days after at least ten states comprising at least twenty percent of the total population, as determined by the 2000 federal census, of all states imposing a state sales tax have petitioned for membership and have either been found in compliance with the agreement or have been found to be an associate member under section 704 of the agreement.

(iii) Membership by reason of (e)(i)(A) and (C) of this subsection is effective on the state's proposed date of entry or the first day of the calendar quarter after its petition is approved by the governing board, whichever is later, and is at least sixty days after its petition is approved.

(f) "Model 1 seller" means a seller that has selected a certified service provider as its agent to perform all the seller's sales and use tax functions as outlined in the contract between the streamlined sales tax governing board and the certified service provider, other than the seller's obligation to remit tax on its own purchases.

(g) "Model 2 seller" means a seller that has selected a certified automated system to perform part of its sales and use tax functions, but retains responsibility for remitting the tax.

(h) "Model 3 seller" means a seller that has sales in at least five member states, has total annual sales revenue of at least five hundred million dollars, has a proprietary system that calculates the amount of tax due each jurisdiction, and has entered into a performance agreement with the member states that establishes a tax performance standard for the seller. As used in this subsection (4)(h), a seller includes an affiliated group of sellers using the same proprietary system.

(i) "Source" means the location in which the sale or use of tangible personal property, a digital good or digital code, an extended warranty, or a digital automated service or other service, subject to tax under chapter 82.08, 82.12, 82.14, or 82.14B RCW, is deemed to occur.

RCW 82.32.020

Amended by 2019 c 8,§ 402, eff. 3/14/2019.

Amended by 2015 c 86,§ 309, eff. 7/24/2015.

2009 c 535 § 1111; 2007 c 6 § 101; 2003 1st sp.s. c 13 § 16; 1983 c 3 § 220; 1961 c 15 § 82.32.020. Prior: 1935 c 180 § 186; RRS § 8370-186.

Effective date- 2019 c 8 s s 101, 104, 106, 201, 402-405, and 501: See note following RCW 82.02.250.

Existing rights and liability-Retroactive application- 2019 c 8 : See notes following RCW 82.02.250.

Intent-Construction- 2009 c 535 : See notes following RCW 82.04.192.

Part headings not law-2007 c 6: "Part headings used in this act are not any part of the law." [ 2007 c 6 s 1702.]

Savings-2007 c 6: "This act does not affect any existing right acquired or liability or obligation incurred under the sections amended or repealed in this act or under any rule or order adopted under those sections, nor does it affect any proceeding instituted under those sections." [ 2007 c 6 s 1703.]

Effective date-2007 c 6: "Sections 101 through 105, 201, 202, 401, 501 through 503, 601, 701 through 703, 801, 802, 901 through 905, 1001, 1002, 1004, 1005, 1007 through 1013, 1015 through 1017, 1019 through 1024, 1101 through 1104, 1201 through 1203, 1302, 1401 through 1403, 1501, 1502, and 1601 of this act take effect July 1, 2008." [ 2007 c 6 s 1704.]

Severability-2007 c 6: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 2007 c 6 s 1708.]

Findings-Intent-2007 c 6: See note following RCW 82.14.390.

Effective dates-2003 1st sp.s. c 13: See note following RCW 82.32.045.