TPT; administration; remote sellers
Additionally, the bill introduces a framework for establishing a 'central clearinghouse' that would act as an intermediary for remote sellers and state tax agencies, facilitating the acceptance of tax returns and remittances. This system is designed to simplify compliance for remote businesses dealing with Arizona customers, and it is anticipated that the implementation of such a clearinghouse would lead to greater efficiency in tax administration, promoting increased e-commerce activity within the state.
SB1556, introduced by Senator Bennett, proposes amendments to Title 42 of the Arizona Revised Statutes concerning transaction privilege tax (TPT) administration for remote sellers. The bill aims to streamline tax reporting and remittance for remote sellers by allowing them to report and remit taxes owed to Arizona through their home state tax agency if such agency extends comity. This approach is intended to ease the administrative burden that remote sellers face when operating across multiple states.
The bill also outlines a provision for a compliant purchaser certificate, which allows a purchaser buying for resale to pay the tax directly to the Arizona Department of Revenue, relieving remote sellers from the responsibility of tax collection and remittance for those transactions. While proponents argue that these measures will encourage business and simplify processes for both sellers and the state, there could be concerns from local entities about standardizing tax rates and the control over local taxation, particularly in terms of how varying local tax rates may affect local businesses differently compared to remote companies.