There is levied, in addition to all other taxes of every kind now imposed by law, and shall be collected as herein provided, a privilege or license tax against the person on account of the business activities and in the amount to be determined by the application of rates against gross sales, or gross receipts, as the case may be, as follows:
(1) Upon every person, firm, or corporation, (including the State of Alabama and its Alcoholic Beverage Control Board in the sale of alcoholic beverages of all kinds, the University of Alabama, Auburn University, and all other institutions of higher learning in the state, whether the institutions be denominational, state, county, or municipal institutions, any association or other agency or instrumentality of the institutions) engaged or continuing within this state, in the business of selling at retail any tangible personal property whatsoever, including merchandise and commodities of every kind and character, (not including, however, bonds or other evidences of debts or stocks, nor sales of material and supplies to any person for use in fulfilling a contract for the painting, repair, or reconditioning of vessels, barges, ships, other watercraft, and commercial fishing vessels of over five tons load displacement as registered with the U.S. Coast Guard and licensed by the State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) an amount equal to four percent of the gross proceeds of sales of the business except where a different amount is expressly provided herein. Provided, however, that any person engaging or continuing in business as a retailer and wholesaler or jobber shall pay the tax required on the gross proceeds of retail sales of the business at the rates specified, when his or her books are kept so as to show separately the gross proceeds of sales of each business, and when his or her books are not kept he or she shall pay the tax as a retailer, on the gross sales of the business.
Where any used part including tires of an automotive vehicle or a truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer is taken in trade, or in a series of trades, as a credit or part payment on the sale of a new or rebuilt part or tire, the tax levied herein shall be paid on the net difference, that is, the price of the new or used part or tire sold less the credit for the used part or tire taken in trade, provided, however, this provision shall not be construed to include batteries.
Terms Used In Alabama Code 40-23-2
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- license tax: as used in this title , shall be deemed to include any tax prescribed by a license tax schedule, but shall not exclude any license tax otherwise prescribed. See Alabama Code 40-12-344
- person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- Personal property: All property that is not real property.
- personal property: includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidence of debt, deeds and conveyances. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- property: includes both real and personal property. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- year: means a calendar year; but, whenever the word "year" is used in reference to any appropriations for the payment of money out of the treasury, it shall mean fiscal year. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
Where any used automotive vehicle or truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer is taken in trade or in a series of trades, as a credit or part payment on the sale of a new or used vehicle, the tax levied herein shall be paid on the net difference, that is, the price of the new or used vehicle sold less the credit for the used vehicle taken in trade.
Sales of automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, truck trailers, travel trailers, campers, housecars, or semitrailers that will be registered or titled outside Alabama, that are exported or removed from Alabama within 72 hours by the purchaser or his or her agent for first use outside Alabama are subject to Alabama sales tax in an amount equal to only the state automotive sales tax rate, unless the sales tax laws of the state in which the purchaser will title or register the vehicle allows an Alabama resident to purchase a motor vehicle for first titling and registering in Alabama without the payment of tax to that state. However, in no case shall the amount of Alabama state sales tax due on a motor vehicle that will be registered or titled for use in another state exceed the amount of sales tax that would otherwise have been due in the state where the vehicle will be registered or titled for first use. In order to qualify as a travel trailer, camper, or housecar that will be registered or titled for use in another state, the purchaser must provide documentation to the seller that the purchaser is not a resident of Alabama as required by the Department of Revenue. No such proof is required in the sale of an automobile, motorcycle, truck, truck trailer, or semitrailer, excluding a travel trailer, camper, or housecar. The tax collected under this export provision shall be Alabama sales tax and shall exclude county and municipal sales tax. On January 1, 2016, and each January 1 thereafter, the Alabama Department of Revenue shall publish to the state’s website a list of states that do not allow drive out provisions to Alabama residents. Should the list, required by this subsection and relied upon by the taxpayer, be incorrect, the taxpayer shall be relieved from the liability concerning the miscollection of the state automotive sales tax. Sales of all other vehicles such as mobile homes, motor bikes, all terrain vehicles, and boats do not qualify for the export exemption provision and are taxable unless the dealer can provide factual evidence that the vehicle was delivered outside of Alabama or to a common carrier for transportation outside Alabama. In order for the sale to be exempt from Alabama tax, the information relative to the exempt sale shall be documented on forms approved by the Revenue Department.
Of the total $.02 tax on each dollar of sale provided hereunder, 58 percent of the total tax generated by this subdivision (4) shall be deposited to the credit of the Education Trust Fund and 42 percent of the total tax generated by this subdivision (4) shall be deposited to the credit of the State General Fund.
(5) Upon every person, firm, or corporation engaged or continuing within this state in the business of selling through coin-operated dispensing machines, food and food products for human consumption, not including beverages other than coffee, milk, milk products, and substitutes therefor, there is levied a tax equal to three percent of the cost of the food, food products, and beverages sold through the machines, which cost for the purpose of this subdivision shall be the gross proceeds of sales of the business.
(6) Upon every person, firm, or corporation engaged or continuing within this state in the business of selling food as defined in Section 40-23-1, there is a tax levied equal to four percent of the gross proceeds of the sale of food. On September 1, 2023, the tax rate shall be reduced to three percent. On September 1, 2024, the tax rate shall be reduced to two percent, if the average of the estimated growth in the total net receipts from all revenue sources to the Education Trust Fund for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, as certified by the Director of Finance and the Legislative Fiscal Officer, respectively, pursuant to Section 260.02 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, is at least three and one-half percent higher than the previous fiscal year. If the growth requirement is not satisfied for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, the rate shall be reduced to two percent in a subsequent fiscal year when the growth requirement is satisfied.
