(a)(1) Whenever any person carrying on a trade, occupation, business or profession in this state purchases from a retailer tangible personal property for use or consumption in carrying on such trade, occupation, business or profession, (A) for purposes of subsequently transporting such property outside this state by common or contract carrier for use or consumption thereafter solely outside this state, or (B) for the purpose of being processed, fabricated or manufactured into, attached to or incorporated into, other tangible personal property to be transported outside this state by common or contract carrier and thereafter used or consumed solely outside this state, such person may claim a refund of the taxes imposed by this chapter on the purchase of such property. A claim for refund of the taxes imposed by this chapter on all such purchases of property during the calendar year may be filed, along with substantiating documentation, annually with the Commissioner of Revenue Services on a form prepared for such purpose by the commissioner not later than the first day of the fourth month next succeeding the end of the calendar year for which such claim is filed.

(2) The commissioner shall make a determination as to any such claim not later than ninety days after receipt thereof and, if approved, transmit such approval to the State Comptroller who shall draw his or her order on the State Treasurer for payment of such refund. If the commissioner determines that such claim is not valid, either in whole or in part, notice of the proposed disallowance shall be mailed to the claimant and such notice shall set forth briefly the commissioner’s findings of fact and the basis of disallowance in each case decided in whole or in part adversely to the claimant. Sixty days after the date on which it is mailed, a notice of proposed disallowance shall constitute a final disallowance except for such amounts as to which the claimant has filed, as provided in subdivision (3) of this subsection, a written protest with the commissioner.

(3) Not later than sixty days after the mailing of a proposed disallowance, the claimant may file with the commissioner a written protest against the proposed disallowance in which the claimant shall set forth the grounds on which the protest is based. If a protest is filed, the commissioner shall reconsider the proposed disallowance and, if the claimant has so requested, may grant or deny the claimant or the claimant’s authorized representatives an oral hearing.

(4) Notice of the commissioner’s determination shall be mailed to the claimant and such notice shall set forth briefly the commissioner’s findings of fact and the basis of decision in each case decided in whole or in part adversely to the claimant.

(5) The action of the commissioner on the claimant’s protest shall be final upon the expiration of one month from the date on which the commissioner mails notice of his action to the claimant unless, within such period, the claimant seeks judicial review of the commissioner’s determination pursuant to § 12-422.

(6) The commissioner may, at any time within three years after the date of receipt of such claim for refund, examine such claim and supporting documentation and, if any error is disclosed by such examination, mail a notice of assessment or reassessment in the manner provided in § 12-415 as if a return had been filed with which the commissioner was not satisfied. In such event, the claimant may file a written protest in the time and manner provided in § 12-418. The order or decision of the commissioner upon the written protest shall be subject to judicial review in the time and manner provided in § 12-422.

(b) (1) Whenever any holder of a permit issued under this subsection purchases from a retailer tangible personal property for use or consumption in carrying on the trade, occupation, business or profession of such person, (A) for the purpose of subsequently transporting it outside this state for use or consumption thereafter solely outside this state, or (B) for the purpose of being processed, fabricated or manufactured into, attached to or incorporated into, other tangible personal property to be transported outside this state and thereafter used or consumed solely outside this state, such holder may purchase such property without payment of the taxes otherwise imposed by this chapter on the purchase of such property.

(2) The Commissioner of Revenue Services may issue a permit to any person carrying on a trade, occupation, business or profession in this state who purchases from a retailer tangible personal property for use or consumption in carrying on such trade, occupation, business or profession, (A) for the purpose of subsequently transporting it outside this state for use or consumption thereafter solely outside this state, or (B) for the purpose of being processed, fabricated or manufactured into, attached to or incorporated into, other tangible personal property to be transported outside this state and thereafter used or consumed solely outside this state, if the commissioner determines that the person is carrying on a trade, occupation, business or profession in this state and is filing the returns required to be filed by such person under § 12-414 and that the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter shall not be adversely affected.

(3) The permit issued under subdivision (2) of this subsection shall authorize the holder to the extent and in the manner specified by the commissioner to purchase tangible personal property from a retailer on which the taxes imposed by this chapter shall not be payable. The commissioner shall require (A) a declaration, prescribed as to form by the commissioner and bearing notice to the effect that false statements made in such declaration are punishable, stating that such property is purchased for a purpose permitted by this subsection, (B) a report to be submitted with, and to be a part of, each return that is required to be filed under § 12-414 by the holder of such permit, detailing the persons from whom such tangible personal property was purchased during the period covered by such return, the quantities in which and the dates on which such property was purchased and any other information deemed necessary by the commissioner, and (C) periodic registration, at least annually, for the purpose of the issuance of a permit, and the commissioner shall establish procedures relating to the application for the permit and notice concerning the penalty for misuse of the permit.