1.    Each member state shall lessen the difficulties faced by sellers when there is a change in a state sales or use tax rate or base by making a reasonable effort to do all of the following:

Terms Used In North Dakota Code 57-39.4-05

  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute means the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.

a.    Provide sellers with as much advance notice as practicable of a rate change. b.    Limit the effective date of a rate change to the first day of a calendar quarter.

c.    Notify sellers of legislative changes in the tax base and amendments to sales and use tax rules and regulations.

2.    Failure of a seller to receive notice or failure of a member state to provide notice or limit the effective date of a rate change shall not relieve the seller of its obligation to collect sales or use taxes for that member state.

3.    Each member state failing to provide for at least thirty days between the enactment of the statute providing for a rate change and the effective date of such rate change shall relieve the seller of liability for failing to collect tax at the new effective rate if:

a.    The seller collected tax at the immediately preceding effective rate; and

b.    The seller’s failure to collect at the newly effective rate does not extend beyond thirty days after the date of enactment of the new rate.

4.    Notwithstanding subsection 3, if the member state establishes that the seller fraudulently failed to collect at the new rate or solicits purchasers based on the immediately preceding effective rate, this relief does not apply.

5.    Member states may provide for relief of liability for failing to collect tax as a result of a tax change beyond the liability relief required by subsection 3.