Sec. 12-430. Miscellaneous provisions.

      Sec. 12-430. Miscellaneous provisions. (1) Security for tax. The commissioner, whenever he deems it necessary to insure compliance with this chapter, may require any person subject thereto to deposit with him such security as the commissioner determines. The amount of the security shall be fixed by the commissioner but shall not be greater than six times the person's estimated average liability for the period for which he files returns, determined in such manner as the commissioner deems proper. The amount of the security may be increased or decreased by the commissioner subject to the limitations herein provided. The commissioner may sell the security at public auction if it becomes necessary so to do in order to recover any tax or any amount required to be collected, or any interest or penalty due. Notice of the sale may be served upon the person who deposited the security personally or by mail. If by mail, service shall be made in the manner prescribed for service of a notice of a deficiency assessment and shall be addressed to the person at his address as it appears in the records of the commissioner's office. Security in the form of a bearer bond, issued by the United States or the state of Connecticut, which has a prevailing market price may, however, be sold by the commissioner at private sale at a price not lower than the prevailing market price thereof. Upon any sale any surplus above the amounts due shall be returned to the person who deposited the security.

      (2) Penalty for delinquent filing of return. Repealed by P.A. 81-64, S. 22, 23.

      (3) Evidence of sales tax payment required before obtaining registration for motor vehicle, vessel, snowmobile or aircraft. Each person before obtaining an original or transferral registration for a motor vehicle, vessel, snowmobile or aircraft in this state shall furnish evidence that any tax due thereon pursuant to the provisions of this chapter has been paid in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Commissioner of Revenue Services, and on forms approved by, in the case of a motor vehicle, vessel or snowmobile, the Commissioner of Revenue Services and the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, and, in the case of an aircraft, the Commissioner of Revenue Services and the Commissioner of Transportation. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall, upon the request of the Commissioner of Revenue Services, after hearing by the Commissioner of Revenue Services, suspend or revoke a motor vehicle, vessel or snowmobile registration of any person who fails to pay any tax due in connection with the sale, storage, use or other consumption of such motor vehicle, vessel or snowmobile pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. The Commissioner of Transportation shall, upon the request of the Commissioner of Revenue Services, after a hearing by the Commissioner of Revenue Services, suspend or revoke an aircraft registration of any person who fails to pay any tax due in connection with the sale, storage, use or other consumption of such aircraft pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

      (4) Trade-in of motor vehicles, snowmobiles, aircraft, vessels or farm tractors. Where a trade-in of a motor vehicle is received by a motor vehicle dealer, upon the sale of another motor vehicle to a consumer, or where a trade-in of an aircraft, as defined in subdivision (5) of section 15-34, is received by an aircraft dealer, upon the sale of another aircraft to a consumer, or where a trade-in of a farm tractor, snowmobile or any vessel, as defined in section 15-127, is received by a retailer of farm tractors, snowmobiles or such vessels upon the sale of another farm tractor, snowmobile or such vessel to a consumer, the tax is only on the difference between the sale price of the motor vehicle, aircraft, snowmobile, farm tractor or such vessel purchased and the amount allowed on the motor vehicle, aircraft, snowmobile, farm tractor or such vessel traded in on such purchase. When any such motor vehicle, aircraft, snowmobile, farm tractor or such vessel traded in is subsequently sold to a consumer or user, the tax provided for in this chapter applies.

      (5) Payment of sales or use tax to another state. If any service or article of tangible personal property has already been subjected to a sales or use tax by any other state or political subdivision thereof and payment made thereon in respect to its sale or use in an amount less than the tax imposed by this chapter, the provisions of this chapter shall apply, but at a rate measured by the difference, only, between the rate herein fixed and the rate by which the previous tax upon the sale or use was computed. If such tax imposed in such other state or political subdivision thereof is equivalent to or in excess of the rate imposed under this chapter at the time of such sale or use, then no tax shall be due on such article.

      (6) Miscellaneous provisions. When a licensed motor vehicle dealer replaces a motor vehicle which has been registered to such dealer and the replaced motor vehicle is no longer in the possession of or used by such dealer, the tax imposed by this chapter shall be applicable only with respect to the difference between such dealer's cost for the new motor vehicle being registered, which motor vehicle is the replacement for said replaced motor vehicle, and the wholesale value of said replaced motor vehicle at the time of its replacement, determined in accordance with a standard reference book for such values acceptable to the Commissioner of Revenue Services.

      (7) Deposit requirement for persons doing business with nonresident contractors. (A) As used in this section, (i) "nonresident contractor" means a contractor who does not maintain a regular place of business in this state; (ii) "regular place of business" means any bona fide office, factory, warehouse or other space in this state at which a contractor is doing business in its own name in a regular and systematic manner, and which place is continuously maintained, occupied, and used by the contractor in carrying on its business through its employees regularly in attendance to carry on the contractor's business in the contractor's own name, except that "regular place of business" does not include a place of business for a statutory agent for service of process, or a temporary office or location used by the contractor only for the duration of the contract, whether or not at the site of construction, or an office maintained, occupied and used by a person affiliated with the contractor; (iii) "contract price" means the total contract price, including deposits, amounts held as retainage, costs for any change orders, or charges for add-ons; and (iv) "person doing business with a nonresident contractor" does not include an owner or tenant of real property used exclusively for residential purposes and consisting of three or fewer dwelling units, in one of which the owner or tenant resides, provided each nonresident contractor doing business with such owner or tenant shall be required to comply with the bond requirements under subparagraph (F) of this subdivision.

      (B) Any person doing business with a nonresident contractor and making payments of the contract price to such nonresident contractor shall deduct and withhold from such payments an amount of five per cent of such payments, unless such nonresident contractor has furnished a certificate of compliance as described in subparagraph (E) of this subdivision. The amounts so required to be deducted and withheld shall be paid over to the commissioner by the last day of the month following the calendar quarter following the calendar quarter in which the first payment to the nonresident contractor is made, and every calendar quarter thereafter. Each such payment to the commissioner shall be accompanied by a form prescribed by the commissioner. The amount required to be deducted and withheld from the nonresident contractor, when so deducted and withheld, shall be held to be a special fund in trust for the state. No nonresident contractor shall have any right of action against a person deducting and withholding under this subdivision with respect to any moneys deducted and withheld and paid over to the commissioner in compliance with or intended compliance with this subdivision.

      (C) A nonresident contractor shall request, in writing, that the Commissioner of Revenue Services audit the records of such contractor for a project for which amounts were deducted and withheld from such contractor under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision. If such request is not made within three years after the date the final payment of such amounts was made to the commissioner, such contractor waives the right to request such audit and claim a refund of such amounts. The commissioner shall, after receipt of such request, conduct an audit and issue to the nonresident contractor a certificate of no tax due or a certificate of tax due from the nonresident contractor. Not later than ninety days after the issuance of a certificate of no tax due, the commissioner shall return to the nonresident contractor the amounts deducted and withheld from such contractor and paid over to the commissioner. Upon issuance of a certificate of taxes due, the commissioner may return to the nonresident contractor the amount by which the amounts deducted and withheld and paid over to the commissioner under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision exceed the amount of taxes set forth in the certificate, together with the interest and penalties then assessed.

      (D) When a person doing business with the nonresident contractor pays over to the Commissioner of Revenue Services amounts deducted and withheld pursuant to subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, such person shall not be liable for any claim of the nonresident contractor for such amounts or for any claim of the commissioner for any taxes of the nonresident contractor arising from the activities of the nonresident contractor on the project for which the amounts were paid over. Such payment shall not relieve the person doing business with the nonresident contractor of such person's liability for use taxes due on purchases of services from such nonresident contractor.

      (E) When a nonresident contractor enters into a contract with the state, said contractor shall provide the Labor Department with evidence demonstrating compliance with the provisions of chapters 567 and 568, the prevailing wage requirements of chapter 557 and any other provisions of the general statutes related to conditions of employment.

      (F) Not later than one hundred twenty days after the commencement of the contract, or thirty days after the completion of the contract, whichever is earlier, a nonresident contractor may (i) furnish a guarantee bond in a sum equivalent to five per cent of the contract price, or (ii) deposit with the commissioner a cash bond in a sum equal to five per cent of the contract price, in lieu of the requirements contained in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision. The commissioner may accept such bond on such terms and conditions as the commissioner may require, and upon acceptance of such bond, shall issue a certificate of compliance to the contractor. The provisions of subparagraph (C) of this subdivision shall apply to such bond, upon completion of the contract, in the same manner as such provisions apply to amounts paid over under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision.

      (G) Upon the furnishing of a certificate of compliance by the nonresident contractor to the person doing business with a nonresident contractor, such person shall not be liable for any claim of the commissioner for any taxes of the nonresident contractor arising from the activities of such contractor on the project for which the bond was provided. Such certificate of compliance shall not relieve the person doing business with the nonresident contractor of such person's liability for use taxes due on purchases of services from such nonresident contractor.

      (H) If any person doing business with a nonresident contractor fails to deduct and withhold and pay over to the commissioner amounts under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, or fails to obtain a certificate of compliance from the nonresident contractor pursuant to subparagraph (G) of this subdivision, such person shall be personally liable for payment of any taxes of the nonresident contractor arising from the activities of such contractor on the project for which such amounts or certificate were required.

      (1949 Rev., S. 2114; 1951, S. 1175d, 1176d; September, 1957, P.A. 13, S. 2; 1961, P.A. 399; 1969, P.A. 752, S. 13; June, 1969, P.A. 1, S. 22; June, 1971, P.A. 5, S. 128; P.A. 73-166; 73-518, S. 1, 2; 73-520; P.A. 74-338, S. 16, 94; P.A. 75-213, S. 41, 53; 75-470, S. 1, 2; Dec. Sp. Sess. P.A. 75-1, S. 10-12; P.A. 76-199, S. 1, 3; P.A. 77-614, S. 139, 610; P.A. 81-64, S. 22, 23; P.A. 82-36, S. 1, 3; P.A. 88-6, S. 5; 88-7, S. 1; P.A. 89-123, S. 6; P.A. 91-127, S. 1; P.A. 93-288, S. 6, 7; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-4, S. 20, 85; P.A. 95-160, S. 64, 69; 95-260, S. 2, 24; P.A. 00-174, S. 17, 83; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-6, S. 45, 85; P.A. 03-147, S. 1; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 76; P.A. 05-260, S. 6.)

      History: 1961 act provided that Subsec. (4) apply only to Connecticut motor vehicle dealers; 1969 acts included snowmobiles in Subsecs. (3) and (4), deleted references to dealers "licensed under the provisions of subpart (D) of part III of chapter 246 and holding a valid seller's permit" in Subsec. (4) and added provision re computation of tax during period between July 1, 1969, and July 1, 1971, in Subsec. (4); 1971 act deleted special provisions re tax between 1969 and 1971 in Subsec. (4); P.A. 73-166 increased amount of security from $10,000 to $20,000 in Subsec. (1); P.A. 73-518 placed snowmobiles and dealers in provision re dealers of farm tractors rather than in provision re motor vehicle dealers and included dealers of vessels under Subsec. (4); P.A. 73-520 added Subsec. (6) re dealers' replacement vehicles; P.A. 74-338 made technical change in Subsec. (4); P.A. 75-213 included references to "acceptance" and "services"; P.A. 75-470 added Subsec. (7) re bond requirement for nonresident contractor; December, 1975, P.A. 75-1 increased alternate amounts of security in Subsec. (1) at six times, rather than two times, the person's estimated average liability for filing period and deleted "quarterly or other" with reference to tax periods, effective January 1, 1976, and applicable to taxes imposed by chapter 219 on or after that date; P.A. 76-199 included boats in Subsec. (3) and made technical correction; P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of revenue services for tax commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 81-64 repealed Subsec. (2) re penalty for delinquent filing of return; P.A. 82-36 increased the maximum security that may be required under Subsec. (1) to insure compliance with sales tax requirements, which maximum security prior to P.A. 82-36 was six times the taxpayer's estimated average liability or $20,000, whichever is less, by raising $20,000 to $100,000; P.A. 88-6 amended Subsec. (3) by including registration of aircraft as subject to the requirements of this Subsec. and adding the requirement previously in Sec. 12-431 that proof of property tax payment be made before allowing exemption from sales tax for certain transfers of motor vehicles under said Sec. 12-431; P.A. 88-7 amended Subsec. (3) by inserting provisions deleted from Sec. 12-431 by P.A. 88-7, requiring each person eligible for exemption under use tax for a motor vehicle as allowed in Sec. 12-431(a) or (b) to furnish evidence that property tax applicable to the motor vehicle has been paid in full; P.A. 89-123 amended Subsec. (3) by substituting the term "vessel" for the term "boat", wherever it appeared in the subsection; P.A. 91-127 amended Subsec. (1) to remove the upper limit of $100,000 on the required security; (Revisor's note: In 1993 the following language, which was omitted from the 1991 revision due to clerical error, was reinstated editorially at the end of Subsec. (3): "suspend or revoke an aircraft registration of any person who fails to pay any tax due in connection with the sale, storage, use or other consumption of such aircraft pursuant to the provisions of this chapter"); P.A. 93-288 amended Subsec. (7) increasing bond requirement from 3% of the total amount of the contract to 5% of the total amount of the contract and adding Subdiv. (7) re information to be supplied by nonresident contractors, effective July 1, 1993; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-4 in Subsec. (4) included the trade-in of aircraft, effective July 1, 1996, and applicable to sales occurring on or after said date; P.A. 95-160 changed the effective date of May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-4, S. 20 to July 1, 1997, and applicable to sales on or after that date; P.A. 95-260 amended Subsec. (3) to eliminate provision requiring person to furnish evidence of payment of property tax applicable to the motor vehicle before obtaining original or transferral motor vehicle registration and provision as to what evidence of payment consists of, effective July 1, 1995 (Revisor's note: A reference in Subsec. (7) to "Department of Labor" was changed editorially by the Revisors to "Labor Department" for consistency with customary statutory usage); P.A. 00-174 added Subdivs. (7)(a)(ii) and (7)(b)(ii) re security for tax required of direct payment permit holders, specified when persons other than direct payment permit holders shall make payments under this section and made technical changes, effective October 1, 2000, and applicable to contracts entered into on or after that date; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-6 amended Subdiv. (7)(b) to extend the deadline for a person who hires an out-of-state contractor to post security for payment of sales tax on property to be consumed in fulfilling the contract, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 03-147 amended Subdiv. (7) to delete former Subsecs. (a) to (c), to add new Subparas. (A) to (D) re deposit requirements for persons doing business with nonresident contractors and to redesignate existing Subsec. (d) as Subpara. (E), effective July 1, 2003, and applicable to contracts entered into on or after that date; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 added Subdiv. (7)(F) re guarantee bond in lieu of the requirements of Subpara. (B), effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 05-260 amended Subdiv. (7) by adding definitions for "contract price" and "person doing business with a nonresident contractor", providing for a certificate of compliance as alternative method of ensuring payment of tax, requiring tax payments to be held in special fund, adding Subparas. (G) and (H) re liability for taxes, and making other conforming changes, effective October 1, 2005, and applicable to contracts entered into on or after that date.

      See Sec. 14-379 for definition of "snowmobile".

      Subsec. (3):

      Cited. 198 C. 168.

      Subsec. (4):

      Former provision of section restricting allowance for trade-in to car dealers licensed in Connecticut held unconstitutional. 158 C. 234.

      Subsec. (5):

      Cited. 168 C. 597. Cited. 198 C. 168; Id., 624. Cited. 240 C. 531.