57-40.5 Aircraft Excise Tax
Loading PDF...
indicates a different meaning:1."Aircraft" includes airplanes, helicopters, manned balloons, and ultralight vehicles.2."Director" means the director of aeronautics.3."Purchase price" means the total amount paid for the aircraft whether paid in money
or otherwise, provided, however, that when an aircraft or a motor vehicle that will be
subject to the motor vehicle excise tax imposed by chapter 57-40.3, is taken in trade
on an aircraft taxable under this chapter, the trade-in value allowed by the person
selling the aircraft must be deducted from the selling price to establish the purchase
price of the aircraft being sold and the trade-in allowance allowed by the seller on an
aircraft accepted as a trade-in constitutes the purchase price of an aircraft.
"Purchase price" also means the fair market value when no current purchase is
involved and the aircraft is moved by the owner or user from any other state into this
state and on which no sales, use, or excise tax was paid by the owner or user to any
other state, or on which a sales, use, or excise tax was paid by the owner or user to
another state which does not have reciprocity with this state, and for which aircraft
registration is required by section 2-05-11 or registration and licensing required is by
section 2-05-18. If an aircraft is purchased by a person who has paid the excise tax
and who has had an aircraft stolen or destroyed, a credit must be allowed in the
amount the purchaser has paid in tax on the stolen or destroyed aircraft.Thepurchaser must provide the director with a notarized statement from the insurance
company verifying the fact that the original aircraft was a total loss and stating the
amount compensated by the insurance company for the loss. The statement from
the insurance company must accompany the purchaser's application for a certificate
of registration for the replacement aircraft. In instances in which a licensed aircraft
dealer or established fixed-base aviation operator located at an airport open for
public use and approved by the aeronautics commission, places into service a new
or used aircraft for the purpose of renting, leasing, or dealership or fixed-base
aviation operator utility service, the reasonable value of the new or used
replacement aircraft must be included as a trade-in value if the new or replacement
aircraft is properly registered with the aeronautics commission. "Purchase price"
when the aircraft is acquired by gift or other transfer for a nominal or no monetary
consideration also includes the average value of similar aircraft, established by
standards as determined by the director."Purchase price" when an aircraft ismanufactured by a person who registered it under the laws of this state means the
manufactured cost of such aircraft and manufactured cost means the amount
expended for materials, labor, and other properly allocable costs of manufacture
except that, in the absence of actual expenditures for the manufacture of a part or all
of the aircraft, manufactured cost means the reasonable value of the completed
aircraft, as determined by the director.4."Purchaser" means any person owning or in possession of an aircraft who makes
application to the director for registration of such aircraft.5."Sale", "sells", "selling", "purchase", or "acquired" includes any transfer of title or
ownership of an aircraft by way of gift, exchange, barter, or by any other manner for
or without consideration.6."Use" means the exercise by any person of any right incident to ownership of an
aircraft, except that it does not include the sale or holding for sale of such an aircraft
in the regular course of business.Page No. 157-40.5-02. Tax imposed. There is imposed an excise tax at the rate of five percent onthe purchase price of any aircraft purchased or acquired either in or outside of the state of North
Dakota or on the lease or rental cost of any aircraft, less fuel, if rented dry and required to be
registered under the laws of this state, except on aircraft or helicopters designed or modified for
exclusive use as agricultural aircraft for aerial application of agricultural chemicals, insecticides,
fungicides, growth regulators, pesticides, dusts, fertilizer, or other agricultural materials, the
excise tax is imposed at the rate of three percent on the purchase price of any such aircraft
purchased or acquired in or outside of this state, including the leasing or renting of such
agricultural aircraft to users for agricultural purposes.57-40.5-03. Exemptions. There are specifically exempted from the provisions of thischapter and from computation of the amount of tax imposed by it, the following:1.Aircraft acquired by disabled veterans as defined by the provisions of Public Law
No. 79-663 [38 U.S.C. 1901]. This exemption shall be allowed only with respect to
one aircraft owned by any disabled veteran.2.Any aircraft owned by or in possession of the federal or state government or any of
the political subdivisions, departments, agencies, or institutions thereof.3.Aircraft which were previously titled or registered in the names of two or more joint
tenants and subsequently transferred without monetary consideration to one or more
of the joint tenants; the transfer of aircraft by gift, inheritance, or devise between a
husband and wife, parent and child, or brothers and sisters; and the transfer of
aircraft to reflect a new name of the owner caused by a business reorganization, if
the ownership of the business organization remains in the same person or persons
as prior to the reorganization.4.Aircraft transferred between a lessee and lessor, if the lessee has been in
continuous possession of the aircraft for a period of one year or longer, and if the
lessor has paid either the tax imposed under this chapter at the time of registering
the aircraft in this state or the use tax imposed by chapter 57-40.2.5.Aircraft acquired by any parochial or private nonprofit school. To qualify, a school
must normally maintain a regular faculty and curriculum and must have a regularly
organized body of students in attendance.The aircraft is not to be used forcommercial activities.6.Aircraft for use as an air ambulance, when purchased by the operator of an
emergency medical services operation licensed under chapter 23-27.57-40.5-04.Purchaser to furnish aircraft purchaser's certificate to director ofaeronautics. Any person acquiring an aircraft shall complete an "aircraft purchaser's certificate"
in the form the director prescribes, showing a complete description of the aircraft, the seller's
name and address, the buyer's name and address, the full purchase price of the aircraft, with no
trade-in of aircraft or other property allowed and whether the aircraft was the subject of a gift or
inheritance, and any other information that the director may require.57-40.5-05.Presentation of aircraft purchaser's certificate to director.Noregistration may be issued by the director for an aircraft until the applicant presents a properly
executed aircraft purchaser's certificate with the application for registration.If a registrationapplication is made for an aircraft that has been previously registered in this state and the
applicant is the same person in whose name the registration had previously been issued, the
aircraft purchaser's certificate need not be submitted to the director.57-40.5-06. Aircraft registration not to be issued unless tax paid. No registrationmay be issued by the director for the ownership or operation of any aircraft to any applicant for
registration unless the tax imposed by this chapter has been paid by the applicant to the director
except for those aircraft which have been previously registered and the applicant for registrationPage No. 2is the same person in whose name the registration had previously been issued and for aircraft
exempt from the tax imposed by this chapter.57-40.5-07. Presumption. For the purpose of the proper administration of this chapter,the following presumptions apply:1.Evidence that an aircraft was sold for delivery in this state is prima facie evidence
that it was sold for use in this state.2.When an application for registration of an aircraft is received by the director within
thirty days of the date it was purchased or acquired by the purchaser, it is presumed,
until the contrary is shown by the purchaser that it was purchased or acquired for
use in this state.This presumption applies whether or not such aircraft waspreviously titled or registered in another state.57-40.5-08. Credit for excise tax paid in other states - Reciprocity. If any aircraft hasbeen subjected to a sales tax, use tax, or excise tax in any other state, in an amount less than
the tax imposed by this chapter, the provisions of this chapter apply at a rate measured by the
difference between the rate fixed in this chapter and the rate by which the previous tax paid in the
other state upon the sale or use was computed. If the tax imposed in another state equals or
exceeds the tax imposed by this chapter, then no tax is due on such aircraft. The provisions of
this section apply only if such other state allows a credit with respect to the excise tax imposed
by this chapter which is substantially similar in effect to the credit allowed by this section.57-40.5-08.1. Aircraft excise tax refunds - Three-year limitation. If it appears that anyaircraft excise tax paid on or after July 1, 1983, was paid in error, or for any other reason the tax
was not due under the provisions of this chapter, the tax must be refunded to the person who
paid the tax upon an application made and duly allowed in accordance with section 57-40.5-08.2,
provided that the application is made within three years from the date of payment of the tax.57-40.5-08.2.Procedure for refunding.Any person entitled to a refund of aircraftexcise tax may make application for refund to the tax commissioner in the manner prescribed by
the commissioner.Upon the presentation of proof satisfactory to the commissioner, thecommissioner shall authorize the refund to be made from moneys appropriated for that purpose.
No refund may be authorized by the commissioner until the commissioner is fully satisfied
through the production of necessary purchase agreements, tax receipts, and other documents
and information that the refund is warranted. Payment of the refund must be made by warrant
after approval by the office of management and budget and approval of the voucher by the office
of the budget.57-40.5-09.Allocation of revenue.All moneys collected and received under thischapter must be transmitted monthly by the director to the aeronautics commission special fund.
These funds may be used for airport construction or improvement projects as approved by the
aeronautics commission in an amount as allowed by the commission.57-40.5-10. Penalties.1.Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter is guilty of a class B
misdemeanor.2.Any person who fails to submit a purchase certificate or who submits a false or
fraudulent aircraft purchaser's certificate is subject to a penalty of five percent of the
true amount of the tax which was due or five dollars, whichever is greater, plus one
percent of such tax for each month or fraction thereof subsequent to the month in
which the false or fraudulent aircraft purchaser's certificate was furnished to the
director. Any penalty must be paid to the tax commissioner or the director. The
director or the tax commissioner, if satisfied that the delay in payment of the tax was
excusable, may waive, and if paid, refund all or any part of such penalty and interest.Page No. 3Unpaid penalties may be enforced in the same manner as the tax imposed by this
chapter.3.Whenever a person, including an aircraft dealer, has collected from a person
acquiring an aircraft, an aircraft excise tax in excess of the amount prescribed or due
under this chapter, and if the person does not refund the excessive tax collected to
the person who remitted it, the person who collected the tax shall pay it to the tax
commissioner in the quarterly period in which the excessive collection occurred.
The penalty and interest provisions of this section apply beginning at termination of
each reporting period.57-40.5-11.Director to act as agent of tax commissioner in administration ofaircraft excise tax.The state tax commissioner is charged with the administration of thischapter. The tax commissioner may prescribe all rules, not inconsistent with the provisions of
this chapter, for the administration of this chapter. The collection of the aircraft excise tax must
be carried out by the director who shall act as the agent of the state tax commissioner and who is
subject to all rules, not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, that may be prescribed by
the tax commissioner.The provisions of this chapter may not be construed to prevent thecollection of aircraft excise taxes by the tax commissioner in the course of any audit carried on by
the tax commissioner.Page No. 4Document Outlinechapter 57-40.5 aircraft excise tax