Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 18, September 16, 2024
PURPOSE: Section 144.054.2, RSMo, exempts from state
tax and local use tax, but not local sales tax, electricity, gas (natural,
artificial, or propane), water, coal, and energy sources used or consumed in
manufacturing, processing, compounding, mining or producing any product or used
in research and development related to manufacturing, processing, compounding,
mining or producing any product or in the processing of recovered materials.
This rule explains when this exemption applies and how a taxpayer may claim the
exemption at the time of purchase.
(1) In general, purchases of electricity, gas
(natural, artificial, or propane), water, coal, and energy sources used or
consumed in manufacturing, processing, compounding, mining or producing any
product, or used or consumed in the processing of recovered materials, or used
in research and development related to manufacturing, processing, compounding,
mining or producing any product are exempt from state tax and local use tax,
but not local sales tax.
(2)
Definition of Terms.
(A)
Compounding-Producing a product by combining two (2) or more ingredients or
parts.
(B) Energy source-Those
resources, such as petroleum, coal, gas, wind, steam, nuclear fuel and
sunlight, from which energy is produced.
(C) Fabrication-See
12 CSR
10-111.010.
(D) Manufacturing-See 12 CSR
10111.010.
(E) Material recovery
processing plant- See
12 CSR
10-111.060.
(F) Mining-See
12 CSR
10-111.010.
(G) Producing-See
12 CSR 10-111.010.
(H) Recovered materials-See 12 CSR
10111.060.
(3) Basic
Application of Exemption.
(A) A taxpayer may
claim the exemption for state tax and local use tax, but not local sales tax at
the time of purchase. A taxpayer may not claim an exemption from local tax and
then remit the tax directly to the department. It is the seller's
responsibility to collect and remit the proper amount of local tax to the
department.
(B) Purchases reported
to the department under direct pay and Electrical Energy Direct Pay (EEDP) are
exempt from the application of subsection (3)(A) of this rule.
(C) The energy source and water that is
subject to this exemption is not required to be directly used in the process
for which the exemption is being claimed. There is also no requirement that the
energy source and water comprise ten percent (10%) of the cost of a primary or
secondary production process in order to qualify for this exemption. There is
also no requirement that twenty-five percent (25%) of the raw materials be
recycled in order for the purchaser to claim this exemption.
(4) Method of Collection and
Apportionment
(A) Energy and water vendors
are responsible for remitting tax to the department. Purchasers are responsible
for informing energy vendors on the MO-149 (Sales/Use Tax Exemption
Certificate) of the percentage of energy used for activities exempt under
section
144.054,
RSMo. The purchaser may use any reasonable method to calculate this percentage,
such as square footage or reference to a use analysis. The exemption will be
applied as follows:
Purchaser's Calculated
Exempt Percentage
Percentage Exempt 76-100 100
51-75 75
26-50 50
1-25 25
00
(B)
Beginning on August 28, 2007 and ending on January 31, 2008, any vendor who
receives an exemption certificate exempting sales of electricity, gas (natural,
artificial, or propane), water, coal, and energy sources used or consumed in
manufacturing, processing, compounding, mining or producing any product, or
used or consumed in the processing of recovered materials, or used in research
and development related to manufacturing, processing, compounding, mining or
producing any product after the bill was issued may take the correction as an
adjustment on its sales tax return provided the net result is not a negative
figure. In the event an exemption certificate is received after January 31,
2008, and an exemption was due and not properly applied by the vendor, the
vendor may submit a refund request to the department.
(5) Exempt Examples.
(A) A manufacturer purchases propane to
operate forklifts that move raw materials to production lines, move
work-in-process between production steps, move finished goods to an on-site
storage area, and to load finished goods on trucks for shipment from the plant.
The fuel is exempt from state tax and local use tax, but not local sales
tax.
(B) A manufacturer uses
electricity to run its equipment, maintain a moderate temperature in its
production facility and light the plant. The purchase of all of its electricity
is exempt from state tax and local use tax, but not local sales tax, because it
is used or consumed in producing a product.
(C) A manufacturer uses coal to fuel boilers
to generate steam used to manufacture a product. The purchase of the coal is
exempt from state tax and local use tax, but not local sales tax, because it is
used or consumed in producing a product.
(D) A manufacturer purchases compressed gas
used for welding a product. The purchase of the compressed gas is exempt from
state tax and local use tax, but not local sales tax because it is used or
consumed in producing a product.
(E) A manufacturer uses water to cool a
product during the manufacturing process. The water is exempt from state tax
and local use tax, but not local sales tax.
(F) A manufacturer preserves its final
product in a warehouse located at the production facility awaiting shipment.
The purchase of energy to maintain the desired environment and provide lighting
is exempt from state tax and local use tax, but not local sales tax.
(G) A construction company that has been
deemed a manufacturer purchases fuel to be used in a concrete ready-mix truck.
The fuel is subject to motor fuel tax; however if a refund claim is made, the
refund will be exempt from state tax and local use tax, but not local sales
tax, because the fuel is used in producing a product.
(6) Taxable Examples.
(A) A restaurant preparing food for immediate
consumption is not exempt as a manufacturer. Therefore, all state and local
taxes apply.
*Original authority: 144.054, RSMo 2007; and 144.270, RSMo
1939, amended 1941, 1943, 1945, 1947, 1955,
1961.