Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 280 - Department of Revenue
Chapter 20 - Division of Taxation
Subchapter 70 - Sales and Use Tax
Part 21 - Rentals and Leases of Tangible Personal Property (Including Motor Vehicles and Lock Boxes) (280-RICR-20-70-21)
Section 280-RICR-20-70-21.6 - General Sourcing Rules

Universal Citation: 280 RI Code of Rules 20 70 21.6

Current through September 18, 2024

A. The retail sale, excluding lease or rental, of a product shall be sourced as follows:

1. When the product is received by the purchaser at a business location of the seller, the sale is sourced to that business location.

2. When the product is not received by the purchaser at a business location of the seller, the sale is sourced to the location where receipt by the purchaser (or the purchaser's donee, designated as such by the purchaser) occurs, including the location indicated by instructions for delivery to the purchaser (or donee), known to the seller.

3. When §§ 21.6(A)(1) and (2) of this Part do not apply, the sale is sourced to the location indicated by an address for the purchaser that is available from the business records of the seller that are maintained in the ordinary course of the seller's business when use of this address does not constitute bad faith.

4. When §§ 21.6(A)(1) through (3) of this Part do not apply, the sale is sourced to the location indicated by an address for the purchaser obtained during the consummation of the sale, including the address of a purchaser's payment instrument, if no other address is available, when use of this address does not constitute bad faith.

5. When §§ 21.6(A)(1) through (4) of this Part do not apply, including when the seller is without sufficient information to apply the previous rules, then the location will be the address:

a. from which the tangible personal property was shipped;

b. or from which the digital good or the computer software delivered electronically was first available for transmission by the seller; or

c. or from which the service was provided (disregarding for these purposes any location that merely provided the digital transfer of the product sold).

B. The lease or rental of tangible personal property, other than motor vehicles, trailers, semi-trailers or transportation equipment shall be sourced as follows:

1. For a lease or rental that requires recurring periodic payments, the first periodic payment is sourced in the same manner as a retail sale in accordance with the provisions of § 21.6(A) of this Part. Periodic payments made subsequent to the first payment are sourced to the primary location of the property during each period covered by the payment. The primary location of the property shall be the address for the property provided by the lessee that is available to the lessor from its records maintained in the ordinary course of business, when use of this address does not constitute bad faith. The property location for tax purposes shall not be altered by intermittent use at different locations, such as business property used by employees on business trips and service calls.

2. For a lease or rental that does not require recurring periodic payments, the payment is sourced in the same manner as a retail sale in accordance with the provisions of § 21.6(A) of this Part.

3. This Subpart does not affect the imposition or computation of sales or use tax on lease or rentals based on a lump sum or accelerated basis, or on the acquisition of property for lease.

C. The lease or rental of motor vehicles, trailers or semi-trailers that do not qualify as transportation equipment, as defined in § 21.6(D) of this Part, shall be sourced as follows:

1. For a lease or rental that requires recurring periodic payments, each periodic payment is sourced to the primary property location. The property location shall be as indicated by an address for the property provided by the lessee that is available to the lessor from its records maintained in the ordinary course of business, when use of this address does not constitute bad faith. This location shall not be altered by intermittent use at different locations.

2. For a lease or rental that does not require recurring periodic payments, the payment is sourced the same as a retail sale in accordance with the provisions of § 21.6(A) of this Part.

3. This subsection does not affect the imposition or computation of sales or use tax on leases or rentals based on a lump sum or accelerated basis, or on the acquisition of property for lease.

D. The retail sale, including lease or rental, of transportation equipment shall be sourced the same as a retail sale in accordance with the provisions of § 21.6(A) of this Part, notwithstanding the exclusion of rentals or leases in § 21.6(A) of this Part. "Transportation equipment" means any of the following:

1. Locomotives and railcars that are utilized for the carriage of persons or property in interstate commerce.

2. Trucks and truck-tractors with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 10,001 pounds or greater, trailers, semi-trailers, or passenger buses that are:

a. Registered through the International Registration Plan; and

b. Operated under authority of a carrier authorized and certificated by the U.S. Department of Transportation or another federal authority to engage in the carriage of persons or property in interstate commerce.

3. Aircraft that are operated by air carriers authorized and certificated by the U.S. Department of Transportation or another federal or a foreign authority to engage in the carriage of persons or property in interstate or foreign commerce.

4. Containers designed for use on and component parts attached or secured on the items set forth in §§ 21.6(D)(1) through (3) of this Part.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Rhode Island may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.

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