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TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 12-36-71 SO AS TO DEFINE "MARKETPLACE FACILITATOR"; TO AMEND SECTIONS 12-36-70, 12-36-90, AND 12-36-130, ALL RELATING TO SALES TAX DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO FURTHER INFORM MARKETPLACE FACILITATORS OF THEIR REQUIREMENTS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 12-36-1340, RELATING TO THE COLLECTION OF SALES TAX BY RETAILERS, SO AS TO FURTHER INFORM MARKETPLACE FACILITATORS OF THEIR REQUIREMENTS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. The General Assembly finds:
(1) that the South Carolina Sales and Use Tax Act requires any person engaged in business as a retailer to remit the sales and use tax on all retail sales of tangible personal property not otherwise excluded or exempted from the tax. This requirement applies to all retail sales of tangible personal property by the retailer, whether the tangible personal property is owned by the retailer or another person. Retailers selling tangible personal property at retail on consignment, by auction, or in any other manner must remit the sales and use tax on such retail sales.
(2) that the Internet marketplaces where a person sells tangible personal property at retail by listing or advertising, or allowing the listing or advertising of, another person's products on an online marketplace and collects or processes the payment from the customer are retailers required to remit the sales and use tax on such retail sales under the provisions of the South Carolina sales and use tax law.
(3) with the changing economy and ever expanding role of the Internet in the retail market, that the longstanding requirement in the sales and use tax law that a retailer remit the tax on retail sales of tangible personal property owned by another person must apply to all retailers, including both Internet retailers and brick and mortar retailers.
(4) to ensure retailers selling another person's tangible personal property on the Internet clearly understand and are informed of their requirements to remit the sales and use tax in the same manner as retailers selling another person's tangible personal property in a brick and mortar store, the following provisions of this act, which do not represent a change in policy, are enacted to further set forth South Carolina's longstanding position."
SECTION 2. Article 1, Chapter 36, Title 12 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 12-36-71. (A)(1) 'Marketplace facilitator' means any person engaged in the business of facilitating a retail sale of tangible personal property by:
(a) listing or advertising, or allowing the listing or advertising of, the products of another person in any marketplace where sales at retail occur; and
(b) collecting or processing payments from the purchaser, either directly or indirectly through an agreement or arrangement with a third party.
(2) If a person meets the criteria set forth in item (1), then that person is a marketplace facilitator regardless of whether the person receives compensation or other consideration in exchange for its services.
(B) A marketplace may be physical or electronic and includes, but is not limited to, any space, store, booth, catalog, website, television or radio broadcast, or similar place, medium, or forum.
(C) For purposes of subsection (A), a marketplace facilitator includes any related entities assisting the marketplace facilitator in sales, storage, distribution, payment collection, or in any other manner, with respect to the marketplace.
(D) When a marketplace facilitator is comprised of multiple entities, the entity that lists or advertises, or allows the listing or advertising of, the products sold at retail in the marketplace is the entity responsible for remitting the sales and use tax to the State."
SECTION 3. Section 12-36-70 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding an item before the last undesignated paragraph to read:
"(3) operating as a marketplace facilitator, as defined in Section 12-36-71."
SECTION 4. Section 12-36-90(1)(a) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(a) the proceeds from the sale of property sold on consignment by the taxpayer, including property sold through a marketplace by a marketplace facilitator;"
SECTION 5. Section 12-36-130(1) of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a subitem to read:
"(c) the proceeds from the sale of property sold on consignment by the taxpayer, including property sold through a marketplace by a marketplace facilitator."
SECTION 6. Section 12-36-1340 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 12-36-1340. Each seller making retail sales of tangible personal property for storage, use, or other consumption in this State shall collect and remit the tax in accordance with this chapter and shall obtain from the department a retail license as provided in this chapter, if the retail seller:
(1) maintains a place of business;
(2) qualifies to do business;
(3) solicits and receives purchases or orders by an agent, or salesman independent contractor, representative, Internet website, or any other means; or
(4) distributes catalogs, or other advertising matter, and by reason of that distribution receives and accepts orders from residents within the State; or
(5) operates as a marketplace facilitator; or
(6) meets constitutional standards for economic nexus with South Carolina for purposes of the sales and use tax."
SECTION 7. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on December 12, 2018 at 4:50 PM