§ 143B-1414.  Service charge for prepaid wireless telecommunications service; seller collects 911 service charge on each retail transaction occurring in this State; remittances to Department of Revenue and transfer to 911 Fund.

(a) Retail Collection. - A seller of prepaid wireless telecommunications service shall collect the 911 service charge for prepaid wireless telecommunications service from the consumer on each retail transaction occurring in this State. The 911 service charge for prepaid wireless telecommunications service is in addition to the sales tax imposed on the sale or recharge of prepaid telephone calling service under G.S. 105-164.4(a)(4d). The amount of the 911 service charge for prepaid wireless telecommunications service must be separately stated on an invoice, receipt, or other reasonable notification provided to the consumer by the seller at the time of the retail transaction. For purposes of this Part, a retail transaction is occurring in this State if the sale is sourced to this State under G.S. 105-164.4B(a).

(b) Administrative Allowance; Remittance to Department of Revenue. - A seller may deduct and retain from the 911 service charges it collects from consumers and remits to the Department of Revenue an administrative allowance of five percent (5%). A seller shall remit the 911 service charge for prepaid wireless telecommunications service collected by it under subsection (a) of this section in either of the following ways:

(1) Monthly to the Department of Revenue. The service charges collected in a month are due by the 20th day of the month following the calendar month covered by the return.

(2) Semiannually to the Department of Revenue. The service charges collected in the first six months of the calendar year are due by July 20. The service charges collected in the second six months of the calendar year are due by January 20.

(c) Administration. - Administration, auditing, requests for review, making returns, collection of tax debts, promulgation of rules and regulations by the Secretary of Revenue, additional taxes and liens, assessments, refunds, and penalty provisions of Article 9 of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes apply to the collection of the 911 service charge for prepaid wireless telecommunications service. An audit of the collection of the 911 service charge for prepaid wireless telecommunications service shall only be conducted in connection with an audit of the taxes imposed by Article 5 of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes. Underpayments shall be subject to the same interest rate as imposed for taxes under G.S. 105-241.21. Overpayments shall be subject to the same interest rate as imposed for taxes under G.S. 105-241.21(c)(2). Excessive and erroneous collections of the service charge will be subject to G.S. 105-164.11. The Department of Revenue shall establish procedures for a seller of prepaid wireless telecommunications service to document that a sale is not a retail transaction, and the procedures established shall substantially coincide with the procedures for documenting a sale for resale transaction under G.S. 105-164.28. The Secretary of Revenue may retain the costs of collection from the remittances received under subsection (b) of this section, in the amount of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) a year of the total 911 service charges for prepaid wireless telecommunications service remitted to the Department. Within 45 days of the end of each month in which 911 service charges for prepaid wireless telecommunications service are remitted to the Department, the Secretary of Revenue shall transfer the total 911 service charges remitted to the Department less the costs of collection to the 911 Fund established under G.S. 143B-1404.

(d) Liability of Consumer. - The 911 service charge for prepaid wireless telecommunications service is the liability of the consumer and not of the seller or of any provider, except that the seller shall be liable for remitting to the Department of Revenue all 911 service charges for prepaid wireless telecommunications service that the seller collects from consumers as provided in subsection (b) of this section. (2011-122, s. 5; 2013-414, s. 30; 2014-66, s. 2.1; 2015-241, s. 7A.3(2); 2016-5, ss. 3.1, 5; 2023-134, s. 34.3.)