KRS 139.795: Certified service provider is agent of seller -- Liability -- Exemption for

purchaser, seller, and certified service provider.

(1) (a) A certified service provider is the agent of a seller, with whom the certified

service provider has contracted, for the collection and remittance of sales and

use taxes.

(b) The certified service provider is liable for sales and use tax due each member

state on all sales transactions it processes for the seller, except when the

liability for not collecting the sales or use taxes results from the certified

service provider's reliance on software certified by the state. Relief from

liability shall not be granted if the certified service provider has incorrectly

classified an item or transaction into a product -based exemption certified by

the state, except when the item or transaction is classified based upon the

individual listing of items or transactions within a product definition approved

by the governing board or the member state.

(c) A person that is responsible for th e certified automated system is responsible

for the functioning of the system and is liable to the state for underpayments

of tax attributable to errors in the functioning of the certified automated

system.

(2) (a) A seller that contracts with a certified service provider is not liable to the state

for sales or use tax due on transactions processed by the certified service

provider unless the seller misrepresented the type of items it sells or

committed fraud;

(b) In the absence of probable cause to believe that the seller has committed fraud

or made a material misrepresentation, the seller is not subject to audit on the

transactions processed by the certified service provider; and

(c) A seller is subject to audit for transactions not processed by the certif ied

service provider.

(3) The member states acting jointly may perform a system check of the seller and

review the seller's procedures to determine if the certified service provider's system

is functioning properly and the extent to which the seller's tran sactions are being

processed by the certified service provider.

(4) (a) A model 2 seller shall be relieved of liability for not collecting sales and use

taxes if the liability resulted from the model 2 seller's reliance on software

previously certified by the state. Relief from liability shall not be granted if the

certified service provider has incorrectly classified an item or transaction into

a product -based exemption certified by the state, except when the item or

transaction is classified based upon th e individual listing of items or

transactions with a product definition approved by the governing board or the

member state.

(b) The department shall notify the certified service provider or model 2 seller if

an item or transaction has been incorrectly classified as to its taxability.

(c) The certified service provider or a model 2 seller shall have ten (10) days to

revise the classification after the receipt of notice.

(d) Upon expiration of the ten (10) days, the certified service provider or the

model 2 seller shall be liable for the failure to collect the amount of sales or

use taxes due and owing.

(5) A model 3 seller that has signed a performance agreement establishing a

performance standard for that system is liable for the failure of the system to me et

the performance standard.

(6) A purchaser, purchaser's seller, or certified service provider shall not be subject to

the additional tax, related penalties imposed under KRS 131.180, or related interest

provided under KRS 131.183 for having failed to pay the correct amount of sales or

use tax on specific transactions if:

(a) The purchaser's seller or certified service provider relied on erroneous data

provided by the department on tax rates, boundaries, or taxing jurisdiction

assignments; or

(b) The purchaser, purchaser's seller, or purc haser's certified service provider

relied on erroneous data in the taxability matrix completed and made available

to the public by the department. The relief prescribed in this paragraph for

additional tax and related interest provided under KRS 131.183 sh all be

limited to the department's erroneous classification in the taxability matrix as

"taxable" or "exempt," "included in sales price" or "excluded from sales

price," or "included in the definition" or "excluded in the definition."

(7) (a) If the departm ent does not provide the seller with at least thirty (30) days'

notice from the enactment of a sales and use tax rate change to the effective

date of the rate change, the seller shall be relieved of liability for failing to

collect tax at the new rate if:

1. The seller collected tax at the immediately preceding effective rate; and

2. The seller's failure to collect tax at the new rate does not extend beyond

thirty (30) days after the date of enactment of the new rate.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, if the department establishes

that the seller fraudulently failed to collect tax at the new rate or solicits

purchasers based on the immediately preceding effective rate, the relief

provided to the seller in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall not apply.

(8) A purchaser shall not be subject to the additional tax, related penalties imposed

under KRS 131.180, or related interest provided under KRS 131.183 for failing to

pay the correct amount of sales or use tax on specific transactions if t he purchaser

holds a direct pay authorization and relied on erroneous data provided by the

department on the tax rates, boundaries, or taxing jurisdiction assignments.