§238-6 Collection of tax by seller; penalty. (a) For purposes of the taxes due under sections 238-2 and 238-2.3, every seller having in the State, regularly or intermittently, any property, tangible or intangible, any place of business, or any representation as hereinabove defined, (and irrespective of the seller's having or not having qualified to do business in the State) shall, if the seller makes sales of property, services, or contracting for use in the State (whether or not the sales are made in the State), collect from the purchaser the taxes imposed by sections 238-2 and 238-2.3, on the use of the property, services, or contracting so sold by the seller, if the seller is not subject to the use tax under this chapter on the importation of the property into the State. The collection shall be made within twenty days after the accrual of the tax or within such other period as shall be fixed by the director of taxation upon the application of the seller, and the seller shall give to the purchaser a receipt therefor in the manner and form prescribed by the director; provided that this subsection shall not apply to vehicles registered under section 286-50.
(b) The director, in the director's discretion, upon application therefor and under terms and conditions prescribed by the director, may relieve any seller of the duty of collecting and paying over the tax imposed by subsection (a) above, if the director is satisfied that the tax can be effectively collected by other means. Exemption from the duty of collecting the tax may be canceled at any time when the director finds that the tax cannot be effectively collected by other means. The director likewise may terminate the duty and authority of any seller to collect and pay over the tax imposed by subsection (a) above if the director finds, as to such seller, that the tax cannot be effectively collected by such means.
(c) The director, in the director's discretion, upon application therefor and under terms and conditions prescribed by the director, may authorize the collection of the tax imposed by this chapter by a seller not otherwise required to collect the tax. The seller, when so authorized, shall have the duty of collecting and paying over the tax in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as set out in subsection (a). The authority may be canceled at any time when, in the judgment of the director, the tax can more effectively be collected by other means.
(d) In case any seller required or authorized to collect the tax under this chapter fails to collect the same, or having collected the tax fails to pay over the same as provided by this chapter, the seller shall nevertheless be personally liable to the State for the amount of the tax, but it shall be a defense to such liability that the indebtedness for the price is a worthless account actually charged off for income tax purposes, if and to the extent that the collections of the price do not equal the tax.
(e) Every seller required or authorized to collect the tax shall make returns and payments of the tax at the same time and in the same manner as is provided with respect to taxpayer by section 238-5. All provisions of this chapter with respect to returns, reports, records, payments, penalties, and interest, appeals, investigations, and audits, assessments, tax collections procedure, criminal offenses, and the general administrative powers and duties of the director, shall apply to such sellers the same as to taxpayers.
(f) The tax collected pursuant to this section shall be held in trust for the State and for payment to the proper collecting officer in the manner and at the time required by this chapter. Any person collecting such tax who appropriates or converts the same to the person's own use or to any use other than the payment of the tax as herein provided, and who fails to pay over the amount of tax so collected at the time required by this chapter, shall be deemed guilty of an embezzlement of property of the State and shall be fined more than five times the amount of money so embezzled or imprisoned at hard labor not more than ten years, and any failure by the person so collecting the tax to pay the same over within the time provided by this chapter, after demand therefor, shall be taken and held to be prima facie evidence of the embezzlement. [L 1965, c 155, pt of §2; Supp, §119-6; HRS §238-6; gen ch 1985; am L 1990, c 184, §10; am L 1999, c 70, §7; am L 2000, c 198, §12; am L 2003, c 135, §7; am L 2004, c 114, §5]
Cross References
Classification of offense and authorized punishment, see §§701-107, 706-610(2), 706-640, and 706-660.