(a) The special county taxes levied pursuant to this subpart shall be privilege license and excise taxes in substance as follows:
(1) Upon every person, firm, or corporation (not including the State of Alabama or the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board or ABC stores) engaged or continuing within the county in the business of selling at retail any tangible personal property whatsoever, including merchandise and commodities of every kind and character (not including, however, bonds or other evidence of debt or stocks), an amount equal to one percent of the gross proceeds of sales of the business except where a different amount is expressly provided herein. Any person engaging or continuing in business as a retailer and wholesaler or jobber shall pay the tax required on the gross proceeds of retail sales of such businesses at the rates specified, when his or her books are kept so as to show separately the gross proceeds of sales of each business, and when his or her books are not so kept he or she shall pay the tax as retailer, on the gross sales of the business.
(2) Upon every person, firm, or corporation engaged or continuing within the county in the business of conducting or operating places of amusement or entertainment, billiard and pool rooms, bowling alleys, amusement devices, musical devices, theaters, opera houses, moving picture-shows, vaudevilles, amusement parks, athletic contests, including wrestling matches, prize fights, boxing and wrestling exhibitions, football and baseball games (including athletic contests conducted by or under the auspices of any educational institution, or any athletic association thereof, or other association whether such institution or association be denominational, a state, county, or a city school, or other institution, association, or school), skating rinks, race tracks, golf courses or any other place at which any exhibition, display, amusement, or entertainment is offered to the public or place or places where an admission fee is charged, including public bathing places, public dance halls of every kind and description, conducted or carried on within the county, an amount equal to one percent of the gross receipts of any such business.
(3) Upon every person, firm, or corporation engaged or continuing within the county in the business of selling at retail machines or machinery used in mining, quarrying, compounding, processing, and manufacturing of tangible personal property, and the parts of such machines or machinery, attachments, and replacements therefor which are made or manufactured for use on or in the operation of such machines or machinery, and which are necessary to the operation of such machines or machinery, and are customarily so used, an amount equal to one-half of one percent of the gross proceeds of the sale of such machines or machinery, attachments, parts, and replacements therefor.
(4) Upon every person, firm, or corporation engaged or continuing within the county in the business of selling at retail any automotive vehicle or truck trailer and semitrailer, an amount equal to one-half of one percent of the gross proceeds of the sale of the automotive vehicle or truck trailer and semitrailer. Provided, that where any used automotive vehicle or truck trailer or semitrailer is taken in trade, or in a series of trades, as a credit or part payment of the sale of a new or used vehicle, the tax levied herein shall be paid on the net difference, that is, the price of the new or used vehicle sold less a credit for the used vehicle taken in trade.
(5) An excise tax may be imposed on:
a. The storage, use, or other consumption in the county of tangible personal property purchased at retail, for storage, use, or other consumption in the county, at the rate of one percent of the sale price of such property, regardless of whether the retailer is or is not engaged in business in the county or in this state, except as provided in paragraphs b. and c.
b. The storage, use, or other consumption in the county of any new or used automotive vehicle, truck trailer or semitrailer purchased at retail for storage, use, or other consumption in the county, at the rate of one-half of one percent of the sales price of such automotive vehicle, truck trailer, or semitrailer. Where any used automotive vehicle or truck trailer or semitrailer is taken in trade, or in a series of trades, as a credit or part payment on the sale of a new or used vehicle, the tax levied shall be paid on the net difference, that is, the difference in the price of the new or used vehicle sold less a credit for the used vehicle taken in trade.
c. The storage, use, or other consumption in the county of any machines or machinery used in mining, quarrying, compounding, processing, and manufacturing of tangible personal property, including the parts of such machines or machinery, attachments, and replacements therefor which are made or manufactured for use on or in the operation of such machines or machinery, purchased at retail for storage, use, or other consumption in the county, at the rate of one-half of one percent of the sales price of such machines or machinery or the parts, attachments, or replacements therefor.
(b) There shall be exempted from the levy of such taxes the gross receipts of any business and the gross proceeds of all sales which are exempted under the state sales tax statutes from the computation of the amount of the state sales tax. And there shall also be exempted from the levy the storage, use, or other consumption of property, the storage, use, or other consumption of which is exempted under the state use tax statutes from the state use tax. Subject to these exemptions, every person storing or using or otherwise consuming in Covington County tangible personal property purchased at retail shall be liable for the tax imposed, and the liability shall not be extinguished until the tax has been paid by such person; provided, however, that a receipt from a registered seller given to the purchaser of any property to be used, stored, or consumed in Covington County shall be sufficient to relieve the purchaser from further liability for the tax to which such receipt may refer. The term "registered seller" means the person registered with the State Department of Revenue pursuant to the state sales tax statutes. The term "state sales tax statutes" means Chapter 23 of Title 40, which levies a retail sales tax for state purposes and the incidence and collection of the tax imposed therein. The term "state use tax statutes" means Article 2 of Chapter 23, Title 40.
(c) For the purpose of this subpart, the location of the place of business of the seller shall determine the liability of the seller for the tax levied under the subpart.
Last modified: May 3, 2021