Ark. Code Ann. § 26-52-103

As used in this chapter:

1. “Alcoholic beverage” means a beverage that is suitable for human consumption and contains five-tenths of one percent (0.5%) or more of alcohol by volume;
2. 1. “Bundled transaction” means a retail sale of two (2) or more products, except real property and services to real property, in which:
      1. The products are otherwise distinct and identifiable; and
      2. The products are sold for one (1) nonitemized price.
   2. “Bundled transaction” does not include the sale of any product in which the sales price varies or is negotiable based on the selection by the purchaser of the products included in the transaction.
   3. The Department of Finance and Administration shall promulgate rules to implement this subdivision (2);
3. 1. “Candy” means a preparation of sugar, honey, or other natural or artificial sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruits, nuts, or other ingredients or flavorings in the form of bars, drops, or pieces.
   2. “Candy” shall not include a preparation containing flour and shall require no refrigeration;
4. 1. “Consumer”, “purchaser”, or “user” means the person to whom the taxable sale is made or to whom taxable services are furnished.
   2. All contractors are deemed to be consumers or users of all tangible personal property, including materials, supplies, and equipment used or consumed by them in performing any contract.
   3. The sales of all such tangible personal property to contractors are taxable sales within the meaning of this chapter;
5. “Contract” means any agreement or undertaking to construct, manage, or supervise the construction, erection, alteration, or repair of any building or other improvement or structure affixed to real estate, including any of their component parts;
6. “Contractor” means any person who contracts or undertakes to construct, manage, or supervise the construction, erection, alteration, or repair of any building or other improvement or structure affixed to real estate, including any of their component parts;
7. 1. “Delivery charge” means a charge by a seller of tangible personal property or services for preparation and delivery to a location designated by the purchaser of the tangible personal property or services, including without limitation transportation, shipping, postage, handling, crating, and packing.
   2. If a shipment includes tax-exempt property and taxable property, the seller shall pay the tax imposed by this chapter only on the percentage of the delivery charge allocated to the taxable property by using:
      1. A percentage based on the total sales price of the taxable property compared to the total sales price of all property in the shipment; or
      2. A percentage based on the total weight of the taxable property compared to the total weight of all property in the shipment;
8. “Dietary supplement” means any product, other than tobacco, intended to supplement the diet that:
   1. Contains one (1) or more of the following dietary ingredients:
      1. A vitamin;
      2. A mineral;
      3. An herb or other botanical;
      4. An amino acid;
      5. A dietary substance for use by humans to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake; or
      6. A concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combination of any ingredient described in this subdivision (8)(A) and is intended for ingestion in tablet, capsule, powder, softgel, gelcap, or liquid form, or if not intended for ingestion in such a form, is not represented as conventional food and is not represented for use as a sole item of a meal or of the diet; and
   2. Is required to be labeled as a dietary supplement, identifiable by the “Supplement Facts” box found on the label and as required pursuant to 21 C.F.R. § 101.36, as in effect on January 1, 2007;
9. “Digital audio works” means works that result from the fixation of a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds, including ringtones;
10. “Digital audio-visual works” means a series of related images that, when shown in succession, impart an impression of motion, together with accompanying sounds, if any;
11. “Digital books” means works that are generally recognized in the ordinary and usual sense as “books”;
12. “Digital code” means a code that:
    1. Provides a purchaser with a right to obtain one (1) or more specified digital products; and
    2. May be obtained by any means, including email or tangible means, regardless of its designation as a song code, video code, or book code;
13. 1. “Direct mail” means printed material delivered or distributed by United States mail or other delivery service to a mass audience or to addressees on a mailing list provided by the purchaser or at the direction of the purchaser when the cost of the items is not billed directly to the recipients.
    2. “Direct mail” includes tangible personal property supplied directly or indirectly by the purchaser to the direct mail seller for inclusion in the package containing the printed material.
    3. “Direct mail” does not include multiple items of printed material delivered to a single address;
14. 1. “Doing business” or “engaging in business” includes any and all local activity regularly and persistently pursued by any seller or vendor through agents, employees, or representatives with the object of gain, profit, or advantage and that results in a sale, delivery, or the transfer of the physical position of any tangible personal property by the vendor to the vendee at or from any point within Arkansas, whether from warehouse, store, office, storage point, rolling store, motor vehicle, delivery conveyance, or by any method or device under the control of the seller effecting such a local delivery without regard to the terms of sale with respect to point of acceptance of the order, point of payment, or any other condition.
    2. As set out in this subdivision (14), “doing business” or “engaging in business” is equally applicable to sellers of services as are made the subject matter of the tax imposed by this chapter.
    3. 1. The provisions of this subdivision (14) shall be cumulative to the gross receipts tax law and shall not be construed as levying a tax on any receipts derived from personal or professional services not before made the subject matter and within the scope of the present gross receipts tax law, as amended.
       2. The provisions of this subdivision (14)(C) shall not be construed as repealing or modifying any of the provisions therein;
15. 1. “End user” means a person who purchases specified digital products or the code for specified digital products for his or her own use or for the purpose of giving away the product or code.
    2. “End user” does not include a person who receives by contract a product transferred electronically for further commercial broadcast, rebroadcast, transmission, retransmission, licensing, relicensing, distribution, redistribution, or exhibition of the product, in whole or in part, to another person or persons;
16. “Established business” means any business operated or conducted by any person in a continuous manner for any length of time from an established place or in an established manner;
17. 1. “Food” and “food ingredients” mean substances, whether in liquid, concentrated, solid, frozen, dried, or dehydrated form, that are sold for ingestion or chewing by humans and are consumed for their taste or nutritional value.
    2. “Food” and “food ingredients” do not include candy, a soft drink, an alcoholic beverage, tobacco, or a dietary supplement;
18. 1. “Forum” means a physical place or electronic location where sales occur.
    2. “Forum” includes without limitation a:
       1. Store;
       2. Booth;
       3. Publicly accessible internet website;
       4. Catalog; and
       5. Place or location similar to the places and locations listed in subdivisions (18)(B)(i)-(iv) of this section;
19. 1. “Gross receipts”, “gross proceeds”, or “sales price” means the total amount of consideration, including cash, credit, property, and services, for which tangible personal property, specified digital products, a digital code, or services are sold, leased, or rented, valued in money, whether received in money or otherwise, without a deduction for the following:
       1. The seller's cost of the property sold;
       2. The cost of materials used, labor or service cost, interest, any loss, any cost of transportation to the seller, any tax imposed on the seller, and any other expense of the seller;
       3. A charge by the seller for any service necessary to complete the sale, other than a delivery charge or an installation charge;
       4. Delivery charge;
       5. 1. Installation charge.
          2. Installation charges shall not be included in the gross receipts, gross proceeds, or sales price if they are not a specifically taxable service under this chapter or the Arkansas Compensating Tax Act of 1949, § 26-53-101 et seq., and the installation charges have been separately stated on the invoice, billing, or similar document given to the purchaser; or
       6. Credit for any trade-in.
    2. “Gross receipts”, “gross proceeds”, or “sales price” does not include:
       1. A discount including cash, term, or a coupon that is not reimbursed by a third party and that is allowed by a seller and taken by a purchaser on a sale;
       2. An interest, financing, or carrying charge from credit extended on the sale of tangible personal property, specified digital products, a digital code, or services if the amount is separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document given to the purchaser; and
       3. A tax legally imposed directly on the consumer that is separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document given to the purchaser;
20. 1. 1. “Lease” or “rental” means any transfer of possession or control of tangible personal property for a fixed or indeterminate term for consideration.
       2. A lease or rental may include future options to purchase or extend.
    2. “Lease” or “rental” does not include:
       1. A transfer of possession or control of property under a security agreement or deferred payment plan that requires the transfer of title upon completion of the required payments;
       2. A transfer of possession or control of property under an agreement that requires the transfer of title upon completion of required payments and payment of an option price that does not exceed the greater of one hundred dollars ($100) or one percent (1%) of the total required payments; or
       3. 1. Providing tangible personal property along with an operator for a fixed or indeterminate period of time.
          2. A condition of this exclusion in this subdivision (20)(B)(iii) is that the operator is necessary for the equipment to perform as designed.
          3. For the purpose of this subdivision (20)(B)(iii), an operator must do more than maintain, inspect, or set up the tangible personal property.
    3. “Lease” or “rental” does include agreements covering motor vehicles and trailers if the amount of consideration may be increased or decreased by reference to the amount realized upon the sale or disposition of the property as defined in 26 U.S.C. § 7701(h)(2), as in effect on January 1, 2007.
    4. This definition of “lease” or “rental” shall:
       1. Be used for sales and use tax purposes regardless of whether a transaction is characterized as a lease or rental under generally accepted accounting principles, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as in effect on January 1, 2007, the Uniform Commercial Code, § 4-1-101 et seq., or another federal, state, or local law;
       2. Be applied only prospectively from January 1, 2008, and shall have no retroactive impact on existing leases or rentals; and
       3. Impact neither any existing sale-leaseback exemption nor exclusion;
21. “Marketplace facilitator” means a person that facilitates the sale of tangible personal property, taxable services, a digital code, a digital magazine, or specified digital products by:
    1. Listing or advertising tangible personal property, taxable services, a digital code, a digital magazine, or specified digital products for sale in a forum; and
    2. Either directly or indirectly through an agreement or arrangement with a third party, collecting payment from a purchaser and transmitting the payment to the person selling the tangible personal property, taxable services, a digital code, or specified digital products, regardless of whether the person receives compensation or other consideration in exchange for the person's services in collecting and transmitting the payment;
22. “Marketplace seller” means a person that has an agreement with a marketplace facilitator under which the marketplace facilitator facilitates sales for the person;
23. “Motor vehicle” means a vehicle that is self-propelled and is required to be registered for use on the highway;
24. “Person” includes any individual, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, corporation, estate, trust, fiduciary, or any other legal entity;
25. “Prepared food” means:
    1. Food sold in a heated state or heated by the seller;
    2. Two (2) or more food ingredients mixed or combined by the seller for sale as a single item; or
    3. 1. Food sold with an eating utensil provided by the seller, including a plate, knife, fork, spoon, glass, cup, napkin, or straw.
       2. As used in subdivision (25)(C)(i) of this section, “plate” does not include a container or packaging used to transport the food;
26. “Referral” means the transfer by the referrer of a potential purchaser to a person that advertises or lists tangible personal property, taxable services, a digital code, or specified digital products for sale on the referrer's platform;
27. 1. “Referrer” means a person, other than a person engaging in the business of printing or publishing a newspaper, that, under an agreement or arrangement with a marketplace seller or remote seller, does the following:
       1. Agrees to list or advertise for sale tangible personal property, taxable services, a digital code, or specified digital products of the marketplace seller or remote seller via a physical or electronic medium;
       2. Receives consideration from the marketplace seller or remote seller from the sale offered in the listing or advertisement;
       3. Transfers by telecommunications, internet link, or other means, a purchaser to a marketplace seller or remote seller to complete a sale; and
       4. Does not collect a receipt from the purchaser for the sale.
    2. “Referrer” does not include a person that:
       1. Provides internet advertising services; and
       2. Does not:
          1. Provide the marketplace seller's or the remote seller's shipping terms; or
          2. Advertise whether a marketplace seller or remote seller collects sales or use tax;
28. “Remote seller” means a person, other than a marketplace facilitator, that does not maintain a place of business in this state and that through a forum sells tangible personal property, taxable services, a digital code, or specified digital products, the sale or use of which is subject to the tax imposed by this chapter or the Arkansas Compensating Tax Act of 1949, § 26-53-101 et seq.;
29. “Retail sale” or “sale at retail” means any sale, lease, or rental for any purpose other than for resale, sublease, or sub-rent;
30. “Ringtones” means digitized sound files that:
    1. Are downloaded onto a device; and
    2. May be used to alert the customer with respect to a communication;
31. 1. “Sale” means the transfer of either the title or possession, except in the case of a lease or rental for a valuable consideration, of tangible personal property, specified digital products, or a digital code regardless of the manner, method, instrumentality, or device by which the transfer is accomplished.
    2. “Sale” includes the:
       1. Exchange, barter, lease, or rental of tangible personal property, specified digital products, or a digital code; or
       2. Sale, exchange, or other disposition of admissions, dues, or fees to clubs, to places of amusement, or to recreational or athletic events or for the privilege of having access to or the use of amusement, athletic, or entertainment facilities.
    3. “Sale” does not include the:
       1. Furnishing or rendering of services except as otherwise provided in this section; or
       2. Transfer of title to a vehicle by the vehicle owner to an insurance company as a result of the settlement of a claim for damages to the vehicle.
    4. 1. In the case of a lease or rental of tangible personal property, including motor vehicles and trailers for less than thirty (30) days, the tax shall be paid on the basis of rental or lease payments made to the lessor of the tangible personal property during the term of the lease or rental regardless of whether Arkansas gross receipts tax or compensating use tax was paid by the lessor at the time of the purchase of the tangible personal property.
       2. 1. Except as provided in subdivision (31)(D)(ii)(b) of this section, in the case of a lease or rental of tangible personal property for thirty (30) days or more, the tax shall be paid on the basis of rental or lease payments made to the lessor of the tangible personal property during the term of the lease or rental unless Arkansas gross receipts tax or compensating use tax was paid by the lessor at the time of the purchase of the tangible personal property.
          2. In the case of a lease or rental of a motor vehicle for thirty (30) days or more, the tax shall be paid on the basis of rental or lease payments made to the lessor of the motor vehicle during the term of the lease or rental;
32. “Seller” means a person making a sale, lease, or rental of tangible personal property, specified digital products, a digital code, or services;
33. 1. “Soft drink” means a nonalcoholic beverage that contains natural or artificial sweeteners.
    2. “Soft drink” does not include a beverage that contains milk or milk products, soy, rice, or similar milk substitutes, or that is greater than fifty percent (50%) of vegetable or fruit juice by volume;
34. “Specified digital products” means the following when transferred electronically:
    1. Digital audio works;
    2. Digital audio-visual works; and
    3. Digital books;
35. 1. “Tangible personal property” means personal property that can be seen, weighed, measured, felt, or touched or that is in any other manner perceptible to the senses.
    2. “Tangible personal property” includes electricity, water, gas, steam, and prewritten computer software.
    3. “Tangible personal property” does not include specified digital products or a digital code;
36. “Tax period” or “taxable period” means either the calendar period or the taxpayer's fiscal period when a taxpayer has obtained a permit from the Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration or from any of his or her authorized agents to use a fiscal period in lieu of a calendar period;
37. “Taxpayer” means any person liable to remit a tax under this chapter or to make a report for the purpose of claiming any exemption from payment of a tax levied by this chapter;
38. “Tobacco” means a cigarette, cigar, chewing or pipe tobacco, or any other item that contains tobacco; and
39. “Transferred electronically” means obtained by the purchaser by means other than tangible storage media.

History. Acts 1941, No. 386, § 2; 1953, No. 387, §§ 1, 2; 1965, No. 181, § 1; 1977, No. 340, § 1; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 84-1902, 84-1902.1, 84-1902.1n; Acts 1987 (1st Ex. Sess.), No. 13, § 1; 1989, No. 510, § 5; 1995, No. 835, § 1; 1995, No. 1160, § 21; 1997, No. 1076, § 1; 1997, No. 1266, § 1; 1999, No. 1220, § 1; 2003, No. 599, § 1; 2003, No. 1273, § 4; 2007, No. 154, §§ 1, 2; 2007, No. 181, § 11; 2007, No. 550, §§ 1, 2; 2009, No. 384, §§ 1, 2; 2009, No. 655, § 10; 2013, No. 1164, § 1; 2017, No. 141, §§ 6-10; 2019, No. 822, § 17; 2019, No. 910, §§ 3816, 3817.

A.C.R.C. Notes. Acts 2019, No. 822, § 1, provided: “Legislative findings and intent.

“(a) The General Assembly finds that:

“(1) The Arkansas Tax Reform and Relief Legislative Task Force was charged with:

“(A) Examining and identifying areas of potential tax reform within the tax laws; and

“(B) Recommending legislation to the General Assembly to:

“(i) Modernize and simplify the Arkansas tax code;

“(ii) Make Arkansas's tax laws competitive with tax laws in other states;

“(iii) Create jobs; and

“(iv) Ensure fairness to all taxpayers;

“(2) The state's income tax laws should be amended to modernize and simplify the tax code, increase Arkansas's competitiveness, create jobs, and ensure fairness to all taxpayers;

“(3) The inability to effectively collect any Arkansas sales or use tax from remote sellers who deliver tangible personal property, other property subject to Arkansas sales and use tax, or services directly into the state is seriously eroding the sales and use tax base of this state, causing revenue losses and imminent harm to the state through the loss of critical funding for state and local services;

“(4) The harm from the loss of revenue is especially serious in Arkansas because sales and use tax revenue is essential in funding state and local services;

“(5) Despite the fact that a use tax is owed on tangible personal property, certain other property, or services delivered for use in this state, many remote sellers actively market sales as tax-free or as transactions not subject to sales and use tax;

“(6) The structural advantages of remote sellers, including the absence of point-of-sale tax collection and the general growth of online retail, make clear that further erosion of this state's sales and use tax base is likely to occur in the near future;

“(7) Remote sellers that make a substantial number of deliveries into Arkansas or collect large gross revenues from Arkansas benefit extensively from this state's market, economy, and infrastructure;

“(8) In contrast with the increasing harm caused to the state by the exemption of remote sellers from sales and use tax collection duties, the costs of such collection have decreased because advanced computing and software options have made it neither difficult nor burdensome for remote sellers to collect and remit sales and use taxes associated with sales of goods and services to residents of this state;

“(9) The United States Supreme Court recently upheld the ability of states to compel out-of-state sellers with no physical presence in the state to collect state sales and use taxes; and

“(10) Any savings realized by the state through tax reforms should be dedicated to reducing the tax burden for Arkansas taxpayers.

“(b) It is the intent of the General Assembly to:

“(1) Reform Arkansas tax laws to modernize and simplify the tax code, increase the state's competitiveness, create jobs, and ensure fairness to all taxpayers;

“(2) Offset any revenue savings realized through tax reform with corresponding changes to reduce the tax burden for Arkansas taxpayers;

“(3) Gradually reduce the tax burden on Arkansas taxpayers in a fiscally responsible manner; and

“(4) Act on the recommendation of the Arkansas Tax Reform and Relief Legislative Task Force to repeal the throwback rule for business income when the state's budget would allow for that change to be enacted in a fiscally responsible manner.”

Amendments. The 2009 amendment by No. 384 deleted (13)(A)(vi), redesignated the subsequent subdivision accordingly, and made related changes; and added present (14).

The 2009 amendment by No. 655, in (15)(D)(i), deleted “as in effect on January 1, 2007” following “§ 4-1-101 et seq.,” and made related and minor stylistic changes.

The 2013 amendment subdivided (19)(D)(ii); in present (19)(D)(ii) (a) , substituted “Except as provided in subdivision (19)(D)(ii) (b) of this section, in” for “In” at the beginning of the sentence, deleted “including motor vehicles and trailers” before “thirty (30) days,” and added (19)(D)(ii) (b)

The 2017 amendment added the definitions for “Candy”, “Digital audio works”, “Digital audio-visual works”, “Digital books”, “Digital code”, “End user”, “Ringtones”, “Soft drink”, “Specified digital products”, and “Transferred electronically”; inserted “candy, a soft drink” in (18)(B) [now (17)(B)]; inserted “specified digital products, a digital code” twice in (19) and once in (27) [now (32)]; substituted “Installation charges shall” for “Installation charges will” in (19)(A)(v) (b) ; inserted “specified digital products, or a digital code” twice in (26) [now (31)]; added (30)(C) [now (35)(C)]; and made stylistic changes.

The 2019 amendment by No. 822 added the definitions for “Forum”, “Marketplace facilitator”, “Marketplace seller”, “Referral”, “Referrer”, and “Remote seller”.

The 2019 amendment by No. 910 repealed the definition for “Director”; and substituted “Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration” for “director” in (31) [now (36)].

Effective Dates. Acts 2017, No. 141, § 63, as amended by Acts 2017, No. 596, § 1: “Sections 2 through 61 of this act are effective for tax years beginning on and after January 1, 2018.”