(a) The surcharge imposed by this chapter is due and payable to the commissioner monthly on or before the last day of the month next succeeding each monthly period except that every person whose total surcharge liability for the twelve-month period ended on the preceding September thirtieth was less than four thousand dollars shall file returns and pay the surcharge on a quarterly basis. “Quarterly” means a period of three calendar months commencing on the first day of January, April, July or October of each year or, if any seller commences business on a date other than the first day of January, April, July or October, a period beginning on the date of commencement of business and ending on March thirty-first, June thirtieth, September thirtieth or December thirty-first, respectively.

(b) On or before the last day of the month following each monthly or quarterly period, as the case may be, a return for the preceding period shall be filed with the commissioner in such form as the commissioner may prescribe. Returns shall be signed by the person required to file the return or by his authorized agent but need not be verified by oath, provided a return required to be filed by a corporation shall be signed by an officer of such corporation.

(c) The return shall show the number and rental period of all vehicles leased by the lessor during the preceding reporting period. The return shall also show the amount of the surcharges for the period covered by the return in such manner as the commissioner may require and such other information as the commissioner deems necessary for the proper administration of this chapter.

(d) Any person who fails to pay the surcharge imposed by this chapter to the state or any amount of surcharge required to be collected and paid to the state within the time required shall pay a penalty of fifteen per cent of the surcharge or fifty dollars, whichever amount is greater, in addition to the surcharge or amount of the surcharge, plus interest at the rate of one per cent per month or fraction thereof from the due date of such surcharge or amount of surcharge required to be collected to the date of payment. Subject to the provisions of section 12-3a, the commissioner may waive all or any part of the penalties provided under this chapter when it is proven to the satisfaction of the commissioner that failure to pay any surcharge was due to reasonable cause and was not intentional or due to neglect.

(e) The commissioner, if the commissioner deems it necessary in order to ensure payment to or facilitate the collection by the state of the amount of surcharges, may permit or require returns and payment of the amount of surcharges for other than monthly or quarterly periods.

(f) The commissioner for good cause may extend the time for making any return and paying any amount required to be paid under this chapter if a written request therefor is filed with the commissioner together with a tentative return which must be accompanied by a payment of the surcharge, which shall be estimated in such tentative return, on or before the last day for filing the return. Any person to whom an extension is granted shall pay, in addition to the surcharge, interest at the rate of one per cent per month or fraction thereof from the date on which the surcharge would have been due without the extension until the date of payment.

(g) The proceeds from the surcharge imposed by this chapter shall be deposited in the General Fund.

(P.A. 92-184, S. 7, 19; P.A. 94-95, S. 16; P.A. 95-26, S. 37, 52; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-1, S. 108; P.A. 18-26, S. 24.)

History: P.A. 92-184, S. 7 effective July 1, 1992, and applicable to rentals or leases of motor vehicles entered into on or after that date; P.A. 94-95 changed name of fund from “tourism fund” to “tourism account”; P.A. 95-26 amended Subsec. (d) to lower interest rate from 1.66% to 1% and deleted Subsec. (e) re postmark of returns, relettered the remaining Subsecs., and lowered the interest rate in Subsec. (f) from 1.66% to 1%, effective July 1, 1995, and applicable to taxes due and owing on or after July 1, 1995, whether or not those taxes first became due before said date; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-1 amended Subsec. (g) to redirect surcharge revenue to the General Fund, effective August 16, 2003; P.A. 18-26 made technical changes in Subsec. (e).