(a) If any corporation claims that the annual franchise tax or any penalties or interest were erroneously or illegally fixed or paid with respect to a calendar year, the corporation may, not later than March 1 of the second calendar year following the close of such calendar year, petition the Secretary of State for a reduction or refund of such tax, penalties or interest.

(b) Prior to the filing of a certificate required by § 312(c) of this title, a corporation may petition the Secretary of State for a reduction of taxes, penalties or interest which the State claims are due it pursuant to § 312(g) of this title and which the corporation claims have been erroneously or illegally fixed.

(c) If the Secretary of State determines the tax, interest and/or penalties fixed by the Secretary or taxes paid are excessive or incorrect, in whole or in part, the Secretary shall resettle the same and adjust the assessment of tax, interest or penalties accordingly and shall refund to the corporation any amount paid in excess of the proper amount of tax, interest and/or penalties so determined to be due. In the case of any corporation which is not required to pay an annual tax under § 501(a) of this title, the Secretary of State may remit all or part of the penalties and interest provided in this chapter. Any refund due to a corporation which has merged into another Delaware domestic corporation shall be credited to the surviving Delaware corporation.

(d) Any corporation, within a period of 60 days after the determination by the Secretary of State on a petition filed pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section, may petition the Court of Chancery, in and for the county where the registered office or place of business of the corporation is located, for a review de novo of the determination of the Secretary of State. The petition shall set forth the facts upon which the petitioner relies. The Secretary of State shall be named as respondent in any such petition and be served therewith in the same manner as if the Secretary of State were a defendant in a civil suit.

(e) If the Court of Chancery determines that the tax, interest and/or penalties determined by the Secretary of State pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section are excessive or incorrect, in whole or in part, it shall resettle the same and adjust the assessment of tax, interest or penalties accordingly, and notify the corporation and the Secretary of State of its determination and direct the Secretary of State to refund to the corporation any amount paid in excess of the proper amount of tax, interest and/or penalties so determined to be due. The Court of Chancery may remit all or part of the penalties and interest provided in § 502 of this title.

21 Del. Laws, c. 166, § 17; 22 Del. Laws, c. 15, § 17; Code 1915, § 119; 36 Del. Laws, c. 6, § 8; 37 Del. Laws, c. 7, § 3; Code 1935, § 103; 41 Del. Laws, c. 7, § 1; 8 Del. C. 1953, § 505; 55 Del. Laws, c. 90, § 1; 56 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 32; 57 Del. Laws, c. 712, § 1; 58 Del. Laws, c. 450, § 4; 60 Del. Laws, c. 371, § 15; 67 Del. Laws, c. 190, §§ 15, 16; 70 Del. Laws, c. 79, § 22; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 339, § 101; 77 Del. Laws, c. 253, § 70.