(1) If any dealer or other person fails to remit the tax, or any portion thereof, on or before the day when the tax is required by law to be paid, there will be added to the amount due interest at the rate calculated pursuant to s. 213.235 of the amount due from the date due until paid, except that the annual rate of interest shall never be greater than 12 percent. Interest on the delinquent tax is to be calculated beginning on the 21st day of the month following the month for which the tax is due, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

(2) All penalties and interest imposed by this chapter are payable to and collectible by the department in the same manner as if they were a part of the tax collected under this chapter. The department may settle or compromise any such interest or penalties pursuant to s. 213.21.

(3) If a dealer or other person fails or refuses to make his or her records available for inspection so that an audit or examination of his or her books and records cannot be made, fails or refuses to register as a dealer, fails to make a report and pay the tax as provided by this chapter, makes a grossly incorrect report, or makes a report that is false or fraudulent, the department shall make an assessment from an estimate based upon the best information then available to it for the taxable period of retail sales of the dealer, together with any accrued interest and penalties. The department shall then proceed to collect the taxes, interest, and penalties on the basis of such assessment, which shall be considered prima facie correct; and the burden to show the contrary rests upon the dealer or other person. If the dealer fails to respond to a contact made pursuant to s. 202.27(6), or if a dealer’s records are determined to be inadequate for purposes of determining whether the dealer properly allocated tax to and between local governments, the department may determine the proper allocation or reallocation based upon the best information available to the department and shall seek the agreement of the affected local governments.

(4) Each dealer who makes retail sales of communications services shall add the amount of the taxes imposed or administered under this chapter to the price of the services sold by him or her and shall state the taxes separately from the price of the services on all invoices. The combined amount of taxes due under ss. 202.12 and 203.01 shall be stated and identified as the Florida communications services tax, and the combined amount of taxes due under s. 202.19 shall be stated and identified as the local communications services tax.

(5) A dealer may not advertise or hold out to the public, in any manner, directly or indirectly, that he or she will absorb all or any part of the tax; that he or she will relieve the purchaser of the payment of all or any part of the tax; that the tax will not be added to the selling price of the property or services sold or released; or, when added, that it or any part thereof will be refunded either directly or indirectly by any method. A person who violates this subsection with respect to advertising or refund is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. A second or subsequent offense constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(6) Whenever in the construction, administration, or enforcement of this chapter there is any question respecting a duplication of the tax, the sale to the end consumer or last retail sale is the sale to be taxed, and, insofar as is practicable, there is to be no duplication or pyramiding of the tax.

History.—ss. 27, 58, ch. 2000-260; s. 38, ch. 2001-140; s. 9, ch. 2003-254; s. 6, ch. 2003-395; s. 29, ch. 2005-3.