§237-36 Erroneous returns, disallowance of exemption, payment. If any return made is erroneous, or is so deficient as not to disclose the full tax liability, or if the taxpayer, in the taxpayer's return, shall disclaim liability for the tax on any gross income or gross proceeds of sales liable to the tax, or if the taxpayer shall make application under section 237-23 for an exemption to which the taxpayer is not entitled, the department of taxation shall correct the error or assess the proper amount of taxes. If such recomputation results in an additional tax liability, or if the department proposes to assess any gross income or gross proceeds of sales by reason of the disallowance of an exemption claimed in the return or for which application has been filed, the department shall first give notice to the taxpayer of the proposed assessment, and the taxpayer shall thereupon have an opportunity within thirty days to confer with the department. After the expiration of thirty days from the notification the department shall assess the gross income or gross proceeds of sales of the taxpayer or any portion thereof which the department believes has not theretofore been assessed, and shall give notice to the taxpayer of the amount of the tax, and the amount thereof shall be paid within twenty days after the date the notice was mailed, properly addressed to the taxpayer at the taxpayer's last known address or place of business.

No preliminary notice shall be necessary where the amount of the tax is calculated by the department from gross income returned by the taxpayer as subject to the tax (unless the taxpayer shall have claimed that the applicable rate of tax is lower than the rate of tax applied by the department); in such case the tax shall be due and payable on the tenth day after the date the statement was mailed. In a case of disallowance of an exemption for which application was made under section 237-23 the department, before making an assessment, may require the applicant, by demand made upon the applicant by mail or delivery thereof to the address shown in the application, to file information returns as to the applicant's gross income or gross proceeds of sales within such reasonable time as the department may allow, and in the event of failure, neglect, or refusal to comply with the demand, the department shall make an assessment under section 237-38, in lieu of this section. [L 1935, c 141, §7(1); am L 1941, c 265, §5; RL 1945, §5467; am L 1945, c 253, §9; am L 1947, c 111, §10; am L 1953, c 125, pt of §10; RL 1955, §117-31; am L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §16; HRS §237-36; gen ch 1985]