A. When any distributor fails to make any return or pay the full amount of the tax required by this article, there shall be imposed a specific penalty to be added to the tax in the amount of five percent if the failure is for not more than one month, with an additional two percent for each additional month, or fraction thereof, during which the failure continues, not to exceed 20 percent in the aggregate. In no case, however, shall the penalty be less than $10 and such minimum penalty shall apply whether or not any tax is due for the period for which such return was required. If such failure is due to providential or other good cause shown to the satisfaction of the Tax Commissioner, such return with or without remittance may be accepted exclusive of penalties. In the case of a false or fraudulent return where willful intent exists to defraud the Commonwealth of any tax due under this article, or in the case of a willful failure to file a return with the intent to defraud the Commonwealth of any such tax, a specific penalty of 50 percent of the amount of the proper tax shall be assessed. All penalties and interest imposed by this article shall be payable by the distributor and collectible by the Department in the same manner as if they were a part of the tax imposed.

B. It shall be prima facie evidence of intent to defraud the Commonwealth of any tax due under this article when any distributor reports his purchases at 50 percent or less of the actual amount.

C. Interest at a rate determined in accordance with § 58.1-15 shall accrue on the tax until the same is paid.

No deficiency, interest or penalty shall be assessed for any month after the expiration of three years from the date set for the filing of the return for such month, except in cases of fraud, or where no return has been filed for such month.

D. If the Tax Commissioner determines that the amount paid the Commonwealth under this article in regard to any monthly return was greater than the amount of tax due the Commonwealth, the excess may be taken as a credit by the distributor against a subsequent month's tax imposed under this article. However, if such distributor requests a refund, such excess shall be refunded to the distributor within 45 days of the request. The refund shall include interest at the rate provided in § 58.1-15. Interest on such refunds shall accrue from the due date of the return to which such excess is attributable to or the date such excess was paid to the Department, whichever is later, and shall end on a date determined by the Department preceding the date of the refund check by not more than seven days.

2004, Sp. Sess. I, c. 3; 2005, c. 71.