Blog Posts in Florida Automotive Industry

If a business has any experience owing money to the Florida Department of Revenue (FDOR), then it likely knows that as an open business it faces a serious risk of having its bank account being frozen. ...

As a business owner, you can be doing everything right with running your business. One day you may open your mail to find an audit notice from the Florida Department of Revenue. While fear may come to ...

On December 29, 2021, we posted an article on our website entitled, “Florida DOR’s 2022 Legislative Package BAD for Florida Business”, which included a link to the twenty proposed ideas prepared by ...

Peer-to-Peer Car-Sharing Companies Must Collect Florida Sales Tax Jan 1, 2022 Starting January 1, 2022, peer-to-peer car sharing service such as Turo.com and GetARound.com, will need collect and remit ...

NEED 2023 RATES? CLICK HERE Florida is the only state in the United States to impose a sales tax on commercial rent. For years now, the state of Florida has considered itself at a competitive ...

On February 25, 2021, the Florida Supreme Court struct down Hillsborough County’s 1% surtax earmarked for transportation originally enacted in 2018. Business owners have been in a state of limbo ...

Capital leases are an excellent way to plan for the future as well as take advantage of unique Florida sales and use tax benefits. However, the Florida Department of Revenue sees a capital lease and ...

When selling a motor vehicle to individuals who are not Florida residents, car dealers must ensure the sale is properly documented. If not, then the Florida Department of Revenue may come after the ...

Understanding settlement authority of the Department of Revenue when there is doubt as to liability Part I of 2 The statutory framework for compromise of taxes, interest and associated penalties . ...

Things to know before starting a Florida sales and use tax audit A Florida sales and use tax audit can be a very stressful and complicated event. I would like to go over some basic facts you should be ...

Everyone is aware that the recent pandemic has impacted businesses and the overall economy. This necessarily has impacted the amount of tax revenue going to the state of Florida and its counties. What ...

If you get chosen to be audited by the Florida Department of Revenue you should understand how most auditors think and operate. Auditors are taught two main concepts that drive most audits. ALL ...

A sale in Florida subject to sales tax normally requires the seller to collect Florida sales tax from the purchaser. In cases where a customer believes a business has charged too much sales tax, the ...

The Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) has traditionally issued two different types of sales and use tax audit notices. These are the DR-840 “full” audit notice that was traditionally issued from a ...

Florida car dealers have a powerful sales and use tax tool at their disposal to lure customers to Florida. Some dealers are unaware of this provision. Other dealers might misapply it. Car dealers need ...

There are a lot of firms out there claiming to be able to help you with your sales tax audit. Hiring someone to represent your company during a sales tax audit is a serious decision. You should ...

If you operate a tow truck company in Florida, then chances are you received a notice from the Florida Department of Revenue (“Department”) wanting to do a Florida sales and use tax audit of your ...

The Florida Department of Revenue just announced a small bit of tax relief for businesses affected by the economic effects coronavirus pandemic. Big picture, the Florida Department of Revenue will ...

As many businesses are forced to close while others are forced to scale back hours or types of operations (e.g. take out only for restaurants), many business owners are worried about how to pay their ...

The ride sharing industry has taken the world by storm since 2009 when UBER started the concept of “ride sharing services” to compete with the taxi industry. Lyft joined the industry in 2012, creating ...

Looking for 2021 sales tax rates on commercial rent? Click HERE . Florida is the only state in the nation that subjects commercial rent to sales tax, which puts Florida at a competitive disadvantage ...

In a modern economy, virtually everything is purchased and sold over the internet. Even groceries can now be ordered on demand from local Whole Foods. While sales tax has always been a charge ...

Technology and Florida’s sales and use tax laws have been playing a game of cat and mouse for decades. As new technology enters the market, Florida tries to capture that new technology under its ...

Florida taxpayers are often surprised to discover that labor is subject to sales and use tax. However, it is not all labor that is subject to tax. Instead, it is only certain types of labor. To make ...

It is important for dealers to understand the Florida sales tax treatment of leased vehicles. The failure to do so could result in a devastating assessment down the line. Generally, when a car is ...

Most sales or uses occurring in Florida are taxed at the full Florida state sales and use tax rate plus any applicable local surtax rate. However, there are certain exceptions to this rule. One ...

It is a generally settled principle that items purchased for lease to a business’s customers allows the business to purchase those items tax free. Slightly less well known is the provision in section ...

If you or your client is a used car dealer, then you likely have been exposed to or at least worried about a sales tax audit by the Florida Department of Revenue. If that wasn’t bad enough, you now ...

If you are registered with the Florida Department of Revenue (“Department”) for sales and use tax purposes, you most likely have a requirement to file a Sales and Use Tax Return, Form DR-15. ...

The Florida Department of Revenue (FDOR) loves to send out mailings to taxpayers. In many cases, the FDOR’s computer system sends out the “good” news automatically when there is an amount that is due. ...

If you are here reading about your right to file a FLORIDA SALES TAX INFORMAL WRITTEN PROTEST , then you have just been through a Florida sales and use tax audit, a mind numbing experience in which a ...

Business owners should be aware that the Florida Department of Revenue is getting very aggressive in their approach to sales and use tax audits as well as reemployment tax audits. By using a wide ...

Does your business make donations to help fund scholarships? Does your business also pay sales tax on commercial rent? As of October 1, 2018, Florida businesses can apply to reduce the sales tax on ...

The purpose of this article is to discuss one of the most beneficial areas of Florida sales tax law – The Florida Voluntary Disclosure Program. Florida’s sales tax laws are endlessly complicated. ...

2018 TIP 18A01-01 Florida Sales Tax Rates on Cars for Nonresident Purchasers When a non-resident buys a car from a Florida car dealer, then there is a way to limit the sales tax charged to the ...

If your business has a sales tax problem with the Florida Department of Revenue, then you DON’T want to hire a “tax resolution” firm that specializes in IRS collections work. You want a law firm whose ...

When an audit is initiated against a car dealer, it can send owners scrambling for records of all kinds. From bad debts to out-of-state sales, there are countless documents from the three-year period ...

2017 Florida Sales Tax Car Exemption for Nonresident Purchasers Florida Car Dealers – the publication for 2017 sales tax rates on vehicle sales throughout the United States has arrived! Florida ...

THE AFTERSHOCK: THE UNFORSEEN EFFECTS OF A FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION When considering the risks of opening a business, the loss of freedom probably does not make people’s ...

Whether your client is obsessive about taxes, remits every penny of tax collected, or doesn’t even sell tangible personal property – I guarantee you that your client missed something that should have ...

If your business buys products or materials in Florida to resell, then having a Florida Department of Revenue issued annual resale certificate is an essential part of your business. The resale ...

Florida Reemployment Tax Audit The Big Question: Employee or Independent Contractor? Many employers classify employees as independent contractors to receive economic and business benefits, one of them ...

CARE FOR A MERGER? THINK ABOUT SALES TAXES 1 ST ! Business owners often elect to consolidate their businesses through some form of a corporate merger. Although there are several essential aspects to ...

Rhinehart Equipment on to the Appellate Courts Just when the Florida Department of Revenue ("Department") thinks they have finally chalked up a sales tax legal victory, Rhinehart Equipment comes back ...

ORLANDO USED CAR DEALER ARRESTED FOR SALES TAX 2014 appeared to be the Year of the Florida Used Car Dealer, but not in a good way. As of early July 2014, at least a dozen used car dealers had been ...

FL Tax Audits – Taxpayer Bill of Rights Protects No Rights I have seen a lot of information and discussions about the IRS mistreating taxpayers. Being in Florida, this made me think of protections ...

WHEN SALES TAX AUDITORS MAY NOT PICK AND CHOOSE RECORDS TO USE On April 17, 2015, an administrative law judge handed the Florida Department of Revenue a major setback when he ruled on what records ...

FL Sales Tax – Cash or Accrual Basis? While the age old question of what comes first – the chicken or the egg – gets much more press, the question of whether Florida sales tax should be accounted for ...

MELBOURNE USED CAR DEALER ARRESTED FOR SALES TAX On December 30, 2014, [name omitted] was arrested for sales tax fraud by the Brevard County Sherriff's Department. [Name omitted], a resident of Fort ...

For many business owners in Florida, their annual Florida resale certificate is a key component to a profitable business. If the business had to pay sales tax when buying inventory, then the company's ...

On November 14, 2014, [name omitted] was arrested for sales tax fraud. [Name omitted] was the owner of TNS Auto Sales, Inc. a used car dealership located at 9171 103 rd Street, Jacksonville, Florida. ...

As has been noted by our firm and in other comments in articles and message boards, the FL DOR has experienced much attrition in its auditor ranks over the last few years. There are a number of ...

2014 FICPA DOR LIAISON MEETING For more than 30 years, the FICPA and the Florida Department of Revenue have meet once a year to discuss that state of affairs between our state's taxing authority and ...

FLORIDA SALES TAX AUDITS OF CAR DEALERS ON THE RISE If you are a new or used car dealer in Florida, then you should be reviewing your sales tax procedures. This is because the Florid Department of ...

FL DOR SALES TAX EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE MOBILE APP What do Angry Birds, Wonderlists, Starbucks, Groupon and the Florida Department of Revenue all have in common? As of a few weeks ago, they all have ...

When a Closed Business Isn't Closed to the DOR According to the Small Business Administration, about 50% of businesses close within 5 years of starting. This means that a significant number of company ...

FL SALES TAX – RESALE TO OUT OF STATE CAR DEALERS Just wanted to give everyone a heads up concerning something that is popping up on car dealer audits lately, specifically concerning sales from a ...

ST PETERSBURG SALES TAX ATTORNEY | SALES TAX AUDIT DEFENSE If you are in the St Petersburg/Clearwater area and the Florida Department of Revenue is focused on your business or your client's business ...

Sarasota Sales Tax Attorney | Sales Tax Audit Help If you are in the Sarasota/Bradenton area and the Florida Department of Revenue is focused on your business or your client's business for Florida ...

Orlando Sales Tax Attorney | Sales Tax Audit If you are in the Orlando/Maitland area and the Florida Department of Revenue is focused on your business or your client's business for Florida sales and ...

Rental of Real Property or Rental of TPP vs Leased Equipment We received several inquiries lately on the topic of the rental of real property versus the rental of tangible personal property (TPP) in ...

FL Used Car Audits – What is taxable? Our law firm handles Florida sales and use tax controversies for a wide variety of industries. However, lately we have seen more and more audits involving used ...

It appears to be the Year of the Florida Used Car Dealer in 2014, but not in a good way. As of early July 2014, at least a dozen used car dealers have been arrested on charges of sales tax fraud ...

FLORIDA SALES & USE TAX AUDITS: DUELING PERSPECTIVES As one of the few Florida licensed attorneys to have ever worked as both a Sales and Use Tax Auditor for the Florida Department of Revenue (FL DOR) ...

FL SALES AND USE TAX – AUDIT TIMELINE FROM THE DOR'S PERSPECTIVE Given how stealthily complex Florida sales and use tax can be for most businesses, a sales and use tax audit can be a very expensive ...

On March 1, 2012, the Florida Department of Revenue ("FDOR") announced [name omitted], was arrested by the Broward County Sheriff's Office. The charges were that he allegedly collected over $14,000 in ...

BROWARD USED CAR DEALER ARRESTED FOR SALES TAX On January 6, 2014, [ name omitted ], owner of Vehicles 4 Sale, Inc. located at 900 North State Road 7, Hollywood, Florida, was arrested because he ...

FL CAR DEALERS: GEORGIA SALES TAX ON CARS IS NOW ZERO! The purpose of this article is to inform Florida car dealers and prospective car buyers from Georgia that there has been a recent change in ...

Over the past few years, our comrades in Tallahassee have targeted the Florida convenience store industry. We are aware of the onslaught as we have defended hundreds of companies that sell alcohol and ...

If your company received a Form DR-840 Notice of Intent to Audit Books and Records for Sales and Use Tax from the Florida Department of Revenue, then you probably have a lot of questions. Whether you ...

ORLANDO USED CAR DEALER ARRESTED FOR SALES TAX In June 2013, [ name omitted ], owner of BAS Specialty Cars, Inc. located at 1580 South Ronald Reagan Blvd, Orlando, Florida, was arrested because she ...

On April 8, 2013, [ name omitted ], owner of Palm Trading Group, LLC was arrested by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office on felony charges concerning theft of over $49,000 of sales tax (collecting ...

USED CAR DEALERS ARE THE FOCUS OF A STATEWIDE SALES TAX SWEEP BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. HERE IS THE REASON WHY… Because our law firm practices almost exclusively against the Florida ...