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HB2016 - 572R - S Ver
Senate Engrossed
House Bill
tax returns; late
filing; penalties
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
HOUSE BILL 2016
AN
ACT
amending section 42-1125, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to tax administration.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section
1.
1. Section
42-1125, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE
42-1125.
Civil penalties; definition
A. If a taxpayer fails to make and file a return for
a tax administered pursuant to this article on or before the due date of the
return or the due date as extended by the department, unless it is shown that
the failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to wilful neglect, four and
one-half percent of the tax required to be shown on the return shall be
added to the tax for each month or fraction of a month elapsing between the due
date of the return and the date on which it is filed. The total
penalty shall not exceed twenty-five percent of the tax found to be
remaining due. The penalty so added to the tax is due and payable on
notice and demand from the department. For the purpose of computing
the penalty imposed under this subsection, the amount required to be shown as
tax on a return shall be reduced by the amount of any part of the tax that is
paid on or before the beginning of the month and by the amount of any credit
against the tax that may be claimed on the return. If the amount
required to be shown as tax on a return is less than the amount shown as tax on
the return
,
the penalty described in this subsection
shall be applied by substituting the lower amount.
B. If a taxpayer fails or refuses to file a return
on notice and demand by the department, the taxpayer shall pay a penalty of
twenty-five percent of the tax, which is due and payable on notice and
demand by the department, in addition to any penalty prescribed by subsection A
of this section, unless it is shown that the failure is due to reasonable cause
and not due to wilful neglect. This penalty is payable on notice and
demand from the department.
C. If a taxpayer fails or refuses to furnish any
information requested in writing by the department, the department may add a
penalty of twenty-five percent of the amount of any deficiency tax
assessed by the department concerning the assessment of which the information
was required, unless it is shown that the failure is due to reasonable cause
and not due to wilful neglect.
D. If a person fails to pay the amount shown as tax
on any return within the time prescribed, a penalty of one-half of one
percent, not to exceed a total of ten percent, shall be added to the amount
shown as tax for each month or fraction of a month during which the failure
continues, unless it is shown that the failure is due to reasonable cause and
not due to wilful neglect. �If the department determines that the person's
failure to pay was due to reasonable cause and not due to wilful neglect and
that a payment agreement pursuant to section 42-2057 is appropriate, the
department shall not impose the penalty unless the taxpayer fails to comply
with the payment agreement. �If the taxpayer is also subject to a penalty under
subsection A of this section for the same tax period, the total penalties under
subsection A of this section and this subsection shall not exceed twenty-five
percent. For the purpose of computing the penalty imposed under this
subsection:
1. The amount shown as tax on a return shall be
reduced by the amount of any part of the tax that is paid on or before the
beginning of that month and by the amount of any credit against the tax that
may be claimed on the return.
2. If the amount shown as tax on a return is greater
than the amount required to be shown as tax on that return, the penalty shall
be applied by substituting the lower amount.
E. If a person fails to pay any amount required to
be shown on any return that is not so shown within twenty-one calendar
days after the date of notice and demand, a penalty of one-half of one
percent, not to exceed a total of ten percent, shall be added to the amount of
tax for each month or fraction of a month during which the failure continues,
unless it is shown that the failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to
wilful neglect. �If the taxpayer is also subject to penalty under subsection A
of this section for the same tax period, the total penalties under subsection A
of this section and this subsection shall not exceed twenty-five
percent. For the purpose of computing the penalty imposed under this
subsection, any amount required to be shown on any return shall be reduced by
the amount of any part of the tax that is paid on or before the beginning of
that month and by the amount of any credit against the tax that may be claimed
on the return.
F. In the case of a deficiency, for which a
determination is made of an additional amount due, that is due to negligence
but without intent to defraud, the person shall pay a penalty of ten percent of
the amount of the deficiency.
G. If part of a deficiency is due to fraud with
intent to evade tax, fifty percent of the total amount of the tax, in addition
to the deficiency, interest and other penalties provided in this section, shall
be assessed, collected and paid as if it were a deficiency.
H. If the amount, whether determined by the
department or the taxpayer, required to be withheld by the employer pursuant to
title 43, chapter 4 is not paid to the department on or before the date
prescribed for its remittance, the department may add a penalty of twenty-five
percent of the amount required to be withheld and paid, unless it is shown that
the failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to wilful neglect.
I. A person who, with or without intent to evade any
requirement of this article or any lawful administrative rule of the department
of revenue under this article, fails to file a return or to supply information
required under this article or who, with or without such intent, makes,
prepares, renders, signs or verifies a false or fraudulent return or statement
or supplies false or fraudulent information shall pay a penalty of not more
than $1,000. This penalty shall be recovered by the department
of law in the name of this state by an action in any court of competent
jurisdiction.
J. If the taxpayer files what purports to be a
return of any tax administered pursuant to this article but that is frivolous
or that is made with the intent to delay or impede the administration of the
tax laws, that person shall pay a penalty of $500.
K. If any person who is required to file or provide
an information return under this title or title 43 or who is required to file
or provide a return or report under chapter 3 of this title fails to file the
return or report at the prescribed time or in the manner required, or files a
return or report that fails to show the information required, that person shall
pay a penalty of $100 for each month or fraction of a month during which the
failure continues unless it is shown that the failure is due to reasonable
cause and not due to wilful neglect. �The total penalties for each return or
report under this subsection shall not exceed $500.
L. If it appears to the superior court that
proceedings before it have been instituted or maintained by a taxpayer
primarily for delay or that the taxpayer's position is frivolous or groundless,
the court may award damages in an amount not to exceed $1,000 to this state.
Damages so awarded shall be collected as a part of the tax.
M. A person who is required under section 43-413
to furnish a statement to an employee and who wilfully furnishes a false or
fraudulent statement, or who wilfully fails to furnish a statement required by
section 43-413, is for each such failure subject to a penalty
of $50.
N. A person who is required to collect or truthfully
account for and pay a tax administered pursuant to this article, including any
luxury privilege tax, and who wilfully fails to collect the tax or truthfully
account for and pay the tax, or wilfully attempts in any manner to evade or
defeat the tax or its payment, is, in addition to other penalties provided by
law, liable for a penalty equal to the total amount of the tax evaded, not
collected or not accounted for and paid. �Except as provided in subsections U,
V and W of this section, no other penalty under this section relating to
failure to pay tax may be imposed for any offense to which this subsection
applies.
O. For reporting periods beginning from and after
February 28, 2011, if a taxpayer who is required under section 42-1129 to
pay by electronic funds transfer fails to do so, that taxpayer shall pay a
penalty of five percent of the amount of the payment not made by electronic
funds transfer unless it is shown that the failure is due to reasonable cause
and not due to wilful neglect. �For the reporting periods beginning on July 1,
2015, the penalty in this subsection applies to any taxpayer who is required under
section 42-3053 to pay by electronic funds transfer and fails to do so
unless it is shown that the failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to
wilful neglect.
P. Unless due to
reasonable cause and not to wilful neglect:
1. A person who fails
to provide that person's taxpayer identification number in any return,
statement or other document as required by section 42-1105, subsection A
shall pay a penalty of $5 for each such failure.
2. A person, when filing any return, statement or
other document for compensation on behalf of a taxpayer, who fails to include
that person's own taxpayer identification number and the taxpayer's
identification number shall pay a penalty of $50 for each such failure.
3. A person, when filing any return, statement or
other document without compensation on behalf of a taxpayer, who fails to
include that person's own taxpayer identification number and the taxpayer's
identification number is not subject to a penalty.
No other penalty under
this section may be imposed if the only violation is failure to provide
taxpayer identification numbers.
Q. If a taxpayer fails to pay the full amount of
estimated tax required by title 43, chapter 5, article 6, a penalty is assessed
equal to the amount of interest that would otherwise accrue under section 42-1123
on the amount not paid for the period of nonpayment, not exceeding ten percent
of the amount not paid. The penalty prescribed by this subsection is
in lieu of any other penalty otherwise prescribed by this section and in lieu
of interest prescribed by section 42-1123.
R. Beginning January 1, 2015, if a taxpayer
continues in business without timely renewing a municipal privilege tax license
as prescribed in section 42-5005, subsection D, a civil penalty of up to
$25 shall be added to the renewal fee for each jurisdiction.
S. The department of law, with the consent of the
department of revenue, may compromise any penalty for which it may bring an
action under this section.
T. Penalties shall not be assessed under subsection
D of this section on additional amounts of tax paid by a taxpayer at the time
the taxpayer voluntarily files an amended return. This subsection
does not apply if:
1. The taxpayer is under audit by the department.
2. The amended return was filed on demand or request
by the department.
U. In addition to other penalties provided by law, a
person who knowingly and intentionally does not comply with any requirement
under chapter 3 of this title relating to tobacco products shall pay a penalty
of $1,000. A person who knowingly and intentionally does not pay any
luxury tax that relates to tobacco products imposed by chapter 3 of this title
shall pay a penalty that is equal to ten percent of the amount of the unpaid
tax.
V. A manufacturer or
importer or a distributor, as defined in section 42-3001, who knowingly
and intentionally sells or possesses cigarettes with false manufacturing labels
or cigarettes with counterfeit tax stamps, or who obtains cigarettes through
the use of a counterfeit license, shall pay the following penalties:
1. For a first violation involving two thousand or
more cigarettes, $1,000.
2. For a subsequent violation involving two thousand
or more cigarettes, $5,000.
W. The civil penalties in this section are in
addition to any civil penalty under chapter 3, article 10, 11 or 12 of this
title.
X. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section:
1. And except as provided by paragraph 2 of this
subsection, the penalty imposed on a taxpayer that fails to make and file a
return for tax administered pursuant to chapter 5 or 6 of this title on or
before the due date of the return or the due date as extended by the
department, unless it is shown that the failure is due to a reasonable cause
and not due to wilful neglect, is four and one-half percent of the tax
required to be shown on the return, or $25, whichever is greater. �The
penalty shall be added to the tax for each month or fraction of a month
elapsing between the due date of the return and the date on which it is
filed. The total penalty may not exceed twenty-five percent of
the tax required to be shown on the return, or $100, whichever is greater.
2. The penalty imposed on a taxpayer that is
required under section 42-5014 to file electronically and that fails to
do so is five percent of the tax required to be shown on the return,
or $25, whichever is greater, unless the failure is due to a reasonable
cause and not due to wilful neglect.
3. For the purposes of this subsection, "tax
required to be shown on the return" means the total tax liability before
deducting payments.
Y. Notwithstanding subsection B of this section, the
penalty imposed on a taxpayer that fails to file a return pursuant to chapter 5
or 6 of this title on notice and demand by the department is twenty-five
percent of the tax, or $100, whichever is greater. �The penalty is due and
payable on notice and demand by the department, in addition to any penalty
prescribed by subsection A of this section, unless it is shown that the failure
is due to a reasonable cause and not due to wilful neglect.
Z. For the purposes of the tax
imposed pursuant to title 43, chapter 10, penalties may not be assessed under
subsection A of this section if the taxpayer's total liability is zero.
Z.
AA.
For the
purposes of this section, and only as applied to the taxes imposed by chapter
5, articles 1 through 6 and chapter 6, articles 1, 2 and 3 of this title,
"reasonable cause" means a reasonable basis for the taxpayer to
believe that the tax did not apply to the business
activity or the storage, use or consumption of the taxpayer's tangible personal
property in this state.
END_STATUTE
Sec.
2.
2.
Retroactivity
This act applies retroactively to
taxable periods beginning from and after December 31, 2025.