Florida Sales Tax Rules

12A-1.0015 Sales for Export; Sales to Nonresident Dealers and Foreign Diplomats

(1) SCOPE.

(a) Tangible personal property imported, produced, or manufactured in this state for export, as provided in Section 212.06(5)(a)1., F.S., is not subject to Florida sales tax when the importer, producer, or manufacturer delivers the property to a forwarding agent for export or to a common carrier for shipment outside Florida, or mails the property by United States mail to a destination outside Florida.

(b) The provisions of this rule do not apply to sales of aircraft, boats, mobile homes, motor vehicles, or other vehicles. For guidelines on the export of these items from Florida, see Rule 12A-1.007, F.A.C.

(2) Sales of property irrevocably committed to exportation.

(a) A dealer is required to collect tax on sales of tangible personal property when the property is delivered to the purchaser or the purchaser’s representative in Florida, whether the disclosed or undisclosed intention of the purchaser is to transport the property to a location outside Florida, or whether the property is actually so transported. Every sale of tangible personal property to a person physically present at the time of sale is presumed to have been delivered in Florida.

(b) When a dealer sells tangible personal property, commits the property to the exportation process at the time of sale, and the exportation process remains continuous and unbroken until the property is exported from Florida, the dealer is not required to collect tax. The intent of the seller and the purchaser to export the property is not sufficient to establish that the property is not subject to tax in Florida. The delivery of the property to a location in Florida for subsequent export from Florida is insufficient to establish documentary evidence that the property sold was irrevocably committed to the exportation process. The following are examples of methods to commit the property to the exportation process at the time of sale:

1. The dealer is required by the terms of the sale contract to deliver the property outside Florida using the dealer’s own mode of transportation;

2. The dealer is required by the terms of the sale contract to mail the property by United States mail to a destination located outside Florida; or

3. The dealer is required by the terms of the sale contract to deliver the property to a carrier, licensed customs broker, or forwarding agent for final and certain movement of the property to a destination located outside Florida.

a. The term “carrier” means a person regularly engaged in the business of transporting tangible personal property owned by other persons for compensation. The term “carrier” includes common carriers and contract carriers.

b. The term “licensed customs broker” means a person licensed by the United States customs service to act as a custom house broker.

c. The term “forwarding agent” means a person or business whose principal business activity is facilitating for compensation the export of property owned by other persons.

d. Any person not engaged in the business of receiving tangible personal property owned by other persons and shipping or arranging for shipping for compensation does not become a carrier or forwarding agent by being designated by the purchaser to receive and ship goods to a point outside Florida.

(c) Any dealer who makes tax-exempt sales of tangible personal property for export outside Florida is required to maintain records to document that the property is committed to the exportation process at the time of sale and that the exportation process is continuous and unbroken until the property is exported from Florida. The dealer is required to maintain records that identify the tangible personal property sold and the delivery destination of the property. The documentation must clearly establish that the property was not commingled with the mass of property within Florida. If the purchaser exercises any act of dominion or control that would constitute “use” of the property by the purchaser in Florida within the meaning of that term set forth in Section 212.02(20), F.S., the property was not irrevocably committed to the exportation process. Examples of records to document sales for export to points outside Florida are:

1. Internal delivery orders identifying the property sold and the destination and date of delivery that are supported by receipts of expenses incurred in delivering the property, such as trip tickets or truck logs signed by the person who delivers the property;

2. United States Postal Service parcel post receipts with supporting documentation identifying the property and the destination;

3. Common carriers’ receipts, bills of lading, or similar documentation that evidences the delivery destination;

4. Export declaration;

5. Receipts from a licensed customs broker; or

6. Proof of export signed by a customs officer.

(d)1. Any dealer who makes tax exempt sales of tangible personal property and, in good faith, accepts a valid copy of a Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address or relies on the list of designated forwarding agent addresses on the Department’s website and then ships the property to the designated address on the certificate for export outside of the United States is not liable for any tax due on sales made during the effective dates of the certificate. The dealer must maintain documentation that the property was shipped or delivered by the dealer directly to the forwarding agent address.

2. If tax was not collected by a dealer on tangible personal property shipped to a designated forwarding agent address and the tangible personal property remained in Florida or if delivery to the purchaser or purchaser’s agent occurred in Florida, then the forwarding agent must remit applicable tax on the tangible personal property. This subparagraph does not prohibit the forwarding agent from collecting such tax from the consumer of the tangible personal property.

(e) A dealer who imports taxable tangible personal property into Florida for exportation from Florida is required to maintain documentation that the imported property was irrevocably committed to the exportation process at the time of importation and that the exportation process was continuous and unbroken while such property was within Florida.

(f) Regardless of the evidence maintained by the dealer to document delivery of the property to a common carrier, forwarding agent, or a licensed customs broker for shipment to a location outside Florida, or the mailing of the property by the United States mail to a location outside Florida, tax is due when the property is diverted in transit to the purchaser or the purchaser’s agent or representative in Florida and such person takes possession in Florida, or when for any other reason the property is not delivered outside Florida.

(3) Sales to nonresident dealers.

(a) The sale of taxable tangible personal property to a nonresident dealer is exempt when the selling dealer obtains a statement from the nonresident dealer declaring that the tangible personal property will be transported outside Florida by the nonresident dealer for resale and for no other purpose. The statement executed by the nonresident dealer must include the declaration and all of the following information:

1. The nonresident dealer’s name and address;

2. Evidence of authority to do business in the dealer’s home state or country, such as the nonresident’s business name and address, sales tax registration number, occupational license number, or any other evidence of transacting business in that state or country;

3. For nonresident dealers who are not residents of the United States, the dealer’s passport or visa number and arrival-departure card number;

4. The following provision: “Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have read the foregoing, and the facts alleged are true to the best of my knowledge and belief”; and,

5. The signature of the purchaser executing the statement.

(b) For purposes of this rule, a “nonresident dealer” is any person who does not hold a valid Florida sales tax certificate of registration and who is authorized in another state or country to make sales of tangible personal property in that state or country.

(c) A selling dealer who makes a sale of taxable tangible personal property to a nonresident dealer is required to obtain the required statement or collect the applicable tax on the sale.

(d) The following is a suggested format of the statement to be completed by the purchaser and presented to the selling dealer:

TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY

FOR RESALE BY A NONRESIDENT DEALER

This is to certify that the tangible personal property described below will be transported outside Florida for resale and for no other purpose.

NAME OF SELLING DEALER: _______________________________________________________________________________

DEALER’S ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________________________________

DEALER’S SALES TAX NO.: ________________________________________________________________________________

NAME OF NONRESIDENT DEALER: _________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS OF NONRESIDENT DEALER: ______________________________________________________________________

HOME STATE’S SALES TAX NO.: ___________________________________________________________________________

PASSPORT OR VISA NO.: __________________________________________________________________________________

ARRIVAL-DEPARTURE CARD NO.: _________________________________________________________________________

PURCHASER’S EVIDENCE OF AUTHORITY TO DO BUSINESS IN HOME STATE:

______________________________________________________________________ 

The tangible personal property purchased in Florida on INVOICE NUMBER(S) ______, or described as follows, is solely for resale outside Florida.

Description of Property: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have read the foregoing, and the facts alleged are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

__________________________________________________                             ________________________________________

Signature of Purchasing Nonresident Dealer                                              Date

(4) Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address; Application; Eligibility. 

(a) To apply for a Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address, an applicant must submit a complete Application for a Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address (Form DR-1FA, incorporated by reference in Rule 12A-1.097, F.A.C.), a Florida Business Tax Application (Form DR-1, incorporated by reference in Rule 12A-1.097, F.A.C.), and documentation sufficient to substantiate the applicant’s eligibility for the certificate, including the applicant’s most recently filed federal income tax return. An application for a certificate is complete when all information required to be submitted by Section 212.06(5)(b), F.S., the application, and this rule is provided to the Department. 

(b) To receive a certificate, an applicant is required to demonstrate that: 

1. The applicant’s principal business activity is facilitating for compensation the export of property owned by other persons;

2. The applicant is engaged in international export; and

3. The designated address for which certification is sought is used exclusively by the applicant for receiving tangible personal property originating with a United States vendor for export out of the United States through a continuous and unbroken exportation process.

(c) Each applicant is required to provide the following to demonstrate the business is engaged in the export of property owned by others and supported by the following information:

1.a. A copy of the applicant’s federal income tax return for the preceding taxable year with NAICS code 488510; or

b. A copy of the applicant’s federal income tax return for the preceding taxable year with a NAICS code consistent with the principal business activity of a forwarding agent and an explanation why the NAICS code demonstrates the applicant is a forwarding agent; or

c. An explanation as to why the business did not file a federal income tax return for the preceding taxable year and the NAICS code under which the applicant intends to file a federal income tax return.

2. A description of all business activity that occurs at each designated address submitted on the Application for a Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address. 

3.a. Applicants who include a copy of their federal income tax return are required to include a statement of total revenues, a statement of revenues associated with facilitating for compensation the export of property owned by other persons, and a statement of revenues associated with international export. These statements must be from the year preceding the date of application.

b. Applicants who do not include a copy of their federal income tax return are required to include a statement of total estimated revenues, a statement of estimated revenues associated with facilitating for compensation the export of property owned by other persons, and a statement of estimated revenues associated with international export.

4. Certification that 

a. The tangible personal property delivered to the designated address for export originates with a United States vendor; and

b. The tangible personal property delivered to the designated address for export is irrevocably committed to export out of the United States through a continuous and unbroken exportation process; and

c. The designated address is used exclusively by the forwarding agent for such export; and

d. The principal business activity is that of a forwarding agent; and

e. The applicant is engaged in international export.

(d) When an application is approved, the applicant will be issued a Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address (Form DR-14FAA), which is valid from the “Issue Date” through the “Expiration Date” as indicated on the certificate unless revoked or surrendered prior to the expiration date. After a certificate is issued, the following information will be published on the Department’s website:

1. The name of the forwarding agent’s business.

2. The designated address of the forwarding agent.

3. The issue date and the expiration date provided on the certificate.

(e) When an application is incomplete, the Department will issue a letter notifying the applicant of the documentation or information that is to be provided to the Department within 30 days following the date of the notification. If an applicant fails to provide the required documentation or information and the application remains incomplete or the Department is not able to approve an application, a notice explaining the reason for the denial will be mailed to the applicant. The applicant may protest the denial pursuant to Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S., within 21 days after the date of the notice.

(f) Beginning July 1, 2023, each business holding a Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address must submit Form DR-1FA to verify the designated address used by the forwarding agent no later than July 1 each year. The submission of Form DR-1FA for annual verification is not due in the same calendar year in which an initial Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address is issued or the calendar year in which a certificate is renewed.

(g) Within 30 days of any material change, business holding a Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address must submit an updated Form DR-1FA documenting the material change. 

1. A change is considered material if the change affects the following information previously submitted by the certificate holder:

a. Florida Business Partner Number

b. Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)

c. Legal Name of Business

d. Contact Person, including changes to their contact information

e. Mailing Address

f. Business Website

g. Designated Address(es)

h. Description of all business activity conducted at the designated address(es)

i. Federal Income Tax Return (if one was not included with the initial application)

2. A change is not considered material if it relates to a new federal income tax return if one was provided with the initial application; new documentation demonstrating the applicant remains engaged in international export; or changes in revenues or estimated revenues, unless the changes demonstrate that the principal business activity is no longer the facilitation for compensation the export of property owned by others.

3. The Department will notify the applicant when a material change requires submission of an updated Form DR-1.

(h) At least 30 days before the expiration date on a Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address, an application for renewal must be submitted using Form DR-1FA, along with documentation sufficient to substantiate the applicant’s eligibility for the certificate. Form DR-1 is not required to be submitted with a renewal application, unless the Department notifies the applicant. The Department will review the renewal application in the same manner as the initial application.

(i) Certificate holders must immediately notify the Department, in writing, should the business no longer meet the eligibility requirements, provided in paragraph (b), for a Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address and must surrender their certificate. 

1. The written notification must include the Florida business partner number, federal employer identification number (FEIN), legal name of business, a statement as to why the business no longer meets the requirements of a forwarding agent as provided in Section 212.06(5)(b), F.S., and the business is surrendering its Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address.

2. The written notification is to be submitted to the Department by email at Exemptions@floridarevenue.com, by fax to (850)488-5997, or by mail to:

Account Management MS 1-5730

Florida Department of Revenue

5050 W. Tennessee St.

Tallahassee FL 32399-0160

(j) If at any time the Department has reason to believe that a business holding a Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address is not eligible for a certificate or is otherwise not in compliance with Section 212.06(5)(b), F.S., or this rule, the certificate holder will be sent a written notice of intent to revoke the certificate stating the reasons for such revocation.

1. The Department may request information from the certificate holder regarding its business operations to demonstrate its eligibility for a certificate or its compliance with all provisions of Section 212.06(5)(b), F.S., and this rule. Failure to provide the requested information within thirty (30) days of request is grounds for revocation of the certificate.

2. The certificate holder has the right to request an administrative hearing, to be conducted in accordance with Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S. and Rule Chapter 28-106, F.A.C., to dispute the notice of intent to revoke the certificate. The request must be received by the Department within 30 consecutive calendar days after the date of the notice. The Department’s notice of intent to revoke the certificate will become final if no timely request for a hearing is received or if, following an administrative hearing, the Department issues a final order revoking the certificate.

(k) An entity whose Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address has expired, been surrendered, or revoked by the Department is prohibited from extending a copy of its certificate to a selling dealer. Upon surrender, revocation, or expiration of a certificate without renewal, the forwarding agent’s information will be removed from the Department’s online list of forwarding agents holding a valid Florida Certificate of Forwarding Agent Address.

(5) Sales to foreign diplomats, consular employees, and members of their families.

(a) Sales to foreign diplomats, consular officers, consular employees, and members of their families are entitled to certain sales tax exemptions or limitations determined by the United States Department of State when the United States Department of State has determined that the foreign nation represented has a treaty with the United States that exempts United States diplomats, consular officers, consular employees, and members of their families from the foreign country’s similar state and local sales taxes. Foreign diplomats and consular personnel seeking an exemption from Florida sales tax must personally present to the vendor at the time of purchase a tax exemption card issued to the individual by the United States Department of State. The tax exemption card will set forth the terms of the sales tax exemption to which the individual is entitled and will serve as the seller’s authority to allow the specific sales tax exemption as provided on the card to the named person whose photograph appears on the card.

(b) To document qualified tax-exempt sales to foreign diplomats and consular personnel, the selling dealer must maintain:

1. A copy of both sides of the tax exemption card; or

2. The following information as shown on the tax exemption card issued to the purchaser: mission name, name of purchaser, date of sale, amount of sale, stripe color code or other indication of the level of exemption, expiration date, the tax exemption number, and the United States Department of State card number.

(c) Questions regarding the diplomatic exemption should be directed in writing to the Florida Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Services, Mail Stop 3-2000, 5050 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0112 or by telephone to Taxpayer Services at (850)488-6800.

(6) Recordkeeping requirements.

(a)1. Selling dealers must maintain copies of internal delivery orders and supporting documentation, trip tickets, truck log records, United States Postal Service parcel post receipts, bills of lading, receipts from common carriers, export declarations, customs documents, receipts from licensed customs brokers, statements signed by a customs officer, declarations by nonresident dealers, copies of tax-exemption cards issued by the United States Department of State, exemption certificates, and other documentation required under the provisions of this rule until tax imposed by Chapter 212, F.S., may no longer be determined and assessed under Section 95.091(3), F.S.

2. Electronic storage by the selling dealer of the required certificates and other documentation will be sufficient compliance with the provisions of this subsection.

(b)1. Forwarding agents must maintain copies of sales invoices or receipts between the vendor and the consumer when provided by the vendor or export documentation evidencing the value of the purchase consistent with the federal Export Administration Regulations, 15 C.F.R. parts 730-774; copies of federal income tax returns evidencing the forwarding agent’s NAICS principal business activity code; copies of invoices or other documentation evidencing shipment to the forwarding agent; invoices between the forwarding agent and the consumer or other documentation evidencing the ship-to destination outside the United States; invoices for foreign postal or transportation services; bills of lading; and any other export documentation.

2. These records must be kept in an electronic format and made available to the Department at reasonable times and by reasonable means.

Rulemaking Authority 212.06(5)(b)13., 212.18(2), 213.06(1) FS. Law Implemented 212.02(20), 212.05(1), 212.06(1), (2), (5), 212.12(9), 212.13(1), (2), (3), (4), 212.21(3), 213.37 FS. History–New 6-12-03, Amended 6-14-22.