This rule applies to sales of communication services billed prior to November 23, 2011. For communication service, telecommunication service, ancillary service and other related communication service billed on or after November 23, 2011, refer to 701-Chapter 224, Iowa Administrative Code. The gross receipts from the sale of all communication services provided in this state are subject to tax. (Communication services are not subject to use tax prior to July 1, 2001. See rule 701-31.7 (423).)
(1) Definitions. a. Communication service shall mean the act of providing, for a consideration, any medium or method for, or the act of transmission and receipt of, information between two or more points. Each point must be capable of both transmitting and receiving information if "communication" is to occur. The term "communication service" includes, but is not limited to, the transmission and receipt of sound, printed materials (including letters and materials printed by teletype), other images perceived visually and data encoded in computer languages. Any separate charge for the service of transmitting and receiving information between automatic data processing equipment and remote facilities shall be subject to tax, see paragraph 18.34(3)"c."b. Communication service is provided "in this state" only if both the points of origination and termination of the communication are within the borders of Iowa. Communication service between any other points is "interstate" in nature and not subject to tax.c. "Gross receipts" from the sale of communication service in this state shall mean all charges to any person which are necessary for the ultimate user to secure the service, except those charges which are in the nature of a sale for resale (see subrule 18.20(4)). Such charges shall be taxable if the charges are necessary to secure communication service in this state even though payment of the charge may also be necessary to secure other services. Any charge necessary to secure only interstate communication service shall not be subject to tax if the nature of the service is separately stated and the charge for the service separately billed. For the present, the charges imposed by the Federal Communications Commission and referred to as "access charges for interstate or foreign access services" to an "end user" shall not be subject to tax if separately stated and billed. Charges imposed or approved by the utilities division of the department of commerce which are necessary to secure long distance service in this state, for example, "end user intrastate access charges," are taxable. Such charges are taxable whether they result from an expense incurred from operations or are imposed by the mandate of the utilities division and unrelated to any expense actually incurred in providing the service.
If company A collects gross receipts from ultimate users for communication services performed in this state by company B, company A shall treat those gross receipts as its own, collect tax upon them, and remit the tax to the department. The situation is similar to a consignment sale of tangible personal property, and tax must be remitted by the company collecting the gross receipts from the users of the communication services.
d. Paging services. A one-way paging service is not a taxable enumerated service in Iowa because one-way paging only receives information and is not capable of transmitting information. As a result, this type of pager service is not a two-way transmission.(2) This subrule is applicable to various specific circumstances involving the sale of communication services. a. Companies which bill their subscribers for communication services on a quarterly, semiannual, annual or any other periodic basis shall include the amount of such billings in their gross receipts. The date of the billing shall determine the period for which sales tax shall be remitted. Thus, if the date of a billing is March 31, and the due date for payment of the bill without penalty is April 20, tax upon the gross receipts contained in the bill shall be included in the sales tax return for the first quarter of the year. The same principle shall be used to determine when tax will be included in payment of a sales tax deposit to the department.b. The gross receipts from the service of transmitting messages, night letters, day letters and all other messages of similar nature between two or more points within this state are subject to sales tax.c. Receipts from communication services performed for all divisions, boards, commissions, agencies or instrumentalities of federal, Iowa, county or municipal government, and private, nonprofit educational institutions in this state for educational purposes are exempt from tax, except sales to any tax-levying body used by or in connection with the operation of any municipally owned utility engaged in selling gas, electricity or heat to the general public are subject to tax.(3) This subrule is specifically applicable to companies and other persons providing telephone service in this state. Any reasoning contained in this subrule may also be applied to companies or other persons providing other communication services. a. All companies must have a permit for each business office which provides communication service in this state. The companies must collect and remit tax upon the gross receipts from the operation of such offices.b. If a minimum amount is guaranteed to a company from the operation of any coin-operated telephone, tax shall be computed on the minimum amount guaranteed or the actual taxable gross receipts collected whichever is the greater.c. In computing tax due, the federal taxes identified as such, separately billed and payable by the customer shall be excluded from gross receipts. If the taxes are not separately billed, they shall be subject to Iowa sales tax.d. Telegrams and like charges made to the accounts of subscribers and billed by companies providing telephone service which appear on the subscribers' toll bills are subject to tax.e. Charges for directory assistance service rendered in this state shall be subject to tax. Charges for directory assistance service, separately stated and billed, shall not be subject to tax if the service is interstate in nature.f. The gross receipts from the installation or repair of any inside wire which provides electrical current that allows an electronics device to function shall be subject to tax. Such gross receipts are from the enumerated service of electrical repair or installation, and are thus subject to tax. The gross receipts from "inside wire maintenance charges" for services performed under a service or warranty contract shall also be subject to tax. Depending on circumstances, such receipts are for the enumerated service of "electrical repair" or are incurred under an "optional service or warranty contract" for an enumerated service. In either event, the receipts are subject to tax. See rule 701-18.25 (422,423).g. The gross receipts from the rental of any device for home or office use or to provide a communication service to others shall be fully taxable; such receipts are for the enumerated service of "rental of tangible personal property." The gross receipts from rental include rents, royalties, and copyright and license fees. Any periodic fee for maintenance of the device which is included in the gross receipts for the rental of the device shall also be subject to tax.h. The sale of any device, new or used, in place at the time of sale on the customer's premises or sold to the customer elsewhere is the sale of tangible personal property, and thus a sale subject to tax. The sale of an entire inventory of devices may or may not be subject to tax, depending upon whether it does or does not come within the purview of the casual sales exemption, see Iowa Code section 422.42(2) and subrule 18.28(3). Other exemptions may be applicable as well. See Iowa Code section 422.45 and 701-Chapter 17.i. The gross receipts for the repair or installation of inside wire or the repair or installation of any electronic device, including a telephone or telephone switching equipment shall, as a general rule, be subject to tax whether the customer or purchaser is billed by way of a flat fee or flat hourly charge covering all costs including labor and materials, or by way of a premises visit or trip charge, or by a single charge covering and not distinguishing between charges for labor and materials, or is billed by a charge with labor and material segregated, or is billed for labor only. An exception is this: If the gross receipts are for services on or in connection with new construction, reconstruction, alteration, expansion or remodeling of a building or structure, the gross receipts shall not be subject to tax. For further information concerning the conditions under which such gross receipts for repair or installation would not be subject to tax, see rule 701-19.1(422,423) and 701-subrule 26.2(1).j. If a company bills a handling charge to a customer for sending the customer an electronic device by mail or by a delivery service, this charge shall constitute a part of the gross receipts from the sale of the device and shall be subject to tax. The gross receipts of a mandatory service rendered in connection with the sale of tangible personal property are considered by the department to be a part of the gross receipts from the sale of the property itself and thus subject to tax.k. The purchase or rental of tangible personal property by companies providing communication services shall be subject to tax.l. The amount of any deposit paid by a customer to a company providing communication service if returned to the customer shall not be subject to tax. Any portion of a deposit utilized by a company as payment for the sale of tangible personal property or a taxable service shall be included in gross receipts or gross taxable services and shall be subject to tax.m. On and after July 1, 1997, the gross receipts from sales of prepaid telephone calling cards and prepaid authorization numbers are subject to tax as sales of tangible personal property.(4) When one commercial communication company furnishes another commercial communication company services or facilities which are used by the second company in furnishing communication service to its customers, such services or facilities furnished to the second company are in the nature of a sale for resale; and the charges, including any carrier access charges, shall be exempt from sales tax. The charges for services or facilities initially purchased for resale and subsequently used or consumed by the second company shall be subject to tax, and the tax shall be collected and paid by the seller unless the seller has taken a valid exemption certificate in good faith from the purchaser and other requirements of 701-subrule 15.3(2) are met.(5) Prior to July 1, 1999, charges for access to or use of what is commonly referred to as the "Internet" or charges for other contracted on-line services are the gross receipts from the performance of a taxable service if access is by way of a local or in-state long distance telephone number and if the predominant service offered is two-way transmission and receipt of information from one site to another as described in paragraph "a" of subrule 18.20(1). If a user's billing address is located in Iowa, a service provider should assume that Internet access or contracted on-line service is provided to that user in Iowa unless the user presents suitable evidence that the site or sites at which these services are furnished are located outside this state. On and after July 1, 1999, gross receipts from charges paid to a provider for access to an on-line computer service are exempt from tax. An "on-line computer service" is one which provides for or enables multiple users to have computer access to the Internet. Charges paid to a provider for other contracted on-line services which do not provide access to the Internet and which are communication services remain subject to Iowa tax through May 14, 2000.
On and after May 15, 2000, the furnishing of any contracted on-line service is exempt from Iowa tax if the information is made available through a computer server. The exemption applies to all contracted on-line services, as long as they provide access to information through a computer server.
(6) The gross receipts paid for the performance of the service of sending or receiving any document commonly referred to as a "fax" from one point to another within this state are subject to sales tax. See 18.20(1)"a." Gross receipts paid for the service of providing a telephone line or other transmission path for the use of what is commonly called a "fax" machine are the gross receipts from the performance of a taxable service if the points of transmission and receipt of a fax are in this state. See 18.20(1)"a" and "b."EXAMPLE A. Klear Kopy Services is located in Des Moines, Iowa. Klear Kopy charges a customer $2 to transmit a fax (via its machine) to Dubuque, Iowa. The $2 is taxable gross receipts. Midwest Telephone Company charges Klear Kopy $500 per month for the intrastate communications on Klear Kopy's dedicated fax line. The $500 is also gross receipts from a taxable communication service.
EXAMPLE B. The XYZ Law Firm is located in Des Moines, Iowa. The firm owns a fax machine and uses the fax machine in the performance of its legal work to transmit and receive various documents. The firm does not perform faxing services but will, on billings for legal services to clients, break out the amount of a billing which is attributable to expenses for faxing. For example, "bill to John Smith for August, 1997, $1,000 for legal services performed, fax expenses which are part of this billing-$30." The $30 is not gross receipts for the performance of any taxable service, the faxing service performed being only incidental to the performance of the nontaxable legal services.
EXAMPLE C. The TUV Hospital is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The surgeons successfully perform delicate brain surgery on patient W. To perform that surgery it was necessary for the surgeons to consult with a number of colleagues; the consultation was via email. After the operation, the TUV Hospital sent patient W a bill for $10,000 of nontaxable hospital services. Listed as an expense is "email-$200." The email services are performed incidentally to the nontaxable hospital services; therefore, the $200 is not taxable gross receipts.
EXAMPLE D. D is a dentist practicing in Mason City, Iowa. D subscribes to an on-line service which, in return for a monthly fee, informs its subscribers of the latest dental surgery techniques and advises them about how these techniques can be applied to individual patients. After consultation on patient E's problem through the on-line service, D performs complex surgery on patient E. D's bill to patient E reads as follows: "dental reconstruction-$2,750; on-line consultation portion-$240." The $240 is not taxable gross receipts, this charge being incidental to the nontaxable charge for dental work.
(7)Communication service, telecommunications service, ancillary service, and other similar communication service.a.Purpose. This subrule covers various provisions related to communication service, telecommunications service, ancillary service, and other similar communication service.b.Definitions.(1)"Air-to-ground radio telephone service" means a radio service in which common carriers are authorized to offer and provide radio telecommunications service for hire to subscribers in aircraft.(2)"Ancillary services" means services that are associated with or incidental to the provision of a telecommunications service. The term includes, but is not limited to, detailed communications billing service, directory assistance, vertical service, and voice mail services.(3)"Call-by-call basis" means any method of charging for telecommunications services where the price is measured by individual calls.(4)"Communications channel" means a physical or virtual path of communications over which signals are transmitted between or among customer channel termination points.(5)"Communication service" means the act of communicating using any system or the act of transmission and receipt of information between two or more points. Each point must be capable of both transmitting and receiving information if communication is to occur. The term "communication service" includes, but is not limited to, the transmission and receipt of sound, printed materials (including letters and other materials), other images perceived visually and data encoded in computer languages. Communication service also includes telecommunications service, ancillary service and other similar communication service.(6)"Conference bridging service" means an ancillary service that links two or more participants of an audio or video conference call and may include the provision of a telephone number. Conference bridging service does not include telecommunications services used to reach the conference bridge.(7)"Customer" means the person or entity that contracts with the seller of telecommunications services. If the end user of telecommunications services is not the contracting party, the end user of the telecommunications service is the customer of the telecommunications service. For purposes of sourcing sales of telecommunications services, the end user of the telecommunications service is the customer of the telecommunications service when the end user is not also the contracting party. "Customer" does not include a reseller of telecommunications service or for mobile telecommunications service of a serving carrier under an agreement to serve the customer outside the home service provider's licensed service area.(8)"Customer channel termination point" means the location where the customer either inputs or receives the communications.(9)"Detailed telecommunications billing service" means an ancillary service of separately stating information pertaining to individual calls on a customer's billing statement.(10)"Directory assistance" means an ancillary service of providing telephone number information and address information.(11)"End user" means the person who utilizes the telecommunication service. In the case of an entity, "end user" means the individual who utilizes the service on behalf of the entity.(12)"Fixed wireless service" means a telecommunications service that provides radio communication between fixed points.(13)"Home service provider" means the same as defined in Section 124(5) of Public Law 106-252, 4 U.S.C. § 124(5) (Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act). The home service provider is the facilities-based carrier or reseller with which the customer contracts for the provision of mobile telecommunications services.(14)"Interstate" means a telecommunications service that originates in one United States state or a United States territory or possession and terminates in a different United States state or a United States territory or possession.(15)"Intrastate" means a telecommunications service that originates in one United States state or a United States territory or possession and terminates in the same United States state or a United States territory or possession.(16)"Mobile telecommunications service" means commercial mobile radio service; that is, a radio communication service carried on between mobile stations or receivers and land stations and by mobile stations communicating among themselves.(17)"Mobile wireless service" means a telecommunications service that is transmitted, conveyed, or routed regardless of the technology used, whereby the origination and/or termination points of the transmission, conveyance, or routing are not fixed, including, by example only, telecommunications services that are provided by a commercial mobile radio service provider.(18)"Paging service" means a telecommunications service that provides transmission of coded radio signals for the purpose of activating specific pagers. This transmission may include messages and sounds.(19)"Pay telephone service" means a telecommunications service provided through any pay telephone. Pay telephone service also includes coin operated telephone service paid for by inserting money into a telephone accepting direct deposits of money to operate.(20)"Place of primary use" means the street address representative of where the customer's use of the telecommunications service primarily occurs, which must be the residential street address or the primary business street address of the customer. In the case of mobile telecommunications services, the place of primary use must be within the licensed service area of the home service provider.(21)"Postpaid calling service" means the telecommunications service obtained by making a payment on a call-by-call basis, either through use of a credit card or payment mechanism such as a bank card, travel card, credit card or debit card, or by charge made to a telephone number which is not associated with the origination or termination of the telecommunications service. A postpaid calling service includes a telecommunications service, except a prepaid wireless calling service that would be a prepaid calling service except it is not exclusively a telecommunication service.(22)"Prepaid calling service" means the right to access exclusively telecommunications services, which must be paid for in advance and which enable the origination of calls using an access number or authorization code, whether manually or electronically dialed, and that are sold in predetermined units or dollars of which the number declines with use in a known amount.(23)"Prepaid wireless calling service" means a telecommunications service that provides the right to utilize mobile wireless service as well as other non-telecommunications services, including the download of digital products delivered electronically, content and ancillary services, which must be paid for in advance that is sold in predetermined units or dollars of which the number declines with use in a known amount.(24)"Private communication service" means a telecommunication service that entitles the customer to exclusive or priority use of a communications channel or group of channels between or among termination points, regardless of the manner in which such channel or channels are connected, and includes switching capacity, extension lines, stations, and any other associated services that are provided in connection with the use of such channel or channels.(25)"Residential telecommunications service" means a telecommunications service or ancillary services provided to an individual for personal use at a residential address, including an individual dwelling unit, such as an apartment. In the case of institutions where individuals reside, such as schools or nursing homes, telecommunications service is considered residential if it is provided to and paid for by an individual resident rather than the institution.(26)"Service address" means:1. The location of the telecommunications equipment to which a customer's call is charged and from which the call originates or terminates, regardless of where the call is billed or paid.2. If the location in numbered paragraph "1" of this subparagraph is not known, "service address" means the origination point of the signal of the telecommunications services first identified by either the seller's telecommunications system or in information received by the seller from its service provider, where the system used to transport such signals is not that of the seller.3. If the locations in numbered paragraphs "1" and "2" of this subparagraph are not known, the service address means the location of the customer's place of primary use.(27)"Telecommunications service" means the electronic transmission, conveyance, or routing of voice, data, audio, video, or any other information or signals to a point, or between or among points. The term includes any transmission, conveyance, or routing in which computer processing applications are used to act on the form, code, or protocol of the content for purposes of transmission, conveyance, or routing without regard to whether such service is referred to as voice-over Internet protocol services or is classified by the Federal Communications Commission as enhanced or value-added. "Telecommunications service" does not include the following:1. Data processing and information services that allow data to be generated, acquired, stored, processed, or retrieved and delivered by an electronic transmission to a purchaser where the purchaser's primary purpose for the underlying transaction is the processed data or information;2. Installation or maintenance of wiring or equipment on a customer's premises;3. Tangible personal property;4. Advertising, including but not limited to directory advertising;5. Billing and collection services provided to third parties;6. Internet access service;7. Radio and television audio and video programming services, regardless of the medium, including the furnishing of transmission, conveyance, or routing of the service by the programming service provider. Radio and television audio and video programming services shall include, but not be limited to, cable service and audio and video programming services delivered by a commercial mobile radio service provider;9. Digital products delivered electronically, including but not limited to software, music, video, reading materials or ring tones.(28)"Value-added non-voice data service" means a service that otherwise meets the definition of telecommunications services in which computer processing applications are used to act on the form, content, code, or protocol of the information or data primarily for a purpose other than transmission, conveyance, or routing.(29)"Vertical service" means an ancillary service that is offered in connection with one or more telecommunications services, which offers advanced calling features that allow customers to identify callers and to manage multiple calls and call connections. Nonexclusive examples of vertical service include call forwarding, caller ID, three-way calling, and conference bridging services.(30)"Voice mail service" means an ancillary service that enables the customer to store, send, or receive recorded messages. Voice mail service does not include any vertical services that the customer may be required to have in order to utilize the voice mail service.c.Taxable communication service, telecommunications service, ancillary service, and other similar communication service. The sales price from the sale of communication service, telecommunications service, ancillary service, and other similar communication service is subject to the sales or use tax. The following is a nonexclusive list of services subject to the Iowa sales and use tax: (1) Air-to-ground radio telephone service;(2) Ancillary services except detailed communications billing service;(3) Conference bridging service;(4) Fixed wireless service;(5) Mobile wireless service;(6) Pay telephone service;(7) Postpaid calling service;(8) Prepaid calling service;(9) Prepaid wireless calling service;(10) Private communication service;(11) Residential telecommunications service.d.Nontaxable communication service, telecommunications service, ancillary service, and other similar communication service. The following services are not subject to the Iowa sales and use tax:(1) Detailed communications billing service;(2) Internet access fees or charges;(3) One-way paging services that only receive information and are not capable of transmitting information;(4) Value-added non-voice data service;(5) Any charge necessary to secure only interstate communication service if the nature of the service is separately stated and the charge for the interstate service is separately billed.e.Sourcing of telecommunications services.(1) General sourcing principles apply to telecommunications services unless the service falls under one of the exceptions set out in paragraph "e."(2) Exceptions. The following telecommunications services and products are sourced in accordance with the principles set out in subparagraph (2):1. Mobile telecommunications service is sourced to the place of primary use, unless the service is prepaid wireless calling service.2. Prepaid calling service is sourced as provided under Iowa Code section 423.15. However, if the seller has sufficient information available, the sale of prepaid wireless calling service may be sourced to the location of the place of primary use.3. A sale of a private telecommunications service is sourced as follows: * Service for a separate charge related to a customer channel termination point is sourced to each level of jurisdiction in which the customer channel termination point is located.
* Service where all customer termination points are located entirely within one jurisdiction or levels of jurisdiction is sourced in the jurisdiction in which the customer channel termination points are located.
* Service for segments of a channel between two customer channel termination points located in different jurisdictions and which segments of channel are separately charged is sourced 50 percent in each level of jurisdiction in which the customer channel termination points are located.
* Service for segments of a channel located in more than one jurisdiction or levels of jurisdiction and which segments are not separately billed is sourced in each jurisdiction based on the percentage determined by dividing the number of customer channel termination points in the jurisdiction by the total number of customer channel termination points.
4. The sale of Internet access service is sourced to the customer's place of primary use.5. The sale of an ancillary service is sourced to the customer's place of primary use.6. A postpaid calling service is sourced to the origination point of the telecommunications signal as first identified by either (a) the seller's telecommunications system or (b) information received by the seller from its service provider, where the system used to transport the signals is not that of the seller.7. The sale of telecommunications service sold on a call-by-call basis is sourced to (a) each level of taxing jurisdiction where the call originates and terminates in that jurisdiction or (b) each level of taxing jurisdiction where the call either originates or terminates and in which the service address is also located.8. The sale of telecommunications services sold on a basis other than a call-by-call basis is sourced to the customer's place of primary use.9. The sale of the following telecommunication services is sourced to each level of taxing jurisdiction as follows: * A sale of mobile telecommunications services, other than prepaid calling service, is sourced to the customer's place of primary use as required by the federal Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act.
* A sale of postpaid calling service is sourced to the origination point of the telecommunications signal as first identified by either (a) the seller's telecommunications system or (b) information received by the seller from its service provider, where the system used to transport such signals is not that of the seller.
f.Bundled transaction.(1) A "bundled transaction" is the retail sale of two or more products where (a) the products are otherwise distinct and identifiable, and (b) the products are sold for one non-itemized price. A bundled transaction does not include the sale of any products in which the sales price varies or is negotiable based on the selection by the purchaser of the products included in the transaction.(2) In the case of a bundled transaction that includes any of the following: telecommunications service, ancillary service, Internet access, or audio or video programming service: 1. If the price is attributable to products that are taxable and products that are nontaxable, the portion of the price attributable to the nontaxable products will be subject to tax unless the provider can identify by reasonable and verifiable standards such portion from its books and records that are kept in the regular course of business for other purposes, including, but not limited to, nontax purposes.2. If the price is attributable to products that are subject to tax at different tax rates, the total price may be treated as attributable to the products subject to tax at the highest tax rate unless the provider can identify by reasonable and verifiable standards the portion of the price attributable to the products subject to tax at the lower rate from its books and records that are kept in the regular course of business for other purposes, including but not limited to nontax purposes.3. The provisions of this subrule shall apply unless otherwise provided by federal law.g.Direct pay permit. The department may issue a direct pay permit that allows the holder to purchase tangible personal property or taxable services without payment of the tax to the seller. The direct pay permit holder cannot use the direct pay permit for the purchase of communication service, telecommunications service, ancillary services, or other similar communication service. The seller should charge and collect the sales or use tax from the purchaser on the taxable sales of communication service, telecommunications service, ancillary services, and other similar communication service.h.Credit. A taxpayer subject to sales or use tax on communication service, telecommunications service, ancillary service or other similar communication service who has paid any legally imposed sales or use tax on such service to another jurisdiction outside the state of Iowa is allowed a credit against the sales or use tax imposed by the state of Iowa equal to the sales or use tax paid to the other taxing jurisdictions.i.Sales of communication service, telecommunications service, ancillary service, or other similar communication service to the United States government or the state government of Iowa. Sales of communication service, telecommunications services, ancillary services, or other similar communication service to the United States government or its agencies or to the state of Iowa or its agencies are not subject to sales or use tax. In order to be a sale to the United States government or to the state government of Iowa, the government or agency involved must make the purchase of the services and pay directly to the vendor the purchase price of the services. Telecommunications service providers should obtain an exemption certificate from each agency for their records.j.Retailers liable for collecting and remitting tax. Retailers that sell taxable communication service, telecommunications service, ancillary services, or other similar communication service are liable for collecting and remitting the state sales or use tax and any applicable local sales tax on the amounts of the sales. This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 34A.7(1)"c"(2), 422.42(2), 422.42(3), 422.43(9), 422.45(5), 422.45(8), 422.45 and 422.51(1) and Iowa Code Supplement section 422.45 as amended by 2000 Iowa Acts, chapter 1189, section 29.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 701-285.20
ARC 8021B, IAB 7/29/09, effective 9/2/09; ARC 9814B, IAB 10/19/11, effective 11/23/11; ARC 4309C, IAB 2/13/19, effective 3/20/19; Editorial change: IAC Supplement 11/2/22