Carsforsale.com, Inc. v. S.D. Dep't of Revenue ( 2019 )

#28472, #28485-a-JMK
2019 S.D. 4IN THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE
STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA
****
CARSFORSALE.COM, INC., Plaintiff and Appellant,
v.
SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT
OF REVENUE, Defendant and Appellee.
****
APPEAL FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF
THE SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
MINNEHAHA COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
****
THE HONORABLE BRADLEY G. ZELL
Judge
****
SHAWN M. NICHOLS of
Cadwell, Sanford, Deibert
& Garry, LLP Attorneys for plaintiff
Sioux Falls, South Dakota and appellant.
JOHN T. RICHTER of
South Dakota Department
of Revenue Attorneys for defendant
Pierre, South Dakota and appellee.
****
CONSIDERED ON BRIEFS ON
OCTOBER 1, 2018
OPINION FILED 01/09/19
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KERN, Justice
[¶1.] The South Dakota Department of Revenue (Department) issued
Carsforsale.com (Carsforsale) a certificate of assessment for alleged use tax
violations. Carsforsale filed a formal objection to the audit. A hearing was held on
the objection before the hearing examiner, who recommended reversing the
certificate of assessment. The Department, through its Secretary, rejected the
hearing examiner’s proposed decision and reinstated the certificate in its entirety.
Carsforsale appealed to the circuit court, which affirmed the Department’s decision
in part and reversed in part. Carsforsale appeals. We affirm.
Facts and Procedural History
[¶2.] Carsforsale is a web-based business that offers dealers and individuals
an online forum to advertise their vehicle for sale. Carsforsale also provides other
services, “such as a vehicle research database, social media integration, website
hosting, an inventory management tool, lead and data management solutions,
search engine optimization, and custom dealership websites.” Carsforsale charges
$99 per month to car dealers to upload and display their inventory. Dealers create
their own listings and may include a link for shoppers to go directly to the dealer’s
website. At no additional cost, Carsforsale builds websites for dealers who do not
have their own websites. Private sellers may create their own listings for free.
[¶3.] On April 13, 2015, the Department began an audit of Carsforsale’s
records to determine whether sales and use taxes were properly reported for the
January 2009 through December 2014 reporting periods. The audit determined
that Carsforsale had no sales tax liability. However, the audit revealed suspected
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use tax errors related to transactions in which Carsforsale had not paid use tax on
its purchases of tangible personal property or for services in which sales tax had not
been charged to Carsforsale. The auditor created a list of disputed transactions.
Upon request Carsforsale provided more information, including invoices, to the
auditor, and the auditor adjusted the list of suspected transactions. On September
11, 2015, Carsforsale indicated there was no further documentation to provide and
the audit was finalized. The Department issued a certificate of assessment to
Carsforsale in the amount of $250,479.61. The tax was $187,905.71, interest was
$57,849.50, and the penalty was $4,724.40.
[¶4.] Carsforsale objected and requested an administrative hearing. The
hearing examiner heard testimony from the owner of Carsforsale and its accountant
regarding its business model and the purpose of the disputed transactions, as well
as testimony from the Department’s auditor. Based upon that testimony, the
hearing examiner proposed that the certificate of assessment be reversed. The
examiner characterized Carsforsale as “an internet advertising agency” and “like a
classified ad section.” The examiner determined that the out-of-state services, such
as “cloud services, anti-virus software, and contract labor,” purchased by
Carsforsale without payment of sales tax were vital services needed to carry out its
advertising business. Therefore, the examiner held that these purchases were
“made by [Carsforsale] for preparing and placing advertising on the internet” and
were “not taxable” under ARSD 64:06:02:03. The examiner deemed exempt
Carsforsale’s purchase of domain names from GoDaddy.com as an advertising
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service provided to its “customers [to] prepare and place the websites on
Carsforsale.com.”
[¶5.] The Department, through its Secretary, rejected the examiner’s
proposed decision as “incomplete” and issued its final decision reinstating the
certificate of assessment. It found that Carsforsale was not entitled to the
advertising exemption on the disputed services because “[t]here [was] nothing in
the record that evidences that Carsforsale used any of the above tangible personal
property or services it purchased to assist it in completing . . . the listings on its
website.” Further, the Department found that “Carsforsale has produced no
evidence to show that the tangible personal property or services Carsforsale
purchased were used to prepare an advertisement and place it in the media.” It
also determined that Carsforsale failed to prove that it was entitled to the
advertising exemption because it did not furnish service providers with exemption
certificates as required by ARSD 64:06:02:03.
[¶6.] The Department dismissed Carsforsale’s argument that the purchases
of domain names from GoDaddy.com were exempt under the sale-for-resale
exemption of ARSD 64:06:01:08.03 because it found “Carsforsale does not resell any
of the services in this matter.” Additionally, it noted that “the services are not
purchased on behalf of a current customer, are used by Carsforsale, and the services
are not delivered or resold to the customer without any alteration or change.”
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[¶7.] Carsforsale appealed to the circuit court, which affirmed the
Department in part and reversed in part.1 Carsforsale appeals, raising the
following issues for our consideration:
1. Whether Carsforsale is entitled to the advertising tax
exemption.
2. Whether Carsforsale is entitled to the sale-for-resale tax
exemption.
3. Whether Carsforsale was required to present an
exemption certificate to out-of-state vendors to exercise
exemptions from use tax.
Standard of Review
[¶8.] We review administrative appeals pursuant to SDCL 1-26-37. Valley
Power Sys. v. S.D. Dep’t of Rev., 2017 S.D. 84, ¶ 9, 905 N.W.2d 328, 330. “Whether
a statute imposes a tax under a given factual situation is a question of law and thus
no deference is given to any conclusion reached by the Department of Revenue or
the circuit court.” Dep’t of Revenue v. Sanborn Tel. Coop., 455 N.W.2d 223, 225
(S.D. 1990).
Analysis and Decision
1. Whether Carsforsale was entitled to the advertising tax
exemption.
1. The circuit court affirmed the Department’s imposition of use tax on all the
contested transactions, except for physical storage in Minnesota provided by
Visi. The court determined that because these services were provided outside
of South Dakota, they were exempt from use tax. The Department does not
appeal this determination. There are also several use tax assessments on
purchases of certain tangible goods by Carsforsale that Carsforsale no longer
contests on appeal. We do not address any of these transactions in this
decision.
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[¶9.] SDCL 10-45-4 imposes a tax “upon the gross receipts of any person
from the engaging or continuing in the practice of any business in which a service is
rendered . . . unless the service is specifically exempt . . . .” A “service” is defined in
part as “all activities engaged in for other persons for a fee, retainer, commission, or
other monetary charge, which activities involve predominantly the performance of a
service as distinguished from selling property.” SDCL 10-45-4.1. To determine
what constitutes “a service, the intended use, principle objective or ultimate
objective of the contracting parties shall not be controlling.” Id. For those services
and tangible personal property purchased by a taxpayer on which no sales tax was
paid, use tax is owed. SDCL 10-46-2; SDCL 10-46-2.1.
[¶10.] However, certain services, including “advertising services,” are
specifically exempt from taxation.2 SDCL 10-45-12.1. An advertising service is
defined by ARSD 64:06:02:03,3 which provides:
Advertising services are the business of preparing
advertisements for publication in newspapers, magazines,
placemats, billboards, or handbills or for broadcast and
welcoming services which contact new residents and others to
2. The Department acknowledged during its audit that Carsforsale owed no
sales tax on the revenue paid by dealers to Carsforsale. It determined these
monthly payments were for the placement of advertising by dealers on
Carsforsale’s website.
3. The circuit court found that “the legislature has not by code specifically
defined or limited advertising services and has not delegated that specific
authority to the Department.” While it is true that advertising services are
not defined by statute, the legislature has granted the secretary of revenue
the authority to promulgate rules “[d]etermining the application of the tax
and exemptions” under SDCL 10-45-47.1(3) for sales tax and SDCL 10-46-
35.1(3) for use tax. “Administrative rules have the force of law and are
presumed valid.” Krsnak v. S.D. Dep’t of Env’t & Nat. Res., 2012 S.D. 89, ¶
16, 824 N.W.2d 429, 436. Therefore, the definition of “advertising services” in
ARSD 64:06:02:03 applies in this case.
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explain business services within the area and leave promotional
literature.
Charges for advertising in newspapers or magazines are not
taxable. Likewise, charges made by advertising agencies for
preparing and placing advertising in advertising media are
charges for services and therefore not taxable.
Services purchased by the agency to assist it in completing a
project for a current customer are not subject to tax if the service
is an integral and inseparable component of the ultimate service
to its customer and the agency provides the service provider
with an exemption certificate. Examples of services that may be
considered for resale if they are an integral and inseparable part
of the final product are art work, proofreading, copywriting,
handlettering, photo finishing, modeling, photography,
production studio rental, photo studio rental, video studio
rental, audio studio rental, prop rental, music rights, sound
effects, dubbing, typesetting, color separation, keylining,
illustration, retouching, air brushing, silk screening, and
editing.
Sales tax applies to gross receipts from sales of tangible personal
property and any product transferred electronically to persons
providing advertising services for use and consumption in
preparing advertisements. Tax applies to the following: paper,
ink, paint, tools, office supplies, type, and charges by printers for
production of pamphlets, booklets, brochures, and other material
printed by them.
(Emphasis added.) SDCL 10-46-17.3 exempts the services enumerated in SDCL 10-
45-12.1 from use tax.
[¶11.] Although we construe statutes imposing tax liberally in favor of the
taxpayer, “[s]tatutes exempting property from taxation should be construed in favor
of the taxing power.” Butler Mach. Co. v. S.D. Dep’t of Revenue, 2002 S.D. 134, ¶ 6,
653 N.W.2d 757, 759. Exemptions “should be given a reasonable, natural, and
practical meaning to effectuate the purpose of the exemption.” K Mart Corp., Inc. v.
S.D. Dep’t of Revenue, 345 N.W.2d 55, 57 (S.D. 1984). The party seeking an
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exemption has the burden to prove it fits into that exemption. In re Pam Oil, Inc.,
459 N.W.2d 251, 255 (S.D. 1990).
[¶12.] Here, Carsforsale groups the disputed transactions into two broad
categories: domain and web-hosting services, and website-creation and publication
expenses. Regarding the domain and web-hosting services, Carsforsale argues that
the purchase of domain names “are qualitatively the same as an advertising agency
buying air time for a TV or radio commercial, or column space for a newspaper
advertisement . . . . Without a domain name, website content cannot be publicly
viewed and purchase of a domain name is essential to publication.” Carsforsale also
identifies various website-creation and publication expenses, such as “cloud storage,
cyber security software and 1099 labor as part of exempt production costs.” It
argues that these are “integral and inseparable component[s] of the service” under
the third paragraph of ARSD 64:06:02:03 because these services maintain the
functionality of the Carsforsale website.
[¶13.] To determine whether the Department erred, we focus on the disputed
transactions, not on the character of Carsforsale’s business or on Carsforsale’s
grouping of the transactions into categories. See Sioux Falls Newspapers, Inc. v.
Sec’y of Revenue, 423 N.W.2d 806, 808 (S.D. 1988) (The focus of the analysis is on
the “transactions and not the character of the participants . . . .”). Indeed,
Carsforsale carries the burden of proving that each disputed transaction is exempt
from taxation. Those transactions include: Amazon Web Services for web hosting,
DataOne transactions for access to a vehicle identification number database,
Desiree Bell transactions for software development services, Distil Network
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transactions for security services, FRSecure, LLC transactions for security services,
Prolexic transactions for security services, Spruce Creek Software transactions for
software development services, Web Hosting Visi transactions for web-hosting
services, and GoDaddy.com transactions for the purchase of domain name
registration services. According to the Department, Carsforsale failed to show that
it “used any of the disputed services to assist it in completing a project for a current
customer, to prepare vehicle listings, or to publish the vehicle listings on its
website.” We agree.
[¶14.] From our review of the evidence related to each of the disputed
transactions, Carsforsale has not met its burden of proving that it used the disputed
services to assist a customer in completing an advertising project, in preparing the
vehicle listings, or in publishing the listings on the website. Carsforsale presented
no evidence it used the disputed services to prepare and place the dealer’s listings
on their website. See In re Sales and Use Tax Refund Request of Media One,
1997 S.D. 17, ¶ 19, 559 N.W.2d 875, 880 (concluding that an exemption under
ARSD 64:06:02:03 “requires the advertising agency to both prepare the
advertisement and place it in the advertising media”). Instead, dealers themselves
prepare advertisements after Carsforsale provides them with a username and
password. The evidence establishes that the services involved in the disputed
transactions were used to create and maintain Carsforsale’s website and operating
systems.
[¶15.] Whether the advertising exemption applies when Carsforsale
purchases domain names and builds websites at no additional cost for its customers
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is a separate consideration. Testimony at the administrative hearing from Sean
Coffman, Carsforsale’s owner, reveals that the exemption would not apply:
[MR. NICHOLS]: And then how about on the customers’
external website? How is inventory managed there?
[COFFMAN]: The 99 percent of the websites that we would
build for a dealer would be hand-entered into our system, and
then when it hand-enters in the system, it would update on their
own website and would also update on Carsforsale.com.
[MR. NICHOLS]: And who hand-enters that data, you or –
[COFFMAN]: That would be the dealer.
The testimony confirms that the dealers prepare and place their own inventory
after Carsforsale builds the website. Carsforsale has failed to meet its burden of
demonstrating the transactions fit within an exemption and the circuit court was
correct in affirming the Department. See Pam Oil, Inc., 459 N.W.2d at 255.
2. Whether Carsforsale was entitled to the sale-for-resale tax
exemption.
[¶16.] Carsforsale next argues that in addition to the advertising exemption,
it is entitled to the sale-for-resale exemption under ARSD 64:06:01:08.03 for the
cost of purchasing domain name registration services from GoDaddy.com.4 ARSD
64:06:01:08.03 provides:
Services which are purchased by a service provider and
delivered to a current customer in conjunction with the services
contracted to be provided to the customer are considered to be
for resale. Receipts from the sale of a service for resale by the
purchaser are not subject to sales tax if the purchaser furnishes
an exemption certificate.
In order for the transaction to be a sale for resale, the following
conditions must be present:
4. ARSD 64:06:01:08.03 applies to use tax as it was promulgated under the
general authority of SDCL 10-46-35.1(3), which grants the Department
authority to determine “the application of the tax and exemptions.”
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(1) The service is purchased for or on behalf of a current
customer;
(2) The purchaser of the service does not use the service in any
manner; and
(3) The service is delivered or resold to the customer without any
alteration or change.
[¶17.] Carsforsale “registers domain names from GoDaddy.com for a fee.”
These “domain names are used to host the advertised content for [Carsforsale’s]
customers.” Carsforsale maintains that it “makes no use of the domain name or the
website . . . . [Carsforsale] solely functions as the artist who produces the final
product for its customer in a publishable form.” Carsforsale likens itself to a
“middleman” who “will acquire a service and pass it on to a customer.”
[¶18.] To determine whether Carsforsale is entitled to the sale-for-resale
exemption we apply the provisions of ARSD 64:06:01:08.03. Carsforsale complies
with the first element in that the service is purchased “on or behalf of . . . current
customer[s]” who pay the monthly $99 fee and request that Carsforsale build a
website for them. But Carsforsale fails to satisfy the second and third elements.
Carsforsale, rather than passing along the domain name alone, uses the domain
name to build a website. Although Coffman testified that “I’m not getting
anything[,] I don’t own anything[,]” the record establishes that these domain names
remain registered in his name after the website is built. Carsforsale customers
never become the owners of the domain names and the domain names are never
sold to the customers. The circuit court did not err in affirming the Department’s
imposition of use tax for these transactions.
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Conclusion
[¶19.] Our decision is based on the application of statutes and administrative
regulations designed for “traditional” media, e.g. print and television. As such, we
acknowledge that these rules were likely not written with internet-based businesses
such as Carsforsale in mind. Accordingly, these outdated laws may engender
inconsistent results when courts are faced with applying the laws to new
technologies. It would be of significant benefit to the courts and taxpayers if the
legislature or the Department enacted statutes or rules appropriate for internet-
based media. See Wheeler v. Farmers Mut. Ins. Co. of Neb., 2012 S.D. 83, ¶¶ 32-35,
824 N.W.2d 102, 110-11 (Zinter, J., concurring specially). The influence of the
internet and the new business models it makes possible will continue to shape a
new economic reality. “States can and should consider those realities in enacting
and enforcing their tax laws.” S.D. v. Wayfair, Inc., __ U.S. __, 138 S. Ct. 2080,
2095, 201 L. Ed. 2d 403 (2018).
[¶20.] We affirm the circuit court’s decision affirming in part and reversing in
part the Department’s decision. Because Carsforsale’s contested transactions did
not qualify for these exemptions from use tax, we decline to address whether
Carsforsale was required to produce exemption certificates.
[¶21.] GILBERTSON, Chief Justice, and JENSEN and SALTER, Justices,
concur.
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