New Sales Tax Rules

Effective October 1, 2014, new sales tax rules went into effect in North Carolina for service contracts.  Service contracts are defined as a contract where the obligor under the contract agrees to maintain or repair tangible personal property or a motor vehicle.  Examples include extended warranty contracts, maintenance agreements, and repair contracts.

Service contracts on real property are excluded from the sales tax.  Additionally, a service contract on tangible personal property which has been permanently attached to the real estate is exempt from being subject to the sales tax unless the service contract is entered into at the time of the sale prior to the asset becoming permanently attached to the real property.  An example would be purchasing a garage door opener and simultaneously purchasing a service contract prior to having the opener installed.  A service contract purchased after the installation would be exempt.

The legislation specifically exempts specific items from the sales tax such as motorsports activities, security monitoring, farming activities, logging activities, laundry and dry cleaning machinery, and prosthetic devices.

For more information on service contracts subject to North Carolina sales tax, contact Gordon Keeter & Co.