AI-assisted research summary: Companies that miss premium tax return or payment requirements can face escalating penalties, interest, no waiver, and possible debarment; the commissioner can grant limited extensions or electronic-filing exemptions for good cause.
Any foreign or domestic company failing and neglecting to make returns and payments promptly and correctly as provided by § 56-4-205 shall forfeit and pay to the state, in addition to the amount of these taxes, an amount equal to five percent (5%) for the first month or fractional part of the first month of delinquency; provided, that should the period of delinquency exceed one (1) month, the rate of penalty will be an additional five percent (5%) for the second month or fractional part of the second month and penalty thereafter at the rate of one half of one percent (0.5%) per month of the amount of tax due, the maximum penalty not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for any company not more than three (3) days delinquent. All delinquencies shall bear interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum from the date the amount was due until paid. The penalty and interest shall apply to any part of the tax unpaid by the due date and no penalty or interest may be waived. The commissioner has the discretion, for good cause shown, upon application made in advance of the delinquency date, to grant an extension of time not to exceed sixty (60) days, to the company to file the premium tax returns and pay the tax imposed in this part, without penalty attached, but the tax shall bear interest as provided in subdivision (a)(1) from the date the amount was due. For good cause shown, the commissioner may grant an exemption from the electronic reporting requirements of § 56-4-205 and permit timely filings and payments by nonelectronic means upon application made in advance of the delinquency date. Any company failing to pay the tax due plus penalty and interest for sixty (60) days beyond the due date shall thereafter be debarred from transacting any business of insurance in the state until these taxes and penalties are fully paid, and the commissioner shall revoke the certificate of authority granted to the agent or agents for that company to transact business in the state. Notwithstanding any other statutes of this state, no grace period for the filing of returns and payments shall be allowed. A premium tax return and payment made to the department shall not be considered as paid on or before the due date unless the premium tax return and payment are received in the office of the commissioner, in the electronic manner approved by the commissioner, on or before the due date. If an exemption is granted pursuant to subdivision (a)(3), a premium tax return and payment made to the department shall not be considered as paid on or before the due date unless: The premium tax return and payment are received in the office of the commissioner on or before the due date; The premium tax return and payment bear a post office cancellation mark stamped by the United States postal service on or before the due date, or are mailed by certified or registered mail, or have a certificate of mailing on or before the due date. A premium tax return and payment received by the department bearing a metered mail stamp and no post office cancellation mark stamped by the United States postal service shall be deemed filed and received on the date the premium tax return arrives at the department; In the event a premium tax return and payment are mailed, but not received by the department, or received, and the cancellation mark is illegible or omitted, the return and payment shall be deemed filed and received, on the date they were mailed, if the sender establishes that the premium tax return and payment were deposited in the United States mail. In order to establish proof of mailing under these circumstances, a record authenticated by the United States postal service that the original mailing was sent registered mail, certified mail, or by certificate of mailing, shall be the only proof accepted by the department; or The premium tax and payment are received in a manner established by the commissioner by rules. The rules may provide for the filing of premium tax returns and payments to be made through electronic means. The commissioner is also authorized to promulgate rules that provide for a convenience fee to cover the cost of accepting electronic premium tax returns and payments. Any fee set by rule under the authority of this subdivision (e)(3) may be assessed in addition to any applicable penalty and interest. In no event shall the convenience fee exceed the actual costs incurred by the department in accepting electronic premium tax returns and payments.