1. (1) General Information.

   1. (a) 1. Counties, municipalities, and school districts are authorized to use dyed diesel fuel in on-road vehicles.

      2. Dyed diesel fuel purchased for use by counties, municipalities, and school districts is subject to a portion of the backup tax imposed under Section 206.873, F.S., when used in on-road vehicles.

      3. Counties, municipalities, and school districts that manufacture biodiesel fuel solely for their own use are not required to be licensed as wholesalers.

      4. Counties, municipalities, and school districts that manufacture biodiesel fuel for sale must meet all the requirements prescribed for wholesalers in Rule 12B-5.060, F.A.C.

   2. (b) Motor fuel purchased for use by counties, municipalities, and school districts is fully taxable at the time of purchase, but a portion of the tax paid is refundable.

2. (2) Licensing and Bonding.

   1. (a) Licensing.

      1. All counties, municipalities, and school districts that use dyed diesel fuel in motor vehicles, and all counties, municipalities, and school districts that manufacture biodiesel fuel solely for their own use, must be licensed as Local Government Users.

      2. To obtain a license as a Local Government User of diesel fuel, a county, municipality, or school district, must file a Florida Fuel or Pollutants Tax Application (Form DR-156, incorporated by reference in Rule 12B-5.150, F.A.C.) and the required attachments with the Department, as provided in the application.

      3. There is no license fee or license tax for a local government user to obtain a license.

   2. (b) Bonding. A bond is not required of persons applying for a license as a Local Government User.

3. (3) Returns and Payments.

   1. (a) Returns. Local Government Users are required to file a Local Government User of Diesel Fuel Tax Return (form DR-309634, incorporated by reference in Rule 12B-5.150, F.A.C.), using the Department’s eServices website by manually entering data or importing comma-delimited (CSV) or fixed-length text (flat) files as provided in Motor Fuel Taxes Comma Delimited (CSV) and Flat File Specifications – Mass Transit System Providers and Local Government Users of Diesel Fuel Tax Returns (form DR-309654, incorporated by reference in Rule 12B-5.150, F.A.C.). The return must be filed with the Department on or before the 20th day of each month following the month in which the use of fuel occurs. The return, when filed by hard copy, will be accepted as timely if postmarked or delivered to the Department on or before the 20th day of each month. An electronic return must be received by the Department or its agent before 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), on or before the 20th day of each month. If the 20th day of the month falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, returns will be accepted as timely if an electronic return is received by the Department or its agent on or before 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), or a hard copy return is postmarked or delivered to the Department on the next succeeding day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. For the purpose of this rule, a legal holiday means a holiday that is observed by federal or state agencies as this term is defined in Chapter 683, F.S., and s. 7503 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. A “legal holiday” pursuant to s. 7503 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, means a legal holiday in the District of Columbia or a statewide legal holiday at a location outside the District of Columbia but within an internal revenue district.
   2. (b) Payments. Payments must be submitted to the Department, as provided in rule Chapter 12-24, F.A.C.

4. (4) Refunds and Credits.

   1. (a) When filing a Local Government User of Diesel Fuel Tax Return (Form DR-309634, incorporated by reference in Rule 12B-5.150, F.A.C.), a county, municipality, or school district will be required to pay 3 cents of the 4 cent excise tax under Section 206.87(1)(a), F.S., the ninth-cent fuel tax under Section 206.87(1)(b), F.S., the local option fuel tax under Section 206.87(1)(c), F.S., and the state comprehensive enhanced transportation system tax under Section 206.87(1)(d), F.S., on dyed diesel fuel used in vehicles owned or operated by the county, municipality, or school district. Local government users may take a credit, or obtain a refund, of taxes paid on motor fuel under Section 206.41(1)(b), F.S., and the fuel sales tax imposed under Section 206.41(1)(g)1., F.S., when filing the return.

   2. (b) 1. Any county, municipality, or school district, which is not licensed as a local government user, that uses tax-paid diesel fuel, gasoline, or gasohol in vehicles operated on the highways, may seek a refund each calendar quarter for the fuel taxes imposed under Sections 206.41(1)(b) and (g), F.S., for gasoline and gasohol, 1 cent of the tax imposed under Section 206.87(1)(a), F.S., and all of the tax imposed under Section 206.87(1)(e), F.S., on diesel fuel.

      2. Prior to qualifying for a refund of taxes paid, counties, municipalities, or school districts and nonpublic schools are required to file an Application for Fuel Tax Refund Permit (Form DR-185, incorporated by reference in Rule 12B-5.150, F.A.C.) and obtain a Fuel Tax Refund Permit issued by the Department.

      3. To apply for the refund, a county, municipality, or school district that holds a valid refund permit is required to file an Application for Fuel Tax Refund, Municipalities, Counties and School Districts (Form DR-189, incorporated by reference in Rule 12B-5.150, F.A.C.) with the Department. Form DR-189 must be filed for each calendar quarter no later than the last day of the month immediately following the calendar quarter for which the refund is claimed. The filing date may be extended one additional month from the date Form DR-189 is due when a written explanation that sets forth reasonable cause for delay in filing the refund application is submitted with the application and the prior quarter’s refund application was timely submitted to the Department.

      4. Any nonpublic school operating school buses that holds a valid refund permit is required to file an Application for Fuel Tax Refund Non-Public Schools (Form DR-190, incorporated by reference in Rule 12B-5.150, F.A.C.) with the Department. Form DR-190 must be filed for each calendar quarter no later than the last day of the month immediately following the calendar quarter for which the refund is claimed. The filing date may be extended one additional month from the date Form DR-190 is due when a written explanation that sets forth reasonable cause for delay in filing the refund application is submitted with the application and the prior quarter’s refund application was timely submitted to the Department.

Rulemaking Authority 206.14(1), 206.59(1), 206.87(1)(e)2., 213.06(1), 213.755(8) FS. Law Implemented 206.01(9), 206.41(4), 206.86(1), (7), (9), (12), (13), 206.874(4), 213.755 FS. History–New 7-1-96, Amended 11-21-96, 10-27-98, 5-1-06, 6-1-09, 1-25-12, 5-9-13, 1-20-14, 7-28-15, 1-25-26.