35 ILCS 505/5a

(35 ILCS 505/5a) (from Ch. 120, par. 421a)

Sec. 5a. Supplier's monthly return. A person holding a valid unrevoked license to act as a supplier of special fuel shall, between the 1st and 20th days of each calendar month, make return to the Department showing an itemized statement of the number of invoiced gallons of special fuel acquired, received, purchased, sold, exported, or used during the preceding calendar month; the amount of special fuel sold, distributed, exported, and used by the licensed supplier during the preceding calendar month; the amount of special fuel lost or destroyed during the preceding calendar month; the amount of special fuel on hand at the close of business for the preceding calendar month; and such other reasonable information as the Department may require.

A person whose license to act as a supplier of special fuel has been revoked shall make a return to the Department covering the period from the date of the last return to the date of the revocation of the license, which return shall be delivered to the Department not later than 10 days from the date of the revocation or termination of the license of such supplier. The return shall in all other respects be subject to the same provisions and conditions as returns by suppliers licensed under this Act.

The records, waybills and supporting documents kept by railroads and other common carriers in the regular course of business shall be prima facie evidence of the contents and receipt of cars or tanks covered by those records, waybills or supporting documents.

If the Department has reason to believe and does believe that the amount shown on the return as purchased, acquired, received, sold, exported, used, or lost is incorrect, or that an amount of special fuel of the type required by the 1st paragraph of this Section to be reported to the Department by suppliers has not been correctly reported as a purchase, receipt, sale, use, export, or loss the Department shall fix an amount for such purchase, receipt, sale, use, export, or loss according to its best judgment and information, which amount so fixed by the Department shall be prima facie correct. All licensed suppliers shall report all losses of special fuel sustained on account of fire, theft, spillage, spoilage, leakage, or any other provable cause when filing the return for the period during which the loss occurred. If the supplier reports losses due to fire or theft, then the supplier must include fire department or police department reports and any other documentation that the Department may require. The mere making of the report does not assure the allowance of the loss as a reduction in tax liability. Losses of special fuel as the result of evaporation or shrinkage due to temperature variations may not exceed 1% of the total gallons in storage at the beginning of the month, plus the receipts of gallonage during the month, minus the gallonage remaining in storage at the end of the month.

Any loss reported that is in excess of 1% shall be subject to the tax imposed by Section 2 of this Law. On and after July 1, 2001, for each 6-month period January through June, net losses of special fuel (for each category of special fuel that is required to be reported on a return) as the result of evaporation or shrinkage due to temperature variations may not exceed 1% of the total gallons in storage at the beginning of each January, plus the receipts of gallonage each January through June, minus the gallonage remaining in storage at the end of each June. On and after July 1, 2001, for each 6-month period July through December, net losses of special fuel (for each category of special fuel that is required to be reported on a return) as the result of evaporation or shrinkage due to temperature variations may not exceed 1% of the total gallons in storage at the beginning of each July, plus the receipts of gallonage each July through December, minus the gallonage remaining in storage at the end of each December. Any net loss reported that is in excess of this amount shall be subject to the tax imposed by Section 2 of this Law. For purposes of this Section, "net loss" means the number of gallons gained through temperature variations minus the number of gallons lost through temperature variations or evaporation for each of the respective 6-month periods.

In case of a sale of special fuel to someone other than a licensed distributor or licensed supplier for a use other than in motor vehicles, the supplier shall show in his return the amount of invoiced gallons sold and the name and address of the purchaser in addition to any other information the Department may require.

All special fuel sold or used for non-highway purposes must have a dye added in accordance with Section 4d of this Law.

All returns shall be made on forms prepared and furnished by the Department and shall contain such other information as the Department may reasonably require. The return must be accompanied by appropriate computer-generated magnetic media supporting schedule data in the format required by the Department, unless, as provided by rule, the Department grants an exception upon petition of a taxpayer.

In case of a tax-free sale, as provided in Section 6a, of special fuel which the supplier is required by this Section to include in his return to the Department, the supplier in his return shall show: (1) If the sale of special fuel is made to the Federal Government or its instrumentalities; (2) if the sale of special fuel is made to a municipal corporation owning and operating a local transportation system for public service in this State, the name and address of such purchaser and the amount sold, as evidenced by official forms of exemption certificates properly executed and furnished by such purchaser; (3) if the sale of special fuel is made to a privately owned public utility owning and operating 2-axle vehicles designed and used for transporting more than 7 passengers, which vehicles are used as common carriers in general transportation of passengers, are not devoted to any specialized purpose and are operated entirely within the territorial limits of a single municipality or of any group of contiguous municipalities or in a close radius thereof, and the operations of which are subject to the regulations of the Illinois Commerce Commission, then the name and address of such purchaser and the amount sold, as evidenced by official forms of exemption certificates properly executed and furnished by such purchaser; (4) if the product sold is special fuel and if the sale is made to a licensed supplier or to a licensed distributor under conditions which qualify the sale for tax exemption under Section 6a of this Act, the amount sold and the name, address and license number of such purchaser; (5) if a sale of special fuel is made to a person where delivery is made outside of this State, the name and address of such purchaser and the point of delivery together with the date and amount of invoiced gallons delivered; and (6) if a sale of special fuel is made to someone other than a licensed distributor or a licensed supplier, for a use other than in motor vehicles, by making a specific notation thereof on the invoice or sales slip covering that sale and obtaining such supporting documentation as may be required by the Department.

All special fuel sold or used for non-highway purposes must have a dye added in accordance with Section 4d of this Law.

If any payment provided for in this Section exceeds the supplier's liabilities under this Act, as shown on an original return, the Department may authorize the supplier to credit such excess payment against liability subsequently to be remitted to the Department under this Act, in accordance with reasonable rules adopted by the Department. If the Department subsequently determines that all or any part of the credit taken was not actually due to the supplier, the supplier's discount shall be reduced by an amount equal to the difference between the discount as applied to the credit taken and that actually due, and that supplier shall be liable for penalties and interest on such difference.

(Source: P.A. 100-1171, eff. 1-4-19.)