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What is Contractors Gross Receipts Tax?

Contractors Gross Receipts Tax is a privilege tax imposed on persons, firms, and corporations engaged in the business of contracting to construct, reconstruct, or build public highways, roads, bridges, streets, or tunnels for the state of Alabama. The contractors gross receipts tax rate is 5% and applies to all payments made to the contractor or contract assignee whether the payments are made pursuant to a contract, purchase order, supplemental agreement, change request or other arrangement to perform work. These contracts may include but are not limited to the following:

  • Earthwork
  • Bases
  • Surfacing
  • Pavements
  • Structures
  • Incidentals such as:
    • Traffic control devices
    • Highway lighting
    • Materials
    • Bridge scouring and painting
    • Installation or repair of overhead signs
    • Installation of structure footings
    • Sign rehabilitation

The contractors gross receipts tax does not apply to the following:

  • Contracts between the contractor and the federal government when the state of Alabama is not listed as a joint party.
  • Contracts between the contractor or contract assignee and the city, town, or county when the state of Alabama is not listed as a joint party.
  • Contracts to construct, reconstruct, or build rest areas or welcome stations.
  • Contracts that do not include or require the construction, reconstruction, or building of a public highway, road, bridge, street, or tunnel. (Example: mowing and/or landscaping, parking lots, fencing, etc.)

Additional payments, which may cause an increase in the contract price, due to escalations in the cost of fuel, material, and/or labor.

The tax is due monthly with returns and remittances to be filed on or before the 20th day of the month following the month in which the payment was received by the contractor or contract assignee. A discount is allowed if the tax is paid before the 20th day of the month in which the tax is due. The contractors gross receipts tax discount consists of 5% on the first $100 of tax due, and 2% of all tax over $100. The discount may not exceed $400. Note: If paying via EFT, the EFT payment information must be transmitted by 4:00 p.m. (Central Standard Time) on or before the due date, to be considered timely paid.

Related FAQs in Taxes Administered

In Alabama, a resale certificate is officially called a “Sales Tax License”. To get a copy of your Alabama resale certificate or Sales Tax License, you should:

Login to MAT, locate the appropriate tax account, locate and click “Print tax account license” link. If you need help or cannot access your certificate online contact the Alabama Department of Revenue Sales and Use Tax Division for assistance.

Step by Step Instructions for License Renewal

Yes. In accordance with Rule 810-6-1-.144.03: All buyers of property for resale purposes are entitled to purchase at wholesale, tax-free, the property they resell as regular course of business when they have secured the sales tax license required by law. This rule also applies to retailers located outside Alabama when they have secured the sales tax license required by law in the state in which they are located.

A credit card transaction fee is a charge added to the regular price of an item by a retailer when the purchaser pays for the item using a credit card. Other names for this fee include swipe fee, credit card surcharge, processing fee, service charge, or convenience fee.

These fees are subject to sales and use tax and should be included in the seller’s gross sales on retail transactions when calculating tax due. Example: A sale of tangible personal property totals $100. The customer pays with a credit card and is charged a $3 credit card transaction fee. The total price of $103, including the credit card transaction fee, is subject to sales and use taxes.

A credit card fee, even if separately stated, is part of the retailer’s cost of doing business, and the entire consideration for the sale of tangible personal property is subject to sales and use taxes.

If a transaction consists of only non-taxable goods or services, the credit card transaction fee is not subject to sales and use taxes. Example: A customer is charged $50 for a haircut. The customer pays with a credit card and is charged a $3 credit card transaction fee. Since the haircut is not subject to sales and use taxes, the corresponding credit card transaction fee is not subject to sales and use taxes.

When trying to complete title applications for vessels that have inches listed on the MSO, please use this Vessel Length Chart for conversion purposes.

Vessel Length Chart

Yes, Alabama allows resident individuals to claim a tax credit for income taxes imposed by other states. This credit is claimed on Form 40, Schedule CR. A copy of the other state’s return and a copy of the state Schedule K-1 should be included as documentation of this credit.

If the individual does not file an individual income tax return in the other state or the state provides an exclusion of income, include a proforma return calculating the tax at the other state’s rate and a copy of the state Schedule K-1 as documentation of this credit.

Note: Any Pass-Through Entity tax deducted on the Pass-Through Entity’s federal return, which reduces the taxable income reported on the owner’s K-1, should be added back to compute Alabama taxable income.

No, if the current title is an Alabama ELT there is no cost to print a physical title.

However, once an ELT is printed on physical title paper it can not be printed again. A replacement title application must be applied for if a replacement is needed.