Any person who shall purchase and use gasoline other than aviation gasoline for agricultural, maritime, industrial, or domestic purposes, as defined in this article, which is not used in operating motor vehicles upon the highways of this state, shall be entitled to a refund of all but Six and Four-tenths Cents (6.4¢) per gallon of the tax actually paid on gasoline which is used for agricultural, maritime, industrial, domestic, or nonhighway purposes, as herein defined, provided that no such refund shall be payable unless the provisions of this article are complied with. Provided, however, no refund shall be allowed to any person who may purchase, sell or use gasoline, either on or off the highway, in performing contracts for construction, reconstruction, maintenance or repair, where such contracts are entered into with the State of Mississippi or with any department, agency or institution of the State of Mississippi, or with any political subdivision of the State of Mississippi, or with any department, agency, or institution of such political subdivision. Also, provided that no refund of tax paid on gasoline used on the highways of this state in motor vehicles owned or operated by the federal government, State of Mississippi, or any department or political subdivision of either will be allowed.

Any person who shall purchase and use gasoline other than aviation gasoline for aviation purposes, as defined in this article, shall be entitled to a refund of all but Six and Four-tenths Cents (6.4¢) per gallon of the tax actually paid on gasoline thus used.

The granting of a refund privilege to any claimant under the provisions of this article is declared to be a matter of grace rather than a matter of right, and in all cases arising under this section the burden shall be on the claimant to make proof sufficient to convince the department of the claimant’s compliance with the provisions of this article; otherwise, the refund claim shall be denied or the claimant’s permit cancelled by the department, as the case may be.

Before any person shall be entitled to claim refund of any tax paid on gasoline under the provisions of this section, he shall file an information blank for a refund permit with the department. Such information blank shall be made on forms furnished by the department and shall give a detailed description of the equipment and such other information as the department may require with respect to the equipment or machinery in which refund gasoline is to be used. If such gasoline is not to be used in equipment or machinery, the purpose for which such gasoline is to be used shall be stated. The information blank and supplements thereto shall be signed by the person desiring to use refund gasoline or his authorized agent and filed under the penalty of perjury.

If additional or replacement equipment or machinery is acquired, or if the status of the claimant otherwise changes after the original information blank is filed, supplemental information reflecting these changes shall be filed at the time of filing the next refund claim. The supplemental information blank shall contain the same information with respect to the changes as is required on the original information blank.

Upon approval of the information blank, the department shall assign a file number to be used by the refund user. Provided, also, that such refund user will be issued a refund certificate book to be used when purchasing refund gasoline. Each refund certificate shall carry the file number of the refund user and, upon each purchase of refund gasoline, a certificate shall be filled in and signed on the calendar day of delivery, by either the dealer or the refund user or their authorized agents, but in no case may one (1) individual sign such certificate as both the dealer and the user. Each certificate, however, must be signed by both the claimant and dealer, or their authorized agents, before a refund of tax can be allowed on the certificate. Such refund certificate book shall not be transferable or assignable and shall be kept in the possession of the refund user or in his control at all times. Upon receipt of the information blank properly completed, the department shall forward to such refund user the file number and certificate book. Should the department refuse to issue a file number and refund certificate book, or refuse to pay any refund alleged to be due, the applicant or user may, within sixty (60) days from the date of the notice of the refusal by the department, appeal to the board of review of the Department of Revenue as hereinafter provided.

It shall be the duty of the consumer of gasoline for which refund application is to be made, including any distributor of gasoline using his own gasoline for a refund purpose, to have storage facilities available for delivery of refund gasoline. Such storage facilities shall be plainly marked “refund gasoline” in lettering of contrasting color and not less than four (4) inches in height. Where refund gasoline is delivered directly into the fuel tank of equipment belonging to or used by the refund user, such equipment shall be plainly marked “refund gasoline” in lettering of contrasting color as near to the fuel tank as possible. Such lettering shall not be less than four (4) inches in height. It shall also be the duty of the distributor of gasoline delivering gasoline into the tanks to dye the refund gasoline a distinctive mahogany color at the time of delivery. However, in no case shall dye be added to gasoline to be used in aircraft.

The department is authorized to waive the requirement that refund gasoline be dyed in any case where damage to equipment or machinery would result from the addition of such dye, or where addition of dye would otherwise render gasoline unfit for its intended use. It shall be the obligation of the user to obtain the aforementioned waiver from the department.

Any person desiring a refund on any gasoline purchased shall make claim to the department, on forms provided by the department, within three (3) years from the date the gasoline was purchased. No refund shall be allowed on any gasoline which shall not have been already used or consumed by the purchaser thereof before the filing of the claim; provided, however, when a claim is filed and there is an unused part of any purchase to be carried forward to the next claim, the dating of this carry-over shall take the same date of the first purchase entered on the next claim. No person shall file more than one (1) claim during any one (1) month. The claim shall be personally signed by the purchaser or his duly authorized agent. The claimant shall in the claim, state that the refund claim has not and will not be assigned. The original and duplicate of the certificate shall be retained by the claimant, at the time of purchase. The original certificate with vendor’s invoices shall be attached to the refund claim, and the duplicate shall remain in the certificate book of the claimant and shall be subject to inspection by the department at all reasonable hours. The claimant shall preserve the duplicate certificates for three (3) years from date of purchase. The claim shall be in the name of the purchaser and shall show the purchaser’s refund file number. Supporting invoices shall state that dye has been added to refund gasoline or that the requirement that dye be added has been waived by the department. The claim shall be certified under the penalty of perjury.

Any person who shall file a claim for refund under the provisions of this article shall show on each refund claim filed: the names and addresses of the person or persons from whom the claimant customarily purchases motor fuel for use in propelling motor vehicles owned or operated by the claimant on the highways of this state. Until the provisions of this paragraph are complied with, the refund claim shall not be allowed.

Upon receipt of the claim, the department shall determine the amount of refund due to the claimant and the amount shall be refunded to the claimant as provided in Section 27-55-19. If for any reason the department should determine that an erroneous claim has been paid, it may deduct such erroneous payment from any legal claim subsequently filed by the claimant to whom erroneous payment was made.

If the department determines that any refund claim shall not be paid, it shall notify the claimant, in writing, at the earliest date possible after such determination stating the reason or reasons why such claim is disallowed.

A refund claimant may, within sixty (60) days after receipt of notice of the disallowance of his claim, appeal to the board of review of the Department of Revenue as hereinafter provided.