153A-156. Gross receipts tax on short-term leases or rentals.

(a) As a substitute for and in replacement of the ad valorem tax, which is excluded by G.S. 105-275(42), a county may levy a gross receipts tax on the gross receipts from the short-term lease or rental of vehicles at retail to the general public. The tax rate shall not exceed one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the gross receipts from such short-term leases or rentals.

(b) If a county enacts the substitute and replacement gross receipts tax pursuant to this section, any entity required to collect the tax shall include a provision in each retail short-term lease or rental agreement noting that the percentage amount enacted by the county of the total lease or rental price, excluding highway use tax, is being charged as a tax on gross receipts. For purposes of this section, the transaction giving rise to the tax shall be deemed to have occurred at the location of the entity from which the customer takes delivery of the vehicle. The tax shall be collected at the time of lease or rental and placed in a segregated account until remitted to the county.

(c) The collection and use of taxes under this section are not subject to highway use tax and are not included in the gross receipts of the entity. The proceeds collected under this section belong to the county and are not subject to creditor liens against the entity.

(d) A tax levied under this section shall be collected by the county but otherwise administered in the same manner as the tax levied under G.S. 105-164.4(a)(2).

(e) The following definitions apply in this section:

(1) Short-term lease or rental. - Defined in G.S. 105-187.1(4).

(2) Vehicle. - Any of the following:

a. A motor vehicle of the passenger type, including a passenger van, minivan, or sport utility vehicle.

b. A motor vehicle of the cargo type, including cargo van, pickup truck, or truck with a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or less used predominantly in the transportation of property for other than commercial freight and that does not require the operator to possess a commercial drivers license.

c. A trailer or semitrailer with a gross vehicle weight of 6,000 pounds or less.

(f) The penalties and remedies that apply to local sales and use taxes levied under Subchapter VIII of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes apply to a tax levied under this section. The county board of commissioners may exercise any power the Secretary of Revenue may exercise in collecting local sales and use taxes.