Sec. 154.041. STAMP REQUIRED. (a) A person who pays a tax imposed by this chapter shall securely affix a stamp to each individual package of cigarettes to show payment of the tax.
(b) Except as provided by Section 154.152, each distributor shall obtain the necessary stamps before receiving or accepting delivery of unstamped packages of cigarettes. The possession of unstamped packages of cigarettes without the possession of the requisite amount or number of stamps is prima facie evidence that the cigarettes are possessed for the purpose of making a first sale without stamps and without payment of the tax imposed by this chapter.
(c) The absence of a stamp on an individual package of cigarettes is notice that the tax has not been paid.
(d) A manufacturer of cigarettes outside this state may purchase a stamp and affix it to the individual package and no further payment of the tax is required.
(e) The transfer of possession of cigarettes by a bonded agent to a distributor in this state, under instructions received from outside this state, is not a first sale.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1640, ch. 389, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1982. Amended by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 788, ch. 188, Sec. 1, eff. May 21, 1983; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 409, Sec. 4, eff. June 7, 1991.