168.12 Fees for oil inspection.

(1) Except as provided in subs. (1g) and (1r), there is imposed a petroleum inspection fee at the rate of 2 cents per gallon on all petroleum products that are received by a supplier for sale in this state or for sale for export to this state. The department of revenue shall determine when a petroleum product is received under this subsection in the same manner that it determines under s. 78.07 when motor vehicle fuel is received. The fee shall be paid under s. 168.125 and shall be based on the number of gallons reported under s. 168.125.

(1g) The fee under sub. (1) is not imposed on petroleum products that are shipped from storage at a refinery, marine terminal, pipeline terminal, pipeline tank farm or place of manufacture to a person for storage at another refinery, marine terminal, pipeline terminal, pipeline tank farm or place of manufacture.

(1r) The fee under sub. (1) is not imposed on petroleum products exported from this state by a person who is licensed under sub. (7) or s. 78.09.

(2) The fee under sub. (1) is not imposed on a petroleum product that is a renewable fuel exempt under s. 78.01 (2n) from the tax under s. 78.01 (1).

(5) No fee may be charged on a commingled or blended petroleum product when such commingling or blending is approved by the inspector as a satisfactory means of disposing of contaminated or substandard products.

(6)

(a) Any person who purchases in this state general aviation fuel, as defined in s. 78.55 (3), from a supplier is eligible for an allowance of 2 cents for each gallon of general aviation fuel purchased in excess of 1,000,000 gallons per month. A person who purchases general aviation fuel for resale is not eligible for the allowance.

(b) To receive an allowance, an eligible purchaser under par. (a) shall complete a claim upon a form that the department of revenue prescribes and furnishes and file the claim with the department of revenue not later than 12 months after the date of purchase of the general aviation fuel.

(c) The department of revenue shall investigate the correctness and veracity of the representations in the claim and may require a claimant to submit records to substantiate the claim. The department of revenue shall either allow or deny a claim under this subsection not later than 60 days after the filing of the claim. If the department of revenue allows the claim, it shall pay the claimant the amount allowed from the moneys appropriated under s. 20.855 (4) (r). If the department of revenue does not pay the allowance by the 90th day after the date on which the purchaser files the claim, the department of revenue shall also pay interest on the unpaid claim beginning on that day, at the rate of 3 percent per year, from the moneys appropriated under s. 20.855 (4) (r).

(d) If a purchaser negligently files a claim under this subsection that is inaccurate in whole or in part, the department of revenue shall:

1. If the department of revenue has not paid the claim but has allowed a portion of the claim, reduce the allowance by 25 percent.

2. If the department of revenue has paid the claim, require the purchaser to refund to the department of revenue that portion of the amount paid under par. (c) to which the purchaser is not entitled and impose a penalty on the purchaser equal to 25 percent of the allowance, plus interest on the sum of the unpaid penalty and the amount required to be refunded, accruing from the date that the penalty is imposed, at the rate of 12 percent per year.

(e) If a purchaser files a fraudulent claim under this subsection, the department of revenue shall:

1. If the claim has not been paid and the department of revenue allows no portion of the claim, impose a penalty on the purchaser equal to 50 percent of the amount claimed by the purchaser, plus interest on the unpaid penalty, accruing from the date that the penalty is imposed, at the rate of 12 percent per year.

2. If the claim has not been paid and the department of revenue allows a portion of the claim, reduce the allowance by 50 percent.

3. If the claim has been paid, require the purchaser to refund to the department of revenue that portion of the amount paid under par. (c) that the department of revenue determines was fraudulently obtained and impose a penalty on the purchaser equal to 50 percent of the amount claimed by the purchaser, plus interest on the sum of the unpaid penalty and the amount required to be refunded, accruing from the date that the penalty is imposed, at the rate of 12 percent per year.

(f) Any person who knowingly signs or verifies a fraudulent claim under par. (e) may be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 30 days or both.

(g) Any person who knowingly aids, abets or assists another in making a fraudulent claim under par. (e) or in signing or verifying a fraudulent claim under par. (f) may be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 30 days or both.

(h) With respect to imposing a penalty and requiring a refund under par. (d), the department of revenue shall give notice to the purchaser within 4 years after the date that the claim was filed. The department of revenue may impose a penalty and require a refund under par. (e) when the department of revenue discovers the fraud committed.

(7) No person may ship petroleum products into this state unless that person has a valid certificate under s. 73.03 (50) and either has a license under s. 78.09 or obtains a petroleum products shipper license from the department of revenue by filing with that department an application prescribed and furnished by that department and verified by the owner of the business if the owner is an individual, by a member if the owner is an unincorporated association, by a partner if the owner is a partnership or by the president and secretary if the owner is a corporation.

(8)

(a) To protect the revenues of this state, the department of revenue may require any person who is liable to that department for the fee under sub. (1) to place with it security in the amount that that department determines. The department of revenue may increase or decrease the amount of the security, but that amount may not exceed 3 times the person's average monthly liability for the fee under sub. (1) as estimated by that department. If any person fails to provide that security, the department of revenue may refuse to issue a license under sub. (7) or s. 78.09 or may revoke the person's license under sub. (7) or s. 78.09. If any taxpayer is delinquent in the payment of the fee under sub. (1), the department of revenue may, upon 10 days' notice, recover the fee, interest, penalties, costs and disbursements from the person's security. The department of revenue may not pay interest on any security deposit.

(b) The security required under par. (a) may be a surety bond furnished to the department of revenue and payable to this state. The department of revenue shall prescribe the form and contents of the bond.

(c) The surety of a bond under par. (b) may conditionally cancel the bond by filing written notice with the person who is liable for the fee under sub. (1) and with the department of revenue. A surety who files that notice is not discharged from any liability that has accrued or from any liability that accrues within 60 days after the filing. If the person who is liable for the fee under sub. (1) does not, within 60 days after receiving the notice, file with the department of revenue a new bond that is satisfactory to that department, that department shall revoke the person's license under sub. (7) or s. 78.09. If the person furnishes a new bond, the department of revenue shall cancel and surrender the old bond when it is satisfied that all liability under the old bond has been discharged.

(d) If the liability on the bond is discharged or reduced or if the department of revenue determines that the bond is insufficient, that department shall require additional surety or new bonds. If any person who is liable for the fee under sub. (1) fails to file that additional bond within 5 days after the department of revenue provides written notice, that person's license under sub. (7) or s. 78.09 is revoked.

(e) Suspension, revocation or cancellation of a license under sub. (7) or s. 78.09, partial recovery on the bond or execution of a new bond does not affect the validity of a bond under this subsection.

(9) Sections 78.65 to 78.74 and 78.79 to 78.81 as they apply to the taxes under ch. 78 apply to the fee under sub. (1).

History: 1971 c. 206; 1977 c. 29, 418; 1985 a. 313; 1987 a. 27, 399; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 39, 269; 1993 a. 16, 416; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 2005 a. 25; 2009 a. 401; 2013 a. 20.