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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71272</law_id><section_number>58.1-635</section_number><catch_line>Failure to file return; fraudulent return; civil penalties</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>58.1-3510.7</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="58.1">Taxation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">Taxes Administered by the Department of Taxation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">Retail Sales and Use Tax</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> When any dealer fails to make any return and pay the full amount of the tax required by this chapter, there shall be imposed, in addition to other penalties provided herein, a specific <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> to be added to the tax in the amount of six percent if the failure is for not more than one month, with an additional six percent for each additional month, or fraction thereof, during which the failure continues, not to exceed 30 percent in the aggregate. In no case, however, shall the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> be less than $10 and such minimum <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> shall apply whether or not any tax is due for the period for which such return was required. If such failure is due to providential or other good cause shown to the satisfaction of the <span class="dictionary">Tax Commissioner</span>, such return with or without remittance may be accepted exclusive of penalties. In the case of a false or fraudulent return where willful <span class="dictionary">intent</span> exists to defraud the Commonwealth of any tax due under this chapter, or in the case of a willful failure to file a return with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to defraud the Commonwealth of any such tax, a specific <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of 50 percent of the amount of the proper tax shall be assessed. All penalties and interest imposed by this chapter shall be payable by the dealer and collectible by the <span class="dictionary">Tax Commissioner</span> in the same manner as if they were a part of the tax imposed. <a id="paragraph-256871" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-635/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> It shall be prima facie <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to defraud the Commonwealth of any tax due under this chapter when any dealer reports its <span class="dictionary">gross sales</span>, <span class="dictionary">gross proceeds</span> or <span class="dictionary">cost price</span>, as the case may be, at 50 percent or less of the actual amount. <a id="paragraph-256872" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-635/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Interest at a rate determined in accordance with &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Rate of interest" href="/58.1-15/">58.1-15</a>, shall accrue on the tax until the same is paid, or until an assessment is made, pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Rate of interest" href="/58.1-15/">58.1-15</a>, after which interest shall accrue as provided therein. <a id="paragraph-256873" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-635/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any <span class="dictionary">remote seller</span> or marketplace facilitator that has collected an incorrect amount of sales and <span class="dictionary">use</span> tax shall be relieved from liability for such amount, including any <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> or interest, if the error is a result of the <span class="dictionary">remote seller</span>&#x2019;s or marketplace facilitator&#x2019;s reasonable reliance on information provided by the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-256874" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-635/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 58-441.27; 1966, c. 151; 1972, c. 355; 1973, c. 269; 1975, c. 52; 1977, c. 396; 1984, c. 675; 1991, cc. 316, 331; 2013, c. 766; 2019, cc. 815, 816, 854.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
