Section 12B-4.005 - Penalties and Interest(1) Failure to Pay Tax Required:(a) Whoever makes, signs, issues, or accepts, or causes to be made, signed, issued, or accepted, any instrument, document, or paper of any kind or description whatsoever, without the full amount of the tax herein imposed thereon being fully paid, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished accordingly.(b) Any document, instrument, or paper upon which the tax under this chapter is imposed and which, upon audit or at time of recordation, does not evidence the proper amount of tax paid shall subject the person or persons liable for the tax upon the document, instrument or paper to:1. Payment of tax not paid;2. Effective January 1, 1993, payment of penalty to the Department shall increase from 25 percent to 50 percent of the tax not paid. Effective April 1, 1997, the penalty shall be imposed at a rate of 10 percent per month, or fraction thereof, of the unpaid tax, not to exceed 50 percent. The penalty for failing to file a timely return shall not be less than ten dollars. However, the Department shall compromise the penalty if the Department determines that the noncompliance is due to reasonable cause and not to willful negligence, willful neglect, or fraud. Any remaining penalty is subject to the compromise and settlement authority provided in Chapter 12-13, F.A.C. In making a determination whether the penalty should be reduced, the Department shall be guided by such criteria as whether administrative rules exist regarding analogous transactions and whether there are court decisions or opinions of the Attorney General which are relevant to the taxability of the document. A taxpayer's good faith belief that the document was not taxable does not, of itself, authorize a reduction in the penalty. If any part of the deficiency is due to fraud, a penalty of 200 percent of the deficiency shall be imposed;(2)(a) Payment of interest shall be at the following rate:1. One percent per month (prorated daily using the daily factor of.000328767) for payments due prior to January 1, 2000.2. For payments due on or after January 1, 2000, the rate of interest established pursuant to Section 213.235, F.S. and Rule 12-3.0015, F.A.C., prorated daily.(b) Interest accrues based upon the amount of the tax not paid from the date the tax is due until the tax is paid.Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 12B-4.005
Rulemaking Authority 201.11, 213.06(1) FS. Law Implemented 201.11, 201.12, 201.17, 201.20, 213.21, 213.235 FS.
Revised 8-18-73, Formerly 12A-4.05, Amended 2-21-77, 4-2-78, 10-18-78, 12-30-82, Formerly 12B-4.05, Amended 12-5-89, 2-16-93, 10-20-93, 12-30-97, 4-2-00.New 8-18-73, Formerly 12A-4.05, Amended 2-21-77, 4-2-78, 10-18-78, 12-30-82, Formerly 12B-4.05, Amended 12-5-89, 2-16-93, 10-20-93, 12-30-97, 4-2-00.