Virginia Law

Forest Products Tax

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Forest Products Tax Act."

1984, c. 675.

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly shows otherwise:

"Fixed place of business" means a mill, plant, yard, or other location at which occurs a regular and continuous course of dealing. The use of portable machinery or equipment alone at the place of severance of forest products does not constitute a fixed place of business.

"F.o.b. loading out point" means loaded on a railroad car, loaded on a barge or boat, or delivered to place of use by truck.

"Forest product" means wood, derived from trees severed in Virginia for commercial purposes, of any type or form, including but not limited to logs, timber, pulpwood, excelsior wood, chemical wood, woodchips, biomass chips, fuel chips, mulch, bolts, billets, crossties, switch ties, poles, piles, fuel wood, posts, all cooperage products, tanbark, mine ties, mine props, and all other types of forest products used in mines.

"Manufacturer" means any person that for commercial purposes at a fixed place of business (i) processes forest products into various sizes and forms, including chips; (ii) processes forest products into other products; (iii) uses or consumes forest products; or (iv) stores forest products for sale or shipment out of state.

"Shipper" means any person in this Commonwealth that sells or ships outside the Commonwealth by railroad, truck, barge, boat, or any other means of transportation any forest product in an unmanufactured condition, whether as owner, lessee, woodyard operator, agent, or contractor.

"Severer" means any person in this Commonwealth that fells, cuts, or otherwise separates timber or any other such forest product from the soil.

Code 1950, § 58-838.1; 1970, c. 770; 1984, c. 675; 2015, c. 170.

A. To provide further for the conservation of the natural resources of the Commonwealth by the protection and development of forest resources and reforestation of forest lands, there is hereby levied, in addition to all other taxes imposed, a forest products tax on all forest products. The tax shall be paid once on any forest product. Unless the tax has previously been paid by a severer, the tax shall be paid by the first manufacturer using, consuming, processing, or storing the forest products for sale or shipment out-of-state. No manufacturer shall be liable for the tax if the manufacturer has received proper documentation from a severer that the tax has been paid as provided in subsection B. A severer that sells or delivers forest products to any person that is not a manufacturer registered for the forest products tax shall be liable for the tax. A signed agreement, bill of sale, or invoice between the severer and a manufacturer stating that the manufacturer is registered and liable for the tax on any forest products sold or delivered to the manufacturer shall relieve the severer of liability for the tax on such forest products.

B. Each manufacturer purchasing or receiving forest products upon which the tax imposed by this chapter has been paid shall obtain written documentation of the payment, such as a signed agreement, bill of sale, or invoice, from the severer showing or including (i) the severer's name, address, and Virginia forest products tax registration number; (ii) the date of sale or delivery; (iii) a description of the products sold or delivered; and (iv) a statement that the Virginia forest products tax has been paid with regard to the forest products sold or delivered.

C. Any out-of-state manufacturer may register to pay the forest products tax and shall be liable for the tax until, upon his request or otherwise, his registration is terminated by the Department.

Code 1950, § 58-838.2; 1970, c. 770; 1984, c. 675; 2015, c. 170.

Such tax, together with interest and penalties imposed by this chapter, shall be a lien upon the forest products so severed or assembled for shipment, and upon the product manufactured therefrom, until the tax shall have been paid, or until such forest product or the product manufactured therefrom shall have been sold by the manufacturer thereof.

Code 1950, § 58-838.4; 1970, c. 770; 1984, c. 675.

The tax hereby imposed shall be assessed at the following rates:

1. On pine lumber in its various sizes and forms, including railroad switch ties, bridge timber, and dimension stock, the rate per 1000 board feet measure shall be $1.15; or at the election of the taxpayer, 20 cents per ton of logs received.

2. On hardwood, cypress and all other species of lumber the rate per 1000 board feet measure shall be 22 1/2 cents; or at the election of the taxpayer, 4 cents per ton of logs received.

3. On timber sold as logs and not converted into lumber or other products in the Commonwealth, the rate per 1000 feet log scale, International 1/4" Kerf Rule, shall be $1.15 on pine; and 22 1/2 cents on other species; or at the election of the taxpayer, 20 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

4. On logs to be converted into veneer the rate per 1000 board feet log scale, International 1/4" Kerf Rule, shall be $1.15 for pine and 22 1/2 cents for other species; or at the election of the taxpayer, 20 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

5. On pulpwood, excelsior wood, chemical wood, bolts or billets, fuel wood, tanbark, and other products customarily sold by the cord, the rate per standard cord of 128 cubic feet shall be 47 1/2 cents for pine, 11 1/4 cents per cord on all other species; or at the election of the taxpayer, 20 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

6. On chips and mulch, including products such as biomass chips and fuel chips, the rate shall be $0.20 per ton for pine, $0.04 per ton for other species, and $0.10 per ton for loads consisting of both pine and other species.

7. On railroad crossties the rate per piece shall be 3 8/10 cents on pine, and one cent on all other species; or at the election of the taxpayer, 20 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

8. On posts, mine ties, mine props, round mine collars, and other types of timber used in connection with mining and ordinarily sold by the piece, the rate per 100 pieces shall be as follows: 38 cents for pine, and 9 cents for other species, where each piece is 4' or less in length; 61 3/4 cents for pine and 14 1/4 cents for other species, where each piece is more than 4' but not over 8' in length; and 76 cents for pine and 18 cents for other species, where each piece is more than 8' in length. If the taxpayer so elects, he may pay the taxes due on the above forest products at the rate of $1.045 for pine and 24 3/4 cents for other species, per 1000 lineal feet; or at the election of the taxpayer, 20 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

9. On piling and poles of all types the rate shall equal 2.31 percent of invoice value f.o.b. loading out point; or at the election of the taxpayer, 20 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

10. On keg staves the rate per standard 400-inch bundle shall be 3 8/10 cents for pine and 1 1/2 cents for other species; the rate per 100 keg heads shall be 11 5/10 cents on pine and 4 1/2 cents for other species; and on tight cooperage, 4 1/2 cents per 100 staves and 9 cents per 100 heads; or at the election of the taxpayer, 20 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

11. On any other type of forest product not herein enumerated, severed or separated from the soil, the Commissioner shall determine a fair unit tax rate, based on the cubic foot wood volume relationship between the product and the cubic foot volume of 1000 feet board measure of pine when the product is pine, or on the unit rate of cedar or hardwood lumber when the product is a species other than pine.

Code 1950, § 58-838.5:2; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 179; 1978, c. 72; 1981, c. 372; 1984, cc. 675, 715; 1998, c. 420; 2015, c. 170.

On or before November 1, in the last year of each biennium, the State Forester shall submit to the Governor a report of the total revenues collected from the forest products tax for the immediately preceding two years. If the General Assembly fails to appropriate for such next biennium from the general fund for the reforestation of timberland activity a sum which equals or exceeds such revenues, the tax hereby imposed shall, beginning on July 1 of such next biennium, be at the rates set forth below. Such rates shall remain in effect until an appropriation from the general fund for any biennium equals or exceeds the revenues actually collected from this tax for the immediately preceding biennium at the rates imposed by § 58.1-1604.

1. On pine lumber in its various sizes and forms, including railroad switch ties, bridge timber, and dimension stock the rate per 1000 board feet measure shall be 15 cents; or at the election of the taxpayer, 2 6/10 cents per ton of pine logs received.

2. On hardwood, cypress, and all other species of lumber the rate per 1000 board feet measure shall be 22 1/2 cents; or at the election of the taxpayer, 4 cents per ton of logs received.

3. On timber sold as logs and not converted into lumber or other products in this Commonwealth, the rate per 1000 log feet scale, International 1/4" Kerf Rule, shall be 15 cents on pine and 22 1/2 cents on other species; or at the election of the taxpayer, 2 6/10 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

4. On logs to be converted into veneer the rate per 1000 board feet log scale, International 1/4" Kerf Rule, shall be 15 cents for pine, and 22 1/2 cents for other species; or at the election of the taxpayer, 2 6/10 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

5. On pulpwood, excelsior wood, chemical wood, bolts or billets, fuel wood, tanbark, and other products customarily sold by the cord, the rate per standard cord of 128 cubic feet shall be 7 1/2 cents for pine and 11 1/4 cents per cord on all other species; or at the election of the taxpayer, 2 6/10 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

6. On chips and mulch, including products such as biomass chips and fuel chips, the rate shall be $0.026 per ton for pine, $0.04 per ton for other species, and $0.03 per ton for loads consisting of both pine and other species.

7. On railroad crossties, the rate shall be one-half cent per piece on species of pine and one cent per piece on all other species; or at the election of the taxpayer, 2 6/10 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

8. On posts, mine ties, mine props, round mine collars, and other types of timber used in connection with mining and ordinarily sold by the piece, the rate per 100 pieces shall be as follows: 6 cents for pine and 9 cents for other species, where each piece is 4' or less in length; 9 3/4 cents for pine and 14 1/4 cents for other species, where each piece is more than 4' in length but not over 8' in length; and 12 cents for pine and 18 cents for other species, where each piece is more than 8' in length. If the taxpayer so elects, he may pay the taxes due on the above-mentioned forest products at the rate of 16 1/2 cents per 1000 lineal feet for pine and 24 3/4 cents for other species; or at the election of the taxpayer, 2 6/10 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

9. On piling and poles of all types the rate shall equal two-sevenths of one percent of invoice value f.o.b. loading out point; or at the election of the taxpayer, 2 6/10 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

10. On keg staves the rate per standard 400-inch bundle shall be 1 1/2 cents; the rate per 100 keg heads shall be 4 1/2 cents; and on tight cooperage, 4 1/2 cents per 100 staves and 9 cents per 100 heads; or at the election of the taxpayer, 2 6/10 cents per ton of pine logs received; and 4 cents per ton of logs of other species received.

11. On any other type of forest product not herein enumerated, severed or separated from the soil the Commissioner shall determine a fair unit tax rate, based on the cubic foot wood volume relationship between the product and the cubic foot volume of 1000 board feet measure of pine lumber when the product is pine or on the unit rate of hardwood lumber when the product is a species other than pine.

Code 1950, § 58-838.5:2; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 179; 1978, c. 72; 1981, c. 372; 1984, cc. 675, 715; 1998, c. 420; 2015, c. 170.

Notwithstanding the provisions of §§ 58.1-1604 and 58.1-1605, any manufacturer of rough lumber who during any one calendar year, manufactures 500,000 or less board feet may elect to pay a flat tax of $460 when the amount cut is between 500,000' and 300,000', and a flat tax of $230 when the amount cut is 300,000 board feet or less. The tax shall be payable to the Department within thirty days after December 31 of each year and the manufacturer shall submit to the Department with said tax, forms prescribed by the Department, certifying that he had actually manufactured a quantity of rough lumber in accordance with the foregoing schedule during the preceding calendar year.

Any person who severs for sale 100 or less cords of fuel wood, or 500 or less posts for fish net poles, during any one calendar year may elect to pay the tax due within the thirty days after December 31 of each year and submit to the Department with said tax, forms prescribed by the Department, certifying the quantity of product severed during the preceding calendar year.

Such manufacturer or severers shall not be required to keep and preserve such records as are required in § 58.1-1617.

Code 1950, § 58-838.8; 1956, c. 61; 1970, c. 770; 1972, c. 316; 1983, c. 109; 1984, c. 675.

Manufacturers taxed pursuant to the provisions of § 58.1-1605 shall not in any one calendar year of a biennium be liable for a tax under this chapter in excess of sixty dollars when the amount of rough lumber manufactured is 500,000 board feet or less, or in excess of thirty dollars when the amount of rough lumber manufactured is 300,000 board feet or less. Any tax collected in excess of such amounts shall be promptly refunded by the Tax Commissioner to the taxpayer who has paid such excess.

Code 1950, § 58-838.8; 1956, c. 61; 1970, c. 770; 1972, c. 316; 1983, c. 109; 1984, c. 675.

A. The tax levied by this chapter shall not apply to individual owners of timber who occasionally sever or cut such timber from their own premises. Such owners, however, in order to qualify for the exemption must use the timber in the construction or repair of their own structures, buildings, or improvements, or for their home consumption, or in the processing of their own farm products.

B. The tax imposed by this chapter shall apply to any forest products severed from land owned either by this Commonwealth or the United States, where the forest products severed enter commercial channels of trade for competitive markets. Such tax shall not apply to forest products severed from land owned by this Commonwealth and used by state educational institutions for experimentation in and teaching of forestry where severance is necessary for or incidental to such experimentation and teaching.

Code 1950, §§ 58-838.6, 58-838.19; 1952, c. 462; 1984, c. 675.

A. All taxes collected by the Department pursuant to § 58.1-1604 shall be paid into the state treasury. The Comptroller shall credit as special revenues, to the "Reforestation of Timberlands State Fund" of the Department of Forestry the following amounts on forest products of pine:

1. One dollar per 1,000 board feet measure on lumber; or at the election of the taxpayer, 17 4/10 cent(s) per ton of logs received;

2. One dollar per 1,000 board feet log scale, International 1/4" Kerf Rule, on logs not converted into lumber or other products in this Commonwealth; or at the election of the taxpayer, 17 4/10 cent(s) per ton of logs received;

3. One dollar per 1,000 board feet log scale, International 1/4" Kerf Rule, on logs to be converted into veneer; or at the election of the taxpayer, 17 4/10 cent(s) per ton of logs received;

4. Forty cents per standard cord on pulpwood, excelsior wood, chemical wood, bolts or billets, fuel wood, tanbark, and other products customarily sold by the standard cord; or at the election of the taxpayer, 17 4/10 cent(s) per ton of logs received;

5. Eighty-three hundredths cent per 100 pounds of chips manufactured from roundwood;

6. Three and three-tenths cents per piece on railroad crossties; or at the election of the taxpayer, 17 4/10 cent(s) per ton of logs received;

7. On posts, mine ties, mine props, round mine collars, and other types of timber used with mining and ordinarily sold by the piece:

a. Thirty-two cents where each piece is four feet or less in length;

b. Fifty-two cents where each piece is more than four feet but not over eight feet in length;

c. Sixty-four cents where each piece is more than eight feet in length;

d. Eighty-eight cents per 1,000 lineal feet where sold on the lineal feet basis; or

e. At the election of the taxpayer, 17 4/10 cent(s) per ton of logs received;

8. Two and two-hundredths percent of invoice value f.o.b. loading out point on piling and poles; or at the election of the taxpayer, 17 4/10 cent(s) per ton of logs received;

9. Three and three-tenths cents per standard 400-inch bundle of keg staves; or 17 4/10 cent(s) per ton when the taxpayer has elected to pay tax on the basis of weight of logs received;

10. Ten cents per 100 on keg heads; or at the election of the taxpayer, 17 4/10 cent(s) per ton of logs received; and

11. A proportionate amount between total tax paid per item as specified in § 58.1-1604 and the rate per item above set forth on any other type of forest product not herein enumerated.

B. All special revenues deposited into the "Reforestation of Timberlands State Fund" shall be used for the sole purpose of reforesting privately owned timberlands in the Commonwealth as provided in Article 10 (§ 10.1-1170 et seq.) of Chapter 11 of Title 10.1. No portion of the revenues shall revert to the general fund of the Commonwealth at the end of any fiscal year.

C. The remainder of the tax shall be cited by the Comptroller, as special revenues, to the "Protection and Development of Forest Resources of the State Fund" of the Department of Forestry for expenditure for the protection and development of the forest resources in accordance with law. Such funds shall be used for the sole purpose of raising, planting, and propagating seedling trees, both hardwood and softwood, forest fire protection, forestry education of the public in the use of forest harvesting methods, and rendering forestry service to the timber landowners of the Commonwealth. No portion of such special revenues shall revert to the general fund of the Commonwealth at the end of any fiscal year.

D. The Tax Commissioner shall apportion the cost of collecting taxes deposited in the "Reforestation of Timberlands State Fund" and the "Protection and Development of Forest Resources State Fund" based on the proportion of the tax deposited in each fund. Each fund shall pay to the Department of Taxation its apportioned collection cost.

Code 1950, § 58-838.7:1; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 179; 1978, c. 72; 1981, c. 372; 1984, cc. 675, 750; 1986, c. 567; 1998, c. 420.

A. All taxes collected by the Department of Taxation pursuant to § 58.1-1605 shall be paid into the state treasury. The Comptroller shall credit such taxes as special revenues to the "Protection and Development of Forest Resources of the State Fund" of the Department of Forestry for expenditure solely for the protection and development of the forest resources of the Commonwealth, to be used for raising, planting, and propagating seedling trees, both hardwood and softwood, forest fire protection, forestry education of the public in the use of forest harvesting methods, and rendering forestry service to timber landowners of the Commonwealth. No portion of such special revenues shall revert to the general fund of the Commonwealth at the end of any fiscal year.

B. The costs of collecting the taxes levied hereby shall be paid out of the special fund created by this section to the Department.

Code 1950, § 58-838.7:1; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 179; 1978, c. 72; 1981, c. 372; 1984, cc. 675, 750; 1990, c. 196.

Notwithstanding the provisions of §§ 58.1-1609 and 58.1-1610, fifty percent of tax collected within any county or city shall be allocated for expenditure within such county or city. Such sums shall be used within such county or city for the same purposes for which the tax was levied. Any sums not so expended within a two-year period shall revert to the "Reforestation of Timberlands State Fund" for expenditure on a statewide basis at the end of each fiscal year.

Code 1950, § 58-838.7:1; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 179; 1978, c. 72; 1981, c. 372; 1984, cc. 675, 750.

Every manufacturer or severer liable for the forest products tax, within 30 days after the expiration of each quarter, expiring respectively on the last day of March, June, September, and December of each year, shall file with the Department a return on forms prescribed by the Department showing:

1. The kinds and gross quantity of forest products severed, used, consumed, processed, or stored during the preceding quarter upon which the person is liable for the tax;

2. The county or counties in which such products were severed from the soil;

3. The gross quantity of forest products severed from soil outside this Commonwealth; and

4. Other reasonable and necessary information pertaining thereto as the Department may require for the proper enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.

At the time of rendering such quarterly returns, the manufacturer or severer liable for the tax shall pay to the Department the forest products tax on all forest products severed from the soil in this Commonwealth and embraced in such return.

Code 1950, § 58-838.8; 1956, c. 61; 1970, c. 770; 1972, c. 316; 1983, c. 109; 1984, c. 675; 2015, c. 170.

Repealed by Acts 2015, c. 170, cl. 2.

If any person fails to make any return herein required, the Department may issue written notice, by registered mail, to such person to make such return forthwith. If such person fails or refuses to make such return, within thirty days from the date of such notice, then the Department may make such return upon such information as it may reasonably obtain, and shall assess the taxes due thereon, and add a penalty equalling twenty-five percent of such tax due and interest determined in accordance with § 58.1-15 from the date such taxes were due.

Code 1950, § 58-838.15; 1977, c. 396; 1984, c. 675.

If the Department finds that a person liable for tax under any provision of this chapter designs quickly to depart from the Commonwealth or to remove his property therefrom, or to conceal himself or his property therein, or to do any other act tending to prejudice or to render wholly or partly ineffectual proceedings to collect such tax unless such proceeding be brought without delay, the Department shall cause notice of such finding to be given such person together with a demand for an immediate return and immediate payment of such tax. Thereupon such tax shall become immediately due and payable. If such person is not in default of making such return or paying any tax prescribed by this chapter, and furnishes evidence satisfactory to the Department in accordance with regulations which shall be prescribed by the Department, that he will duly return and pay the tax to which the Department's findings relate, then such tax shall not be payable prior to the time otherwise fixed for payment.

Code 1950, § 58-838.18; 1984, c. 675.

It shall be the duty of every manufacturer and severer to keep and preserve records and other such books or accounts as may be necessary to determine the amount of tax for which it is liable, under the provisions of this chapter. Such records shall be organized so that the forest products handled are grouped into classifications that conform to the various tax rates levied by this chapter. Such records and books shall be kept and preserved for a period of three years and shall be open for examination at any time by the Department or its duly authorized agents.

Code 1950, § 58-838.10; 1970, c. 770; 1984, c. 675; 2015, c. 170.

Any person subject to the provisions of this chapter who fails to make the returns, refuses to permit examination of his records by the Department or its duly authorized agents, or fails to keep the records as required herein shall be guilty, upon conviction, of a Class 2 misdemeanor. Each month of failure to make such returns or keep such records and each refusal of a written demand of the Department to examine, inspect or audit such records shall constitute a separate offense.

Code 1950, §§ 58-838.11, 58-838.12; 1984, c. 675; 1992, c. 763.

Any person who fails to pay the tax herein levied within the time required by this chapter shall pay, in addition to the tax a penalty of five percent of the amount of tax due. Six months from the date at which the tax herein levied became due and payable, interest shall be assessed upon the entire amount due in accordance with § 58.1-15. Such penalty and interest shall be assessed and collected as a part of the tax.

Code 1950, § 58-838.14; 1977, c. 396; 1984, c. 675.

As soon as practicable after the return is filed, the Department shall examine it and ascertain the proper amount of the tax due as shown by the return. If the amount paid is greater than the amount due, as shown by the return, the excess shall be refunded to the taxpayer, or credited on any deficiency previously due by the taxpayer, under such rules and regulations as the Department shall adopt and promulgate. All refunds made under this section, or under any other section of this chapter, shall be paid out of the special funds created by §§ 58.1-1609 and 58.1-1610. If the amount paid is less than the amount due, as shown by the return, the Department shall immediately notify the taxpayer of such deficiency and shall add thereto such penalty and interest as required by § 58.1-1619.

Code 1950, § 58-838.13; 1984, c. 675.

Whenever the Department, in examining and auditing the records of any taxpayer, or from other information, shall ascertain that the amount, or amounts, previously paid by any taxpayer for any period, is incorrect, the Department shall compute the correct amount of tax due. If it appears that the amount paid by the taxpayer is in excess of the correct amount due, such excess shall be refunded to the taxpayer under the rules and regulations of the Department. If it appears that the amount paid by such taxpayer is less than the amount due, the Department shall compute the amount of such deficiency and shall notify the taxpayer, and shall demand payment therefor. If such deficiency is not paid within thirty days from the date of such demand, the Department shall make an assessment against the taxpayer of the amount due and shall add a penalty of one-half of one percent per month from the date such taxes, or any part thereof, became due; provided, however, that if the Department be of the opinion that there was a wilful or fraudulent intent by the taxpayer to evade the tax due, it may assess a penalty of twenty-five percent of the tax.

Code 1950, § 58-838.16; 1984, c. 675.

Repealed by Acts 2015, c. 170, cl. 2.