A. Any person, except as provided in subsection C, who ships, sells, or distributes any quantity of cigarettes in excess of 10,000 sticks or 50 cartons, or with a value greater than $10,000 in any single transaction or multiple related transactions, shall (i) obtain a copy of the cigarette exemption certificate issued to the purchaser pursuant to § 58.1-623.2 and (ii) maintain such information about the shipment, receipt, sale, and distribution of such cigarettes on a form prescribed by the Office of the Attorney General. Such form may be in electronic format in a manner prescribed by the Office of the Attorney General. Such form shall be transmitted to the Office of the Attorney General upon request, as determined by the Office of the Attorney General.
B. For purposes of complying with subsection A, the seller may maintain an electronic copy of the purchaser's cigarette exemption certificate.
C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a stamping agent when delivering cigarettes to the purchaser's physical place of business.
D. Prior to completing the sale, the purchaser shall complete the form for the seller and present a valid photo identification issued by a state or federal government agency. The purchaser shall sign the form acknowledging an understanding of the applicable sales limit and that providing false statements or misrepresentations may subject the purchaser to criminal penalties.
E. Prior to completing the sale, the seller shall verify that the identity of the purchaser listed on the form matches the identity on the photo identification provided pursuant to subsection D and that the form is completed in its entirety.
F. The records required to be completed by this section shall be preserved for three years at the location where the purchase was made and shall be available for audit and inspection as described in § 58.1-1007. A violation of these requirements shall be punished under the provisions of § 58.1-1007.
G. The Department, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Office of the Attorney General, a local cigarette tax administrative or enforcement official, or any other law-enforcement agency of the Commonwealth or any federal law-enforcement agency conducting a criminal investigation involving the trafficking of cigarettes may access these records required to be completed and preserved by this section at any time. Failure to supply the records upon request shall be punished under the provisions of § 58.1-1007. Copies of the records required to be completed and preserved by this section shall be provided to such officials or agencies upon request. Any court, investigatory grand jury, or special grand jury that has been impaneled in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 13 (§ 19.2-191 et seq.) of Title 19.2 may access such information if relevant to any proceedings therein.
H. The records required to be completed and preserved by this section shall be exempt from disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.).
2017, cc. 112, 453.
Structure Code of Virginia
§ 58.1-1003. How paid; affixing of stamps; records of stamping agents; civil penalties
§ 58.1-1003.1. Bad debt; deduction; definition
§ 58.1-1003.3. Roll-your-own cigarette machines
§ 58.1-1008. Monthly reports of stamping agents; penalty
§ 58.1-1008.1. Monthly reports of tobacco product manufacturers
§ 58.1-1008.2. Materially false statements in reports
§ 58.1-1010. Sale of unstamped cigarettes by wholesale dealers; penalty
§ 58.1-1011. Qualification for permit to affix Virginia revenue stamps; penalty
§ 58.1-1013. Penalty for failing to affix stamps; subsequent violations of article
§ 58.1-1016. Administration and enforcement of tax
§ 58.1-1017. Sale, purchase, possession, etc., of cigarettes for purpose of evading tax; penalties
§ 58.1-1017.1. Possession with intent to distribute tax-paid, contraband cigarettes; penalties
§ 58.1-1017.2. Sealed pack labeled as cigarettes; prima facie evidence of cigarettes
§ 58.1-1017.3. Fraudulent purchase of cigarettes; penalties
§ 58.1-1017.4. Documents to be provided at purchase
§ 58.1-1019. Monthly returns and payment of tax
§ 58.1-1020. Assessment of tax by Department
§ 58.1-1021.02. Tax on tobacco products
§ 58.1-1021.02:1. Reports by manufacturers of tobacco products
§ 58.1-1021.02:2. Records to be kept and reports by remote retail sellers of cigars and pipe tobacco
§ 58.1-1021.03. Monthly return and payments of tax
§ 58.1-1021.04. Failure to file return; fraudulent return; penalties; interest; overpayment of tax
§ 58.1-1021.04:1. Distributor's or remote retail seller's license; penalty
§ 58.1-1021.04:2. Certain records required of distributor; access to premises
§ 58.1-1021.04:4. Purchase of tobacco products for resale
§ 58.1-1021.04:5. Tax Commissioner to establish guidelines and rules
§ 58.1-1021.05. Use of revenues