Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 5703 | Department of Taxation
Section 5703.21 | Prohibition Against Divulging Information - Information Acquired as Result of Audit.

Effective: March 23, 2022
Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 (GA 133), House Bill 29 (GA 134), House Bill 74 (GA 134), House Bill 172 (GA 134), House Bill 110 (GA 134)
(A) Except as provided in divisions (B) and (C) of this section, no agent of the department of taxation, except in the agent's report to the department or when called on to testify in any court or proceeding, shall divulge any information acquired by the agent as to the transactions, property, or business of any person while acting or claiming to act under orders of the department. Whoever violates this provision shall thereafter be disqualified from acting as an officer or employee or in any other capacity under appointment or employment of the department.
(B)(1) For purposes of an audit pursuant to section 117.15 of the Revised Code, or an audit of the department pursuant to Chapter 117. of the Revised Code, or an audit, pursuant to that chapter, the objective of which is to express an opinion on a financial report or statement prepared or issued pursuant to division (A)(7) or (9) of section 126.21 of the Revised Code, the officers and employees of the auditor of state charged with conducting the audit shall have access to and the right to examine any state tax returns and state tax return information in the possession of the department to the extent that the access and examination are necessary for purposes of the audit. Any information acquired as the result of that access and examination shall not be divulged for any purpose other than as required for the audit or unless the officers and employees are required to testify in a court or proceeding under compulsion of legal process. Whoever violates this provision shall thereafter be disqualified from acting as an officer or employee or in any other capacity under appointment or employment of the auditor of state.
(2) For purposes of an internal audit pursuant to section 126.45 of the Revised Code, the officers and employees of the office of internal audit in the office of budget and management charged with directing the internal audit shall have access to and the right to examine any state tax returns and state tax return information in the possession of the department to the extent that the access and examination are necessary for purposes of the internal audit. Any information acquired as the result of that access and examination shall not be divulged for any purpose other than as required for the internal audit or unless the officers and employees are required to testify in a court or proceeding under compulsion of legal process. Whoever violates this provision shall thereafter be disqualified from acting as an officer or employee or in any other capacity under appointment or employment of the office of internal audit.
(3) As provided by section 6103(d)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, any federal tax returns or federal tax information that the department has acquired from the internal revenue service, through federal and state statutory authority, may be disclosed to the auditor of state or the office of internal audit solely for purposes of an audit of the department.
(4) For purposes of Chapter 3739. of the Revised Code, an agent of the department of taxation may share information with the division of state fire marshal that the agent finds during the course of an investigation.
(C) Division (A) of this section does not prohibit any of the following:
(1) Divulging information contained in applications, complaints, and related documents filed with the department under section 5715.27 of the Revised Code or in applications filed with the department under section 5715.39 of the Revised Code;
(2) Providing information to the office of child support within the department of job and family services pursuant to section 3125.43 of the Revised Code;
(3) Disclosing to the motor vehicle repair board any information in the possession of the department that is necessary for the board to verify the existence of an applicant's valid vendor's license and current state tax identification number under section 4775.07 of the Revised Code;
(4) Providing information to the administrator of workers' compensation pursuant to sections 4123.271 and 4123.591 of the Revised Code;
(5) Providing to the attorney general information the department obtains under division (J) of section 1346.01 of the Revised Code;
(6) Permitting properly authorized officers, employees, or agents of a municipal corporation from inspecting reports or information pursuant to section 718.84 of the Revised Code or rules adopted under section 5745.16 of the Revised Code;
(7) Providing information regarding the name, account number, or business address of a holder of a vendor's license issued pursuant to section 5739.17 of the Revised Code, a holder of a direct payment permit issued pursuant to section 5739.031 of the Revised Code, or a seller having a use tax account maintained pursuant to section 5741.17 of the Revised Code, or information regarding the active or inactive status of a vendor's license, direct payment permit, or seller's use tax account;
(8) Releasing invoices or invoice information furnished under section 4301.433 of the Revised Code pursuant to that section;
(9) Providing to a county auditor notices or documents concerning or affecting the taxable value of property in the county auditor's county. Unless authorized by law to disclose documents so provided, the county auditor shall not disclose such documents;
(10) Providing to a county auditor sales or use tax return or audit information under section 333.06 of the Revised Code;
(11) Subject to section 4301.441 of the Revised Code, disclosing to the appropriate state agency information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary to verify a permit holder's gallonage or noncompliance with taxes levied under Chapter 4301. or 4305. of the Revised Code;
(12) Disclosing to the department of natural resources information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary for the department of taxation to verify the taxpayer's compliance with section 5749.02 of the Revised Code or to allow the department of natural resources to enforce Chapter 1509. of the Revised Code;
(13) Disclosing to the department of job and family services, industrial commission, and bureau of workers' compensation information in the possession of the department of taxation solely for the purpose of identifying employers that misclassify employees as independent contractors or that fail to properly report and pay employer tax liabilities. The department of taxation shall disclose only such information that is necessary to verify employer compliance with law administered by those agencies.
(14) Disclosing to the Ohio casino control commission information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary to verify a casino operator's or sports gaming proprietor's compliance with section 5747.063, 5753.02, or 5753.021 of the Revised Code and sections related thereto;
(15) Disclosing to the state lottery commission information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary to verify a lottery sales agent's compliance with section 5747.064 of the Revised Code.
(16) Disclosing to the department of development information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary to ensure compliance with the laws of this state governing taxation and to verify information reported to the department of development for the purpose of evaluating potential tax credits, tax deductions, grants, or loans. Such information shall not include information received from the internal revenue service the disclosure of which is prohibited by section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code. No officer, employee, or agent of the department of development shall disclose any information provided to the department of development by the department of taxation under division (C)(16) of this section except when disclosure of the information is necessary for, and made solely for the purpose of facilitating, the evaluation of potential tax credits, tax deductions, grants, or loans.
(17) Disclosing to the department of insurance information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary to ensure a taxpayer's compliance with the requirements with any tax credit administered by the department of development and claimed by the taxpayer against any tax administered by the superintendent of insurance. No officer, employee, or agent of the department of insurance shall disclose any information provided to the department of insurance by the department of taxation under division (C)(17) of this section.
(18) Disclosing to the division of liquor control information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary for the division and department to comply with the requirements of sections 4303.26 and 4303.271 of the Revised Code.
(19) Disclosing to the department of education, upon that department's request, information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary only to verify whether the family income of a student applying for or receiving a scholarship under the educational choice scholarship pilot program is equal to, less than, or greater than the income thresholds prescribed by section 3310.032 of the Revised Code. The department of education shall provide sufficient information about the student and the student's family to enable the department of taxation to make the verification.
(20) Disclosing to the Ohio rail development commission information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary to ensure compliance with the laws of this state governing taxation and to verify information reported to the commission for the purpose of evaluating potential grants or loans. Such information shall not include information received from the internal revenue service the disclosure of which is prohibited by section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code. No member, officer, employee, or agent of the Ohio rail development commission shall disclose any information provided to the commission by the department of taxation under division (C)(20) of this section except when disclosure of the information is necessary for, and made solely for the purpose of facilitating, the evaluation of potential grants or loans.
(21) Disclosing to the state racing commission information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary for verification of compliance with and for enforcement and administration of the taxes levied by Chapter 3769. of the Revised Code. Such information shall include information that is necessary for the state racing commission to verify compliance with Chapter 3769. of the Revised Code for the purposes of issuance, denial, suspension, or revocation of a permit pursuant to section 3769.03 or 3769.06 of the Revised Code and related sections. Unless disclosure is otherwise authorized by law, information provided to the state racing commission under this section remains confidential and is not subject to public disclosure pursuant to section 3769.041 of the Revised Code.
(22) Disclosing to the state fire marshal information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary for the state fire marshal to verify the compliance of a licensed manufacturer of fireworks or a licensed wholesaler of fireworks with section 3743.22 of the Revised Code. No officer, employee, or agent of the state fire marshal shall disclose any information provided to the state fire marshal by the department of taxation under division (C)(22) of this section.
The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.
Last updated January 25, 2022 at 11:56 AM

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