Sales factor - In general

1. Subsection 7 of North Dakota Century Code section 57-38.1-01 defines the term "sales" to mean all gross receipts of the taxpayer not allocated under North Dakota Century Code sections 57-38.1-04 through 57-38.1-08 and article IV(1)(g) of North Dakota Century Code section 57-59-01 defines the term "sales" to mean all gross receipts of the taxpayer not allocated under paragraphs 5 through 8 of article IV. Thus, for the purposes of the sales factor of the apportionment formula for each trade or business of the taxpayer, the term "sales" means all gross receipts derived by the taxpayer from transactions and activities in the regular course of such trade or business. The following are rules for determining "sales" in various situations. a. In the case of a taxpayer engaged in manufacturing and selling or purchasing and reselling goods or products, "sales" includes all gross receipts from the sales of such goods or products, or other property of a kind which would properly be included in the inventory of the taxpayer if on hand at the close of the tax period, held by the taxpayer primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of its trade or business. Gross receipts for this purpose means gross sales, less returns and allowances, and includes all interest income, service charges, carrying charges, or time-price differential charges incidental to such sales. Federal and state excise taxes, including sales taxes, shall be included as part of such receipts if such taxes are passed on to the buyer or included as part of the selling price of the product. b. In the case of cost plus fixed fee contracts, such as the operation of a government-owned plant for a fee, "sales" includes the entire reimbursed cost, plus the fee. c. In the case of a taxpayer engaged in providing services, such as the operation of an advertising agency, or the performance of equipment service contracts, research and development contracts, "sales" includes the gross receipts from the performance of such services including fees, commissions, and similar items. d. In the case of a taxpayer engaged in renting real or tangible property, "sales" includes the gross receipts from the rental, lease, or licensing the use of the property. e. In the case of a taxpayer engaged in the sale, assignment, or licensing of intangible personal property such as patents and copyrights, "sales" includes the gross receipts therefrom. f. If a taxpayer derives receipts from the sale of equipment used in its business, such receipts constitute "sales". For example, a truck express company owns a fleet of trucks and sells its trucks under a regular replacement program. The gross receipts from the sale of the trucks are included in the sales factor. 2. In some cases, certain gross receipts should be disregarded in determining the sales factor in order that the apportionment formula will operate fairly to apportion to this state the income of the taxpayer's trade or business. See section 81-03-09-34. 3. In filing returns with this state, if the taxpayer departs from or modifies the basis for excluding or including gross receipts in the sales factor used in the returns for prior years, the taxpayer shall disclose in the return for the current year the nature and extent of the modification. If the returns or reports filed by the taxpayer with all states to which the taxpayer reports under article IV of the multistate tax compact or the Uniform Division of Income for Tax Purposes Act are not uniform in the inclusion or exclusion of gross receipts, the taxpayer shall disclose in its return to this state the nature and extent of the variance.