Tax 11.12(4)(a)4.a.a. “Machine” means an assemblage of parts that transmit force, motion and energy from one part to another in a predetermined manner. Tax 11.12(4)(a)4.b.b. “Machines which qualify for exemption” include, if not realty improvements, all-terrain vehicles or trucks not licensed for highway use, balers, chain saws for orchard or logging use but not for use in cutting firewood for personal use or for use in pulpwood or sawmill operations, choppers, corn pickers, crop conditioners, crop thinners, cultivators, discs, drags, end loaders, electric clippers and hoof trimmers, electric dehorners, electric fence chargers not fencing or insulators, electric foggers, fork lifts, harrows, harvesting combines, hay wagons, manure spreaders, mowers, planters, plows, powered posthole diggers, pumps and associated piping for irrigation, rock pickers, rotary hoes, space heaters not for residential use, sprayers, stalk shredders, and windrowers. Tax 11.12(4)(a)4.c.c. “Machines which do not qualify for exemption” include tangible personal property and items and property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c), Stats., that are attached to, fastened to, connected to or built into real property or that become an addition to, component of or capital improvement of real property. Also, tangible personal property, and items and property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c), Stats., used or consumed in the erection of buildings or in the alteration, repair or improvement of real property, regardless of any contribution that the personal property, or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), Stats., makes to the production process in that building or real property and regardless of the extent to which that personal property, or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), Stats., functions as a machine does not qualify for exemption. However, there is an exception for those items specifically mentioned in subd. 4. d. Tax 11.12(4)(a)4.d.d. The following items retain their character as tangible personal property and qualify for exemption, regardless of the extent to which they are fastened to, connected to or built into real property: auxiliary power generators, bale loaders, barn cleaners and elevators, conveyors, feed elevators and augers, grain dryers and grinders, irrigation implements, milk coolers, milking machines, including piping, pipeline washers and compressors, top and bottom silo unloaders, and powered feeders, excluding platforms and troughs constructed from ordinary building materials. Tax 11.12(4)(a)5.a.a. “Building” means any structure that is intended to be a permanent accession to real property; that is designed or used for sheltering people, animals, or plants, for storing property, or for working, office, parking, sales, or display space, regardless of any contribution that the structure makes to the production process in it; that in physical appearance is annexed to the real property; that is covered by a roof or encloses space; that is not readily moved or disassembled; and that is commonly known to be a building because of its appearance and because of the materials of which it is constructed. Tax 11.12(4)(a)5.b.b. Certain machines in addition to those in subd. 4. qualify for the exemption if purchased by farmers directly from retailers, even though after the sale they are affixed to realty by the farmer, or someone hired by the farmer. Machines included are automated livestock feeder bunks, but not ordinary building materials; automatic stock waterers powered by electricity or water pressure and built into a permanent plumbing system; automatic water softeners, such as for milkhouses; barn fans and blowers and other ventilating units; unit heaters and other heating units; water heaters serving production areas; and water pumps serving production areas. Tax 11.12(4)(a)6.6. ‘Motor vehicles and their accessories, attachments, and parts.’ Specifically excluded from the exemption are “motor vehicles for highway use,” which includes motor trucks, automobiles, station wagons, buses and motorcycles. The exclusion from the exemption also applies to accessories, attachments, and parts for motor vehicles for highway use. “For highway use” means registered or required to be registered for that use. Charges for labor for the repair of vehicles registered for highway use, such as nurse tanks and trailers, are taxable. Sales of parts for vehicles registered for highway use which are used exclusively and directly in farming or are consumed in farming, such as nurse tanks and trailers, are taxable. Tax 11.12 NoteNote: Nurse tanks may qualify for the exemption provided in s. 77.54 (5) (d), Stats., as mobile units used for mixing and processing if they have pumps to blend and mix the product. Tax 11.12(4)(a)7.a.a. Tools used in construction of or making repairs to real estate, such as block and tackle sets, chain hoists, cutters, electric drills, hammers, powered or nonpowered hand tools, planers, sharpeners, sanders, saws and wheelbarrows. Tax 11.12(4)(a)7.b.b. Building materials used to repair or improve real estate such as cement, drain tile, fencing, light fixtures, lumber, nails, and stanchions. Tax 11.12(4)(a)8.8. ‘Sales and use tax.’ A person who buys without tax by claiming the farming exemption owes the sales tax at the time the person uses the property or item purchased in a taxable manner or for a taxable purpose. Property, items, or goods purchased without tax by claiming they will be used exclusively and directly in the business of farming, become subject to the tax when use of the property, items, or goods for nonexempt purposes exceeds 5% of total use. Property, items, or goods purchased without tax by claiming they will be consumed or lose their identity in the business of farming, become subject to the tax when the property, items, or goods are used for a purpose other than for an exempt use in the business of farming. Tax 11.12(4)(b)(b) Section 77.54 (3m), Stats., exempts: “The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or other consumption of the following items if they are used exclusively by the purchaser or user in the business of farming; including dairy farming, agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, silviculture, beekeeping, and custom farming services: (a) Seeds for planting.
(b) Plants.
(c) Feed.
(d) Fertilizer.
(e) Soil conditioners.
(f) Animal bedding.
(g) Sprays, pesticides and fungicides.
(h) Breeding and other livestock.
(hm) Bees, beehives, and bee combs.
(i) Poultry.
(j) Farm work stock.
(k) Baling twine and baling wire.
(L) Containers for fruits, vegetables, grain, hay, silage and animal wastes.
(m) Plastic bags, plastic sleeves and plastic sheeting used to store or cover hay or silage.” “Exclusively” as used in s. 77.54 (3m), Stats., and in this section means that the items mentioned in s. 77.54 (3m), Stats., are used solely in farming to the exclusion of all other uses, except that the sales and use tax exemption for those items will not be invalidated by an infrequent and sporadic use other than in farming. For purposes of this section: Tax 11.12(4)(b)1.1. ‘Seeds for planting.’ “Seeds for planting” includes seeds for alfalfa, blue grass, canning peas, clover, field corn, field peas, rye grass, sweet corn, timothy and vegetables; plant parts capable of propagation; and bulbs. “Seeds for planting” does not include sod. Tax 11.12(4)(b)2.2. ‘Plants.’ “Plants” include herbs, shrubs or young trees, slips, seedlings, or saplings planted or ready to plant. Tax 11.12(4)(b)3.a.a. “Feed” includes processed vegetable and animal products and essential minerals required for the normal nutritional needs of livestock, poultry and domestic fur-bearing animals and other materials which are required for the normal nutritional needs of animals in some domestic environments, such as vitamins A, B-complex, D and E. Essential minerals include phosphorous, calcium, sodium, chlorine, iodine, iron, copper, sulfur, potassium, magnesium and zinc. Common feed additives containing these substances include cod liver oil, salt in granular or block form, ground limestone, fish oil, fish meal, oyster shells and bone meal. Tax 11.12(4)(b)3.b.b. “Feed” includes medicated feed or drug carriers purchased for use as an ingredient of medicated feed, the primary purpose of which is the prevention of diseases in livestock or poultry. “Feed” does not include a mixture labeled and sold for specific treatment or cure of a disease. Feed for farm livestock, poultry and work stock is exempt but feed for pets, such as dogs and cats, is taxable. Tax 11.12(4)(b)4.a.a. “Fertilizer” means any substance containing nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash or any recognized plant food element or compound which is used primarily for its plant food content to improve the soil’s agricultural qualities. “Fertilizer” and “soil conditioners” include fertilizer and insecticide combinations, agricultural minerals, carbon dioxide for application to land, urea, sewage sludge, liquid spray mixtures of minerals and plant nutrients, lime, compost, manure, peat moss and soy bean straw. Tax 11.12(4)(b)4.b.b. “Fertilizer” and “soil conditioners” do not include fill dirt, top soil, wood chips, wood shavings, litter and hormone growth stimulants. Tax 11.12 NoteNote: The difference between fertilizers and hormone growth stimulants is that fertilizers nourish plants whereas hormone growth stimulants act upon the cellular structure.
Tax 11.12(4)(b)5.5. ‘Sprays, pesticides and fungicides.’ “Sprays,” “pesticides” and “fungicides” include disinfectant sprays, fly sprays and preparations used to destroy insects, mites, nematodes, slugs, or other invertebrate animals injurious to plants and animals; chemicals used for crop disease, pest and weed control, including insecticides, rodenticides, and pesticides used to sanitize and clean dairy equipment. Products used to sanitize dairy equipment are exempt, if they are registered with the U.S. environmental protection agency, or “EPA,” as pesticides, advertised and sold as pesticides, and each bottle, can, or other container containing the pesticide has an EPA pesticide registration number on it. Tax 11.12(4)(b)6.6. ‘Containers for fruits, vegetables, bee products, grain, hay, silage and animal wastes and plastic bags, plastic sleeves and plastic sheeting used to store or cover hay or silage.’ Tax 11.12(4)(b)6.a.a. “Containers for fruits, vegetables, bee products, grain, hay, silage and animal wastes and plastic bags, plastic sleeves and plastic sheeting used to store or cover hay or silage” includes any kind of personal property which is purchased exclusively for holding or storing fruit, vegetables, bee products, grains, hay, silage or animal wastes. The phrase includes feeders and feed carts if used to hold hay, silage or feed which contains grain. Tax 11.12(4)(b)6.b.b. A complete corn crib or grain bin may be purchased “knocked-down” in kit form and still qualify for this exemption. However, a person who contracts with a farmer to provide and install the bin permanently into real estate is a consumer of the bin, not its seller. The contractor, dealer or installer, not being a farmer, may not furnish an exemption certificate claiming a farming exemption on the bin’s purchase. Being the consumer, not a seller, the contractor shall pay the sales tax to the supplier or report the use tax or sales tax pursuant to s. Tax 11.14 (2) (c) on the purchase price directly to the department. A farmer who utilizes the exemption certificate on the purchase of a grain bin or corn crib normally built on a slab or otherwise affixed to real estate may purchase the crib or bin separately and do any necessary installation work. Tax 11.12(4)(b)6.c.c. Farmers or contractors may purchase animal waste containers or the component parts of animal waste containers without tax, by issuing their supplier a properly completed “single purchase” exemption certificate. Tax 11.12(4)(b)6.d.d. Silos are not included in the exemption. The purchaser of materials used in building a silo shall pay the sales tax to the purchaser’s supplier. A silo unloader may be purchased by a farmer as an exempt machine. Tax 11.12(4)(c)(c) Section 77.54 (30) (a) 3., Stats., exempts the sales price from the sale of electricity sold for use in farming, including but not limited to agriculture, dairy farming, floriculture, silviculture, beekeeping, and horticulture. Section 77.54 (30) (a) 5., Stats., exempts the sales price from the sale of fuel sold for use in farming, including but not limited to agriculture, dairy farming, floriculture, silviculture, beekeeping, and horticulture. Tax 11.12(4)(c)1.1. Electricity and fuel sold for use in farming includes electricity and fuel sold for use in performing custom farming services. Tax 11.12(4)(c)2.2. Fuel includes oxygen used to enrich a fuel mixture, or oxygen and acetylene used in a welding process. Tax 11.12(4)(d)(d) Section 77.54 (33), Stats., exempts the sales price from sales of and the storage, use or other consumption of drugs used on farm livestock, not including workstock, or on bees. Tax 11.12(5)(a)(a) Sales tax imposed under s. 77.52 (2) (a) 10., Stats., does not apply to the repair, service, alteration, fitting, cleaning, painting, coating, towing, inspection, or maintenance of tangible personal property and items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., if the farmer may purchase the property, item, or good without tax under s. 77.54 (3), (3m), (27), (30) (a) 3. and 5., (33), and (50), Stats. Tax 11.12 NoteExamples: 1) Charges to a farmer for labor to replace a water pump on a motor vehicle registered for highway use are taxable. However, charges to a farmer for labor to replace a water pump on a tractor used exclusively and directly in farming are not taxable.
Tax 11.12 Note2) A farmer may claim an exemption when having draft horses or horses used exclusively in farming for breeding or to check on or herd livestock shod, but not when having horses ridden for pleasure shod.
Tax 11.12(5)(b)(b) Fees for breeding farm livestock or farm work stock, charges for artificial insemination of farm livestock or farm work stock, and medical and hospitalization services furnished by veterinarians are not taxable. Tax 11.12(5)(c)(c) The exemptions under s. 77.54 (3), Stats., do not apply to farmers’ purchases of other services which are taxable under s. 77.52 (2) (a), Stats., including telephone, laundry, dry cleaning, photographic services, and breeding or artificial insemination of animals other than farm livestock or farm work stock. Tax 11.12(6)(a)(a) Nontaxable services. The following services performed by farmers are not subject to the sales tax: Tax 11.12(6)(a)1.1. ‘Custom work.’ The performance of custom farm services, such as plowing a field, planting seeds, harvesting grain, or logging timber. Tax 11.12(6)(a)2.2. ‘Training animals.’ The training of horses, dogs, or other animals. Tax 11.12(6)(b)(b) Services to tangible personal property. Charges for the repair, service, alteration, fitting, cleaning, painting, coating, towing, inspection, or maintenance of tangible personal property or items, property or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., are taxable, unless at the time such services are performed, a sale in Wisconsin of the type of property, item or good so serviced would have been exempt from Wisconsin sales tax. Taxable services to tangible personal property and items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), Stats., include: Tax 11.12(6)(b)1.1. ‘Boarding animals.’ The boarding of dogs, cats, horses used for racing, pleasure riding or show, or other recreational animals. The entire boarding charge is taxable, but the retailer may purchase the feed for the animals without tax by supplying a properly completed exemption certificate claiming an exemption for resale. Tax 11.12 NoteExample: Charges by a farmer for labor to replace a radiator on a motor vehicle registered for highway use are taxable. However, charges by a farmer for labor to replace a radiator on a tractor used exclusively and directly in the business of farming are not taxable.
Tax 11.12(7)(7) Taxable sales. Sales of tangible personal property and items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., by farmers which are taxable include: Tax 11.12(7)(c)(c) Flowers, Christmas trees and other decorative trees, plants, or shrubs. Tax 11.12(7)(d)(d) Timber or gravel when the purchaser acquires this property for removal, unless the purchaser pays royalties to lease land. Tax 11.12 NoteNote: The interpretations in s. Tax 11.12 are effective under the general sales and use tax law on and after September 1, 1969, except: (a) Semen became exempt effective July 22, 1971, pursuant to Chapter 64, Laws of 1971; (b) Baling wire and twine became exempt effective December 24, 1975, pursuant to Chapter 146, Laws of 1975; (c) The exemption for electricity for residential use and use in farming and for fuel oil, propane, coal, steam or wood for residential use became effective July 1, 1979, pursuant to Chapter 1, Laws of 1979; (d) The definition of “feed lot” became effective December 1, 1981; (e) Farm livestock medicine, milk house supplies and animal bedding became exempt effective July 1, 1986, pursuant to 1985 Wis. Act 29; (f) The definition of “exclusively used” became effective October 1, 1989, pursuant to 1989 Wis. Act 31; (g) The farm machinery exemption was revised effective October 1, 1989, pursuant to 1989 Wis. Act 31; (h) The exemption for farm fuel for items other than machines became effective October 1, 1991, pursuant to 1991 Wis. Act 39; (i) The exemption for electricity sold for use in farming was expanded to include sales of electricity during the entire year, effective for sales on or after May 1, 2000, pursuant to 1999 Wis. Act 9; (j) The expansion of the exemption for tangible personal property consumed in farming and the addition of “silviculture” to the definition of farming became effective July 1, 2007, pursuant to 2005 Wis. Act 366; (k) The change of the term “gross receipts” to “sales price” and the separate impositions of tax on coins and stamps sold above face value under s. 77.52 (1) (b), Stats., certain leased property affixed to real property under s. 77.52 (1) (c), Stats., and digital goods under s. 77.52 (1) (d), Stats., became effective October 1, 2009, pursuant to 2009 Wis. Act 2; (L) The clarification that “custom farming services” includes services performed by veterinarians to farm livestock or work stock used exclusively in the business of farming became effective July 2, 2013, pursuant to 2013 Wis. Act 20; and (m) The addition of “beekeeping” to the definition of farming and various farming exemptions became effective December 1, 2017, pursuant to 2017 Wis. Act 59. Tax 11.12 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, March, 1978, No. 267, eff. 4-1-78; am. (2) (intro.), (4) (a) 1., (4) (b) (intro.) and (5) (c), renum. (2) (a) to be (2) (a) 1. and am., cr. (2) (a) 2., Register, November, 1981, No. 311, eff. 12-1-81; am. (2) (a) 1., (4) (b) 5., 6. c. and 9., Register, June, 1983, No. 330, eff. 7-1-83; am. (4) (a) 1., 3. and 5., and (5) (c), cr. (5) (d), Register, September, 1984, No. 345, eff. 10-1-84; am. (4) (a) (intro.) and 7., (4) (b) 6. b., Register, July, 1987, No. 379, eff. 8-1-87; am. (2) (a) 1. and (4) (b) 7., cr. (7), Register, November, 1988, No. 395, eff. 12-1-88; renum. (2) (a) to (d) and (4) (b) 7. and 8. to be (2) (c), (g), (f), (b), (h) and (e), cr. (2) (a), and (d) and (i), am. (4) (b) (intro.) and 3. b., Register, June, 1990, No. 414, eff. 7-1-90; cr. (2) (b), (4) (a) 2., 4. c. and d. and 5. a., am. (1), (4) (a) (intro.), (4) (b) 3. a., 4. b. and 6. b. and d., renum. (2) (b) to be (2) (c), renum. (2) (c) 1. and 2. to be (2) (d) and (g) and am. (g), renum. (2) (d) to (g) to be (2) (e), (f), (h) and (i) and am. (f), renum. (2) (h) and (i) to be (2) (j) and (k), renum. (4) (a) 2. to be 3., and am., renum. (4) (a) 3. and 4. a. and b. to be (4) (a) 4. and 5. b. and c., and am. 4. a. and b. and 5. b. and c., renum. (4) (a) 5., 6., and 7. to be (4) (a) 6., 7. and 8. and am. 7. b. and 8., Register, June, 1991, No. 426, eff. 7-1-91; am. (2) (d), (e), (i) and (3), (4) (a) (intro.), 3., 5. c., 6., 7. c., (b) (intro.), 4. a., 5. and 6. c., renum. (4) (b) 9. to be (4) (b) 7., r. (5) (d), Register, April, 1993, No. 448, eff. 5-1-93; am. (1), (3), (4) (a) (intro.), 7. c. and (b) (intro.), 1. and 6., a., b., c., and e., (5), (6) (b) 1. and (7) (b), r. (4) (a) 5. c., renum. (2) (d), (e) and (f) to be (2) (f), (d) and (e) and am. (e) and (f), Register, May, 1999, No. 521, eff. 6-1-99; EmR0924: emerg. am. (title), (1), (2) (intro.), (d), (f), (4) (a) (intro.), 1., 3., 4. b. to d., 5. b., 7. a., 8., (b) (intro.), 2., 6. c., 7., (5) (a), (6) (a) 1., (b) 1., and (7) (intro.), r. and recr. (2) (k), (4) (a) 6., (6) (b) (title) and (intro.), cr. (4) (a) 2g., 2r., (c) and (d), r. (4) (a) 7. c., (b) 6. e., and (7) (a), renum. (7) (b) to (e) to be (7) (a) to (d), eff. 10-1-09; CR 09-090: am. (title), (1), (2) (intro.), (d), (f), (4) (a) (intro.), 1., 3., 4. b. to d., 5. b., 7. a., 8., (b) (intro.), 2., 6. c., 7., (5) (a), (6) (a) 1., (b) 1., and (7) (intro.), r. and recr. (2) (k), (4) (a) 6., (6) (b) (title) and (intro.), cr. (4) (a) 2g., 2r., (c) and (d), r. (4) (a) 7. c., (b) 6. e., and (7) (a), renum. (7) (b) to (e) to be (7) (a) to (d) and am. Register May 2010 No. 653, eff. 6-1-10; CR 10-094: am. (2) (a), (c), (d), (f), (h), (i), (k) 1., 2. e., (4) (a) (intro.), 3., 4. b., d., 5. a., 6., 7. b., (b) 2., 5., (5), (6) (a) 2., (b) (intro.) Register November 2010 No. 659, eff. 12-1-10; CR 12-014: am. (3) Register August 2012 No. 680, eff. 9-1-12; CR 14-006: am. (2) (b) Register August 2014 No. 704, eff. 9-1-14; CR 20-018: am. (1), cr. (1) (am), am. (2) (f), (4) (a) (intro.), (b) (intro.), 6. (title), a., (c), (d) Register July 2021 No. 787, eff. 8-1-21; renum. (1) (am) to (2) (am) under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., Register July 2021 No. 786. Tax 11.13(1)(a)(a) “Continuous” use of a direct pay permit means that the purchase without tax applies to the purchase being made from the retailer and subsequent purchases from that retailer and is considered a part of each order given to the retailer. Tax 11.13(1)(b)(b) “Single purchase” use of a direct pay permit means that the purchase without tax applies only to the purchase being made from a retailer for which the direct pay permit is given. Tax 11.13(2)(a)(a) The holder of a direct pay permit may purchase tangible personal property, items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., and taxable services, except those in sub. (6) (a) and (b), from a retailer without paying Wisconsin sales or use tax to the retailer. Tax 11.13(2)(b)(b) The direct pay permit holder shall report Wisconsin use tax on the purchase price of tangible personal property, items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., and taxable services purchased from a retailer without tax using a direct pay permit if the property, item, good, or service is subject to Wisconsin sales or use tax. The tax shall be reported on the direct pay permit holder’s Wisconsin sales tax return for the period in which the taxable storage, use, or consumption first occurs in Wisconsin. Tax 11.13 NoteNote: Purchase price, for purposes of this paragraph, has the meaning specified in s. 77.51 (12m), Stats. Tax 11.13(3)(a)(a) The department shall issue a direct pay permit to those applicants who meet the qualifications set forth in s. 77.52 (17m) (b), Stats. Tax 11.13(3)(b)(b) Persons who wish to obtain a direct pay permit shall apply to the department using form S-101, “Application for Direct Pay Permit.” Tax 11.13 NoteNote: Form S-101 is available by writing to Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Mail Stop 5-77, PO Box 8949, Madison WI 53708-8949; calling (608) 266-2776; or downloading it from the department's web site, www.revenue.wi.gov. Tax 11.13(3)(c)(c) A direct pay permit shall be effective for purchases made beginning on the first day of the applicant’s taxable year, for Wisconsin franchise or income tax purposes, after the permit is issued. Tax 11.13 NoteExample: A person’s taxable year begins July 1 for Wisconsin franchise or income tax purposes. The person files an application for a direct pay permit with the department on January 1, 2009. The person is issued a direct pay permit which is effective for purchases made on or after July 1, 2009.
Tax 11.13(4)(a)(a) A direct pay permit issued by the department may be used indefinitely until it is revoked by the department or cancelled by the holder. Tax 11.13(4)(b)(b) A permit may be cancelled by the holder by mailing the permit to the department for cancellation. A letter shall be enclosed with the permit, indicating the holder’s intention to cancel the permit. Tax 11.13 NoteNote: The permit to be cancelled and letter should be mailed to Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Mail Stop 3-80, PO Box 8902, Madison WI 53708-8902.
