Tax 11.68 NoteNote: Refer to s. Tax 11.11 regarding industrial and municipal waste treatment facilities. Tax 11.68(4)(e)(e) Waste reduction and recycling. Under s. 77.54 (26m), Stats., contractors may purchase without sales or use tax waste reduction and recycling machinery and equipment, including parts, which are exclusively and directly used for waste reduction and recycling activities which reduce the amount of solid waste generated, reuse, recycle, or compost solid waste, or recover energy from solid waste, even though they are the consumers of the property. Tax 11.68 NoteExamples: 1) Equipment used in a foundry to clean sand so that the sand can be reused qualifies for exemption.
Tax 11.68 Note2) Equipment used to remove impurities from lubricating oil used in manufacturing machines so that the oil can continue to be used by the manufacturer qualifies for exemption.
Tax 11.68 Note3) Equipment used to produce fuel cubes qualifies for exemption. This equipment shreds waste paper and cardboard, removes foreign objects, blends the materials with a binding agent, adds moisture if necessary and then compresses the materials into fuel cubes which are burned by homeowners or others to replace wood.
Tax 11.68 Note4) A roto-mill machine that mines old pavement and grinds up the mined materials to be reused in construction activities qualifies for exemption.
Tax 11.68 Note5) Large steel waste collection containers, including dumpsters, which may be picked up and dumped into waste collection trucks or hauled away on flatbed trucks, or which may mechanically compact the waste in the container do not qualify for exemption.
Tax 11.68(4)(f)(f) Sports and entertainment home stadiums. Under s. 77.54 (41), Stats., contractors, subcontractors, or builders may purchase without sales or use tax building materials, supplies, and equipment acquired solely for or used solely in the construction, renovation, or development of property that would be exempt under s. 70.11 (36), Stats. Section 70.11 (36), Stats., exempts property consisting of or contained in a sports and entertainment home stadium, including but not limited to parking lots, garages, restaurants, parks, concession facilities, transportation facilities, and functionally related or auxiliary facilities and structures; including those facilities and structures while they are being built; constructed by, leased to, or primarily used by a professional athletic team that is a member of a league that includes teams that have home stadiums in other states, and the land on which that stadium and those structures and facilities are located. Tax 11.68(4)(g)(g) Modular and manufactured homes used outside Wisconsin. Under s. 77.54 (5) (am), Stats., contractors and subcontractors may purchase without sales and use tax modular homes, as defined in s. 101.71 (6), Stats., and manufactured homes as defined in s. 101.91 (2), Stats., that are used in real property construction activities outside Wisconsin. Tax 11.68(4)(h)(h) Fertilizer blending, feed milling, and grain drying operations. Under s. 77.54 (6) (bn), Stats., contractors and subcontractors may purchase without sales and use tax the items described in s. 77.54 (6) (am) 4. and 5., Stats., and used by the contractor or subcontractor in real property construction activities which satisfy the conditions described in s. 77.54 (6) (am) 4. and 5. and (bn), Stats., regarding a fertilizer blending, feed milling, or grain drying operation. Tax 11.68(4)(i)(i) Building materials for facilities owned by local governmental units and certain nonprofit organizations. Tax 11.68(4)(i)1.1. Under s. 77.54 (9m), Stats., contractors may purchase without sales or use tax building materials that the contractor, in fulfillment of a real property construction activity, transfers to a qualifying exempt entity if the materials become part of a facility in Wisconsin that is owned by the entity. Tax 11.68(4)(i)2.a.a. “Qualifying exempt entity” means an entity described in s. 77.54 (9a) (b), (c), (d), (em), and (f), and (fc), and (9g), Stats., a technical college district, the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, an institution, as defined in s. 36.05 (9), Stats., a college campus, as defined in s. 36.05 (6m), Stats., or the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Tax 11.68(4)(i)2.b.b. “Facility” means any building, shelter, parking lot, parking garage, athletic field, athletic park, storm sewer, water supply system, or sewerage and waste water treatment facility. “Facility” does not include highways, streets, roads, sidewalks or paths, regardless of whether located within a facility. Tax 11.68 NoteExamples: 1) Materials that become a component part of the road, curb, gutters, or sidewalk are not part of a facility, such as black top, cement, and road base materials.
Tax 11.68 Note2) Materials that become a component part of a storm sewer facility and the materials necessary to stabilize those items are part of the storm sewer facility, such as piping, fittings, gravel and other fill necessary to bury the storm sewer piping to protect it from the road. Any road base material used to bring the road to elevation, and the road surface itself, is not part of a facility.
Tax 11.68 Note3) Pipes, pipe liner material, manhole structures, manhole covers, manhole liners, and manhole coatings become a component part of the storm sewer facility.
Tax 11.68(4)(i)2.c.c. A Wisconsin organization described under s. 77.54 (9a) (f), Stats., shall hold a Wisconsin Certificate of Exempt Status number. A non-Wisconsin organization described under s. 77.54 (9a) (f), Stats., and a state veterans organization described in s. 77.54 (9g), Stats., are not required to hold a Wisconsin Certificate of Exempt Status number. Tax 11.68(4)(i)2.d.d. A contractor’s purchase of building materials transferred to a county, city, village or town, a state governmental unit, or a federal governmental unit outside Wisconsin are not exempt. Tax 11.68(4)(i)2.e.e. A contractor’s purchase of building materials transferred to a person other than a qualifying entity is exempt if the person does not use the facility for any purpose other than to transfer it to the qualifying entity. Tax 11.68 NoteExample: Building materials for the construction of a parking ramp that will be owned and operated by a developer prior to transfer to a municipality, does not qualify for the exemption.
Tax 11.68(4)(i)2.f.f. A subcontractor’s purchase of building materials is exempt if the materials are transferred to a qualifying entity and, upon completion of the facility, the materials become a part of the facility in Wisconsin that is owned by the qualifying entity, pursuant to a contract between a general contractor and the qualifying entity, and the general contractor does not use the facility for any purpose other than to transfer it to the entity. Tax 11.68(4)(i)2.g.g. The exemption applies to contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2016. The exemption does not apply to purchases of building materials after January 1, 2016, for a contract that was entered into prior to January 1, 2016, even if the change order relating to those materials was executed after January 1, 2016. Tax 11.68 NoteNote: The effective date is different for contracts with certain exempt qualifying entities. Contracts with certain title holding companies became effective September 1, 2017. Contracts with technical colleges, the UW System, and state veterans organization became effective July 1, 2018.
Tax 11.68(4)(j)(j) Electronics and information technology manufacturing zone facilities. Under s. 77.54 (65), Stats., owners, lessees, contractors, subcontractors, or builders may purchase without sales or use tax building materials, supplies, equipment, and landscaping services if both of the following apply: Tax 11.68(4)(j)1.1. The property or landscaping service is acquired solely for or used solely in, the construction or development of a facility located in an electronics and information technology manufacturing zone designated under s. 238.396 (1m), Stats. Tax 11.68(5)(5) Classification of property after installation. Tax 11.68(5)(a)(a) Contractors shall determine whether a particular contract or transaction results in an improvement to real property or in the sale and installation of personal property. In determining whether personal property becomes a part of real property, the following criteria shall be considered: Tax 11.68(5)(a)2.2. Application or adaptation to the use or purpose to which the real property is devoted. Tax 11.68(5)(a)3.3. An intention on the part of the person making the annexation to make a permanent accession to the real property. Tax 11.68 NoteNote: See Dept. of Revenue vs. A. O. Smith Harvestore Products, Inc.(1976), 72 Wis. 2d 60, regarding determining whether personal property becomes a part of real property. Tax 11.68(5)(b)(b) Certain types of property that have a variety of functions may be personal property in some instances and additions to real property in others, including boilers, furnaces, stand-by generators, pumps, substations, and transformers. When this property is installed primarily to provide service to a building or structure and is essential to the use of the building or structure, it is a real property improvement. However, when similar property is installed in a manufacturing plant to perform a processing function, it may, as machinery, retain its status as personal property. Tax 11.68(6)(6) Personal property which becomes a part of realty. A construction contractor is the consumer of tangible personal property and items and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (d), Stats., such as building materials, which is incorporated into or becomes a part of real property, and sales of this personal property to a contractor are subject to the tax. Personal property which becomes a part of real property includes the following: Tax 11.68(6)(b)(b) Built-in household items such as kitchen cabinets, dishwashers, fans, garbage disposals, central vacuum systems, and incinerators. Tax 11.68(6)(bm)(bm) Casework, tables, counters, cabinets, lockers, sinks, athletic and gymnasium equipment attached to the structure in apartment buildings, convalescent homes, or other residential buildings. Tax 11.68(6)(d)(d) Personal property that is used to construct buildings, and structural and other improvements to buildings, including awnings, canopies, carpeting, foundations for machinery, floors, including computer room floors, partitions and movable walls attached in any way to realty, holding structures used in fertilizer blending, feed milling, or grain drying operations, underground wiring, general wiring and lighting facilities, roofs, stairways, stair lifts, sprinkler systems, storm doors and windows, door controls, air curtains, loading platforms, central air conditioning units, building elevators, sanitation and plumbing systems, and heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. Tax 11.68(6)(f)(f) Personal property that is used to construct improvements to land. “Improvements to land,” as used in this section, include retaining walls, roads, walks, bridges, fencing, railway switch tracks, ponds, dams, ditches, wells, underground irrigation systems except systems sold to and for use by farmers, drainage, storm, and sanitary sewers, and water supply lines for drinking water, sanitary purposes, and fire protection. Tax 11.68(6)(g)(g) Residential water heaters, water softeners, intercoms, incinerators, and garage door opening equipment, except portable equipment. Tax 11.68(6)(h)(h) Personal property that is used to construct silos and the building portion of grain elevators. Tax 11.68(6)(m)(m) Walk-in cold storage units becoming a component part of a building. Tax 11.68(7)(7) Property which remains personal property and construction contract exemption. Tax 11.68(7)(a)(a) Property which remains personal property. Contractors shall obtain a seller’s permit and report for taxation the sales price received from the sale and installation of tangible personal property and items and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (d), Stats., which retains its character as personal property after installation, such as: Tax 11.68(7)(a)1.1. Furniture, radio and television sets and antennas, washers and dryers, portable lamps, home freezers, portable appliances, and window air conditioning units. Tax 11.68(7)(a)2.2. Communication equipment, including intercoms, pneumatic tube systems, roof mounted antennas, CATV wiring, and music and sound equipment in business, industrial, or commercial buildings, schools, and hospitals, but not in apartment buildings, convalescent homes, or other residential buildings. Tax 11.68(7)(a)3.3. Casework, tables, counters, cabinets, lockers, sinks, athletic and gymnasium equipment, and related easily movable property attached to the structure in schools, laboratories, and hospitals, except if attached to the structure in the bathrooms of such facilities. Tax 11.68(7)(a)4.4. Machinery, including safety attachments, equipment, tools, appliances, process piping and wiring, and grain handling equipment and grain elevator legs used exclusively by manufacturers, industrial processors, and others performing a processing function with the items. Tax 11.68(7)(a)5.5. Office, bank, and savings and loan association furniture and equipment, including office machines, safe deposit boxes, drive-up and walk-up windows, night depository equipment, remote TV auto teller systems, camera security equipment except when used to monitor for unauthorized entry to a building or room in a building, and vault doors. Tax 11.68(7)(a)6.6. Personal property used to carry on a trade or business, including fixtures and equipment installed in stores, taverns, night clubs, restaurants, ice arenas, bowling centers, hotels and motels, barber and beauty shops, figure salons, theaters, and gasoline service stations. Underground storage tanks at gasoline service stations are real property. Tax 11.68(7)(a)7.7. Shades, curtains, drapes, venetian blinds, and associated hardware. Tax 11.68(7)(a)7m.7m. Satellite dish systems installed on residential and commercial buildings, but not satellite dish systems that are installed by permanently affixing the satellite dish to a concrete foundation in apartment buildings, convalescent homes, or other residential buildings. Tax 11.68(7)(a)8.8. Radio, television, and cable television station equipment, but not broadcasting towers installed on their owner’s land. Tax 11.68(7)(a)9.9. Except as provided in ss. 77.51 (12m) (b) 7. and (15b) (b) 7. and 77.54 (31), Stats., mobile homes, as defined in s. 101.91 (10), Stats., and manufactured homes, as defined in s. 101.91 (11) and (12), Stats., located in a mobile home park on land owned by a person other than the mobile home or manufactured home owner. Exemptions are provided by s. 77.51 (12m) (b) 7. and (15b) (b) 7., Stats., for 35% of the total amount for which a new manufactured home, as defined in s. 101.91 (11), Stats., is sold. No credit may be allowed for trade-ins and the exemption does not apply to a lease or rental. The exemption provided in s. 77.54 (31), Stats., applies to the sale of, but not the lease or rental of, used mobile homes as defined in s. 101.91 (10), Stats., and used manufactured homes as defined in s. 101.91 (12), Stats. Tax 11.68(7)(a)10.10. Advertising signs, except their underground concrete foundations. A foundation is underground even though a portion of the foundation extends above the grade. Tax 11.68(7)(a)12.12. Utility transmission and distribution lines installed above ground on land owned by others as provided in s. Tax 11.86 (1), and oil and gas pipeline pumping station equipment. Tax 11.68(7)(a)13.13. Commercial and industrial incinerators which do not become an integral part of the building. Tax 11.68(7)(a)14.14. Seating in auditoriums and theaters, and theater stage lights and projection equipment. Tax 11.68(7)(a)15.15. Stop and go lights, railroad signs and signals, and street identification signs. Tax 11.68(7)(b)2.2. The sales price of products sold by a prime contractor as a part of a construction contract is not taxable if more than 90 percent of the total amount of the construction contract relates to real property construction activities. The calculation is made without regard for exemptions that may be claimed by the customer (e.g., manufacturing, farming). Change orders and additional work billed are included in this calculation. Except as provided in subd. 6., the prime contractor is the consumer of the products and shall pay tax on its purchase of the taxable products. Tax 11.68(7)(b)3.3. The sales price of products sold by a subcontractor to a prime contractor, or to another subcontractor for eventual sale to the prime contractor, as part of the subcontractor’s construction contract is not taxable if either of the following apply: Tax 11.68(7)(b)3.a.a. The total sales price related to the subcontractor’s real property construction activities is more than 90 percent of the total amount of the construction contract. Tax 11.68(7)(b)3.b.b. The subcontractor received a fully completed exemption certificate from the prime contractor, or another subcontractor, claiming that the products are sold by the prime contractor or the other subcontractor as part of a construction contract that is exempt under s. 77.54 (60), Stats. Tax 11.68(7)(b)4.a.a. A subcontractor is liable for tax on its purchases of materials it uses in real property construction activities. Tax 11.68(7)(b)4.b.b. Except as provided in subd. 6., a subcontractor is liable for tax on its purchase of taxable products sold as part of a construction contract in which subd. 3. a. or b. applies. Tax 11.68(7)(b)5.5. The prime contractor shall make a determination at the start of the construction contract whether it provides the subcontractor with an exemption certificate claiming resale or the construction contract exemption in s. 77.54 (60), Stats., but not both. The prime contractor is liable for tax on its purchases of materials it uses in real property construction activities. The liability for tax on products not used in real property construction activities depends, in part, on whether the prime contractor gives an exemption certificate for its purchases, as follows: Tax 11.68(7)(b)5.a.a. If the prime contractor does not give the subcontractor an exemption certificate or gives an exemption certificate claiming resale, and the contract qualifies for exemption under s. 77.54 (60), Stats., the prime contractor is liable for tax on its purchase price of the taxable products purchased from the subcontractor. Tax 11.68(7)(b)5.b.b. If the prime contractor does not give the subcontractor an exemption certificate or gives an exemption certificate claiming the exemption under s. 77.54 (60), Stats., and the contract does not qualify for the exemption, the prime contractor is liable for sales or use tax on the sales price of the taxable products sold. The prime contractor may collect the tax from its customer. Tax 11.68(7)(b)5.c.c. If the subcontractor receives an exemption certificate from the prime contractor claiming resale, and the prime contractor’s contract qualifies for exemption under s. 77.54 (60), Stats., the subcontractor is not liable for tax on its purchase price of the materials sold as products to the prime contractor as a part of the construction contract. Rather, the prime contractor is liable for the tax on its purchase price of the taxable products and services purchased from the subcontractor. Tax 11.68(7)(b)5.d.d. If the subcontractor receives an exemption certificate from the prime contractor claiming the exemption under s. 77.54 (60), Stats., and the contract does not qualify for the exemption, the subcontractor may claim a refund of any tax paid on the purchase of materials sold as products to the prime contractor as a part of the construction contract. The claim for refund shall substantiate that the prime contractor’s contract did not qualify for the construction contract exemption, that the tax on sales to the prime contractor were reported to the department by the subcontractor or the prime contractor, and that the prime contractor’s purchases qualified for the resale exemption. The subcontractor may not claim a refund of tax on its purchase of materials used in real property construction activities. Tax 11.68(7)(b)5.e.e. If the subcontractor does not receive an exemption certificate from the prime contractor, the subcontractor is not liable for tax on its purchase price of materials sold as products to the prime contractor. The subcontractor’s sale of taxable products and services to the prime contractor is taxable. Tax 11.68 NoteExamples: 1) A refrigerator and drapes are included in the construction contract to build a new house. No separate charge is made for the refrigerator and drapes, which are taxable products. Based on a reasonable allocation, the sales price of the real property construction activities is more than 90 percent of the total amount of the construction contract. Therefore, the prime contractor’s sale to its customer of the refrigerator and drapes is not subject to tax. The prime contractor shall pay sales or use tax on its purchase of the refrigerator and drapes, in addition to the products consumed in the real property construction activities.
Tax 11.68 Note2) Landscaping services are included in a construction contract to build a building. Based on a reasonable allocation, the sales price for the construction of the building is 80 percent of the total amount of the construction contract. Since the total sales price to construct the building is not more than 90 percent of the total amount of the construction contract, the prime contractor is required to make an allocation between the taxable landscaping services and the other nontaxable charges included in the contract. The prime contractor is required to charge Wisconsin sales tax on the sales price of the landscaping services.
