Administration of the tax; returns; delinquency penalties and interest; departmental inspections of records.

(1)(a) Every producer subject to tax under this part shall file a declaration of estimated tax for the taxable year, in such form as the department shall prescribe. The term “estimated tax” means the amount the taxpayer estimates to be his or her tax under this part for the taxable year. A taxpayer may amend a declaration under rules prescribed by the department.

(b) The declaration is required to be filed on or before the first day of the fifth month of the taxable year. The estimated tax shall be paid in four equal installments. The first installment shall be paid at the time of the required filing of the declaration; the second and third installments shall be paid on or before the first day of the 7th and 10th months of the taxable year, respectively; and the fourth installment shall be paid on or before the first day of the next taxable year.

(c) If an amended declaration is filed, the remaining installments, if any, shall be ratably increased or decreased, as the case may be, to reflect the increase or decrease in the estimated tax occasioned by such amendment.

(d) The department shall provide by rule for a credit against estimated taxes of any amount determined by the department to be an overpayment of the tax imposed by this part for the preceding tax year.

(e) Any amount paid as estimated tax shall be deemed assessed upon the due date for the taxpayer’s annual return for the taxable year.

(f) Except as provided in subparagraph 3., the taxpayer shall be liable for interest at the rate of 12 percent per year and for a penalty in an amount determined at the rate of 20 percent per year upon the amount of any underpayment of estimated tax determined under this paragraph.

1. The amount of any underpayment of estimated tax shall be the excess of:

a. The amount of the installment which would be required to be paid if the estimated tax were equal to 80 percent of the tax shown on the return for the taxable year or, if no return were filed, 80 percent of the tax for such year, over

b. The amount, if any, of the installment paid on or before the last date prescribed for payment.

2. The period of the underpayment for which interest and penalties shall apply shall commence on the date the installment was required to be paid and shall terminate on the date on which the amount of underpayment is paid. A payment of estimated tax on any installment date shall be considered a payment of any previous underpayment only to the extent such payment exceeds the amount of the installment determined under sub-subparagraph 1.a. for such installment date.

3. No penalty or interest for underpayment of any installment of estimated tax shall be imposed if the total amount of all such payments made on or before the last date prescribed for the payment of such installment equals or exceeds the amount which would have been required to be paid on or before such date if the estimated tax were the lesser of:

a. An amount equal to 80 percent of the tax finally due for the taxable year; or

b. An amount equal to the tax shown on the taxpayer’s return for the preceding taxable year, if a return showing a liability for tax was filed by the taxpayer for the preceding year.

(g) Pursuant to s. 213.21, the department may settle or compromise any penalty or interest assessed under this subsection.

(2)(a) Every producer shall file an annual return with the department on or before April 1 of each year for the preceding taxable year. The annual return shall be signed by the producer or the producer’s duly authorized agent, shall be verified by oath, and shall include the following:

1. The location of each site of severance operated or controlled by the producer during the taxable period and the total number of acres in each site.

2. The kind and quantity of the solid minerals severed within each county political boundary.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (1), the taxpayer shall pay the amount of any tax due for the preceding tax year by April 1.

(c) If a tax return is not filed by April 1 for any taxes due for the preceding year or if any part of a deficiency in the tax due for the preceding tax year is due to negligence or intentional disregard of this part or the rules promulgated pursuant hereto, the department shall levy a delinquency penalty of 10 percent for each month, or portion thereof, on the amount of tax delinquent, not to exceed 50 percent of the total tax due.

(d) In addition to the delinquency penalty provided in paragraph (c), the department shall assess interest on the unpaid balance of any such tax which becomes delinquent, without regard to any extensions, at the rate of 12 percent per year, from April 1 to the date of payment. Interest prescribed by this paragraph shall be deemed assessed upon the assessment of the tax and shall be collected and paid in the same manner.

(e) Any taxpayer who makes a substantial underpayment of any tax due under this part shall pay a penalty of 30 percent of the underpayment in addition to the delinquency penalty imposed under paragraph (c). A substantial underpayment of tax due and payable under this part means a deficiency which exceeds 35 percent of the total tax due for any month.

(f) The department may settle or compromise any penalty or interest assessed under this subsection pursuant to s. 213.21.

(3) Every producer shall keep and preserve as long as required by s. 213.35 suitable records of production of solid minerals and such other books and documents as may be necessary to ensure compliance.

(4)(a) The department is authorized to audit or inspect the books, records, documents, and returns of producers and to correct by credit or refund any overpayment of tax, or to make assessment of any deficiency revealed.

(b) The department shall inform the producer by written notice of the amount of any overpayment or deficiency determined by an audit, including the basis for determining any tax, penalty, interest, or period subject to credit or refund.

(c) In the event of a deficiency, the department shall make an assessment of the tax, penalty, and interest determined to be due. Full payment of the total amount assessed shall be made by the producer to the place and within the time specified in the written notice of the deficiency.

(5) The use of information contained in any return filed by a producer under this part or in any books, records, or documents of a producer shall be as provided in s. 213.053, and shall be confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1).

(6) The department is authorized to make and publish such rules as it may deem necessary to administer and enforce the provisions of this part and to collect the taxes levied herein.

(7)(a) When any tax imposed by this part becomes delinquent or is otherwise in jeopardy, the department may issue a warrant for the full amount due or estimated to be due, including the tax, penalties, interest, and costs of collection. The warrant shall be directed to each sheriff and may be recorded with the clerk of the circuit court in any county where the taxpayer’s property is located. Upon recording, the amount of the warrant shall become a lien upon the taxpayer’s real and personal property in such county in the same manner as a judgment duly docketed and recorded, and the clerk of the circuit court shall issue execution on the warrant in the same manner as on a judgment. The sheriff shall then execute the warrant in the same manner prescribed by law for executions upon judgments and shall be entitled to the same fees for this service. Upon payment of the warrant, the department shall satisfy the lien of record within 30 days. Thereafter, any interested person may compel the department to satisfy the lien of record. If there is jeopardy to the revenue and jeopardy is asserted in or with an assessment, the department shall proceed in the manner specified for jeopardy assessment in s. 213.732.

(b) Whenever the department deems it necessary, an alias tax execution may be issued. Each alias tax execution shall be designated on its face and shall have the same force and effect as the original.

(c) Tax executions may be levied upon any third party who is in possession or control of any assets of a delinquent taxpayer or who is indebted to a delinquent taxpayer. Such tax executions shall have the force and effect of a writ of garnishment. The third party shall pay the debt or deliver the assets of the delinquent taxpayer to the department, and a receipt by the department shall discharge the third party completely to the extent of the debt paid or assets surrendered to the department.

(d) Whenever any tax execution becomes void, the department may cancel it of record and shall do so upon request of any interested person.

(e) Any employee of the department may be designated by the executive director to make and sign assessments, tax warrants, and satisfactions of tax warrants.