For the purposes of this chapter:

(1) The meaning ascribed to words and phrases in chapters 82.04 and 82.08 RCW, insofar as applicable, has full force and effect with respect to taxes imposed under the provisions of this chapter. "Consumer," in addition to the meaning ascribed to it in chapters 82.04 and 82.08 RCW insofar as applicable, also means any person who distributes or displays, or causes to be distributed or displayed, any article of tangible personal property, except newspapers, the primary purpose of which is to promote the sale of products or services. With respect to property distributed to persons within this state by a consumer as defined in this subsection (1), the use of the property is deemed to be by such consumer.

(2) "Extended warranty" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.050(7).

(3) "Purchase price" means the same as sales price as defined in RCW 82.08.010.

(4)(a)(i) Except as provided in (a)(ii) of this subsection (4), "retailer" means every seller as defined in RCW 82.08.010 and every person engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property at retail and every person required to collect from purchasers the tax imposed under this chapter.

(ii) "Retailer" does not include a professional employer organization when a covered employee coemployed with the client under the terms of a professional employer agreement engages in activities that constitute a sale of tangible personal property, extended warranty, digital good, digital code, or a sale of any digital automated service or service defined as a retail sale in RCW 82.04.050 (2) (a) or (g) or (6)(c) that is subject to the tax imposed by this chapter. In such cases, the client, and not the professional employer organization, is deemed to be the retailer and is responsible for collecting and remitting the tax imposed by this chapter.

(b) For the purposes of (a) of this subsection, the terms "client," "covered employee," "professional employer agreement," and "professional employer organization" have the same meanings as in RCW 82.04.540.

(5) "Taxpayer" and "purchaser" include all persons included within the meaning of the word "buyer" and the word "consumer" as defined in chapters 82.04 and 82.08 RCW.

(6) "Use," "used," "using," or "put to use" have their ordinary meaning, and mean:

(a) With respect to tangible personal property, except for natural gas and manufactured gas, the first act within this state by which the taxpayer takes or assumes dominion or control over the article of tangible personal property (as a consumer), and include installation, storage, withdrawal from storage, distribution, or any other act preparatory to subsequent actual use or consumption within this state;

(b) With respect to a service defined in RCW 82.04.050(2)(a), the first act within this state after the service has been performed by which the taxpayer takes or assumes dominion or control over the article of tangible personal property upon which the service was performed (as a consumer), and includes installation, storage, withdrawal from storage, distribution, or any other act preparatory to subsequent actual use or consumption of the article within this state;

(c) With respect to an extended warranty, the first act within this state after the extended warranty has been acquired by which the taxpayer takes or assumes dominion or control over the article of tangible personal property to which the extended warranty applies, and includes installation, storage, withdrawal from storage, distribution, or any other act preparatory to subsequent actual use or consumption of the article within this state;

(d) With respect to a digital good or digital code, the first act within this state by which the taxpayer, as a consumer, views, accesses, downloads, possesses, stores, opens, manipulates, or otherwise uses or enjoys the digital good or digital code;

(e) With respect to a digital automated service, the first act within this state by which the taxpayer, as a consumer, uses, enjoys, or otherwise receives the benefit of the service;

(f) With respect to a service defined as a retail sale in RCW 82.04.050(6)(c), the first act within this state by which the taxpayer, as a consumer, accesses the prewritten computer software;

(g) With respect to a service defined as a retail sale in RCW 82.04.050(2)(g), the first act within this state after the service has been performed by which the taxpayer, as a consumer, views, accesses, downloads, possesses, stores, opens, manipulates, or otherwise uses or enjoys the digital good upon which the service was performed; and

(h) With respect to natural gas or manufactured gas, the use of which is taxable under RCW 82.12.022, including gas that is also taxable under the authority of RCW 82.14.230, the first act within this state by which the taxpayer consumes the gas by burning the gas or storing the gas in the taxpayer's own facilities for later consumption by the taxpayer.

(7)(a) "Value of the article used" is the purchase price for the article of tangible personal property, the use of which is taxable under this chapter. The term also includes, in addition to the purchase price, the amount of any tariff or duty paid with respect to the importation of the article used. In case the article used is acquired by lease or by gift or is extracted, produced, or manufactured by the person using the same or is sold under conditions wherein the purchase price does not represent the true value thereof, the value of the article used is determined as nearly as possible according to the retail selling price at place of use of similar products of like quality and character under such rules as the department may prescribe.

(b) In case the articles used are acquired by bailment, the value of the use of the articles so used must be in an amount representing a reasonable rental for the use of the articles so bailed, determined as nearly as possible according to the value of such use at the places of use of similar products of like quality and character under such rules as the department of revenue may prescribe. In case any such articles of tangible personal property are used in respect to the construction, repairing, decorating, or improving of, and which become or are to become an ingredient or component of, new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority created pursuant to chapter 35.82 RCW, including the installing or attaching of any such articles therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation, then the value of the use of such articles so used is determined according to the retail selling price of such articles, or in the absence of such a selling price, as nearly as possible according to the retail selling price at place of use of similar products of like quality and character or, in the absence of either of these selling price measures, such value may be determined upon a cost basis, in any event under such rules as the department of revenue may prescribe.

(c) In the case of articles owned by a user engaged in business outside the state which are brought into the state for no more than 180 days in any period of 365 consecutive days and which are temporarily used for business purposes by the person in this state, the value of the article used must be an amount representing a reasonable rental for the use of the articles, unless the person has paid tax under this chapter or chapter 82.08 RCW upon the full value of the article used, as defined in (a) of this subsection.

(d) In the case of articles manufactured or produced by the user and used in the manufacture or production of products sold or to be sold to the department of defense of the United States, the value of the articles used is determined according to the value of the ingredients of such articles.

(e) In the case of an article manufactured or produced for purposes of serving as a prototype for the development of a new or improved product, the value of the article used is determined by: (i) The retail selling price of such new or improved product when first offered for sale; or (ii) the value of materials incorporated into the prototype in cases in which the new or improved product is not offered for sale.

(f) In the case of an article purchased with a direct pay permit under RCW 82.32.087, the value of the article used is determined by the purchase price of such article if, but for the use of the direct pay permit, the transaction would have been subject to sales tax.

(g) In the case of asphalt or aggregates manufactured or extracted by a person providing services taxable under RCW 82.04.280(1)(b) and used by that person in providing those services, the value of the asphalt or aggregates is equal to the sum of all direct and indirect costs attributable to the asphalt or aggregates used, plus a public road construction market adjustment of five percent of those costs.

(8) "Value of the digital good or digital code used" means the purchase price for the digital good or digital code, the use of which is taxable under this chapter. If the digital good or digital code is acquired other than by purchase, the value of the digital good or digital code must be determined as nearly as possible according to the retail selling price at place of use of similar digital goods or digital codes of like quality and character under rules the department may prescribe.

(9) "Value of the extended warranty used" means the purchase price for the extended warranty, the use of which is taxable under this chapter. If the extended warranty is received by gift or under conditions wherein the purchase price does not represent the true value of the extended warranty, the value of the extended warranty used is determined as nearly as possible according to the retail selling price at place of use of similar extended warranties of like quality and character under rules the department may prescribe.

(10) "Value of the service used" means the purchase price for the digital automated service or other service, the use of which is taxable under this chapter. If the service is received by gift or under conditions wherein the purchase price does not represent the true value thereof, the value of the service used is determined as nearly as possible according to the retail selling price at place of use of similar services of like quality and character under rules the department may prescribe.

Findings—Intent—Application—Effective date—2023 c 307: See notes following RCW 82.04.450.

Tax preference performance statement exemption—Automatic expiration date exemption—2017 c 323: See note following RCW 82.04.040.

Effective date—2015 c 169: See note following RCW 82.04.050.

Intent—Construction—2009 c 535: See notes following RCW 82.04.192.

Effective date—Act does not affect application of Title 50 or 51 RCW—2006 c 301: See notes following RCW 82.32.710.

Effective date—2005 c 514: See note following RCW 83.100.230.

Part headings not law—Severability—2005 c 514: See notes following RCW 82.12.808.

Effective dates—Part headings not law—2003 c 168: See notes following RCW 82.08.010.

Finding—Intent—Retroactive application—2003 c 5: "The legislature finds that in the enactment of chapter 367, Laws of 2002, some use tax exemptions were not updated to reflect the change in taxability regarding services. It is the legislature's intent to correct this omission by amending the various use tax exemptions so that services exempt from the sales tax are also exempt from the use tax. Sections 1 through 19 of this act apply retroactively to June 1, 2002. The department of revenue shall refund any use taxes paid and forgive use taxes unpaid as a result of the omission." [ 2003 c 5 s 20.]

Effective date—2003 c 5: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 18, 2003]." [ 2003 c 5 s 21.]

Severability—Effective date—2002 c 367: See notes following RCW 82.04.060.

Finding—Intent—Effective date—2001 c 188: See notes following RCW 82.32.087.

Effective date—1994 c 93: "This act shall take effect July 1, 1994." [ 1994 c 93 s 3.]

Effective dates—1983 1st ex.s. c 55: See note following RCW 82.08.010.

Application to preexisting contracts—1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 1; 1975 1st ex.s. c 90: "In the event any person has entered into a contract prior to July 1, 1975 or has bid upon a contract prior to July 1, 1975 and has been awarded the contract after July 1, 1975, the additional taxes imposed by chapter 90, Laws of 1975 1st ex. sess., section 5, chapter 291, Laws of 1975 1st ex. sess. and this 1975 amendatory act shall not be required to be paid by such person in carrying on activities in the fulfillment of such contract." [1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 1 s 3; 1975 1st ex.s. c 90 s 4.]

Severability—1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 1: "If any provision of this 1975 amendatory act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 1 s 4.]

Construction—Severability—1975 1st ex.s. c 278: See notes following RCW 11.08.160.

Effective date—1965 ex.s. c 173: See note following RCW 82.04.050.