15. A person who is required to precollect or pay a tax imposed pursuant to P.L.2010, c.22 (C. 54:39-101 et al.) shall be personally liable for the tax imposed, precollected or paid. For purposes of assessment and collection, any amount required to be precollected and paid over to the director, and any additions to tax, penalties and interest with respect to that amount, shall be considered the tax of the person required to precollect the tax. A person required to precollect tax shall have the same right in respect to collecting the tax from a purchaser or in respect to non-payment of the tax by the purchaser as if the tax were a part of the purchase price of the fuel and payable at the same time; provided, however, that the director shall be joined as a party in any action or proceeding brought to collect the tax. Any amount of tax actually precollected or paid pursuant to P.L.2010, c.22 (C. 54:39-101 et al.) shall be held to be a special fund in trust for the director.

A person required to precollect tax who fails to precollect or remit the tax or any part thereof is fully responsible for the unpaid tax. The director may recover any unpaid taxes pursuant to P.L.2010, c.22 (C. 54:39-101 et al.) from any party who was under a duty to precollect or pay the tax. That person remains liable for the taxes even if, for whatever reason, the person failed to precollect or pay the taxes due. The liability to precollect and remit tax shall be separate from any duty that the consumer may have pursuant to P.L.2010, c.22 (C. 54:39-101 et al.) to pay upon consumption, and the existence of such overlapping duties shall not be a defense for a failure to precollect and remit, although it may give rise to a refund claim in accordance with section 12 of P.L.2010, c.22 (C. 54:39-112) if both parties pay the tax.

L.2010, c.22, s.15.