Sec. 71. (a) The department or any agent of the department may seal a special fuel or kerosene pump or impound a vehicle that does not have a sealable pump and post a sign that states that transactions involving special fuel or kerosene may not be made at the person‘s location if any of the following occur:

(1) A person becomes delinquent in payment of a tax due under this chapter.

Attorney's Note

Under the Indiana Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Level 6 felonybetween 6 mos. and 2 1/2 yearsup to $10,000
Class B misdemeanorup to 180 daysup to $1,000
For details, see Ind. Code § 35-50-2-7 and Ind. Code § 35-50-3-3

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Terms Used In Indiana Code 6-6-2.5-71

  • department: means the department of state revenue. See Indiana Code 6-6-2.5-7
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • motor vehicle: means a vehicle designed principally for road use and that is propelled by an internal combustion engine or motor. See Indiana Code 6-6-2.5-16
  • person: means a natural person, a partnership, a firm, an association, a corporation, a representative appointed by a court, the state, a political subdivision (as defined in IC 36-1-2-13), or any other entity, group, or syndicate. See Indiana Code 6-6-2.5-17
  • public highway: means the entire width between boundary lines of each publicly maintained way in Indiana, including streets and alleys in cities and towns, when any part of the way is open to the public use for motor vehicle travel. See Indiana Code 6-6-2.5-18
  • special fuel: means all combustible gases and liquids that are:

    Indiana Code 6-6-2.5-22

(2) There is evidence that the revenue of the seller of fuel is in jeopardy.

(3) A person sells special fuel or kerosene without being licensed as required by this chapter.

(4) A person sells special fuel or kerosene without being bonded as required by the department.

(5) A person sells fuel that is taxable under this chapter without charging special fuel tax. However, this subdivision does not apply to a seller that acts in good faith and sells undyed special fuel to a person with a valid tax exemption certificate on file with the seller.

(6) A person sells dyed or marked special fuel for use in a motor vehicle operated on a public highway.

     (b) A pump sealed under subsection (a) may remain sealed and a sign posted under subsection (a) may remain posted until all of the following have occurred:

(1) All reports are filed and the fees and taxes imposed under this chapter are paid in full.

(2) The interest and penalties imposed under this chapter, IC 6-8.1-10-1, and IC 6-8.1-10-2 (repealed) are paid in full.

(3) The license required by this chapter is obtained.

(4) The bond, letter of credit, or cash deposit required by this chapter is provided in the amount required by the department.

     (c) A person that sells special fuel or kerosene in Indiana shall allow the agents of the department to seal gallonage totalizers of metered pumps operated by or on behalf of the person selling special fuel or kerosene.

     (d) If the department determines that a person is selling special fuel or kerosene from a metered pump in Indiana without an effectively sealable gallonage totalizer, the seller, at the department’s request, shall:

(1) adapt the pump to the department’s specifications so that the pump may be effectively sealed; or

(2) replace, in whole or in part, the pump with a pump employing an effectively sealable gallonage totalizer, as determined by the department.

     (e) A person’s failure to comply with subsection (c) or (d) shall be considered evidence that the revenue of the person is in jeopardy.

     (f) A person that, without authorization, removes, alters, defaces, or covers a sign that:

(1) is posted by the department; and

(2) states that transactions involving special fuel or kerosene may not be made at a location;

commits a Class B misdemeanor. However, the offense is a Level 6 felony if the offense is committed with intent to evade the tax imposed by this chapter or defraud the state.

     (g) A person that sells special fuel or kerosene shall notify the department of the following:

(1) A broken fuel pump seal.

(2) A removed, altered, defaced, or covered sign that was posted by the department.

     (h) A person that sells special fuel or kerosene that fails to notify the department, as required by subsection (g), after:

(1) a fuel pump seal is broken; or

(2) a sign that was posted by the department is removed, altered, defaced, or covered;

commits a Level 6 felony.

As added by P.L.85-1995, SEC.30. Amended by P.L.158-2013, SEC.100.