(a) Shipping to Other Licensed Distributors. – A licensed manufacturer shipping cigarettes to other distributors who are licensed under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-113.12 may, upon application to the Secretary and upon compliance with requirements prescribed by the Secretary, be relieved of paying the taxes levied in this Part, but is not relieved from filing a report as required by this Part.

(a1) Shipping to Retailers. – No manufacturer may be relieved of the requirement to be licensed as a distributor in order to make shipments, including drop shipments, to a retail dealer or ultimate user.

(b) Shipping for Affiliated Manufacturer. – A manufacturer may, upon application to the Secretary and upon compliance with requirements prescribed by the Secretary, be relieved of paying the taxes levied in this Part on cigarettes that are manufactured by an affiliated manufacturer and temporarily stored at and shipped from its facilities, but is not relieved from filing a report as required by this Part. (1969, c. 1075, s. 2; c. 1246, s. 2; 1973, c. 476, s. 193; 1975, c. 275, s. 2; 1993, c. 442, s. 4; 2011-330, s. 2(b); 2019-169, s. 4.1(d).)