County 911 excise tax on use of switched access lines and radio access lines authorized — Amount — State 911 excise tax — Amount.
RCW 82.14B.030
in effectSubject to the enactment into law of the 2013 amendments to RCW 82.08.0289 in section 107, chapter 8, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess., the 2013 amendments to RCW 80.36.430 in section 108, chapter 8, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess., and the 2013 amendments to RCW 43.20A.725 in section 109, chapter 8, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess.: (1) The legislative authority of a county may impose a county 911 excise tax on the use of switched access lines in an amount not exceeding seventy cents per month for each switched access line. The amount of tax must be uniform for each switched access line. Each county must provide notice of the tax to all local exchange companies serving in the county at least sixty days in advance of the date on which the first payment is due. The tax imposed under this subsection must be remitted to the department by local exchange companies on a tax return provided by the department. The tax must be deposited in the county 911 excise tax account as provided in RCW 82.14B.063 . (2)(a) The legislative authority of a county may also impose a county 911 excise tax on the use of radio access lines: (i) By subscribers whose place of primary use is located within the county in an amount not exceeding seventy cents per month for each radio access line. The amount of tax must be uniform for each radio access line under this subsection (2)(a)(i); and (ii) By consumers whose retail transaction occurs within the county in an amount not exceeding seventy cents per retail transaction. The amount of tax must be uniform for each retail transaction under this subsection (2)(a)(ii). (b) The county must provide notice of the tax to all radio communications service companies serving in the county at least sixty days in advance of the date on which the first payment is due. The tax imposed under this section must be remitted to the department by radio communications service companies, including those companies that resell radio access lines, and sellers of prepaid wireless telecommunications services, on a tax return provided by the department. The tax must be deposited in the county 911 excise tax account as provided in RCW 82.14B.063 . (3)(a) The legislative authority of a county may impose a county 911 excise tax on the use of interconnected voice over internet protocol service lines in an amount not exceeding seventy cents per month for each interconnected voice over internet protocol service line. The amount of tax must be uniform for each line and must be levied on no more than the number of voice over internet protocol service lines on an account that are capable of simultaneous unrestricted outward calling to the public switched telephone network. (b) The interconnected voice over internet protocol service company must use the place of primary use of the subscriber to determine which county's 911 excise tax applies to the service provided to the subscriber. (c) The tax imposed under this section must be remitted to the department by interconnected voice over internet protocol service companies on a tax return provided by the department. (d) The tax must be deposited in the county 911 excise tax account as provided in RCW 82.14B.063 . (e) To the extent that a local exchange carrier and an interconnected voice over internet protocol service company contractually jointly provide a single service line, only one service company is responsible for remitting the 911 excise taxes, and nothing in this section precludes service companies who jointly provide service from agreeing by contract which of them must remit the taxes collected. (4) Counties imposing a county 911 excise tax must provide an annual update to the 911 coordinator detailing the proportion of their county 911 excise tax that is being spent on: (a) Efforts to modernize their existing 911 communications system; and (b) 911 operational costs. (5) A state 911 excise tax is imposed on all switched access lines in the state. The amount of tax may not exceed twenty-five cents per month for each switched access line. The tax must be uniform for each switched access line. The tax imposed under this subsection must be remitted to the department by local exchange companies on a tax return provided by the department. Tax proceeds must be deposited by the treasurer in the 911 account created in RCW 38.52.540 . (6)(a) A state 911 excise tax is imposed on the use of all radio access lines: (i) By subscribers whose place of primary use is located within the state in an amount of twenty-five cents per month for each radio access line. The tax must be uniform for each radio access line under this subsection (6)(a)(i); and (ii) By consumers whose retail transaction occurs within the state in an amount of twenty-five cents per retail transaction. The tax must be uniform for each retail transaction under this subsection (6)(a)(ii). Until July 1, 2018, a seller of prepaid wireless telecommunications service may charge an additional five cents per retail transaction as compensation for the cost of collecting and remitting the tax. (b) The tax imposed under this section must be remitted to the department by radio communications service companies, including those companies that resell radio access lines, and sellers of prepaid wireless telecommunications service, on a tax return provided by the department. Tax proceeds must be deposited by the treasurer in the 911 account created in RCW 38.52.540 . The tax imposed under this section is not subject to the state sales and use tax or any local tax. (7) For purposes of the state and county 911 excise taxes imposed by subsections (2) and (6) of this section, the retail transaction is deemed to occur at the location where the transaction is sourced to under RCW 82.32.520 (3)(c). (8) A state 911 excise tax is imposed on all interconnected voice over internet protocol service lines in the state. The amount of tax may not exceed twenty-five cents per month for each interconnected voice over internet protocol service line whose place of primary use is located in the state. The amount of tax must be uniform for each line and must be levied on no more than the number of voice over internet protocol service lines on an account that are capable of simultaneous unrestricted outward calling to the public switched telephone network. The tax imposed under this subsection must be remitted to the department by interconnected voice over internet protocol service companies on a tax return provided by the department. Tax proceeds must be deposited by the treasurer in the 911 account created in RCW 38.52.540 . (9) For calendar year 2011, the taxes imposed by subsections (5) and (8) of this section must be set at their maximum rate. By August 31, 2011, and by August 31st of each year thereafter, the state 911 coordinator must recommend the level for the next year of the state 911 excise tax imposed by subsections (5) and (8) of this section, based on a systematic cost and revenue analysis, to the utilities and transportation commission. The commission must by the following October 31st determine the level of the state 911 excise taxes imposed by subsections (5) and (8) of this section for the following year.
Subject to the enactment into law of the 2013 amendments to RCW 82.08.0289 in section 107, chapter 8, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess., the 2013 amendments to RCW 80.36.430 in section 108, chapter 8, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess., and the 2013 amendments to RCW 43.20A.725 in section 109, chapter 8, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess.:
(1) The legislative authority of a county may impose a county 911 excise tax on the use of switched access lines in an amount not exceeding seventy cents per month for each switched access line. The amount of tax must be uniform for each switched access line. Each county must provide notice of the tax to all local exchange companies serving in the county at least sixty days in advance of the date on which the first payment is due. The tax imposed under this subsection must be remitted to the department by local exchange companies on a tax return provided by the department. The tax must be deposited in the county 911 excise tax account as provided in RCW 82.14B.063 .
(2)(a) The legislative authority of a county may also impose a county 911 excise tax on the use of radio access lines:
(i) By subscribers whose place of primary use is located within the county in an amount not exceeding seventy cents per month for each radio access line. The amount of tax must be uniform for each radio access line under this subsection (2)(a)(i); and
(ii) By consumers whose retail transaction occurs within the county in an amount not exceeding seventy cents per retail transaction. The amount of tax must be uniform for each retail transaction under this subsection (2)(a)(ii).
(b) The county must provide notice of the tax to all radio communications service companies serving in the county at least sixty days in advance of the date on which the first payment is due. The tax imposed under this section must be remitted to the department by radio communications service companies, including those companies that resell radio access lines, and sellers of prepaid wireless telecommunications services, on a tax return provided by the department. The tax must be deposited in the county 911 excise tax account as provided in RCW 82.14B.063 .
(3)(a) The legislative authority of a county may impose a county 911 excise tax on the use of interconnected voice over internet protocol service lines in an amount not exceeding seventy cents per month for each interconnected voice over internet protocol service line. The amount of tax must be uniform for each line and must be levied on no more than the number of voice over internet protocol service lines on an account that are capable of simultaneous unrestricted outward calling to the public switched telephone network.
(b) The interconnected voice over internet protocol service company must use the place of primary use of the subscriber to determine which county's 911 excise tax applies to the service provided to the subscriber.
(c) The tax imposed under this section must be remitted to the department by interconnected voice over internet protocol service companies on a tax return provided by the department.
(d) The tax must be deposited in the county 911 excise tax account as provided in RCW 82.14B.063 .
(e) To the extent that a local exchange carrier and an interconnected voice over internet protocol service company contractually jointly provide a single service line, only one service company is responsible for remitting the 911 excise taxes, and nothing in this section precludes service companies who jointly provide service from agreeing by contract which of them must remit the taxes collected.
(4) Counties imposing a county 911 excise tax must provide an annual update to the 911 coordinator detailing the proportion of their county 911 excise tax that is being spent on:
(a) Efforts to modernize their existing 911 communications system; and
(b) 911 operational costs.
(5) A state 911 excise tax is imposed on all switched access lines in the state. The amount of tax may not exceed twenty-five cents per month for each switched access line. The tax must be uniform for each switched access line. The tax imposed under this subsection must be remitted to the department by local exchange companies on a tax return provided by the department. Tax proceeds must be deposited by the treasurer in the 911 account created in RCW 38.52.540 .
(6)(a) A state 911 excise tax is imposed on the use of all radio access lines:
(i) By subscribers whose place of primary use is located within the state in an amount of twenty-five cents per month for each radio access line. The tax must be uniform for each radio access line under this subsection (6)(a)(i); and
(ii) By consumers whose retail transaction occurs within the state in an amount of twenty-five cents per retail transaction. The tax must be uniform for each retail transaction under this subsection (6)(a)(ii). Until July 1, 2018, a seller of prepaid wireless telecommunications service may charge an additional five cents per retail transaction as compensation for the cost of collecting and remitting the tax.
(b) The tax imposed under this section must be remitted to the department by radio communications service companies, including those companies that resell radio access lines, and sellers of prepaid wireless telecommunications service, on a tax return provided by the department. Tax proceeds must be deposited by the treasurer in the 911 account created in RCW 38.52.540 . The tax imposed under this section is not subject to the state sales and use tax or any local tax.
(7) For purposes of the state and county 911 excise taxes imposed by subsections (2) and (6) of this section, the retail transaction is deemed to occur at the location where the transaction is sourced to under RCW 82.32.520 (3)(c).
(8) A state 911 excise tax is imposed on all interconnected voice over internet protocol service lines in the state. The amount of tax may not exceed twenty-five cents per month for each interconnected voice over internet protocol service line whose place of primary use is located in the state. The amount of tax must be uniform for each line and must be levied on no more than the number of voice over internet protocol service lines on an account that are capable of simultaneous unrestricted outward calling to the public switched telephone network. The tax imposed under this subsection must be remitted to the department by interconnected voice over internet protocol service companies on a tax return provided by the department. Tax proceeds must be deposited by the treasurer in the 911 account created in RCW 38.52.540 .
(9) For calendar year 2011, the taxes imposed by subsections (5) and (8) of this section must be set at their maximum rate. By August 31, 2011, and by August 31st of each year thereafter, the state 911 coordinator must recommend the level for the next year of the state 911 excise tax imposed by subsections (5) and (8) of this section, based on a systematic cost and revenue analysis, to the utilities and transportation commission. The commission must by the following October 31st determine the level of the state 911 excise taxes imposed by subsections (5) and (8) of this section for the following year.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=82.14B&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026