There are taxes on cigs in all states. But some have a "USER" tax. I.E. If you live in IL but go to IN to buy cuz they’re cheaper. You have to pay an additional tax to use the cigs in IL. Lots of people in IL getting hit with big taxes now on this cuz they bought on the internet and shipped to IL. Wondering if all states have this tax?
The USE tax has NOTHING to do with cigarettes. EVERY state with a sales tax has an equivalent use tax that applies to ALL items purchased out of state. It is just enforced more actively for cigarettes.
Feb 022010
Jan 182010
I have found cheap(er) cigarettes online (I live in NYC). Is it legal to purchase from these sites? It would let me, but I have been afraid to press "Send" on the order!
It is not illegal to buy cigarettes online from a diffeent state. It IS illegal to fail to pay New York State and City cigarette sales tax on those cigarettes. You should buy the cigarettes online, compute the tax on the cigarettes and mail it to the city and state. Otherwise, you are breaking the law.
But, of course, what you should really do is what New York City wanted you to do when they raised the tax in the first place – quit smoking. One half of all people who smoke will die from it.
Oct 282009
I got a tax bill for Cigarette I brought on the internet, in another State.
Yes! (if you did not pay taxes in another state on those cigarettes) In fact, California has sent bills to 12,000 taxpayers this year who purchased cigarettes over the internet and paid no sales tax. This is not just cigarettes though- technically anything you buy over the internet or through the mail for which you are not taxed is taxable by California. It’s just too hard to track individual spending so only companies are subject to those rules- it’s called a "use tax".