Hotel owners or operators must report and send collected taxes to the county, and missed filings or late payments can trigger penalties, interest, audits, and suit.
Sec. 352.004. TAX COLLECTION; PENALTY. (a) The owner or operator of a hotel shall report and send the taxes collected under this chapter to the county as provided by the resolution or order imposing the tax. (b) If the owner fails to report when required or pay the tax when due, the owner shall pay a penalty of five percent of the amount of the tax due. If the owner fails to file the report or pay the tax before the 31st day after the date that the report or tax payment was due, he shall pay an additional penalty of five percent of the amount of the tax due. (c) Delinquent taxes and accrued penalties draw interest at the rate of 10 percent a year beginning 60 days after the date on which the tax was due. (d) The county attorney may bring suit against a person who is required to collect the tax imposed by this chapter and pay the collections over to the county and who has failed to file a tax report or pay the tax when due to collect the tax not paid or to enjoin the person from operating a hotel in the county until the tax is paid or the report filed, as applicable, as provided by the court's order. The remedy provided by this subsection is in addition to other available remedies. (d-1) Except as provided by Subsection (d-2), a county must bring suit under this section not later than the fourth anniversary of the date the tax becomes due. (d-2) The limitation provided by Subsection (d-1) does not apply and a county may bring suit under this section at any time if: (1) with intent to evade the tax, the person files a false or fraudulent report with the county; or (2) the person has not filed a report for the tax with the county. (e) If a person required to file a tax report under this chapter does not file the report as required by the county, the county may determine the amount of tax due under this chapter by conducting an audit of each hotel in relation to which the person did not file the report as required by the county. A county may directly perform an audit authorized under this subsection or contract with another person to perform the audit on an hourly rate or fixed-fee basis. A county shall provide at least 30 days' written notice to a person who is required to collect the tax imposed by this chapter with respect to a hotel before conducting an audit of the hotel under this subsection. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 191, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1110, Sec. 11, eff. Oct. 1, 1989. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1152 (H.B. 2048), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 944 (H.B. 1724), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2013.