Ariz. Admin. Code § R15-5-1602 - Casual Leasing Activity

A. For purposes of taxation under the commercial lease classification, there shall be no general exclusion for a casual rental of real property unless delineated under A.R.S. § 42-5059 except as provided in subsection (B) of this rule.

B. For periods ending on or before July 31, 1988, the rental of one unit or real property shall have been deemed to be a casual activity and not subject to transaction privilege tax if:

1. A lessor had income from another source which was unrelated to the income from the rental of real property and such income was of a significant amount so as to indicate that the rental activity was not the sole or main support of the lessor and

2. The scope and degree of the rental activity clearly indicated that the rental activity was an investment activity rather than income from a business.

C. For periods beginning on or after August 1, 1988, gross income from the rental of one or more units of real property used for commercial purposes shall be deemed to be a business activity and shall be taxable under the commercial lease classification.

D. For periods prior to July 17, 1993, gross income from the rental of one economic unit of agricultural property shall not be taxable if the following conditions exist:

1. A lessor had income from another source which was unrelated to the income from the rental of one economic unit of agricultural property and such income was of a significant amount so as to indicate that the rental activity was not the sole or main support of the lessor and

2. The scope and degree of the rental activity clearly indicated that the rental activity was an investment activity rather than income from a business.

E. For periods from and after July 17, 1993, gross income from the rental of agricultural property shall not be subject to tax if the conditions of A.R.S. § 42-5069(C)(12) are met.

F. The following situations are indicative of the application of the general provisions of the commercial lease classification:

1. A three-story office building is lease in its entirety to a large law firm. The building is one unit of property. Prior to August 1, 1988, the lessor of the office building was not considered to be engaged in business under the commercial lease classification if the conditions of subsection (A) existed. Commencing on or after August 1, 1988, the single rental of commercial real property is subject to tax under the commercial lease classification.

2. Individual spaces in a small medical building are rented to three different members of the medical profession on separate leases. The property consists of three units. Regardless of the time period in which the rental occurred, the lessor in this situation has always been engaged in business under the commercial lease classification.

3. A partnership is formed to hold one unit of real property for purposes of leasing. Income received from this activity is taxable since the partnership was formed for business purposes.

4. Two hundred acres of farmland are leased to one tenant. The acreage is one economic unit of agricultural property. The lessor is employed as an engineer and leases the property as an investment. Regardless of the time period in which the lease occurred, the lessor of the property is not engaged in business under the commercial lease classification.

5. Two hundred acres of agricultural property are leased to five unrelated parties on separate leases. The property consists of five economic units of agricultural property. Regardless of the time period in which the leases occurred, the lessor is engaged in business under the commercial lease classification. Five separate lease agreements are not a casual activity and the lessor does not fall within any of the current exemptions under A.R.S. § 42-5069(C)(12).

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R15-5-1602

Repealed effective April 13, 1987 (Supp. 87-2). New Section R15-5-1602 renumbered from R15-5-1607 and amended effective April 21, 1995 (Supp. 95-2). R15-5-1602(A), (E) and (F)(5) corrected to reflect updated citation references to Arizona Revised Statutes (Supp. 06-4).