422A.1  Hotel and motel tax.

A city or county may impose by ordinance of the city council or by resolution of the board of supervisors a hotel and motel tax, at a rate not to exceed seven percent, which shall be imposed in increments of one or more full percentage points upon the gross receipts from the renting of sleeping rooms, apartments, or sleeping quarters in a hotel, motel, inn, public lodging house, rooming house, mobile home which is tangible personal property, or tourist court, or in any place where sleeping accommodations are furnished to transient guests for rent, whether with or without meals; except the gross receipts from the renting of sleeping rooms in dormitories and in memorial unions at all universities and colleges located in the state of Iowa and the guests of a religious institution if the property is exempt under section 427.1, subsection 8, and the purpose of renting is to provide a place for a religious retreat or function and not a place for transient guests generally. The tax when imposed by a city shall apply only within the corporate boundaries of that city and when imposed by a county shall apply only outside incorporated areas within that county. "Renting" and "rent" include any kind of direct or indirect charge for such sleeping rooms, apartments, or sleeping quarters, or their use. However, the tax does not apply to the gross receipts from the renting of a sleeping room, apartment, or sleeping quarters while rented by the same person for a period of more than thirty-one consecutive days.

A local hotel and motel tax shall be imposed on January 1, April 1, July 1, or October 1, following the notification of the director of revenue and finance. Once imposed, the tax shall remain in effect at the rate imposed for a minimum of one year. A local hotel and motel tax shall terminate only on March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31. At least forty-five days prior to the tax being effective or prior to a revision in the tax rate, or prior to the repeal of the tax, a city or county shall provide notice by mail of such action to the director of revenue and finance.

A city or county shall impose a hotel and motel tax or increase the tax rate, only after an election at which a majority of those voting on the question favors imposition or increase. However, a hotel and motel tax shall not be repealed or reduced in rate if obligations are outstanding which are payable as provided in section 422A.2, unless funds sufficient to pay the principal, interest, and premium, if any, on the outstanding obligations at and prior to maturity have been properly set aside and pledged for that purpose. The election shall be held at the time of that city's or county's general election or at the time of a special election.

The director of revenue and finance shall administer a local hotel and motel tax as nearly as possible in conjunction with the administration of the state sales tax law. The director shall provide appropriate forms, or provide on the regular state tax forms, for reporting local hotel and motel tax liability. All moneys received or refunded one hundred eighty days after the date on which a city or county terminates its local hotel and motel tax shall be deposited in or withdrawn from the state general fund.

The director, in consultation with local officials, shall collect and account for a local hotel and motel tax and shall credit all revenues to a "local transient guest tax fund" established by section 422A.2.

No tax permit other than the state tax permit required under section 422.53 may be required by local authorities.

The tax levied shall be in addition to any state sales tax imposed under section 422.43. Sections 422.25, subsection 4, 422.30, 422.48 to 422.52, 422.54 to 422.58, 422.67, 422.68, 422.69, subsection 1, and 422.70 to 422.75, consistent with the provisions of this chapter, apply with respect to the taxes authorized under this chapter, in the same manner and with the same effect as if the hotel and motel taxes were retail sales taxes within the meaning of those statutes. Notwithstanding this paragraph, the director shall provide for quarterly filing of returns as prescribed in section 422.51 and for other than quarterly filing of returns as prescribed in section 422.51, subsection 2. The director may require all persons, as defined in section 422.42, who are engaged in the business of deriving gross receipts subject to tax under this chapter, to register with the department.

Section History: Early form

  [C79, 81, § 422A.1]

Section History: Recent form

  86 Acts, ch 1199, § 1; 86 Acts, ch 1241, § 30; 86 Acts, ch 1244, § 49; 87 Acts, ch 136, § 2; 88 Acts, ch 1153, § 5; 89 Acts, ch 251, § 30; 89 Acts, ch 294, § 1

Internal References

  Referred to in § 422A.2


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