Florida Florida Statutes

§ 212.08 — Sales, rental, use, consumption, distribution, and storage tax; specified exemptions

FS § 212.08Ch. 212

Statute text

The sale at retail, the rental, the use, the consumption, the distribution, and the storage to be used or consumed in this state of the following are hereby specifically exempt from the tax imposed by this chapter.(1) EXEMPTIONS; GENERAL GROCERIES.—(a) Food products for human consumption are exempt from the tax imposed by this chapter.

(b)For the purpose of this chapter, as used in this subsection, the term “food products” means edible commodities, whether processed, cooked, raw, canned, or in any other form, which are generally regarded as food. This includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:1. Cereals and cereal products, baked goods, oleomargarine, meat and meat products, fish and seafood products, frozen foods and dinners, poultry, eggs and egg products, vegetables and vegetable products, fruit and fruit products, spices, salt, sugar and sugar products, milk and dairy products, and products intended to be mixed with milk. 2. Natural fruit or vegetable juices or their concentrates or reconstituted natural concentrated fruit or vegetable juices, whether frozen or unfrozen, dehydrated, powdered, granulated, sweetened or unsweetened, seasoned with salt or spice, or unseasoned; coffee, coffee substitutes, or cocoa; and tea, unless it is sold in a liquid form. 3. Bakery products sold by bakeries, pastry shops, or like establishments that do not have eating facilities.

(c)The exemption provided by this subsection does not apply to:1. Food products sold as meals for consumption on or off the premises of the dealer. 2. Food products furnished, prepared, or served for consumption at tables, chairs, or counters or from trays, glasses, dishes, or other tableware, whether provided by the dealer or by a person with whom the dealer contracts to furnish, prepare, or serve food products to others. 3. Food products ordinarily sold for immediate consumption on the seller's premises or near a location at which parking facilities are provided primarily for the use of patrons in consuming the products purchased at the location, even though such products are sold on a “take out” or “to go” order and are actually packaged or wrapped and taken from the premises of the dealer. 4. Sandwiches sold ready for immediate consumption on or off the seller's premises. 5. Food products sold ready for immediate consumption within a place, the entrance to which is subject to an admission charge. 6. Food products sold as hot prepared food products. 7. Soft drinks, including, but not limited to, any nonalcoholic beverage, any preparation or beverage commonly referred to as a “soft drink,” or any noncarbonated drink made from milk derivatives or tea, if sold in cans or similar containers. 8. Ice cream, frozen yogurt, and similar frozen dairy or nondairy products in cones, small cups, or pints, popsicles, frozen fruit bars, or other novelty items, whether or not sold separately. 9. Food that is prepared, whether on or off the premises, and sold for immediate consumption. This does not apply to food prepared off the premises and sold in the original sealed container, or the slicing of products into smaller portions. 10. Food products sold through a vending machine, pushcart, motor vehicle, or any other form of vehicle. 11. Candy and any similar product regarded as candy or confection, based on its normal use, as indicated on the label or advertising thereof. 12. Bakery products sold by bakeries, pastry shops, or like establishments having eating facilities, except when sold for consumption off the seller's premises. 13. Food products served, prepared, or sold in or by restaurants, lunch counters, cafeterias, hotels, taverns, or other like places of business.

(d)As used in this subsection, the term:1. “For consumption off the seller's premises” means that the food or drink is intended by the customer to be consumed at a place away from the dealer's premises. 2. “For consumption on the seller's premises” means that the food or drink sold may be immediately consumed on the premises where the dealer conducts his or her business. In determining whether an item of food is sold for immediate consumption, the customary consumption practices prevailing at the selling facility shall be considered. 3. “Premises” shall be construed broadly, and means, but is not limited to, the lobby, aisle, or auditorium of a theater; the seating, aisle, or parking area of an arena, rink, or stadium; or the parking area of a drive-in or outdoor theater. The premises of a caterer with respect to catered meals or beverages shall be the place where such meals or beverages are served. 4. “Hot prepared food products” means those products, items, or components which have been prepared for sale in a heated condition and which are sold at any temperature that is higher than the air temperature of the room or place where they are sold. “Hot prepared food products,” for the purposes of this subsection, includes a combination of hot and cold food items or components where a single price has been established for the combination and the food products are sold in such combination, such as a hot meal, a hot specialty dish or serving, or a hot sandwich or hot pizza, including cold components or side items. (e)1. Food or drinks not exempt under paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) are exempt, notwithstanding those paragraphs, when purchased with food coupons or Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children vouchers issued under authority of federal law. 2. This paragraph is effective only while federal law prohibits a state's participation in the federal food coupon program or Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children if there is an official determination that state or local sales taxes are collected within that state on purchases of food or drinks with such coupons. 3. This paragraph shall not apply to any food or drinks on which federal law shall permit sales taxes without penalty, such as termination of the state's participation.

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Legislative history

s. 8, ch. 26319, 1949; ss. 1, 2, ch. 26323, 1949; s. 9, ch. 26871, 1951; s. 1, ch. 28082, 1953; ss. 7, 33, ch. 29615, 1955; ss. 6-8, ch. 29883, 1955; s. 1, ch. 57-76; s. 1, ch. 57-398; s. 1, ch. 57-821; s. 1, ch. 57-1968; s. 1, ch. 57-1971; s. 1, ch. 59-287; ss. 1, 2, ch. 59-402; ss. 1, 2, ch. 59-448; s. 1, ch. 61-464; s. 2, ch. 61-276; s. 1, ch. 61-274; s. 7, ch. 63-253; ss. 5, 6, ch. 63-526; s. 1, ch. 63-565; s. 6, ch. 65-190; ss. 7-9, ch. 65-329; s. 1, ch. 65-331; s. 1, ch. 65-358; s. 5, ch. 65-371; s. 2, ch. 65-420; s. 4, ch. 67-180; ss. 8-12, 15, ch. 68-27; s. 1, ch. 69-99; ss. 15, 16, 19, 21, 24, 35, ch. 69-106; ss. 12-16, 19, ch. 69-222; ss. 2, 3, ch. 70-206; s. 2, ch. 70-373; s. 7, ch. 71-360; s. 1, ch. 71-985; s. 70, ch. 72-221; s. 1, ch. 72-289; s. 1, ch. 73-240; s. 1, ch. 74-4; s. 1, ch. 74-134; s. 1, ch. 74-305; ss. 1, 4, ch. 75-65; s. 35, ch. 77-147; s. 1, ch. 77-193; s. 1, ch. 77-194; s. 2, ch. 77-412; s. 1, ch. 78-59; s. 1, ch. 78-67; s. 1, ch. 78-77; s. 1, ch. 78-176; s. 1, ch. 78-220; s. 1, ch. 78-249; s. 1, ch. 78-270; s. 1, ch. 78-299; s. 1, ch. 78-329; s. 1, ch. 78-411; s. 41, ch. 79-164; ss. 2, 3, ch. 79-339; s. 96, ch. 79-400; ss. 1, 3, 4, ch. 80-163; s. 2, ch. 80-213; s. 10, ch. 81-151; s. 115, ch. 81-259; s. 3, ch. 81-319; s. 7, ch. 82-154; s. 1, ch. 82-206; s. 2, ch. 82-219; s. 5, ch. 83-3; s. 3, ch. 83-138; ss. 1, 2, ch. 83-154; ss. 1, 3, 8, ch. 83-297; s. 29, ch. 83-315; s. 29, ch. 83-317; ss. 2, 6, ch. 83-338; s. 265, ch. 84-309; ss. 3, 4, 5, ch. 84-324; s. 3, ch. 84-350; s. 34, ch. 84-356; s. 1, ch. 84-362; s. 30, ch. 85-80; ss. 1, 2, ch. 85-230; ss. 61, 64, 220, ch. 85-342; s. 74, ch. 86-152; ss. 5, 8, ch. 86-166; ss. 14, 25, 59, ch. 87-6; s. 4, ch. 87-72; s. 4, ch. 87-99; ss. 13, 34, ch. 87-101; s. 2, ch. 87-370; ss. 26, 27, 28, ch. 87-548; s. 1, ch. 88-123; s. 78, ch. 88-130; s. 27, ch. 88-201; ss. 2, 3, ch. 88-243; ss. 28, 61, ch. 89-300; ss. 35, 42, ch. 89-356; ss. 86, 93, ch. 90-132; s. 8, ch. 90-192; s. 1, ch. 90-203; s. 87, ch. 91-45; s. 3, ch. 92-113; s. 1, ch. 92-164; s. 1, ch. 92-168; s. 10, ch. 92-173; s. 2, ch. 92-206; s. 1, ch. 92-302; ss. 11, 17, ch. 92-319; s. 5, ch. 93-46; s. 11, ch. 93-233; ss. 42, 43, ch. 94-136; s. 1, ch. 94-186; s. 21, ch. 94-218; ss. 1, 16, ch. 94-314; s. 10, ch. 94-353; s. 52, ch. 94-356; s. 32, ch. 95-145; s. 1497, ch. 95-147; s. 3, ch. 95-232; s. 3, ch. 95-302; s. 12, ch. 95-333; s. 114, ch. 95-417; s. 92, ch. 95-418; s. 56, ch. 96-175; ss. 15, 161, 162, ch. 96-320; s. 23, ch. 96-323; s. 1, ch. 96-395; s. 26, ch. 96-397; s. 14, ch. 97-54; s. 1, ch. 97-86; s. 23, ch. 97-99; s. 5, ch. 97-197; s. 1, ch. 97-205; ss. 3, 5, 6, 7, ch. 97-221; s. 1, ch. 97-227; s. 11, ch. 97-278; s. 1, ch. 98-60; s. 2, ch. 98-133; s. 3, ch. 98-142; s. 1, ch. 98-143; s. 1, ch. 98-144; s. 14, ch. 98-166; s. 1, ch. 98-205; s. 2, ch. 98-220; s. 1, ch. 98-252; s. 2, ch. 98-273; s. 1, ch. 98-291; s. 2, ch. 98-294; s. 1, ch. 98-328; s. 1, ch. 98-408; ss. 1, 2, ch. 98-416; s. 78, ch. 99-2; s. 1, ch. 99-171; s. 25, ch. 99-208; s. 3, ch. 99-238; s. 12, ch. 99-256; s. 1, ch. 99-269; s. 3, ch. 99-273; s. 3, ch. 99-304; s. 2, ch. 99-337; s. 1, ch. 99-364; s. 1, ch. 99-368; s. 42, ch. 2000-151; s. 37, ch. 2000-164; s. 54, ch. 2000-165; s. 4, ch. 2000-182; s. 6, ch. 2000-197; s. 13, ch. 2000-210; s. 3, ch. 2000-211; ss. 1, 3, ch. 2000-223; s. 1, ch. 2000-228; s. 2, ch. 2000-276; s. 7, ch. 2000-290; s. 3, ch. 2000-310; s. 19, ch. 2000-317; s. 10, ch. 2000-351; s. 1, ch. 2000-353; s. 15, ch. 2000-355; s. 25, ch. 2000-372; s. 34, ch. 2001-60; s. 38, ch. 2001-196; s. 2, ch. 2001-201; s. 10, ch. 2001-225; s. 52, ch. 2001-266; s. 6, ch. 2002-2; s. 9, ch. 2002-48; ss. 17, 18, 20, 22, ch. 2002-218; s. 918, ch. 2002-387; s. 5, ch. 2002-392; s. 22, ch. 2003-32; ss. 19, 41, ch. 2003-254; s. 186, ch. 2003-261; s. 8, ch. 2004-243; s. 1, ch. 2005-83; s. 22, ch. 2005-132; s. 2, ch. 2005-197; s. 1, ch. 2005-282; s. 21, ch. 2005-287; s. 2, ch. 2006-2; s. 3, ch. 2006-56; s. 2, ch. 2006-57; s. 58, ch. 2006-60; s. 3