Alabama § 40-1-45 - Timely Mailing Treated as Timely Filing and Paying.

§ 40-1-45. Timely Mailing Treated as Timely Filing and Paying.

(a) General rule.

(1) DATE OF DELIVERY. If any return, claim, statement, or other document required to be filed, or any payment required to be made, within a prescribed period or on or before a prescribed date under authority of any provision of this title is, after such period or such date, delivered by United States mail to the agency, officer, or office with which such return, claim, statement, or other document is required to be filed, or to which such payment is required to be made, the date of the United States postmark stamped on the cover in which such return, claim, statement, or other document, or payment, is mailed shall be deemed to be the date of delivery or the date of payment, as the case may be.

(2) MAILING REQUIREMENTS. This subsection shall apply only if -

a. The postmark date falls within the prescribed period or on or before the prescribed date -

1. For the filing (including any extension granted for such filing) of the return, claim, statement, or other document, or

2. For making the payment (including any extension granted for making such payment), and

b. The return, claim, statement, or other document, or payment was, within the time prescribed in paragraph a., deposited in the mail in the United States in an envelope or other appropriate wrapper, postage prepaid, properly addressed to the agency, officer, or office with which the return, claim, statement, or other document is required to be filed, or to which such payment is required to be made.

(b) Postmarks. This section shall apply in the case of postmarks not made by the United States Postal Service only if and to the extent provided by the Department of Revenue.

(c) Registered and certified mailing.

(1) REGISTERED MAIL. For purposes of this section, if any such return, claim, statement, or other document, or payment, is sent by United States registered mail

a. Such registration shall be prima facie evidence that the return claim, statement, or other document was delivered to the agency, officer, or office addressed to, and

b. The date of registration shall be deemed the postmark date.

(2) CERTIFIED MAIL. The Department of Revenue is authorized to provide by regulations the extent to which the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection with respect to prima facie evidence of delivery and the postmark date shall apply to certified mail.

(d) Exceptions. This section shall not apply with respect to -

(1) The filing of a document in, or the making of a payment to any court.

(2) Currency or other medium of payment unless actually received and accounted for, or

(3) Returns, claims, statements, or other documents, or payments which are required under any provision of this title to be delivered by any method other than by mailing.