Arizona § 42-2075 - Audit duration; applicability; initial audit contact

§ 42-2075. Audit duration; applicability; initial audit contact

A. An audit of a taxpayer's return or claim for refund shall not exceed two years after the date of initial audit contact to the issuance of a notice of proposed deficiency assessment or proposed overpayment, except:

1. An audit of a fraudulent tax return.

2. An audit delayed as the result of the taxpayer's bankruptcy proceeding.

3. An audit in which the department has issued a letter to the taxpayer or the taxpayer's representative citing the potential imposition of the penalty described in section 42-1125, subsection C for the taxpayer's failure or refusal to provide information pursuant to the department's written request.

4. An audit involving proceedings concerning the enforcement or validity of a subpoena or subpoena duces tecum issued pursuant to section 42-1006, subsection C.

5. An audit involving a proceeding under section 42-2056.

6. An audit in which a taxpayer has filed a petition pursuant to section 43-1148, but only in relation to the effect of the petition request.

7. An audit in which the taxpayer provides a written request to extend the audit beyond the two-year period. A request for extension under this paragraph is not a substitute for a waiver of the statute of limitations pursuant to section 42-1104, subsection B, paragraph 9.  However, a waiver of the statute of limitations is considered to be a written request to extend the audit beyond the two-year period under this paragraph.

B. This section applies to audits conducted by the department and to audits conducted by the department and cities and towns pursuant to section 42-6002.

C. For the purposes of subsection A of this section, an initial audit contact occurs:

1. For a field audit, on the date of the first meeting between the taxpayer or the taxpayer's representative and a member of the department's audit staff.

2. For a desk or office audit or a review conducted pursuant to section 42-1109, on the date of the first letter to the taxpayer regarding the audit or review.  A letter is not considered to be regarding the audit or review if the letter is only requesting one or more of the following:

(a) The required filing of a tax return.

(b) A copy of the taxpayer's federal return.

(c) Required documents that the taxpayer failed to include with the return.

(d) Documentation to resolve an inconsistency within the return or a discrepancy between the return and other information that is received from a third party or that is otherwise already in the department's possession, if the adjustment of the return due to the inconsistency or discrepancy would be considered a nonaudit adjustment under section 42-1108, subsection G or H.

(e) Information that was left out of the taxpayer's return because a submitted form was incomplete.

(f) Replacements for documents that are not legible.