ARS 42-3405

Tobacco manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers; recordkeeping and invoicing requirements; retention period

A. Except for retail transactions with consumers, each manufacturer, importer and distributor of tobacco products shall maintain copies of invoices or equivalent documentation for each facility and for each transaction that involves the sale, purchase, transfer, consignment or receipt of tobacco products within this state. The invoices or equivalent documentation for each transaction shall be in the form and manner prescribed by the department and shall indicate the name and address of the other party and the quantity by brand style of the tobacco products involved in the transaction.

B. A distributor of tobacco products shall issue an invoice or equivalent documentation for each transaction that involves the sale, purchase or consignment of tobacco products to a retailer. The invoice or equivalent documentation must include the license number of the distributor, which the retailer may use to ascertain whether the license is current and valid.

C. Any retailer of tobacco products shall retain all invoices or equivalent documentation received under subsection B of this section.

D. Records required under this section shall be preserved on the premises described in the relevant license in a manner as to ensure accessibility for inspection at reasonable hours by authorized personnel of the department. With the department's permission, persons with multiple places of business may retain centralized records, but shall transmit duplicates of the invoices or the equivalent documentation to each place of business within three business days after a request by the department.

E. The records required by this section shall be retained for a period of four years after the date of the transaction.

F. On request, the department and the United States secretary of the treasury or secretary's designee shall have access to records required under this section and reports required under section 42-3462. The department at its sole discretion may share the records and reports required by this chapter with other law enforcement officials of federal and state governments under conditions that assume the confidentiality of taxpayer information contained in the records and reports.