Only a contractor who has a valid Certicate of Authority
issued by the Tax Department may use this exempt purchase
certicate. The contractor must present a properly completed
certicate to the vendor to purchase tangible personal property,
or to a subcontractor to purchase services tax exempt. This
certicate is not valid unless all entries have been completed.
The contractor may use this certicate to claim an exemption
from sales or use tax on tangible personal property or services
that will be used in the manner specied in items A through P
below. The contractor may not use this certicate to purchase
tangible personal property or services tax exempt on the basis
that Form ST-124, Certicate of Capital Improvement, has been
furnished by the project owner to the contractor.
The contractor must use a separate Form ST‑120.1, Contractor
Exempt Purchase Certicate, for each project.
Purchase orders showing an exemption from the sales or use
tax based on this certicate must contain the address of the
project where the property will be used, as well as the name and
address of the project owners (see page 1 of this form). Invoices
and sales or delivery slips must also contain this information
(name and address of the project for which the exempt
purchases will be used or where the exempt services will be
rendered, as shown on page 1 of this form).
Use of the certicate
Note: Unless otherwise stated, the customer must furnish the
contractor a properly completed Form ST-121, Exempt Use
Certicate.
This certicate may be used by a contractor to claim exemption
from tax only on purchases of tangible personal property
that is:
A. Incorporated into real property under the terms of a contract
entered into with an exempt organization that has furnished
the contractor with a copy of Form ST‑119.1, Exempt
Organization Exempt Purchase Certicate, governmental
purchase order, or voucher.
B. Production machinery or equipment that will be incorporated
into real property.
C. Used in one of the following situations:
• Machinery, equipment, and other tangible personal
property related to providing website services for sale to
be installed in an Internet data center when the property
is to be incorporated as part of a capital improvement.
The customer must furnish the contractor a completed
Form ST-121.5, Exempt Use Certicate for Operators of
Internet Data Centers (Web Hosting).
• Used directly and predominantly in the receiving,
initiating, amplifying, processing, transmitting,
re-transmitting, switching, or monitoring of switching of
telecommunications services for sale, or Internet access
service for sale.
• Machinery, equipment, and other tangible personal
property (including parts, tools, and supplies) used by a
television or radio broadcaster directly and predominantly
in the production and post-production of live or recorded
programs used by a broadcaster predominantly for
broadcasting by the broadcaster either over -the- air or
for transmission through a cable television or direct
broadcast satellite system. (Examples of exempt
machinery and equipment include cameras, lights, sets,
costumes, and sound equipment.) This exemption also
includes machinery, equipment, and other tangible
personal property used by a broadcaster directly and
predominantly to transmit live or recorded programs.
(Examples of exempt machinery and equipment include
ampliers, transmitters, and antennas.)
D. Installed or placed in the project in such a way that it
remains tangible personal property after installation. The
contractor must collect tax from its customer when selling
such tangible personal property or related services to the
customer, unless the customer gives the contractor an
appropriate and properly completed exemption certicate.
E. Going to become an integral component part of a structure,
building, or real property used predominantly (more than
50%) either in the production phase of farming or in a
commercial horse boarding operation, or in both, for which
the customer has provided the contractor a completed
Form ST-125, Farmer’s and Commercial Horse Boarding
Operator’s Exemption Certicate.
F. Machinery or equipment used directly and predominantly
to control, prevent, or abate pollution or contaminants from
manufacturing or industrial facilities.
G. Residential or commercial solar energy systems equipment.
Residential solar energy systems equipment means an
arrangement or combination of components installed in a
residence that utilizes solar radiation to produce energy
designed to provide heating, cooling, hot water, and/or
electricity. Commercial solar energy systems equipment
means an arrangement or combination of components
installed upon nonresidential premises that utilize solar
radiation to produce energy designed to provide heating,
cooling, hot water, or electricity. The exemption is allowed
on the 4% New York State tax rate and where applicable,
the ⅜% MCTD rate. The exemption does not apply to local
taxes unless the locality specically enacts the exemption.
The customer must furnish the contractor a completed
Form ST-121 by completing the box marked Other (U.).
For the denition of residence and for an exception relating
to recreational equipment used for storage, as well as for
other pertinent information, see TSB‑M‑05(11)S, Sales and
Use Tax Exemption for Residential Solar Energy Systems
Equipment. For the denition of nonresidential premises,
as well as other pertinent information, see TSB-M-12(14)S,
Sales and Use Tax Exemption for the Sales and Installation
of Commercial Solar Energy Systems Equipment.
H. Delivered and used directly and exclusively in adding to,
altering, or improving a qualifying tenant’s leased premises
for use as commercial ofce space in Eligible Area A or
B as described in TSB‑M‑05(12)S, Sales and Use Tax
Exemptions on Certain Purchases of Tangible Personal
Property and Services for Leased Commercial Ofce Space
in Lower Manhattan, provided that the tangible personal
property becomes an integral component part of the building
in which the leased premises are located, and where such
property is purchased within the rst year of the qualifying
tenant’s lease.
I. Machinery and equipment used at qualied marine terminal
facilities located in New York City. The machinery and
equipment must be used directly and predominantly in
loading, unloading, and handling cargo at marine terminal
facilities located in New York City that handled more than
350,000 twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2003. For
purposes of this exemption, the term TEU means a unit of
volume equivalent to the volume of a twenty-foot container.
This exemption does not apply to the local tax in New York
City.
ST-120.1 (5/16) Page 3 of 4
Instructions