Oregon marijuana tax has raised nearly $15 million

As of May 30, the Oregon Department of Revenue has processed $14.9 million in marijuana tax payments this year, the agency said Wednesday. Medical marijuana dispensaries started collecting a 25 percent tax on their recreational marijuana sales in January.

The department also reminded dispensaries that their first-quarter marijuana tax returns were due on May 2. As of June 17, 57 percent of the 319 dispensaries that have made at least one monthly payment have filed a return. Dispensaries who haven’t filed their returns should have received a notice from the department reminding them of their filing obligation.

“There may be some confusion about when returns are due because it’s quarterly as opposed to the monthly payment requirement,” said John Galvin, manager for Revenue’s Marijuana Tax Program. “This is a new program and some dispensaries are still learning about their tax obligations.”

According to Galvin, they’ve been providing dispensaries with information about making payments and filing returns by email and on the department’s website.

“We want them to be aware of what they need to do before they end up facing penalties for not filing or paying as they’re required,” he explained.
For dispensaries that haven’t yet filed, the department encourages them to file as soon as possible. The quarterly return form and instructions are available at www.oregon.gov/dor/marijuana. If dispensaries have any questions about filling out the form or their filing obligation, they can contact the Marijuana Tax Program at (503) 947-2597 or marijuanatax.dor@oregon.gov.

Visit www.oregon.gov/dor to get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments; or call 1 (800) 356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish); (503) 378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon; or email, questions.dor@oregon.gov. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), call 1 (800) 886-7204.