Ringtones, digital books, more soon taxed in Minn.

Published 11:26 am Thursday, June 13, 2013

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Need that new Justin Bieber ringtone? Come July 1 buying it will carry a Minnesota sales tax. Hiring a repairman for the office photocopier? That labor will be taxed. Catching a pay-per-view movie on satellite television? There’s a tax on that, too.

The Minnesota Department of Revenue published guidance Thursday on an array of sales tax changes the Legislature adopted last month. Most take effect on July 1.

The new taxes are narrower than those proposed earlier by Gov. Mark Dayton, and many of them fall on business-to-business transactions. That includes equipment repair for computers and industrial machinery, with some exceptions.

Some consumers will pay more. Digital downloads — from books to e-greeting cards to movies and songs — will be subject to the 6.875 percent sales tax.