NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The June 1 deadline for filing the professional privilege tax is fast approaching. For members of the 22 professional groups required to file annually, the process takes less than five minutes, thanks to the Tennessee Department of Revenue's e-filing application.

With the Department of Revenue's online tax filing service at www.Tennessee.gov/revenue, filers may submit their personal information, select their profession, make a payment and receive confirmation of their filing with a few clicks of the mouse. Not only is the filing service quicker and easier for filers, it also provides efficiencies to the Department of Revenue with faster processing time and a higher rate of data accuracy.

"We encourage professionals to take advantage of electronic filing this year," said Tennessee Department of Revenue Commissioner Loren L. Chumley. "The online professional privilege tax filing option is just one of Revenue's many e-filing services that provide our customers convenient, time-saving, and worry-free digital alternatives for filing taxes."

Who owes the professional privilege tax?

Electronic filing of the sales and use tax, consumer use tax, individual income tax, professional privilege tax, and franchise and excise tax minimum and estimated payment returns and extensions is available via the department's Web site, www.Tennessee.gov/revenue. The newest application launched allows bill payments to be made online. Many business tax registration activities also can be done online.

The Department of Revenue provides computer access to customers who don't have such technology, so they can file their taxes online at its offices in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Jackson, Johnson City, Memphis and Nashville.

The department offers an electronic commerce hot line to assist taxpayers and tax practitioners who use the department's ever-expanding suite of electronic tax filing options. The statewide toll-free phone number is (866) 368-6374. Nashville-area and out-of-state callers should dial (615) 253-0704.

All taxpayer data, whether paper or electronic, filed with the Department of Revenue is confidential data protected under Tennessee law.

The Department of Revenue collects approximately 92 percent of total state tax revenue. During the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the department collected $9.1 billion in state taxes and fees. In addition to collecting state taxes, $1.6 billion of local sales tax was collected by the department for local governments during the 2003-2004 fiscal year. Besides collecting taxes, the department enforces the revenue laws fairly and impartially in an effort to encourage voluntary taxpayer compliance. The department also apportions revenue collections for distribution to the various state funds and local units of government. To learn more about the department, log on to www.Tennessee.gov/revenue.

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