26 USC § 5761 - Civil penalties

(a) Omitting things required or doing things forbidden

Whoever willfully omits, neglects, or refuses to comply with any duty imposed upon him by this chapter, or to do, or cause to be done, any of the things required by this chapter, or does anything prohibited by this chapter, shall in addition to any other penalty provided in this title, be liable to a penalty of $1,000, to be recovered, with costs of suit, in a civil action, except where a penalty under subsection (b) or (c) or under section 6651 or 6653 or part II of subchapter A of chapter 68 may be collected from such person by assessment.

(b) Failure to pay tax

Whoever fails to pay any tax imposed by this chapter at the time prescribed by law or regulations, shall, in addition to any other penalty provided in this title, be liable to a penalty of 5 percent of the tax due but unpaid.

(c) Sale of tobacco products and cigarette papers and tubes for export

Except as provided in subsections (b) and (d) ofsection 5704—

(1) every person who sells, relands, or receives within the jurisdiction of the United States any tobacco products or cigarette papers or tubes which have been labeled or shipped for exportation under this chapter,

(2) every person who sells or receives such relanded tobacco products or cigarette papers or tubes, and

(3) every person who aids or abets in such selling, relanding, or receiving,

shall, in addition to the tax and any other penalty provided in this title, be liable for a penalty equal to the greater of $1,000 or 5 times the amount of the tax imposed by this chapter. All tobacco products and cigarette papers and tubes relanded within the jurisdiction of the United States shall be forfeited to the United States and destroyed. All vessels, vehicles, and aircraft used in such relanding or in removing such products, papers, and tubes from the place where relanded, shall be forfeited to the United States. This subsection and section 5754 shall not apply to any person who relands or receives tobacco products in the quantity allowed entry free of tax and duty under subchapter IV of chapter 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. No quantity of tobacco products other than the quantity referred to in the preceding sentence may be relanded or received as a personal use quantity.

(d) Personal use quantities

(1) In general

No quantity of tobacco products other than the quantity referred to in paragraph (2) may be relanded or received as a personal use quantity.

(2) Exception for personal use quantity

Subsection (c) andsection 5754 shall not apply to any person who relands or receives tobacco products in the quantity allowed entry free of tax and duty under chapter 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, and such person may voluntarily relinquish to the Secretary at the time of entry any excess of such quantity without incurring the penalty under subsection (c).

(3) Special rule for delivery sales

(A) In general

Paragraph (2) shall not apply to any tobacco product sold in connection with a delivery sale.

(B) Delivery sale

For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “delivery sale” means any sale of a tobacco product to a consumer if—

(i) the consumer submits the order for such sale by means of a telephone or other method of voice transmission, the mail, or the Internet or other online service, or the seller is otherwise not in the physical presence of the buyer when the request for purchase or order is made, or

(ii) the tobacco product is delivered by use of a common carrier, private delivery service, or the mail, or the seller is not in the physical presence of the buyer when the buyer obtains personal possession of the tobacco product.

(e) Applicability of section 6665

The penalties imposed by subsections (b) and (c) shall be assessed, collected, and paid in the same manner as taxes, as provided in section 6665 (a).

(f) Cross references

For penalty for failure to make deposits or for overstatement of deposits, see section 6656.

Source

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 717; Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 202,Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1425; Pub. L. 97–34, title VII, §§ 722(a)(3), 724 (b)(5),Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 342, 345; Pub. L. 97–448, title I, § 107(b),Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2391; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title VII, § 714(h)(2),July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 962; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7721(c)(4), (5),Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2399; Pub. L. 105–33, title IX, § 9302(h)(1)(B)–(D), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 673; Pub. L. 106–476, title IV, §§ 4002(c), 4003 (a),Nov. 9, 2000, 114 Stat. 2177; Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(7) [title III, § 315(a)(3)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–644; Pub. L. 109–432, div. C, title IV, § 401(f)(1), (2)(A),Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 3049, 3050.)

References in Text

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, referred to in subsecs. (c) and (d)(2), is not set out in the Code. See Publication of Harmonized Tariff Schedule note set out under section 1202 of Title 19, Customs Duties.

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–432, § 401(f)(2)(A), struck out at end “This subsection and section 5754 shall not apply to any person who relands or receives tobacco products in the quantity allowed entry free of tax and duty under chapter 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, and such person may voluntarily relinquish to the Secretary at the time of entry any excess of such quantity without incurring the penalty under this subsection. No quantity of tobacco products other than the quantity referred to in the preceding sentence may be relanded or received as a personal use quantity.”

Subsecs. (d) to (f). Pub. L. 109–432, § 401(f)(1), added subsec. (d) and redesignated former subsecs. (d) and (e) as (e) and (f), respectively.

2000—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106–554inserted at end “This subsection and section 5754 shall not apply to any person who relands or receives tobacco products in the quantity allowed entry free of tax and duty under chapter 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, and such person may voluntarily relinquish to the Secretary at the time of entry any excess of such quantity without incurring the penalty under this subsection. No quantity of tobacco products other than the quantity referred to in the preceding sentence may be relanded or received as a personal use quantity.”

Pub. L. 106–476, § 4003(a), inserted at end “This subsection and section 5754 shall not apply to any person who relands or receives tobacco products in the quantity allowed entry free of tax and duty under subchapter IV of chapter 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. No quantity of tobacco products other than the quantity referred to in the preceding sentence may be relanded or received as a personal use quantity.”

Pub. L. 106–476, § 4002(c), which directed amendment of the last sentence of subsec. (c) by substituting “the jurisdiction of the United States shall be forfeited to the United States and destroyed. All vessels, vehicles, and aircraft used in such relanding or in removing such products, papers, and tubes from the place where relanded, shall be forfeited to the United States.” for “the jurisdiction of the United States” and all that followed through the end period, was executed by making the substitution for “the jurisdiction of the United States, and all vessels, vehicles, and aircraft used in such relanding or in removing such products, papers, and tubes from the place where relanded, shall be forfeited to the United States.” in the second sentence of subsec. (c) to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the intervening retroactive amendments by Pub. L. 106–476, § 4003(a), andPub. L. 106–554. See above.

1997—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–33, § 9302(h)(1)(C), substituted “subsection (b) or (c)” for “subsection (b)”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–33, § 9302(h)(1)(B), added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 105–33, § 9302(h)(1)(D), substituted “The penalties imposed by subsections (b) and (c)” for “The penalty imposed by subsection (b)”.

Pub. L. 105–33, § 9302(h)(1)(B), redesignatedsubsec. (c) as (d). Former subsec. (d) redesignated (e).

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 105–33, § 9302(h)(1)(B), redesignatedsubsec. (d) as (e).

1989—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–239, § 7721(c)(4), inserted “or part II of subchapter A of chapter 68” after “or 6653”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–239, § 7721(c)(5), substituted “6665” for “6662” in heading and “6665(a)” for “6662(a)” in text.

1984—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98–369substituted “section 6662” for “section 6660” in heading and “section 6662 (a)” for “section 6660 (a)” in text.

1983—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 97–448substituted “section 6660” for “section 6659” in heading, and substituted “section 6660 (a)” for “section 6659 (a)” in text.

1981—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 97–34, § 724(b)(5), added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c), which related to applicability of section 6656 to failure to make deposit of taxes imposed under subchapter A on the prescribed date and imposition of penalty, was struck out.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–34, §§ 722(a)(3), 724 (b)(5), added subsec. (d). Former subsec. (d), which related to applicability of section 6660 and penalties imposed by subsections (b) and (c) to be assessed, collected, and paid in the manner as taxes provided in section 6660 (a), was struck out. See subsec. (c).

1958—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 85–859struck out reference to section 6652 of this title.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 85–859substituted provisions relating to failure to pay tax for provisions which made persons willfully failing to pay a tax liable, in addition to any other penalty provided in this title, to a penalty of the amount of the tax evaded, or not paid.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 85–859substituted provisions relating to failure to make deposit of taxes for provisions which authorized a penalty of 5 percent of the tax due but unpaid where a person failed to pay tax at the time prescribed, and required the penalties to be added to the tax and assessed and collected at the same time, in the same manner, and as a part of the tax.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 85–859added subsec. (d). Similar provisions were formerly contained in subsec. (c) of this section.

Effective Date of 2006 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 109–432applicable with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the 15th day after Dec. 20, 2006, see section 401(g) ofPub. L. 109–432, set out as a note under section 1681 of Title 19, Customs Duties.

Effective Date of 2000 Amendments

Amendment by Pub. L. 106–554effective as if included in section 9302 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, Pub. L. 105–33, see section 1 (a)(7) [title III, § 315(b)] of Pub. L. 106–554, set out as a note under section 5702 of this title.

Amendment by section 4002 ofPub. L. 106–476effective 90 days after Nov. 9, 2000, see section 4002(d) ofPub. L. 106–476, set out as a note under section 5704 of this title.

Pub. L. 106–476, title IV, § 4003(b),Nov. 9, 2000, 114 Stat. 2178, provided that: “The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect as if included in section 9302 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 [Pub. L. 105–33].”

Effective Date of 1997 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 105–33applicable to articles removed, as defined in section 5702 (j) of this title, after Dec. 31, 1999, with transition rule, see section 9302(i) ofPub. L. 105–33, set out as a note under section 5701 of this title.

Effective Date of 1989 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 101–239applicable to returns the due date for which (determined without regard to extensions) is after Dec. 31, 1989, see section 7721(d) ofPub. L. 101–239, set out as a note under section 461 of this title.

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–369effective as if included in the provision of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, Pub. L. 97–248, to which such amendment relates, see section 715 ofPub. L. 98–369, set out as a note under section 31 of this title.

Effective Date of 1983 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–448effective, except as otherwise provided, as if it had been included in the provision of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, Pub. L. 97–34, to which such amendment relates, see section 109 ofPub. L. 97–448, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by section 722(a)(3) ofPub. L. 97–34applicable to returns filed after Dec. 31, 1981, see section 722(a)(4) ofPub. L. 97–34, set out as a note under section 5684 of this title.

Amendment by section 724(b)(5) ofPub. L. 97–34applicable to returns filed after Aug. 13, 1981, see section 724(c) ofPub. L. 97–34, set out as a note under section 6656 of this title.

Effective Date of 1958 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 85–859effective Sept. 3, 1958, see section 210(a)(1) ofPub. L. 85–859, set out as an Effective Date note under section 5001 of this title.