26 CFR § 48.4081-7 - Taxable fuel; conditions for refunds of taxable fuel tax under section 4081(e).

§ 48.4081-7 Taxable fuel; conditions for refunds of taxable fuel tax under section 4081(e).

(a) Overview. This section provides reporting requirements and other conditions that a person paying tax to the government under section 4081 must satisfy to receive a refund (but not a credit) under section 4081(e) with respect to taxable fuel on which a prior tax was paid to the government under section 4081. No credit against any tax imposed under the Internal Revenue Code is allowed under this section.

(b) Conditions to allowance of refund. A claim for refund of tax imposed by section 4081 with respect to taxable fuel is allowed under section 4081(e) and this section only if—

(1) A tax imposed by section 4081 with respect to the taxable fuel was paid to the government and not credited or refunded (the “first tax”);

(2) After imposition of the first tax, another tax was imposed by section 4081 with respect to the same taxable fuel and was also paid to the government (the “second tax”);

(3) The person that paid the second tax to the government has filed a timely claim for refund that contains the information required under paragraph (d) of this section; and

(4) The person that paid the first tax to the government has met the reporting requirements of paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Reporting requirements—(1) Reporting by persons paying the first tax. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, the person that paid the first tax under § 48.4081–3 (the first taxpayer) must file a report that is in substantially the same form as the model report provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section (or such other model report as the Commissioner may prescribe) and contains all information necessary to complete such model report (the first taxpayer's report). A first taxpayer's report must be filed with the return to which the report relates (or at such other time, or in such other manner, as prescribed by the Commissioner).

(2) Model first taxpayer's report.

First Taxpayer's Report
1.
First Taxpayer's name, address, and employer identification number
2.
Name, address, and employer identification number of the buyer of the taxable fuel subject to tax
3.

Date and location of removal, entry, or sale

4.

Volume and type of taxable fuel removed, entered, or sold

5. Check type of taxable event:

__________ Removal from refinery

__________ Entry into United States

__________ Bulk transfer from terminal by unregistered position holder

__________ Bulk transfer not received at an approved terminal

__________ Sale within the bulk transfer/terminal system

__________ Removal at the terminal rack

__________ Removal or sale by the blender

6.

Amount of Federal excise tax paid on account of the removal, entry, or sale

The undersigned taxpayer (the “Taxpayer”) has not received, and will not claim, a credit with respect to, or a refund of, the tax on the taxable fuel to which this form relates.

Under penalties of perjury, the Taxpayer declares that Taxpayer has examined this statement, including any accompanying schedules and statements, and, to the best of Taxpayer's knowledge and belief, they are true, correct and complete.

Signature and date signed
Printed or typed name of person signing this report
Title

(3) Optional reporting for certain taxable events. Paragraph (c)(1) of this section does not apply with respect to a tax imposed under § 48.4081–2 (removal at a terminal rack), § 48.4081–3(c)(1)(ii) (nonbulk entries into the United States), or § 48.4081–3(g) (removals or sales by blenders). However, if the person liable for the tax expects that another tax will be imposed under section 4081 with respect to the taxable fuel, that person should (but is not required to) file a first taxpayer's report.

(4) Information provided to subsequent owners, etc.—(i) By person required to file first taxpayer's report. A first taxpayer required to file a first taxpayer's report under paragraph (c)(1) of this section must give a copy of the report to—

(A) The person to whom the first taxpayer sells (within the meaning of § 48.4081–1)) the taxable fuel within the bulk transfer/terminal system; or

(B) The owner of the taxable fuel immediately before the imposition of the first tax, if the first taxpayer is not the owner at that time.

(ii) By person filing optional first taxpayer's report. A first taxpayer filing a first taxpayer's report under paragraph (c)(3) of this section should (but is not required to) give a copy of the report to—

(A) The person to whom the first taxpayer sells the taxable fuel; or

(B) The owner of the taxable fuel immediately before the imposition of the first tax, if the first taxpayer is not the owner at that time.

(iii) By person receiving first taxpayer's report. A person that receives a copy of the first taxpayer's report and subsequently sells (within the meaning of § 48.4081–1)) the taxable fuel within the bulk transfer/terminal system must give the copy and a statement that satisfies the requirements of paragraph (c)(4)(iv) of this section to the buyer. A person that receives a copy of the first taxpayer's report and subsequently sells the taxable fuel outside the bulk transfer/terminal system should (but is not required to) give the copy and a statement that satisfies the requirements of paragraph (c)(4)(iv) of this section to the buyer, if that person expects that another tax will be imposed under section 4081 with respect to the taxable fuel.

(iv) Form of statement—(A) In general. A statement satisfies the requirements of this paragraph (c)(4)(iv) if it is provided at the bottom or on the back of the copy of the first taxpayer's report (or in an attached document). This statement must contain all information necessary to complete the model statement provided in paragraph (c)(4)(iv)(B) of this section (or such other model statement as the Commissioner may prescribe) but need not be in the same format.

(B) Model statement describing subsequent sale.

Statement of Subsequent Seller
1.
Name, address, and employer identification number of seller in subsequent sale
2.
Name, address, and employer identification number of buyer in subsequent sale
3.
Date and location of subsequent sale
4.
Volume and type of taxable fuel sold

The undersigned seller (the “Seller”) has received the copy of the first taxpayer's report provided with this statement in connection with Seller's purchase of the taxable fuel described in this statement.

Under penalties of perjury, Seller declares that Seller has examined this statement, including any accompanying schedules and statements, and, to the best of Seller's knowledge and belief, they are true, correct and complete.

Signature and date signed
Printed or typed name of person signing this statement
Title

(v) Sale to multiple buyers. If the first taxpayer's report relates to taxable fuel divided among more than one buyer, multiple copies of the first taxpayer's report must be made at the stage that the taxable fuel is divided and each buyer must be given a copy of the report.

(d) Form and content of claim—(1) In general. The following rules apply to claims for refund under section 4081(e):

(i) The claim must be made by the person that paid the second tax to the government and must include all the information described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

(ii) The claim must be made on Form 8849 (or such other form as the Commissioner may designate) in accordance with the instructions on the form. The form should be marked Section 4081(e) Claim at the top. Section 4081(e) claims must not be included with a claim for a refund under any other provision of the Internal Revenue Code.

(2) Information to be included in the claim. Each claim for a refund under section 4081(e) must contain the following information with respect to the taxable fuel covered by the claim:

(i) Volume and type of taxable fuel.

(ii) Date on which the claimant incurred the tax liability to which this claim relates (the second tax).

(iii) Amount of second tax that claimant paid to the government and a statement that claimant has not included the amount of this tax in the sales price of the taxable fuel to which this claim relates and has not collected that amount from the person that bought the taxable fuel from claimant.

(iv) Name, address, and employer identification number of the person that paid the first tax to the government.

(v) A copy of the first taxpayer's report that relates to the taxable fuel covered by the claim.

(vi) If the taxable fuel covered by the claim was bought other than from the first taxpayer, a copy of the statement of subsequent seller that the claimant received with respect to that taxable fuel.

(e) Time for filing claim. A claim for refund under section 4081(e) may be filed any time after the claimant has filed the return of the second tax and before the end of the period prescribed by section 6511 for the filing of a claim for a refund.

(f) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this section.

Example 1.
(i) A is a taxable fuel registrant that owns 10,000 gallons of gasoline, and on April 5, 1996, is transporting the gasoline by barge on a waterway in the United States. That day, A sells the gasoline to B, a person that is not a taxable fuel registrant. A is liable for tax on the sale under § 48.4081–3(f). A pays this tax to the government and attaches to its return of the gasoline tax for the 2nd quarter of 1996 the first taxpayer's report described in paragraph (c) of this section. A also gives a copy of this report to B.

(ii) On April 9, 1996, B sells the gasoline to C, a taxable fuel registrant. B also gives C a copy of the first taxpayer's report and the statement of subsequent seller (required under paragraph (c)(4) of this section). On April 14, 1996, the gasoline is removed from a terminal at the rack. C is the position holder of the gasoline at the time of the removal and thus is liable for tax on the removal under § 48.4081–2(c)(1). C pays this tax to the government.

(iii) After C has filed a return of the second tax and before the end of the period prescribed by section 6511 for filing a claim for a refund, C files a claim for a refund of the second tax. The claim is in the form prescribed in paragraph (d)(2) of this section. C includes with its claim a copy of the first taxpayer's report and statement of subsequent seller. Because the conditions to allowance of a refund under paragraph (b) of this section have been met, C is allowed a refund of the second tax.

Example 2.
The facts are the same as in Example 1 except that A does not pay the tax to the government. Because the first tax was not paid to the government as required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the conditions to allowance of a refund under paragraph (b) of this section have not been met. Therefore, C is not allowed a refund of the second tax.

(g) Effective date. This section is effective in the case of taxable fuel with respect to which the first tax is imposed after September 30, 1995.

[T.D. 8421, 57 FR 32424, July 22, 1992, as amended by T.D. 8609, 60 FR 40086, Aug. 7, 1995; T.D. 8659, 61 FR 10457, Mar. 14, 1996; T.D. 8879, 65 FR 17157, Mar. 31, 2000]