§40B — Title 26 Internal Revenue Code | U.S. Code

§40B Sustainable aviation fuel credit

Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - Income Taxes › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES › Subchapter Subchapter A— - Determination of Tax Liability › Part PART IV— - CREDITS AGAINST TAX › Subpart Subpart D— - Business Related Credits › § 40B

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Gives a tax credit for each gallon of sustainable aviation fuel that a U.S. producer sells or uses in an airplane. The credit is the number of gallons times $1.25 plus an extra amount. The extra amount is $0.01 for each percentage point the fuel’s lifetime greenhouse gas cut is above 50%, but that extra part can be no more than $0.50 per gallon (so the most possible credit per gallon is $1.75). To get the credit, the fuel must be mixed with kerosene, made in the United States, and used or sold for use in an aircraft in the normal course of business, with the fuel put into the plane’s tank in the U.S. The fuel must meet certain ASTM fuel standards, not be made by coprocessing with non-biomass feedstocks, not come from palm fatty acid distillates or petroleum, and must be certified to reduce lifecycle greenhouse gases by at least 50%. Lifecycle cuts are measured by the ICAO CORSIA rules or a similar method that meets Clean Air Act criteria. Producers or importers must be registered under section 4101 and give independent certification and any extra information the IRS asks for. The credit is reduced if the fuel already gets certain other tax benefits, and it does not apply to sales or uses after December 31, 2024.

Title 26, §40B

Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For purposes of section 38, the sustainable aviation fuel credit determined under this section for the taxable year is, with respect to any sale or use of a qualified mixture which occurs during such taxable year, an amount equal to the product of—

(1)the number of gallons of sustainable aviation fuel in such mixture, multiplied by

(2)the sum of—

(A)$1.25, plus

(B)the applicable supplementary amount with respect to such sustainable aviation fuel.

(b)For purposes of this section, the term “applicable supplementary amount” means, with respect to any sustainable aviation fuel, an amount equal to $0.01 for each percentage point by which the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction percentage with respect to such fuel exceeds 50 percent. In no event shall the applicable supplementary amount determined under this subsection exceed $0.50.

(c)For purposes of this section, the term “qualified mixture” means a mixture of sustainable aviation fuel and kerosene if—

(1)such mixture is produced by the taxpayer in the United States,

(2)such mixture is used by the taxpayer (or sold by the taxpayer for use) in an aircraft,

(3)such sale or use is in the ordinary course of a trade or business of the taxpayer, and

(4)the transfer of such mixture to the fuel tank of such aircraft occurs in the United States.

(d)(1)For purposes of this section, the term “sustainable aviation fuel” means liquid fuel, the portion of which is not kerosene, which—

(A)meets the requirements of—

(i)ASTM International Standard D7566, or

(ii)the Fischer Tropsch provisions of ASTM International Standard D1655, Annex A1,

(B)is not derived from coprocessing an applicable material (or materials derived from an applicable material) with a feedstock which is not biomass,

(C)is not derived from palm fatty acid distillates or petroleum, and

(D)has been certified in accordance with subsection (e) as having a lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction percentage of at least 50 percent.

(2)In this subsection—

(A)The term “applicable material” means—

(i)monoglycerides, diglycerides, and triglycerides,

(ii)free fatty acids, and

(iii)fatty acid esters.

(B)The term “biomass” has the same meaning given such term in section 45K(c)(3).

(e)For purposes of this section, the term “lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction percentage” means, with respect to any sustainable aviation fuel, the percentage reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions achieved by such fuel as compared with petroleum-based jet fuel, as defined in accordance with—

(1)the most recent Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation which has been adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization with the agreement of the United States, or

(2)any similar methodology which satisfies the criteria under section 211(o)(1)(H) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(1)(H)), as in effect on the date of enactment of this section.

(f)No credit shall be allowed under this section with respect to any sustainable aviation fuel unless the producer or importer of such fuel—

(1)is registered with the Secretary under section 4101, and

(2)provides—

(A)certification (in such form and manner as the Secretary shall prescribe) from an unrelated party demonstrating compliance with—

(i)any general requirements, supply chain traceability requirements, and information transmission requirements established under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation described in paragraph (1) of subsection (e), or

(ii)in the case of any methodology established under paragraph (2) of such subsection, requirements similar to the requirements described in clause (i), and

(B)such other information with respect to such fuel as the Secretary may require for purposes of carrying out this section.

(g)The amount of the credit determined under this section with respect to any sustainable aviation fuel shall, under rules prescribed by the Secretary, be properly reduced to take into account any benefit provided with respect to such sustainable aviation fuel solely by reason of the application of section 6426 or 6427(e).

(h)This section shall not apply to any sale or use after December 31, 2024.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (e)(2), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 117–169, which was approved Aug. 16, 2022.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 117–169, title I, § 13203(f), Aug. 16, 2022, 136 Stat. 1935, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [enacting this section and amending section 38, 40A, 87, 4101, 6426, and 6427 of this title] shall apply to fuel sold or used after December 31, 2022.”