Title 26Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-73

§4131 Imposition of tax

Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle D— - Miscellaneous Excise Taxes › Chapter CHAPTER 32— - MANUFACTURERS EXCISE TAXES › Subchapter Subchapter C— - Certain Vaccines › § 4131

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Manufacturers, producers, or importers must pay a tax of 75 cents for each dose of any taxable vaccine they sell. If a vaccine is listed in more than one category in section 4132(a)(1), the per-dose tax is the total of the amounts for each category. The tax applied from January 1, 1988 through December 31, 1992, and it also applies for periods after the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1993 was enacted.

Full Legal Text

Title 26, §4131

Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)There is hereby imposed a tax on any taxable vaccine sold by the manufacturer, producer, or importer thereof.
(b)(1)The amount of the tax imposed by subsection (a) shall be 75 cents per dose of any taxable vaccine.
(2)If any taxable vaccine is described in more than 1 subparagraph of section 4132(a)(1), the amount of the tax imposed by subsection (a) on such vaccine shall be the sum of the amounts for the vaccines which are so included.
(c)The tax imposed by this section shall apply—
(1)after December 31, 1987, and before January 1, 1993, and
(2)during periods after the date of the enactment of the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1993.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of the enactment of the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1993, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 103–66, which was approved Aug. 10, 1993.

Amendments

1997—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–34 amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “(b) Amount of Tax.— “(1) In general.—The amount of the tax imposed by subsection (a) shall be determined in accordance with the following table: “If the taxable vaccine is:The tax per dose is: DPT vaccine$4.56 DT vaccine0.06 MMR vaccine4.44 Polio vaccine0.29. “(2) Combinations of vaccines.—If any taxable vaccine is included in more than 1 category of vaccines in the table contained in paragraph (1), the amount of the tax imposed by subsection (a) on such vaccine shall be the sum of the amounts determined under such table for each category in which such vaccine is so included.” 1993—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–66 amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) related to termination of tax if amounts collected exceeded projected fund liability.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1997 Amendment Pub. L. 105–34, title IX, § 904(d), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 874, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [amending this section and section 4132 of this title] shall take effect on the day after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 5, 1997].”

Effective Date

Pub. L. 100–203, title IX, § 9201(d), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–330, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [enacting this section and section 4132 of this title and amending section 4221 and 6416 of this title] shall take effect on January 1, 1988.” Floor Stocks Tax Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, § 13421(c), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 566, provided that: “(1) Imposition of tax.—On any taxable vaccine—“(A) which was sold by the manufacturer, producer, or importer on or before the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 10, 1993], “(B) on which no tax was imposed by section 4131 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or, if such tax was imposed, was credited or refunded), and “(C) which is held on such date by any person for sale or use, there is hereby imposed a tax in the amount determined under section 4131(b) of such Code. “(2) Liability for tax and method of payment.—“(A) Liability for tax.—The person holding any taxable vaccine to which the tax imposed by paragraph (1) applies shall be liable for such tax. “(B) Method of payment.—The tax imposed by paragraph (1) shall be paid in such manner as the Secretary shall prescribe by

Regulations

. “(C) Time for payment.—The tax imposed by paragraph (1) shall be paid on or before the last day of the 6th month beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act. “(3) Definitions.—For purposes of this subsection, terms used in this subsection which are also used in section 4131 of such Code shall have the respective meanings such terms have in such section. “(4) Other laws applicable.—All provisions of law, including penalties, applicable with respect to the taxes imposed by section 4131 of such Code shall, insofar as applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of this subsection, apply to the floor stocks taxes imposed by paragraph (1), to the same extent as if such taxes were imposed by such section 4131.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

26 U.S.C. § 4131

Title 26Internal Revenue Code

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73