Title 26Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-73

§6685 Assessable penalty with respect to public inspection requirements for certain tax-exempt organizations

Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle F— - Procedure and Administration › Chapter CHAPTER 68— - ADDITIONS TO THE TAX, ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS, AND ASSESSABLE PENALTIES › Subchapter Subchapter B— - Assessable Penalties › Part PART I— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 6685

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Anyone who must follow the public-inspection rules under section 6104(d) and who on purpose fails to follow them for any return or application must pay a $5,000 penalty for each return or application, in addition to any penalty under section 7207.

Full Legal Text

Title 26, §6685

Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In addition to the penalty imposed by section 7207 (relating to fraudulent returns, statements, or other documents), any person who is required to comply with the requirements of subsection (d) of section 6104 and who fails to so comply with respect to any return or application, if such failure is willful, shall pay a penalty of $5,000 with respect to each such return or application.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Pub. L. 105–277 struck out “or (e)” after “subsection (d)”. 1996—Pub. L. 104–168 substituted “$5,000” for “$1,000”. 1987—Pub. L. 100–203 substituted current section catchline for “Assessable penalties with respect to private foundation annual returns” and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “In addition to the penalty imposed by section 7207 (relating to fraudulent returns, statements, or other documents), any person who is required to comply with the requirements of section 6104(d) (relating to private foundations’ annual returns) and who fails to so comply with respect to any return, if such failure is willful, shall pay a penalty of $1,000 with respect to each such return.” 1980—Pub. L. 96–603 substituted in section catchline “returns” for “reports”, and in text “required to comply” for “required to file the report and the notice required under section 6056 (relating to annual reports by private foundations) or to comply”, “(relating to private foundations’ annual returns) and who fails to so comply with respect to any return” for “(relating to public inspection of private foundations’ annual reports) and who fails so to file or comply”, and “each such return” for “each such report or notice”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–277 applicable to requests made after the later of Dec. 31, 1998, or the 60th day after the Secretary of the Treasury first issues the

Regulations

referred to in section 6104(d)(4) of this title, see section 1004(b)(3) of Pub. L. 105–277, set out as a note under section 6104 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1996 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 104–168 applicable to requests made on or after 60th day after Secretary of the Treasury first issues

Regulations

referred to in section 6104(e)(3) of this title, see section 1313(c) of Pub. L. 104–168, set out as a note under section 6104 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1987 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–203 applicable to returns for years beginning after Dec. 31, 1986, and on and after Dec. 22, 1987, in case of applications submitted after
July 15, 1987, or on or before
July 15, 1987, if the organization has a copy of the application on
July 15, 1987, see section 10704(d) of Pub. L. 100–203, set out as a note under section 6652 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1980 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 96–603 applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1980, see section 1(f) of Pub. L. 96–603, set out as a note under section 6033 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1970, see section 101(k)(1) of Pub. L. 91–172, set out as a note under section 4940 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

26 U.S.C. § 6685

Title 26Internal Revenue Code

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73