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Title 26, Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-110

§5121 Recordkeeping by Wholesale Dealers

Title 26 › Subtitle E — Alcohol, Tobacco, and Certain Other Excise Taxes › CHAPTER 51 — DISTILLED SPIRITS, WINES, AND BEER › Subchapter A — Gallonage and Occupational Taxes › PART II — MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS › Subpart C — Recordkeeping and Registration by Dealers › § 5121

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Wholesale dealers must keep records about the alcohol they buy and sell. Dealers who sell distilled spirits to other dealers must keep a daily record of spirits they get and sell, keep it where the Treasury says, and send summaries and copies when the Treasury’s rules say to do so. Dealers in wines and beer must keep a book or keep all invoices showing how much they received, who it came from, and when. The Treasury can excuse a dealer from sending copies when those copies aren’t useful for enforcement. States, local governments, the District of Columbia, and their liquor stores do not have to follow these exact rules if they keep records that let inspectors trace all alcohol and give transcripts or summaries when asked. Definitions: “wholesale dealer in liquors” = sells spirits, wine, or beer to other dealers; “wholesale dealer in beer” = sells only beer to other dealers; “dealer” = anyone who sells or offers to sell spirits, wine, or beer. A sale or offer of 20 wine gallons or more to one person at one time is presumed to be a wholesale sale unless shown otherwise.

Full Legal Text

Title 26, §5121

Internal Revenue Code, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Requirements
(1)Distilled spirits
Every wholesale dealer in liquors who sells distilled spirits to other dealers shall keep daily a record of distilled spirits received and disposed of by him, in such form and at such place and containing such information, and shall submit correct summaries of such records to the Secretary at such time and in such form and manner, as the Secretary shall by regulations prescribe. Such dealer shall also submit correct extracts from or copies of such records, at such time and in such form and manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe; however, the Secretary may on application by such dealer, in accordance with such regulations, relieve him from this requirement until further notice, whenever the Secretary deems that the submission of such extracts or copies serves no useful purpose in law enforcement or in protection of the revenue.
(2)Wines and beer
Every wholesale dealer in liquors and every wholesale dealer in beer shall provide and keep, at such place as the Secretary shall by regulations prescribe, a record in book form of all wines and beer received, showing the quantities thereof and from whom and the dates received, or shall keep all invoices of, and bills for, all wines and beer received.
(b)Exemption of States, political subdivisions, etc.
The provision of subsection (a) shall not apply to a State, to a political subdivision of a State, to the District of Columbia, or to liquor stores operated by any of them, if they maintain and make available for inspection by internal revenue officers such records as will enable such officers to trace all distilled spirits, wines, and beer received, and all distilled spirits disposed of by them. Such States, subdivisions, District, or liquor stores shall, upon the request of the Secretary, furnish him such transcripts, summaries and copies of their records with respect to distilled spirits as he shall require.
(c)Wholesale dealers
For purposes of this part—
(1)Wholesale dealer in liquors
The term “wholesale dealer in liquors” means any dealer (other than a wholesale dealer in beer) who sells, or offers for sale, distilled spirits, wines, or beer, to another dealer.
(2)Wholesale dealer in beer
The term “wholesale dealer in beer” means any dealer who sells, or offers for sale, beer, but not distilled spirits or wines, to another dealer.
(3)Dealer
The term “dealer” means any person who sells, or offers for sale, any distilled spirits, wines, or beer.
(4)Presumption in case of sale of 20 wine gallons or more
The sale, or offer for sale, of distilled spirits, wines, or beer, in quantities of 20 wine gallons or more to the same person at the same time, shall be presumptive evidence that the person making such sale, or offer for sale, is engaged in or carrying on the business of a wholesale dealer in liquors or a wholesale dealer in beer, as the case may be. Such presumption may be overcome by evidence satisfactorily showing that such sale, or offer for sale, was made to a person other than a dealer.
(d)Cross references
(1)For provisions requiring proprietors of distilled spirits plants to keep records and submit reports of receipts and dispositions of distilled spirits, see section 5207.
(2)For penalty for violation of subsection (a), see section 5603.
(3)For provisions relating to the preservation and inspection of records, and entry of premises for inspection, see section 5123.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 5121, added Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 201, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1343; amended Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1905(a)(9), (b)(3)(C), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1819, 1822; Pub. L. 100–203, title X, § 10512(c), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–448, related to special tax on retail dealers in liquors or beer, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 109–59, title XI, § 11125(a)(1)(D), (c), Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1953, 1957, effective July 1, 2008, but inapplicable to taxes imposed for periods before such date. Another prior section 5121, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 621, related to tax on retail dealers in liquors or beer, prior to the general revision of this chapter by Pub. L. 85–859.

Amendments

2007—Pub. L. 110–172, which directed amendment of this title by redesignating section 5432 as section 5121, was executed by making correction to amendment by Pub. L. 109–59, § 11125(b)(5)(B)(i). See 2005 Amendment note below. 2005—Pub. L. 109–59, § 11125(b)(5)(B)(i), which directed amendment of section 5114 of this title by substituting “§ 5432. Recordkeeping by wholesale dealers” for “§ 5114. Records” in section catchline, was executed by substituting “§ 5121. Recordkeeping by wholesale dealers” for “§ 5114. Records”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the subsequent amendment by Pub. L. 110–172. See 2007 Amendment note above. Pub. L. 109–59, § 11125(b)(5)(A), transferred section 5114 of this title to this subpart so as to appear after subpart analysis. Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 109–59, § 11125(b)(5)(B)(ii), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d). Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 109–59, § 11125(b)(5)(C), substituted “section 5123” for “section 5146”. 1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary” wherever appearing. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–455, §§ 1905(c)(1), 1906(b)(13)(A), struck out “or Territory” after “a State”, “Territories” after “States,”, and “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2005 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 109–59 effective July 1, 2008, but inapplicable to taxes imposed for periods before such date, see section 11125(c) of Pub. L. 109–59, set out as a note under section 5002 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1976 AmendmentAmendment by section 1905(c)(1) of Pub. L. 94–455 effective on first day of first month which begins more than 90 days after Oct. 4, 1976, see section 1905(d) of Pub. L. 94–455, set out as a note under section 5005 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

26 U.S.C. § 5121

Title 26, Internal Revenue Code

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110