§5401 — Title 26 Internal Revenue Code | U.S. Code

Summary

Before starting or continuing a brewing business, a brewer must file a written notice with the government and post a bond promising to pay the federal beer tax. The bond covers tax on all beer, including beer transferred from the brewer's other breweries and beer removed tax-free for export that never actually gets exported or returned. Every 4 years, or whenever the government requires, the brewer must post a new bond or, if the same surety contract continues for at least another 4 years, file a sworn certificate continuing the old one. Brewers covered by a separate exception in the law do not have to post a bond at all.

Title 26, §5401

Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Every brewer shall, before commencing or continuing business, file with the officer designated for that purpose by the Secretary a notice in writing, in such form and containing such information as the Secretary shall by regulations prescribe as necessary to protect and insure collection of the revenue.

(b)Every brewer, on filing notice as provided by subsection (a) of his intention to commence business, shall execute a bond to the United States in such reasonable penal sum as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe as necessary to protect and insure collection of the revenue. The bond shall be conditioned (1) that the brewer shall pay, or cause to be paid, as herein provided, the tax required by law on all beer, including all beer removed for transfer to the brewery from other breweries owned by him as provided in section 5414; (2) that he shall pay or cause to be paid the tax on all beer removed free of tax for export as provided in section 5053(a), which beer is not exported or returned to the brewery; and (3) that he shall in all respects faithfully comply, without fraud or evasion, with all requirements of law relating to the production and sale of any beer aforesaid. Once in every 4 years, or whenever required so to do by the Secretary, the brewer shall execute a new bond or a continuation certificate, in the penal sum prescribed in pursuance of this section, and conditioned as above provided, which bond or continuation certificate shall be in lieu of any former bond or bonds, or former continuation certificate or certificates, of such brewer in respect to all liabilities accruing after its approval. If the contract of surety between the brewer and the surety on an expiring bond or continuation certificate is continued in force between the parties for a succeeding period of not less than 4 years, the brewer may submit, in lieu of a new bond, a certificate executed, under penalties of perjury, by the brewer and the surety attesting to continuation of the bond, which certificate shall constitute a bond subject to all provisions of law applicable to bonds given pursuant to this section.

(c)Subsection (b) shall not apply to any taxpayer for any period described in section 5551(d).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 5401, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 674, consisted of provisions similar to those comprising this section, prior to the general revision of this chapter by Pub. L. 85–859.

Amendments

2015—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–113 added subsec. (c). 1976—Pub. L. 94–455 struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary” wherever appearing. 1971—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91–673 permitted bonding requirement to be satisfied by continuation of an existing bond, with such continuation being subject to Government approval in the same manner as a new bond and required that the continuation certificate be executed by both the brewer and the surety, under penalties of perjury.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2015 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–113 applicable to any calendar quarters beginning more than 1 year after Dec. 18, 2015, see section 332(c) of Pub. L. 114–113, set out as a note under section 5061 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1971 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 91–673 effective on first day of first calendar month which begins more than 90 days after Jan. 12, 1971, see section 5 of Pub. L. 91–673, set out as a note under section 5056 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective July 1, 1959, see section 210(a)(1) of Pub. L. 85–859, set out as a note under section 5001 of this title.

§5401 Qualifying Documents

Summary

Title 26, §5401

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata