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Title 26 — Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-73not60

§5762 Criminal Penalties

Title 26 › Subtitle Subtitle E— Alcohol, Tobacco, and Certain Other Excise Taxes › Chapter 52— TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND CIGARETTE PAPERS AND TUBES › Subchapter G— Penalties and Forfeitures › § 5762

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Makes it a crime, when someone intends to cheat the United States, to do any of six listed things about tobacco taxes. That includes running as a manufacturer, importer, or export warehouse without the required bond or permit; failing to keep or filing false records or reports; refusing or trying to avoid paying the tax; removing taxable tobacco products; or breaking the rules in sections 5751 or 5752. Other violations of the chapter that are not those intent-to-defraud crimes can be punished by a fine of up to $1,000, or up to 1 year in jail, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 26, §5762

Internal Revenue Code — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Whoever, with intent to defraud the United States—
(1)Engages in business as a manufacturer or importer of tobacco products or cigarette papers and tubes, or as an export warehouse proprietor, without filing the bond and obtaining the permit where required by this chapter or regulations thereunder; or
(2)Fails to keep or make any record, return, report, or inventory, or keeps or makes any false or fraudulent record, return, report, or inventory, required by this chapter or regulations thereunder; or
(3)Refuses to pay any tax imposed by this chapter, or attempts in any manner to evade or defeat the tax or the payment thereof; or
(4)Removes, contrary to this chapter or regulations thereunder, any tobacco products or cigarette papers or tubes subject to tax under this chapter; or
(5)Violates any provision of section 5751(a)(1) or (a)(2); or
(6)Violates any provision of section 5752;
(b)Whoever, otherwise than as provided in subsection (a), violates any provision of this chapter, or of regulations prescribed thereunder, shall, for each such offense, be fined not more than $1,000, or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1997—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105–33 inserted “or importer” after “manufacturer”. 1976—Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 94–455 redesignated par. (7) as (6), and in par. (6) as so redesignated substituted “or notices” for “notices, or stamps” and “section 5752;” for “section 5752(a); or”. Former par. (6), relating to the affixing of improper stamps, was struck out. Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 94–455 redesignated par. (7) as (6). Subsec. (a)(8) to (11). Pub. L. 94–455 struck out pars. (8) to (11) which related to emptying packages without destroying stamps, possessing emptied packages bearing stamps, refilling packages bearing stamps, and detaching stamps or possessing used stamps. 1965—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 89–44, § 502(b)(12)(A), struck out reference to a dealer in tobacco materials. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 89–44, § 502(b)(12)(B), struck out reference to statements. 1958—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 85–859 included export warehouse proprietors in par. (1), struck out provisions in pars. (6) and (9) to (11) which related to labels and notices, and added pars. (7) and (8).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1997 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–33 applicable to articles removed, as defined in section 5702(j) of this title, after Dec. 31, 1999, with transition rule, see section 9302(i) of Pub. L. 105–33, set out as a note under section 5701 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1976 AmendmentAmendment by 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.

Effective Date

of 1965 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 89–44 applicable on and after January 1, 1966, see section 701(d) of Pub. L. 89–44, set out as a note under section 5701 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1958 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 85–859 effective Sept. 3, 1958, see section 210(a)(1) of Pub. L. 85–859, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 5001 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

26 U.S.C. § 5762

Title 26 — Internal Revenue Code

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60