Title 26, Internal Revenue CodeRelease 119-110

§5851 Special (occupational) Tax Exemption

Title 26 › Subtitle E — Alcohol, Tobacco, and Certain Other Excise Taxes › CHAPTER 53 — MACHINE GUNS, DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES, AND CERTAIN OTHER FIREARMS › Subchapter B — General Provisions and Exemptions › PART II — EXEMPTIONS › § 5851

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

You do not have to pay the special occupational tax if you prove to the Secretary that your business is carried out only for the United States government or one of its departments, independent establishments, or agencies. The Secretary can also excuse someone who makes firearms for the United States from following other rules in this chapter while doing that work. To get the exemption you must file an application with the Secretary on the form and with the information the regulations require. You must renew the exemption each year on or before July 1. If the Secretary approves the application, you get the exemptions shown on the approved form.

Full Legal Text

Title 26, §5851

Internal Revenue Code, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Business with United States
Any person required to pay special (occupational) tax under section 5801 shall be relieved from payment of that tax if he establishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary that his business is conducted exclusively with, or on behalf of, the United States or any department, independent establishment, or agency thereof. The Secretary may relieve any person manufacturing firearms for, or on behalf of, the United States from compliance with any provision of this chapter in the conduct of such business.
(b)Application
The exemption provided for in subsection (a) of this section may be obtained by filing with the Secretary an application on such form and containing such information as may by regulations be prescribed. The exemptions must thereafter be renewed on or before July 1 of each year. Approval of the application by the Secretary shall entitle the applicant to the exemptions stated on the approved application.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 5851, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 728, as amended by act Sept. 2, 1958, Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 203(h)(1), (2), 72 Stat. 1428, related to possessing firearms illegally, prior to the general revision of this chapter by Pub. L. 90–618. See section 5861(b) of this title. Provisions similar to those comprising this section were contained in prior section 5812, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 722, prior to the general revision of this chapter by Pub. L. 90–618.

Amendments

1976—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 94–455 struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary” wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective on first day of first month following October 1968, see section 207 of Pub. L. 90–618, set out as a note under section 5801 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

26 U.S.C. § 5851

Title 26, Internal Revenue Code

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110