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
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.
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Internal Revenue Code, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
26 U.S.C. § 5851
Title 26, Internal Revenue Code
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110