(a) Gasoline

Except as provided in subsection (g), if gasoline is used on a farm for farming purposes, the Secretary shall pay (without interest) to the ultimate purchaser of such gasoline the amount determined by multiplying—

(1) the number of gallons so used, by

(2) the rate of tax on gasoline under section 4081 which applied on the date he purchased such gasoline.

(b) Time for filing claims; period covered

Terms Used In 26 USC 6420

  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • including: when used in a definition contained in this title shall not be deemed to exclude other things otherwise within the meaning of the term defined. See 26 USC 7701
  • Indian tribal government: means the governing body of any tribe, band, community, village, or group of Indians, or (if applicable) Alaska Natives, which is determined by the Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, to exercise governmental functions. See 26 USC 7701
  • person: shall be construed to mean and include an individual, a trust, estate, partnership, association, company or corporation. See 26 USC 7701
  • Secretary: means the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate. See 26 USC 7701
  • State: shall be construed to include the District of Columbia, where such construction is necessary to carry out provisions of this title. See 26 USC 7701
  • stock: includes shares in an association, joint-stock company, or insurance company. See 26 USC 7701
  • taxable year: means the calendar year, or the fiscal year ending during such calendar year, upon the basis of which the taxable income is computed under subtitle A. See 26 USC 7701
  • trade or business: includes the performance of the functions of a public office. See 26 USC 7701
  • United States: when used in a geographical sense includes only the States and the District of Columbia. See 26 USC 7701

Not more than one claim may be filed under this section by any person with respect to gasoline used during his taxable year, and no claim shall be allowed under this section with respect to gasoline used during any taxable year unless filed by such person not later than the time prescribed by law for filing a claim for credit or refund of overpayment of income tax for such taxable year. For purposes of this subsection, a person’s taxable year shall be his taxable year for purposes of subtitle A.

(c) Meaning of terms

For purposes of this section—

(1) Use on a farm for farming purposes

Gasoline shall be treated as used on a farm for farming purposes only if used (A) in carrying on a trade or business, (B) on a farm situated in the United States, and (C) for farming purposes.

(2) Farm

The term “farm” includes stock, dairy, poultry, fruit, fur-bearing animal, and truck farms, plantations, ranches, nurseries, ranges, greenhouses or other similar structures used primarily for the raising of agricultural or horticultural commodities, and orchards.

(3) Farming purposes

Gasoline shall be treated as used for farming purposes only if used—

(A) by the owner, tenant, or operator of a farm, in connection with cultivating the soil, or in connection with raising or harvesting any agricultural or horticultural commodity, including the raising, shearing, feeding, caring for, training, and management of livestock, bees, poultry, and fur-bearing animals and wildlife, on a farm of which he is the owner, tenant, or operator;

(B) by the owner, tenant, or operator of a farm, in handling, drying, packing, grading, or storing any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state; but only if such owner, tenant or operator produced more than one-half of the commodity which he so treated during the period with respect to which claim is filed;

(C) by the owner, tenant, or operator of a farm, in connection with—

(i) the planting, cultivating, caring for, or cutting of trees, or

(ii) the preparation (other than milling) of trees for market,


incidental to farming operations; or

(D) by the owner, tenant, or operator of a farm, in connection with the operation, management, conservation, improvement, or maintenance of such farm and its tools and equipment.

(4) Certain farming use other than by owner, etc.

In applying paragraph (3)(A) to a use on a farm for any purpose described in paragraph (3)(A) by any person other than the owner, tenant, or operator of such farm—

(A) the owner, tenant, or operator of such farm shall be treated as the user and ultimate purchaser of the gasoline, except that

(B) if the person so using the gasoline is an aerial or other applicator of fertilizers or other substances and is the ultimate purchaser of the gasoline, then subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not apply and the aerial or other applicator shall be treated as having used such gasoline on a farm for farming purposes.


In the case of an aerial applicator, gasoline shall be treated as used on a farm for farming purposes if the gasoline is used for the direct flight between the airfield and one or more farms.

(5) Gasoline

The term “gasoline” has the meaning given to such term by section 4083(a).

(d) Exempt sales; other payments or refunds available

No amount shall be payable under this section with respect to any gasoline which the Secretary determines was exempt from the tax imposed by section 4081. The amount which (but for this sentence) would be payable under this section with respect to any gasoline shall be reduced by any other amount which the Secretary determines is payable under this section, or is refundable under any provision of this title, to any person with respect to such gasoline.

(e) Applicable laws

(1) In general

All provisions of law, including penalties, applicable in respect of the tax imposed by section 4081 shall, insofar as applicable and not inconsistent with this section, apply in respect of the payments provided for in this section to the same extent as if such payments constituted refunds of overpayments of the tax so imposed.

(2) Examination of books and witnesses

For the purpose of ascertaining the correctness of any claim made under this section, or the correctness of any payment made in respect of any such claim, the Secretary shall have the authority granted by paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 7602(a) (relating to examination of books and witnesses) as if the claimant were the person liable for tax.

(3) Fractional parts of a dollar

Section 7504 (granting the Secretary discretion with respect to fractional parts of a dollar) shall not apply.

(f) Regulations

The Secretary may by regulations prescribe the conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this section, under which payments may by made under this section.

(g) Income tax credit in lieu of payment

(1) Persons not subject to income tax

Payment shall be made under subsection (a), only to—

(A) the United States or an agency or instrumentality thereof, a State, a political subdivision of a State, or an agency or instrumentality of one or more States or political subdivisions, or

(B) an organization exempt from tax under section 501(a) (other than an organization required to make a return of the tax imposed under subtitle A for its taxable year).

(2) Allowance of credit against income tax

For allowance of credit against the tax imposed by subtitle A, see section 34.

[(h) Repealed. Pub. L. 103-66, title XIII, §13241(f)(5), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 512]

(i) Cross references

(1) For exemption from tax in case of special fuels used on a farm for farming purposes, see section 4041(f).

(2) For civil penalty for excessive claim under this section, see section 6675.

(3) For fraud penalties, etc., see chapter 75 (section 7201 and following, relating to crimes, other offenses, and forfeitures).

(4) For treatment of an Indian tribal government as a State (and a subdivision of an Indian tribal government as a political subdivision of a State), see section 7871.

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