(a) In general. Under section 4221(e)(5), the taxes imposed by section 4071(a)(1), (3) and (4) shall not apply to sales by a manufacturer, producer, or importer of tires of the type used on highway vehicles or inner tubes for tires sold for use by the purchaser on or in connection with a qualified bus, or to the sales by a manufacturer, producer, or importer of tread rubber sold for use by the purchaser in the recapping or retreading of any tire to be used by the purchaser on or in connection with a qualified bus if the requirements of this section are met.
(b) Meaning of terms--(1) Qualified bus. ``Qualified bus'' means an intercity, local, or school bus.
(1) Qualified bus. ``Qualified bus'' means an intercity, local, or school bus.
(2) Intercity or local bus. ``Intercity or local bus'' means any automobile bus which is used predominantly (more than 50 percent) in furnishing (for compensation) passenger land transportation available to the general public if such transportation is scheduled and along regular routes, or if the seating capacity of the bus is at least 20 adults (not including the driver). In determining predominant use, mileage travelled with passengers as well as mileage travelled incidental to such passenger transportation, such as ``deadheading'', is counted. Under the first alternative, the size of the bus is not relevant for purposes of determining whether or not the use of the bus qualifies for the exemption. Under the second alternative, for non-scheduled bus operations, such as that provided by charter buses, the exemption is available only if the bus has a passenger seating capacity of at least 20 adults and the transportation is available to the general public. For purposes of determining whether the bus has a seating capacity of at least 20 adults, the bus driver is not included. Service is available to the general public if bus service is used in a passenger transportation business in which service is offered to more than a limited number of persons, groups, or organizations.
(3) School bus. ``School bus'' means any automobile bus in which ``substantially all'' (85 percent or more) of the use involves transporting students and employees of a school. Incidental use (deadheading) of the school bus without passengers to or from a point to which students or employees of school are transported is considered to be a use which involves transporting students or employees of schools. A school is any educational organization which normally maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly enrolled body of pupils or students in attendance at the place where its educational activities are carried on. Tax-exempt schools, taxable schools, and a private contractor who operates a bus for tax-exempt or a taxable school may qualify for the tax exemption if all the requirements of this section are met.
(b) Registration requirements for tires, tubes, and tread rubber; vendees purchasing tax free. The provisions of section 4221(e)(5) do not apply with respect to any sale unless the manufacturer and the vendee are registered as required under section 4222, and unless they comply with all the requirements under that section relating to tax-free sales. See Sec. 48.4222 (a)-1. Persons not required to be registered under section 4222(b) may purchase articles tax free by following the same procedures that apply to them in the case of other tax-free sales. See Sec. 48.4222(b)-1. A person's registration and right to sell or purchase articles tax free may be revoked or suspended as provided in Sec. 48.4222(c).1. Such a revocation or suspension shall be in addition to any other penalties that may apply.
(c) Cross reference. For credit or refund, see section 6416(b)(2).
(d) Information; records--(1) Information to be furnished to purchaser. A manufacturer selling tires, tubes, or tread rubber tax free under section 4221(e)(5) shall indicate to the purchaser that the purchaser is obtaining the tires or tubes tax free for the purpose of use on or in connection with a qualified bus, and that the purchaser is obtaining the tread rubber tax free for use in the recapping or retreading of tires to be used by the purchaser on or in connection with a qualified bus. The manufacturer may transmit this information by any convenient means, such as coding of sales invoices, provided that the information is presented with sufficient particularity so that the purchaser is informed that the purchaser has obtained the tires, tubes, and tread rubber tax free.
(1) Information to be furnished to purchaser. A manufacturer selling tires, tubes, or tread rubber tax free under section 4221(e)(5) shall indicate to the purchaser that the purchaser is obtaining the tires or tubes tax free for the purpose of use on or in connection with a qualified bus, and that the purchaser is obtaining the tread rubber tax free for use in the recapping or retreading of tires to be used by the purchaser on or in connection with a qualified bus. The manufacturer may transmit this information by any convenient means, such as coding of sales invoices, provided that the information is presented with sufficient particularity so that the purchaser is informed that the purchaser has obtained the tires, tubes, and tread rubber tax free.
(2) Records of manufacturer. A manufacturer selling tires, tubes, or tread rubber tax free under section 4221(e)(5) shall maintain in its records the identity of the purchaser, a signed statement of the exempt purpose for purchasing the tires, tubes, or tread rubber, and the quantity of tires, tubes, or tread rubber sold tax free to each purchaser.
(3) Records of purchaser. A person purchasing tires, tubes, or tread rubber tax free under section 4221(e)(5) must maintain sufficient records to establish that the tires, tubes, or tread rubber purchased tax free has actually been used for that purpose.
(e) Duty of selling manufacturer to ascertain validity of tax-free sale. The selling manufacturer is not relieved of liability under the provisions of section 4221(e)(5) by reason of section 4221(c) for the tax imposed by section 4061(b) if at the time of sale the selling manufacturer has knowledge or reason to believe that the tires, tubes, or tread rubber sold by it to the purchaser are not intended for use on an intercity, local, or school bus, or that the purchaser has failed to register, or that its registration has been revoked or suspended.
(f) Effective date. Section 4221(e)(5) (relating to tires, tubes, and tread rubber) applies to sales on or after December 1, 1978. The sale of tires, tubes, or tread rubber sold prior to that date is not exempt from tax under section 4221(e)(5). [T.D. 7834, 47 FR 42346, Sept. 27, 1982. Redesignated by T.D. 8659, 61 FR 10463, Mar. 14, 1996] Sec. 48.4222(a)-1 Registration.
(a) General rule. Except as provided in Sec. 48.4222(b)-1, tax-free sales under section 4221 may be made only if the manufacturer, first purchaser, and second purchaser, as the case may be, have been registered by the Internal Revenue Service.
(b) Application instructions. Application for registration under section 4222 must be made in accordance with instructions for Form 637 (or such other form as the Commissioner may designate).
(c) Evidence required in support of tax-free sales. See subparagraph (1) of Sec. 48.4221-1(c) for evidence required in support of tax-free sales to purchasers who are required to be registered.
(d) Failure to register. If either the seller or purchaser is not registered as required by this section of the regulations, tax-free sales may not be made, except as indicated in Sec. 48.4222(b)-1.
(e) Cross references. (1) For exceptions to the requirement for registration, see section 4222(b) and Sec. 48.4222(b)-1.
(1) For exceptions to the requirement for registration, see section 4222(b) and Sec. 48.4222(b)-1.
(2) For revocation or suspension of registration, see Sec. 48.4222(c)-1.
(3) For applicability of section 4222 and these regulations to exemptions provided by sections 4063(b), 4182(b), and 4293, see Sec. 48.4222(d)-1 [T.D. 7536, 43 FR 13522, Mar. 31, 1978, as amended by T.D. 8659, 61 FR 10463, Mar. 14, 1996] Sec. 48.4222(b)-1 Exceptions to the requirement for registration.
(a) State and local governments. The Internal Revenue Service will not register State or local governments under section 4222. To establish the right to sell articles tax free to a State or local government, the manufacturer must obtain the information described in Sec. 48.4221-5(c).
(b) Sales or resales to foreign purchasers for export. Persons whose principal place of business is not within the United States may, but are not required to, register in order to purchase articles tax free for export. To establish the right to sell articles tax free for export to a purchaser who is not registered and who is located in a foreign country or a possession of the United States, the manufacturer must obtain the evidence required by paragraph (b) of Sec. 48.4221-3.
(c) United States. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of Sec. 48.4222(d)-1 (relating to sales to the American Red Cross) the registration requirements of the regulations in this part do not apply to purchases and sales by the United States or any of its agencies or instrumentalities. The evidence required in support of such tax-free purchases and sales is a notation on the purchase order or other document furnished to the seller clearly indicating that the article or articles are being purchased tax free as authorized by Chapter 32 of the Code.
(d) Supplies for vessels and aircraft. An article subject to an excise tax imposed by Chapter 32 of the Code may be sold tax free by the manufacturer under the provisions of Sec. 48.4221-4 for use by the purchaser as supplies for a vessel or aircraft if both the manufacturer and the purchaser are registered under the provisions of Sec. 48.4222(a)-1. The article also may, on or after July 1, 1965, be sold tax free for such use even though neither the manufacturer nor the purchaser is so registered if the provisions of paragraph (d) of Sec. 48.4221-4 are satisfied. [T.D. 7536, 43 FR 13522, Mar. 31, 1978, as amended by T.D. 8659, 61 FR 10463, Mar. 14, 1996; T.D. 8879, 65 FR 17160, Mar. 31, 2000] Sec. 48.4222(c)-1 Revocation or suspension of registration.
The district director or the Director of International Operations, as the case may be, is authorized to revoke or temporarily suspend, upon written notice, the registration of any person and the right of such person to sell or purchase articles tax free under section 4221 of the Code in any case in which he finds that (1) the registrant is not a bona fide manufacturer, or a purchaser reselling direct to manufacturers or exporters; (2) the registrant is for some other reason not eligible under these regulations to retain a Certificate of Registry; (3) the registrant has used his registration to avoid the payment of any tax imposed by Chapter 32 of the Code, or to postpone or interfere in any manner with the collection of such tax; (4) such revocation or suspension is necessary to protect the revenue; or (5) the registrant failed to comply with the requirements of paragraph (c) of Sec. 48.4222 (a)-1, relating to the evidence required to support a tax-free sale. The revocation or suspension of registration is in addition to any other penalty that may apply under the law for any act or failure to act. (Secs. 4222 (72 Stat. 1284; 26 U.S.C. 4222) and 7805 (68A Stat. 917; 26 U.S.C. 7805) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954); secs. 4051, 4052, 4061 and 7805 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (96 Stat. 2174, 2175 and 2173; 68A Stat. 917; 26 U.S.C. 4051, 4052, 4061, and 7805) and secs. 522 and 523 of the Highway Revenue Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-424, 96 Stat. 2185, 2186)) [T.D. 7536, 43 FR 13522, Mar. 31, 1978, as amended by T.D. 7753, 46 FR 2999, Jan. 13, 1981; T.D. 7882, 48 FR 14362, Apr. 4, 1983] Sec. 48.4222(d)-1 Registration in the case of certain other exemptions.
The registration procedure set forth in Sec. 48.4222 (a)-1 also applies in the following cases:
(a) Tax-free sales on or after March 10, 1980, under section 4064(b)(1)(C) (relating to emergency vehicles). Both the vendor and vendee (other than a State or local government) must be registered.
(b) Tax-free sales under section 4293 to any corporation created by Act of Congress to act in matters of relief under the treaty of Geneva of August 22, 1864 (American Red Cross) for its exclusive use. Both the vendor and the vendee must be registered. [T.D. 7536, 43 FR 13522, Mar. 31, 1978, as amended by T.D. 7834, 47 FR 42347, Sept. 27, 1982; T.D. 8036, 50 FR 29963, July 23, 1985; T.D. 8659, 61 FR 10463, Mar. 14, 1996]