26 U.S.C. § 4221
Certain tax-free sales
United States · Title 26 — INTERNAL REVENUE CODE · Status: effective
Cite this
- Citation
- 26 U.S.C. § 4221, Certain tax-free sales, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/463404
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Full text
Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, no tax shall be imposed under this chapter (other than under section 4121 or 4081) on the sale by the manufacturer (or under subchapter C of chapter 31 on the first retail sale) of an article—
Where an article has been sold free of tax under subsection (a)—
In the case of any article sold free of tax under this section (other than a sale to which subsection (b) applies), and in the case of any article sold free of tax under section 4053(6), if the manufacturer in good faith accepts a certification by the purchaser that the article will be used in accordance with the applicable provisions of law, no tax shall thereafter be imposed under this chapter in respect of such sale by such manufacturer.
For purposes of this section—
The term “manufacturer” includes a producer or importer of an article, and, in the case of taxes imposed by subchapter C of chapter 31, includes the retailer with respect to the first retail sale.
The term “export” includes shipment to a possession of the United States; and the term “exported” includes shipped to a possession of the United States.
The term “supplies for vessels or aircraft” means fuel supplies, ships’ stores, sea stores, or legitimate equipment on vessels of war of the United States or of any foreign nation, vessels employed in the fisheries or in the whaling business, or vessels actually engaged in foreign trade or trade between the Atlantic and Pacific ports of the United States or between the United States and any of its possessions. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “vessels” includes civil aircraft employed in foreign trade or trade between the United States and any of its possessions, and the term “vessels of war of the United States or of any foreign nation” includes aircraft owned by the United States or by any foreign nation and constituting a part of the armed forces thereof.
The term “State or local government” means any State, any political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia.
The term “nonprofit educational organization” means an educational organization described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) which is exempt from income tax under section 501(a). The term also includes a school operated as an activity of an organization described in section 501(c)(3) which is exempt from income tax under section 501(a), if such school 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 regularly carried on.
An article shall be treated as sold for use in further manufacture if—
The term “qualified bus” means—
The term “intercity or local bus” means any automobile bus which is used predominantly in furnishing (for compensation) passenger land transportation available to the general public if—
The term “school bus” means any automobile bus substantially all the use of which is in transporting students and employees of schools. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “school” means an 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.
In the case of articles sold for use as supplies for aircraft, the privileges granted under subsection (a)(3) in respect of civil aircraft employed in foreign trade or trade between the United States and any of its possessions, in respect of aircraft registered in a foreign country, shall be allowed only if the Secretary of the Treasury has been advised by the Secretary of Commerce that he has found that such foreign country allows, or will allow, substantially reciprocal privileges in respect of aircraft registered in the United States. If the Secretary of the Treasury is advised by the Secretary of Commerce that he has found that a foreign country has discontinued or will discontinue the allowance of such privileges, the privileges granted under subsection (a)(3) shall not apply thereafter in respect of civil aircraft registered in that foreign country and employed in foreign trade or trade between the United States and any of its possessions.
Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, no tax shall be imposed under section 4071 on the sale by the manufacturer of a tire if—
Where a tire has been sold free of tax under this paragraph, this paragraph shall cease to apply unless, within the 6-month period which begins on the date of the sale by him (or, if earlier, on the date of the shipment by him), the manufacturer of such tire receives proof that the other article referred to in clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) has been sold in a manner which satisfies the requirements of such clause (ii) (including in the case of a sale for export, proof of export of such other article).
Paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to the tax imposed under section 4071 on the sale of a tire.
Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, the tax imposed by section 4071 shall not apply in the case of tires sold for use by the purchaser on or in connection with a qualified bus.
Legislative history
The public laws that enacted or amended this section. Tallies are for the whole bill as it passed each chamber — often an omnibus covering far more than this provision — not a vote on this section alone. The law that originally enacted this section predates the public laws loaded here, so only later amendments are listed.
- Tax Reform Act of 1976House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Black Lung Benefits Revenue Act of 1977House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Revenue Act of 1978House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Energy Tax Act of 1978House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Technical Corrections Act of 1979House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Deficit Reduction Act of 1984House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Tax Reform Act of 1986House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989House: no recorded tallySenate: 87–7
- Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990
- Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991
- Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993
- Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
- Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998
- American Jobs Creation Act of 2004
- SAFETEA-LU
- Pension Protection Act of 2006
- Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
- Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011House: no recorded tallySenate: 92–6
- Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012House: 266–158Senate: no recorded tally
- Temporary Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- MAP-21
- Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014
- FAST Act
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018House: 256–167Senate: no recorded tally
- Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020House: 297–120Senate: no recorded tally
- Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act