TITLE 27 - ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND FIREARMS

CHAPTER I - ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

SUBCHAPTER F - PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES

PART 70 - PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION

subpart e - PROCEDURAL RULES RELATING TO ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS, AND EXPLOSIVES

70.411 - Imposition of taxes, qualification requirements, and regulations.

  (a) Imposition of taxes. Subchapter A of Chapter 51 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 imposes taxes on distilled spirits (including alcohol), wine and beer. Occupational taxes are imposed upon brewers, dealers in liquors, and proprietors of distilled spirits plants, bonded wine cellars, bonded wine warehouses, and taxpaid wine bottling houses; on industrial users of tax-free distilled spirits; on dealers, users, and recoverers of specially denatured spirits; and as a prerequisite for drawback under section 5134 of the Internal Revenue Code, upon manufacturers of nonbeverage products.

  (b) Qualification requirements. Distillers, winemakers, brewers, warehousemen, rectifiers, bottlers, dealers in specially denatured alcohol, users of tax-free and specially denatured alcohol, and wholesalers and importers of liquors, are required to qualify with ATF usually by filing notice or application and bond with, and procuring permit from, the appropriate ATF officer. Detailed information respecting such qualification, including the forms to be used and the procedure to be followed, is contained in the respective regulations described in paragraph (c) of this section.

  (c) Regulations. The procedural requirements with respect to matters relating to distilled spirits, wines, and beer which are within the jurisdiction of the ATF are published in the regulations described in this paragraph. These regulations contain full information as to the general course and method by which the functions concerning liquors are channeled and determined, including the nature and requirements of formal and informal procedures, the forms, records, reports, and other documents required, and the contents of applications, notices, registrations, permits, bonds, and other documents. Supplies of prescribed forms may be obtained from the ATF Distribution Center, 7943 Angus Court, Springfield, Virginia 22153. The following is a brief description of the several regulations arranged according to the principal subjects and operations concerned: (1) Establishment and operation of distilled spirits plants. Part 19 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relating to the location, qualification, construction, arrangement, equipment, and operations (including activities incident thereto) of distilled spirits plants for the production and/or warehousing (including denaturation), and bottling (including bottling in bond) of distilled spirits. Part 19 also contains the regulations relating to distilled spirits for fuel use and the production of vinegar by the vaporizing process.

  (2) Miscellaneous liquor transactions. Part 29 of 27 CFR contains miscellaneous regulations relative to the manufacture, removal, and use of stills and condensers, and to the notice, registration, and recordkeeping requirements therefor.

  (3) [Reserved] (4) Gauging of distilled spirits. Part 30 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations that. prescribe the gauging instruments, and methods or techniques to be used in measuring distilled spirits (including denatured spirits). Tables are provided for use in making the necessary computation from gauge data.

  (5) Rules of practice in permit proceedings. Part 71 of title 27 CFR contains the rules governing the procedure and practice in connection with the disapproval of applications for basic permits, and for the issuance of citations for the suspension, revocation, and annulment of such permits under sections 3 and 4 of the Federal Alcohol Acministration Act (27 U.S.C. 201 et seq.), and disapproval, suspension, and revocation of industrial use, operating, withdrawal, and tobacco permits under the Internal Revenue Code. Such rules also govern, insofar as applicable, any adversary proceeding involving adjudication required by statute to oe determined on the record, after opportunity for hearing, under laws administered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

  (6) Basic permit requirements under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act. 27 CFR part 1, issued pursuant to the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, as amended, contains the requirements relative to the issuance under the Act of basic permits to producers, rectifiers, blenders, bottlers, warehousemen, importers, and wholesalers of distilled spirits, wine, or beer, and the amendment, duration, revocation, suspension, or annulment of such permits.

  (7) Bulk sales and bottling of distilled spirits. 27 CFR part 3, issued under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, as amended, contains the requirements relative to bulk sales and bottling of distilled spirits under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, including the terms of warehouse receipts for distilled spirits in bulk.

  (8) Labeling and advertising of distilled spirits. 27 CFR part 5, issued under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, as amended, contains the requirements relative to the labeling and advertising of distilled spirits under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, including standards of identity for distilled spirits, standards of fill for bottles of distilled spirits, withdrawal of bottled imported distilled spirits from customs custody, and the issuance of certificates of label approval and certificates of exemption from label approval.

  (9) American viticultural areas. Part 9 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations that relate to American viticultural areas. The viticultural areas described in these regulations are approved for use as appellations of origin in accordance with 27 CFR part 4.

  (10) Production and removal of wine. Part 24 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relative to the establishment and operation of bonded wine cellars, including bonded wineries, for the production, cellar treatment, and storage of wines, including amelioration, sweetening, addition of volatile fruit flavor concentrates, addition of wine spirits (including distillates containing aldehydes), blending, and other cellar treatment; removals; taxpayment; return of unmerchantable taxpaid wine; use of wine for distilling material and manufacture of vinegar; and record and report requirements.

  (11) Bottling or Packaging of taxpaid wine. Part 24 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relative to the establishment, qualification, and operations of taxpaid wine bottling houses on premises other than those of a plant operated under part 19 of title 27 CFR, and to the bottling and packaging of taxpaid United States and foreign wines at such premises.

  (12) Nonindustrial use of distilled spirits and wine. 27 CFR part 2, issued under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, as amended, specifies what uses of distilled spirits and wine are considered nonindustrial, as that term is used in section 17 of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act.

  (13) Labeling and advertising of wine. 27 CFR part 4, issued under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, as amended, contains the requirements relative to the labeling and advertising of wine under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, including standards of identity for wine, standards of fill for containers of wine, the withdrawal of imported wine from customs custody, and the issuance of certificates of label approval and certificates of exemption from label approval.

  (14) Establishment and operations of breweries and experimental breweries. Part 25 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relating to the production (including concentration and reconstitution incident thereto) and removal of beer and cereal beverages. The regulations cover the location, construction, equipment, and operations of breweries; and the qualification of such establishments, including the ownership, control, and management thereof, and the establishment and operations of experimental breweries.

  (15) Labeling and advertising of malt beverages. 27 CFR part 7, issued under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, as amended, contains the requirements relative to the labeling and advertising of malt beverages (beer) under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, including withdrawal of imported malt beverages from customs custody, and the issuance of certificates of label approval.

  (16) Liquor dealers. Part 31 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relative to the special (occupational) taxes imposed on wholesale and retail dealers in liquors, wholesale and retail dealers in beer, and limited retail dealers; restrictions on purchases of distilled spirits; reuse or refilling of liquor bottles; sale or possession of refilled or used liquor bottles; repackaging of alcohol for industrial use; recordkeeping and reporting requirements; and provisions relating to entry of premises and inspection of records.

  (17) Drawback of tax on spirits used in nonbeverage products. Part 17 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations which relate to obtaining drawback of internal revenue tax on distilled spirits used in the manufacture or production of medicines, medicinal preparations, food products, flavors, or flavoring extracts, which are unfit for beverage purposes.

  (18) Production of volatile fruit-flavor concentrates. Part 18 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relating to the manufacture, removal, sale, storage, transfer in bond, transportation, recordkeeping and reporting requirements, and use of volatile fruit flavor concentrates.

It includes provisions regarding the location, qualification, use, and operations of concentrate plants.

  (19) Tied-House. 27 CFR part 6, issued under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, as amended, specifies practices which are prohibited by subsection (b) of section 5 of the Act and provides the exception to these prohibitions. This part applies only to transactions between industry members and retailers.

  (20) Exclusive outlets. 27 CFR part 8, issued under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, as amended, specifies practices which are prohibited by subsection (a) of section 5 of the Act. This part applies only to transactions between industry members and retailers.

  (21) Commercial bribery. 27 CFR part 10, issued under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, as amended, specifies practices which are prohibited by subsection (c) of section 5 of the Act. This part applies to transactions between industry members and employees, officers, or representatives of trade buyers.

  (22) Consignment sales. 27 CFR part 11, issued under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, as amended, specifies sales arrangements prohibited by subsection (d) of section 5 of the Act and contains guidelines concerning the return of distilled spirits, wines, and malt beverages from a trade buyer. The regulations in this part apply to transactions between industry members and trade buyers.

  (23) Distribution and use of denatured alcohol and rum. Part 20 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relating to the procurement, use, disposition, and recovery of denatured alcohol, specially denatured rum, and articles containing denatured spirits; and includes requirements in respect to industrial use and withdrawal permits; and the packaging, labeling, sales, rebottling, and reprocessing of articles containing specially denatured spirits.

  (24) Formulas for denatured alcohol and rum. Part 21 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relating to the formulation of completely denatured alcohol, specially denatured alcohol, and specially denatured rum; to the use of specially denatured spirits; and to the specifications for denaturants. The procedural requirements relative to the production of denatured alcohol and specially denatured rum are prescribed in part 19 of title 27 CFR, and those relative to the distribution and use of denatured alcohol and specially denatured rum are prescribed in part 20 of title 27 CFR.

  (25) Distribution and use of tax-free alcohol. Part 22 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relating to tax-free alcohol and covers the procurement, storage, use, and recovery of such alcohol; and included requirements in respect to industrial use and withdrawal permits.

  (26) Liquors and articles from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Part 26 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relating to the production, bonded warehousing, and withdrawal of distilled spirits, and denatured spirits, and the manufacture of articles in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to be brought into the United States free of tax and the collection of internal revenue taxes on taxable alcoholic products coming into the United States from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Regulations respecting spirits produced in Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands and brought into the United States and transferred from customs custody to internal revenue bond are also contained in this part.

  (27) Importation of liquors. Part 27 of title 27 CFR contains the substantive and procedural requirements relative to the importation of distilled spirits, wines, and beer into the United States from foreign countries including special (occupational) and commodity taxes, permits, marking, branding, and labeling of containers and packages.

  (28) Exportation of liquors. Part 28 of title 27 CFR contains the regulations relating to exportation including, where applicable, lading for use on vessels and aircraft, transfer to a foreign-trade zone, or transfer to a manufacturing bonded warehouse, Class 6, of distilled spirits (including specially denatured spirits), beer (including beer concentrate), and wine, and transfer of distilled spirits and wine for deposit in a customs bonded warehouse, whether without payment of tax, free of tax, or with benefit of drawback. It includes requirements with respect to removal, shipment, lading, deposit, evidence of exportation, losses, claims, and bonds. (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1512 0472) [T.D. ATF251, 52 FR 19325, May 22, 1987, as amended by T.D. ATF271, 53 FR 17549, May 17, 1988; T.D. ATF299, 55 FR 24989, June 19, 1990.

Redesignated and amended by T.D. ATF301, 55 FR 47606, 47653, Nov. 14, 1990; T.D. ATF376, 61 FR 31031, June 19, 1996; T.D. ATF379, 61 FR 31426, June 20, 1996; T.D. ATF432, 65 FR 69253, Nov. 16, 2000; T.D. ATF450, 66 FR 29028, May 29, 2001; T.D. ATF459, 66 FR 38550, July 25, 2001; T.D.

ATF463, 66 FR 42734, Aug. 15, 2001; T.D. ATF462, 66 FR 42737, Aug. 15, 2001; T.D. ATF479, 67 FR 30799, May 8, 2002; T.D. TTB8, 69 FR 3830, Jan.

27, 2004; T.D. TTB25, 70 FR 19883, Apr. 15, 2005]