Suspension of tax—(1) In general. Liability for the tax imposed by section 4481(a) is suspended during a taxable period if it is reasonable to expect that the vehicle will be used for 5,000 or fewer miles on public highways during such taxable period and the owner furnishes in the time and manner required the information required under paragraph (a)(2) of this section. See paragraph (g) of this section regarding special rules for agricultural vehicles. See § 41.4482(c)-1(c) for the meaning of “use” on the public highways.

Information to be supplied in support of suspension of tax. The owner of a highway motor vehicle who reasonably expects that the vehicle will be used for 5,000 or fewer miles on public highways during a taxable period shall furnish on the first Form 2290 filed during the taxable period for such motor vehicle, such information as is required by the Form in order to support the suspension of tax under paragraph (a) of this section.

Cessation of suspension from tax. If a highway motor vehicle on which the tax under section 4481(a) is suspended for a particular taxable period under paragraph (a)(1) of this section is used for more than 5,000 miles on public highways during such taxable period, the owner of the vehicle is liable for the tax for the entire taxable period in accordance with section 4481(a).

Exemption. If at the end of any taxable period during which the tax under section 4481(a) on a highway motor vehicle was suspended under paragraph (a)(1) of this section the vehicle has not been used for more than 5,000 miles on public highways, the vehicle shall be exempt from the tax for that taxable period. The owner of the vehicle shall verify that the vehicle was used for less than 5,000 miles in such ended taxable period on the first Form 2290 filed for the next taxable period.

Examples. The provisions of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:

A is the owner of 6 highway motor vehicles, each of which has a taxable gross weight in excess of 55,000 pounds. None of these 6 vehicles are agricultural vehicles. The vehicles are placed in use during July 1984. Because of the nature of his business, A reports on the first Form 2290 filed after June 30, 1984, that he reasonably expects that none of the vehicles will be used for more than 5,000 miles on public highways. Accordingly, the tax imposed by section 4481(a) is suspended for A's 6 vehicles for the taxable priod July 1, 1984, through June 30, 1985.

Assume the same facts as in example (1) except that during the month of February 1985, the use of one of A's vehicles exceeds 5,000 miles on public highways. A is liable for the full tax for the taxable period July 1, 1984, through June 30, 1985, for that vehicle at the rate set forth in § 41.4481-1(b), and must so report on a Form 2290 filed on or before March 31, 1985, the last day of the month following the month in which the use exceeds 5,000 miles.

Credit or refund of tax for highway motor vehicle used 5,000 or fewer miles. (1) If a highway motor vehicle on which the tax imposed by section 4481(a) has been paid for a given taxable period is used for 5,000 or fewer miles on public highways during such taxable period, the person who paid the tax may file a claim for refund of an overpayment of the tax at the end of the taxable period. Claims for refunds of tax made under this paragraph (e) shall be filed in the same manner as claims for refunds filed under § 41.4481-1(d). Refunds of tax made under this paragraph (e) shall be without interest.

Any person entitled to claim a refund of tax under paragraph (e)(1) of this section may, in lieu of claiming a refund of such tax, claim credit for such tax on the first Form 2290 filed for the next taxable period.

Relief from liability for tax under certain circumstances. If the tax imposed by section 4481(a) on a highway motor vehicle is suspended for any taxable period under paragraph (a) of this section and the vehicle is transferred while the suspension is in effect, the transferor will not be liable for any tax on such vehicle for such taxable period if such transferor furnishes a statement to the transferee on which is included the transferor's name, address and taxpayer identification number, the vehicle identification number, the date of transfer of the vehicle, the number of miles the vehicle has been used on the public highways during the taxable period, the odometer reading at the time of the transfer, and the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the transferee. The suspension from tax under paragraph (a) continues until the vehicle is used on the public highways for more than 5,000 miles during the taxable period (including use by the transferor for the portion of the taxable period prior to the transfer). If the transferor has furnished the statement required in this paragraph (f), the transferee and not the transferor is liable for the entire tax under section 4481(a) for the taxable period in which the transfer was made. If the transferor has not furnished such statement to the transferee, then the transferor is also liable for the tax on the use of such vehicle for such taxable period (determined in the case of a transfer described in § 41.4481-1(c)(4)(i) under § 41.4481-1(c)(4)(ii)) to the extent that the tax has not been previously paid. See paragraph (b) of this section relating to cessation of suspension from tax and § 41.6011(a)-1(a)(3) for a requirement that certain transferees described in this paragraph (f) must file a return.

Special rule for agricultural vehicles—(1) In general. In applying the provisions of this section to an agricultural vehicle, “7,500” shall be substituted for “5,000” each place it appears in paragraphs (a) through (f) of this section.

Meaning of terms—(i) Agriculture vehicle. An agricultural vehicle is any highway motor vehicle—

Used (or expected to be used) primarily for farming purposes, and

Registered (under the laws of the State or States in which such vehicle is required to be registered) as a highway motor vehicle used for farming purposes.

Farming purposes. For purposes of this section, “farming purposes” means the transporting of any farm commodity to or from a farm, or the use directly in agricultural production.

Farm commodity. A “farm commodity” is any agricultural or horticultural commodity, feed, seed, fertilizer, livestock, bees, poultry, fur-bearing animals, or wildlife. A farm commodity does not include a commodity which has been changed by a processing operation from its raw or natural state. For example, juice which has been extracted from fruits or vegetables is not a farm commodity for purposes of this paragraph (g).

Farm. The term “farm” includes stock (including feed yards for fattening cattle), dairy, poultry, fruit, fur-bearing animal, and truck farms, plantations, ranches, nurseries, ranges, orchards, and such greenhouses and other similar structures as are used primarily for the raising of any agricultural or horticultural commodity. Greenhouses and other similar structures used primarily for purposes other than the raising of agricultural or horticultural commodities (for example, display, storage, or fabrication of wreaths, corsages, and bouquets) do not constitute “farms”.

Agricultural production—(A) In general. A highway motor vehicle is considered to be used directly in agricultural production only if it is used as indicated in the following paragraphs.

Use of a highway motor vehicle in connection with cultivating, raising, and harvesting. A highway motor vehicle is considered to be used directly in agricultural production if such vehicle is used in connection with cultivating the soil, or 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. A highway motor vehicle which is used in connection with operations such as canning, freezing, packaging, or other processing operations will not be considered to be used directly in agricultural production.

Use of a highway motor vehicle in connection with planting, cultivation, caring for, cutting, etc., of trees. A highway motor vehicle is used directly for agricultural production if it is used in connection with planting, cultivating, caring for, or cutting of trees, or in connection with the preparation (other than milling) of trees for market; but only if such operations are incidental to farming operations. These farming operations include felling trees and cutting them into logs or firewood, but do not include sawing logs into lumber, chipping, or other milling operations. The operations specified in this paragraph (g)(2)(v)(C) will be considered “incidental to farming operations” only if they are of a minor nature in comparison with the total farming operations involved. Therefore, a treefarmer or timbergrower may not claim that a highway motor vehicle used in that trade or business is used directly in agricultural production.

Use of a highway motor vehicle in connection with the operation, management, conservation, improvement, or maintenance of a farm. A highway motor vehicle is used directly for agricultural production if it is used in connection with the operation, management, conservation, improvement, or maintenance of a farm and its tools and equipment. Examples of these operations include clearing land, repairing fences and farm buildings, building terraces or irrigation ditches, cleaning tools or farm machinery, painting, and other activities which contribute in any way to the conduct of a farm as such, as distinguished from any other enterprise in which the owner of the highway motor vehicle may be engaged.

Mileage on farm not counted toward 7,500 mile limit. For purposes of this section, the number of miles which a highway motor vehicle is driven on a farm and not on the public highways shall not be taken into account when determining whether the vehicle's mileage is in excess of 7,500 miles. Accurate records should be kept by taxpayers of the number of miles that a highway motor vehicle is operated on a farm.

Owner. For purposes of this section the term “owner” means, with respect to any highway motor vehicle, the person described in section 4481(b).

Effective/applicability date. This section applies on and after July 1, 2015. For rules applicable before that date, see 26 CFR 41.4483-3 (revised as of April 1, 2014).