Amended 1966
- 1966 Pub. L. 89-809 Pub. L. 89–809 limited the withholding of tax at the 30 percent rate to items of fixed or determinable United States source income not effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States and authorized the granting of an exemption from the withholding requirement in the case of a foreign corporation engaged in trade or business within the United States if the Secretary or his delegate determines that the withholding imposes an undue administrative burden and that the collection of the tax will not be jeopardized by the exemption.
Cases: R. T. French Co. v. Commissioner, 60 T.C. 836 (1973); Vitco, Inc. v. Government of the Virgin Islands, 560 F.2d 180 (3rd Cir. 1977); Husky Oil Co. v. Commissioner, 83 T.C. 717 (1984)
Final rules 1
(a) General rule In the case of foreign corporations subject to taxation under this subtitle, there shall be deducted and withheld at the source in the same manner and on the same items of income as is provided in section 1441 a tax equal to 30 percent thereof. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the references in section 1441(b) to sections 871(a)(1)(C) and (D) shall be treated as referring to sections 881(a)(3) and (4), the reference in section 1441(c)(1) to section 871(b)(2) shall be treated as referring to section 842 or section 882(a)(2), as the case may be, the reference in section 1441(c)(5) to section 871(a)(1)(D) shall be treated as referring to section 881(a)(4), the reference in section 1441(c)(8) to section 871(a)(1)(C) shall be treated as referring to section 881(a)(3), the references in section 1441(c)(9) to sections 871(h) and 871(h)(3) or (4) shall be treated as referring to sections 881(c) and 881(c)(3) or (4), the reference in section 1441(c)(10) to section 871(i)(2) shall be treated as referring to section 881(d), and the references in section 1441(c)(12) to sections 871(a) and 871(k) shall be treated as referring to sections 881(a) and 881(e) (except that for purposes of applying subparagraph (A) of section 1441(c)(12), as so modified, clause (ii) of section 881(e)(1)(B) shall not apply to any dividend unless the regulated investment company knows that such dividend is a dividend referred to in such clause).
Amended 1971, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1993, 2004
- 2004 Pub. L. 108-357 Pub. L. 108–357, § 411(a)(3)(B), substituted “the reference in section 1441(c)(10)” for “and the reference in section 1441(c)(10)” and inserted before period at end “, and the references in section 1441(c)(12) to sections 871(a) and 871(k) shall be treated as referring to sections 881(a) and 881(e) (except that for purposes of applying subparagraph (A) of section 1441(c)(12), as so modified, clause (ii) of section 881(e)(1)(B) shall not apply to any dividend unless the regulated investment company knows that such dividend is a dividend referred to in such clause)”.
- 1993 Pub. L. 103-66 Pub. L. 103–66 substituted “871(h)(3) or (4)” for “871(h)(3)” and “881(c)(3) or (4)” for “881(c)(3)”.
- 1988 Pub. L. 100-647 Pub. L. 100–647 struck out “and” after “to section 881(a)(3),” and inserted before period at end “, and the reference in section 1441(c)(10) to section 871(i)(2) shall be treated as referring to section 881(d)”.
- 1986 Pub. L. 99-514 Pub. L. 99–514, § 1810(d)(3)(E), substituted “871(h)” for “871(h)(2)”, “881(c)” for “881(c)(2)”, and “1441(c)(9)” for “1449(c)(9)”.
- 1984 Pub. L. 98-369 Pub. L. 98–369, § 474(r)(29)(I), struck out “or section 1451” after “provided in section 1441” and struck out “; except that, in the case of interest described in section 1451 (relating to tax-free covenant bonds), the deduction and withholding shall be at the rate specified therein” after “a tax equal to 30 percent thereof”.
- 1984 Pub. L. 98-369 Pub. L. 98–369, § 127(e)(2), struck out “and” after “section 881(a)(4),” and inserted “, and the references in section 1449(c)(9) to sections 871(h)(2) and 871(h)(3) shall be treated as referring to sections 881(c)(2) and 881(c)(3)”.
- 1971 Pub. L. 92-178 Pub. L. 92–178 provided that reference in section 1441(c)(8) to section 871(a)(1)(C) shall be treated as referring to section 881(a)(3).
Cited by 8
(b) Exemption Subject to such terms and conditions as may be provided by regulations prescribed by the Secretary, subsection (a) shall not apply in the case of a foreign corporation engaged in trade or business within the United States if the Secretary determines that the requirements of subsection (a) impose an undue administrative burden and that the collection of the tax imposed by section 881 on such corporation will not be jeopardized by the exemption.
Amended 1976
- 1976 Pub. L. 94-455 Pub. L. 94–455 struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary” in two places.
(c) Exception for certain possessions corporations
Amended 1972, 1984, 1986, 2004
- 2004 Pub. L. 108-357 Pub. L. 108–357, § 420(b), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, and added par. (2).
- 1986 Pub. L. 99-514 Pub. L. 99–514, § 1273(b)(2)(B), amended subsec. (c) generally, substituting reference to “certain possessions corporations” for reference to “certain Guam and Virgin Islands corporations” in heading, and in text extending “foreign corporation” exception so as to not include corporation created or organized in Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands, and striking out par. (2) which declared that par. (1) not apply to tax imposed in Guam, and par. (3) which referred to sections 934 and 943a for tax imposed in Virgin Islands.
- 1984 Pub. L. 98-369 Pub. L. 98–369, § 130(b), substituted provision relating to exception for certain Guam and Virgin Islands corporations for provision relating to exception for Guam corporations.
- 1972 Pub. L. 92-606 Pub. L. 92–606 added subsec. (c).
(1) Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands For purposes of this section, the term “foreign corporation” does not include a corporation created or organized in Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands or under the law of any such possession if the requirements of subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of section 881(b)(1) are met with respect to such corporation.
(2) Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
(A) In general If dividends are received during a taxable year by a corporation—
(i) created or organized in, or under the law of, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and
(ii) with respect to which the requirements of subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of section 881(b)(1) are met for the taxable year,
subsection (a) shall be applied for such taxable year by substituting “10 percent” for “30 percent”.
(B) Applicability If, on or after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, an increase in the rate of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’s withholding tax which is generally applicable to dividends paid to United States corporations not engaged in a trade or business in the Commonwealth to a rate greater than 10 percent takes effect, this paragraph shall not apply to dividends received on or after the effective date of the increase.