[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 27, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 27CFR53.157]

[Page 1020-1022]
 
            TITLE 27--ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND FIREARMS
 
 CHAPTER I--ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE 
                                TREASURY
 
PART 53_MANUFACTURERS EXCISE TAXES_FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION--Table of 
Contents
 
    Subpart L_Refunds and Other Administrative Provisions of Special 
                   Application to Manufacturers Taxes
 
Sec. 53.157  Deposit requirement for deposits made for calendar quarters 
prior to July 1, 1995.

    Note: For deposit requirement for deposits made for calendar 
quarters beginning on or after July 1, 1995, see Sec. 53.159.
    (a) Monthly deposits. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this 
section, if for any calendar month (other than the last month of a 
calendar quarter) any person required to file a quarterly excise tax 
return on ATF Form 5300.26 has a total liability under this part of more 
than $100 for all excise taxes reportable on that form, the amount of 
liability for taxes shall be deposited by the person in accordance with 
the instructions on ATF Form 5300.27 on or before the last day of the 
month following the calendar month.
    (b) Semimonthly deposits. (1) If any person required to file an 
excise tax return on ATF Form 5300.26 for any calendar quarter has a 
total liability under this part of more than $2,000 for all excise taxes 
reportable on that form for any calendar month in the preceding calendar 
quarter, the amount of that liability for taxes under this part for any 
semimonthly period (as defined in paragraph (d)(1) of this section) in 
the succeeding calendar quarter shall be deposited by the person in 
accordance with the instructions on ATF Form 5300.27 on or before the 
depositary date (as defined in paragraph (d)(2) of this section) 
applicable to the semimonthly period.
    (2) A person will be considered to have complied with the 
requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section for a semimonthly 
period if--
    (i)(A) The person's deposit for the semimonthly period is not less 
than 90

[[Page 1021]]

percent of the total amount of the excise taxes reportable by the person 
on ATF Form 5300.26 for the period, and
    (B) If the semimonthly period occurs in a calendar month other than 
the last month in a calendar quarter, the person deposits any 
underpayment for the month by the 9th day of the second month following 
the calendar month; or
    (ii)(A) The person's deposit for each semimonthly period in the 
calendar month is not less than 45 percent of the total amount of the 
excise taxes reportable by the person on ATF Form 5300.26 for the month, 
and
    (B) If such month is other than the last month in a calendar 
quarter, the person deposits any underpayment for such month by the 9th 
day of the second month following the calendar month; or
    (iii)(A) The person's deposit for each semimonthly period in the 
calendar month is not less than 50 percent of the total amount of the 
excise taxes reportable by the person on ATF Form 5300.26 for the second 
preceding calendar month, and
    (B) If such month is other than the last month in a calendar 
quarter, the person deposits any underpayment for such month by the 9th 
day of the second month following the calendar month; or
    (iv)(A) The requirements of paragraph (b)(2) (i)(A), (ii)(A), or 
(iii)(A) of this section are satisfied for the first semimonthly period 
of a calendar month after December 1990,
    (B) If the person's deposit for the second semimonthly period of the 
calendar month is, when added to the deposit for the first semimonthly 
period, not less than 90 percent of the total amount of the excise taxes 
reportable by the person on ATF Form 5300.26 for the calendar month, and
    (C) If the semimonthly periods occur in a calendar month other than 
the last month in a calendar quarter, the person deposits any 
underpayment for the month by the 9th day of the second month following 
the calendar month.
    (3)(i) Paragraph (b)(2) (ii) and (iii) of this section shall not 
apply to any person who normally incurs in the first semimonthly period 
in each calendar month more than 75 percent of the person's total excise 
tax liability under this part for the month.
    (ii) Persons who make their deposits in accordance with paragraph 
(b)(2) (ii), (iii), or (iv) of this section will find it unnecessary to 
keep their books and records on a semimonthly basis.
    (c) Deposit of certain excess undeposited amounts. Notwithstanding 
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, if any person required to file 
an excise tax return on ATF Form 5300.26 for any calendar quarter 
beginning after December 31, 1990, has a total liability under this part 
for all excise taxes reportable on the form for the calendar quarter 
which exceeds by more than $100 the total amount of taxes deposited by 
the person pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) of this section for the 
calendar quarter, the person shall, on or before the last day of the 
calendar month following the calendar quarter for which the return is 
required to be filed, deposit in accordance with the instructions on ATF 
Form 5300.27 the full amount by which the person's liability for all 
excise taxes reportable on the return for that calendar quarter exceeds 
the amount of excise taxes previously deposited by the person for that 
calendar quarter.
    (d) Definitions--(1) Semimonthly period. The term semimonthly period 
means the first 15 days of a calendar month or the portion of a calendar 
month following the 15th day of that month.
    (2) Depositary date. The term depositary date means, in the case of 
deposits for semimonthly periods beginning after December 31, 1990, the 
9th day of the semimonthly period following the semimonthly period for 
which the taxes are reportable.
    (3) Lockbox financial institution. The term lockbox financial 
institution means the financial institution designated as a depository 
for the payment of excise taxes on ATF Form 5300.27, Federal Firearms 
and Ammunition Excise Tax Deposit form.
    (e) Depositary forms and procedures--(1) In general. Each remittance 
of amounts required to be deposited for periods beginning after December 
31, 1990 shall be accompanied by an ATF Form 5300.27, Federal Firearms 
and Ammunition Excise Tax Deposit form, or ATF Form 5300.26, Federal 
Firearms

[[Page 1022]]

and Ammunition Excise Tax Return, which shall be prepared in accordance 
with the applicable instructions. Taxpayers electing to remit deposits 
by EFT pursuant to Sec. 53.158 shall prepare and submit ATF Form 
5300.26 or ATF Form 5300.27 in accordance with the instructions on the 
form. The timeliness of the deposit will be determined by the date it is 
received (or is deemed received under section 7502(e) and 26 CFR 
301.7502-1) by the lockbox financial institution, or the ATF officer 
designated on ATF Form 5300.27 or ATF Form 5300.26 accompanying the 
deposit, or when made by electronic fund transfer, the Treasury Account. 
Amounts deposited pursuant to this paragraph shall be considered to be 
paid on the last day prescribed for filing the return in respect of the 
tax (determined without regard to any extension of time for filing the 
returns), or at the time deposited, whichever is later.
    (2) Number of remittances. A person required by this section to make 
deposits may make one or more remittances with respect to the amount 
required to be deposited. An amount of tax which is not otherwise 
required by this section to be deposited may, nevertheless, be deposited 
if the person liable for the tax so desires.
    (3) Information required. Each person making deposits pursuant to 
this section shall report on the return for the period with respect to 
which the deposits are made information regarding the deposits in 
accordance with the instructions applicable to the return and pay (or 
deposits by the due date of the return) the balance, if any, of the 
taxes due for the period.
    (4) Procurement of prescribed forms. Copies of the Federal Firearms 
and Ammunition Excise Tax Deposit form will be furnished, so far as 
possible, to persons required to make deposits under this section. Such 
a person will not be excused from making a deposit, however, by the fact 
that no form has been furnished. A person not supplied with the form is 
required to apply for it in ample time to make the required deposits 
within the time prescribed, supplying with the application the person's 
name, employer identification number, address, and the taxable period to 
which the deposits will relate. Copies of the Federal Firearms and 
Ammunition Excise Tax Deposit form may be obtained by applying for them 
with the ATF Distribution Center, 7943 Angus Court, Springfield, 
Virginia 22153.
    (f) Nonapplication to certain taxes. This section does not apply to 
taxes for:
    (1) Any month or semimonthly period in which the taxpayer receives 
notice pursuant to Sec. 53.151(b) to file ATF Form 5300.26 or
    (2) Any subsequent month or semimonthly period for which a return on 
ATF Form 5300.26 is required.

[T.D. ATF-308, 56 FR 303, Jan. 3, 1991, as amended by T.D. ATF-312, 56 
FR 31084, July 9, 1991; T.D. ATF-330, 57 FR 40325, Sept. 3, 1992; T.D. 
ATF-365, 60 FR 33671, June 28, 1995; T.D. ATF-447, 66 FR 19088, Apr. 13, 
2001]