2011 US Code
Title 26 - Internal Revenue Code
Subtitle F - Procedure and Administration (§§ 6001 - 7874)
Chapter 75 - CRIMES, OTHER OFFENSES, AND FORFEITURES (§§ 7201 - 7344)
Subchapter A - Crimes (§§ 7201 - 7241)
Part I - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 7201 - 7217)
Section 7217 - Prohibition on executive branch influence over taxpayer audits and other investigations
View MetadataPublication Title | United States Code, 2006 Edition, Supplement 5, Title 26 - INTERNAL REVENUE CODE |
Category | Bills and Statutes |
Collection | United States Code |
SuDoc Class Number | Y 1.2/5: |
Contained Within | Title 26 - INTERNAL REVENUE CODE Subtitle F - Procedure and Administration CHAPTER 75 - CRIMES, OTHER OFFENSES, AND FORFEITURES Subchapter A - Crimes PART I - GENERAL PROVISIONS Sec. 7217 - Prohibition on executive branch influence over taxpayer audits and other investigations |
Contains | section 7217 |
Date | 2011 |
Laws in Effect as of Date | January 3, 2012 |
Positive Law | No |
Disposition | standard |
Source Credit | Added Pub. L. 105-206, title I, §1105(a), July 22, 1998, 112 Stat. 711. |
Statutes at Large References | 90 Stat. 1687 92 Stat. 2923 96 Stat. 646 112 Stat. 711 |
Public Law References | Public Law 94-455, Public Law 95-600, Public Law 97-248, Public Law 105-206 |
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It shall be unlawful for any applicable person to request, directly or indirectly, any officer or employee of the Internal Revenue Service to conduct or terminate an audit or other investigation of any particular taxpayer with respect to the tax liability of such taxpayer.
(b) Reporting requirementAny officer or employee of the Internal Revenue Service receiving any request prohibited by subsection (a) shall report the receipt of such request to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
(c) ExceptionsSubsection (a) shall not apply to any written request made—
(1) to an applicable person by or on behalf of the taxpayer and forwarded by such applicable person to the Internal Revenue Service;
(2) by an applicable person for disclosure of return or return information under section 6103 if such request is made in accordance with the requirements of such section; or
(3) by the Secretary of the Treasury as a consequence of the implementation of a change in tax policy.
(d) PenaltyAny person who willfully violates subsection (a) or fails to report under subsection (b) shall be punished upon conviction by a fine in any amount not exceeding $5,000, or imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both, together with the costs of prosecution.
(e) Applicable personFor purposes of this section, the term “applicable person” means—
(1) the President, the Vice President, any employee of the executive office of the President, and any employee of the executive office of the Vice President; and
(2) any individual (other than the Attorney General of the United States) serving in a position specified in section 5312 of title 5, United States Code.
(Added Pub. L. 105–206, title I, §1105(a), July 22, 1998, 112 Stat. 711.)
Prior ProvisionsA prior section 7217, added Pub. L. 94–455, title XII, §1202(e)(1), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1687; amended Pub. L. 95–600, title VII, §701(bb)(7), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2923, related to civil damages for unauthorized disclosure of returns and return information, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–248, title III, §357(b)(1), (c), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 646, applicable with respect to disclosures made after Sept. 3, 1982.
Effective DatePub. L. 105–206, title I, §1105(c), July 22, 1998, 112 Stat. 711, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [enacting this section] shall apply to requests made after the date of the enactment of this Act [July 22, 1998].”
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