IRS Issues Guidance on Truck Excise Taxes

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he Internal Revenue Service issued guidance Tuesday intended to help truck dealers determine whether a truck body is subject to federal excise tax.

Section 4051 of the IRS code imposes a tax on the first sale of certain truck chassis and bodies, the IRS said in a statement on its Web site.

The IRS said the excise tax does not apply to truck bodies and chassis suitable for use with vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight of 33,000 pounds or less or truck trailer and semi-trailer bodies and chassis suitable for use with vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or less.

In some cases, retailers do not know the gross vehicle weight of the vehicle on which the body will be mounted, making it difficult to determine whether the body meets the “suitable for use” standard, the agency said.

The guidance establishes four classifications of truck body types that meet a “suitable for use” standard. Body types that meet the following classifications are excluded from the excise tax:

• Platform truck bodies 21 feet or less in length.

Dry freight and refrigerated truck van bodies 24 feet or less in length.

Dump truck bodies with load capacities of eight cubic yards or less.

Refuse packer truck bodies with load capacities of 20 cubic yards or less.

The classifications are effective for sales on or after April 4, the IRS said.