IR-2021-187, September 15, 2021 WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service, in response to the continued shortages of undyed diesel fuel caused by Hurricanes Ida and Nicholas, will extend the penalty relief provided in IR-2021-176 when dyed diesel fuel is sold or used on the highway. In IR-2021-176, released September 1, 2021, the IRS announced that due to the impact of Hurricane Ida it would not impose a penalty when dyed diesel fuel is sold for use or used on the highway for the following parishes in the state of Louisiana: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana. That relief has been extended and is effective as of August 29, 2021 and will remain in effect through September 30, 2021. In addition, due to the impact of Hurricanes Ida and Nicholas, the IRS is also providing penalty relief to the parishes of Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Rapides, St. Landry, Vermilion, and Vernon. This additional relief is effective as of August 29, 2021 and will remain in effect through September 30, 2021. This penalty relief is available to any person that sells or uses dyed fuel for highway use. In the case of the operator of the vehicle in which the dyed fuel is used, the relief is available only if the operator or the person selling the fuel pays the tax of 24.4 cents per gallon that is normally applied to diesel fuel for highway use. The IRS will not impose penalties for failure to make semimonthly deposits of this tax. IRS Publication 510, Excise Taxes PDF, has information on the proper method for reporting and paying the tax. Ordinarily, dyed diesel fuel is not taxed, because it is sold for uses exempt from excise tax, such as to farmers for farming purposes, for home heating use and to local governments for buses. Also, this waiver does not apply to the Internal Revenue Code penalty for using adulterated fuels that do not comply with applicable EPA regulations. Consequently, diesel fuel with sulfur content higher than 15 parts-per-million may not be used in highway vehicles. The IRS is closely monitoring the situation and will provide additional relief as needed.
