26 U.S.C. § 5852
Section 5852 · General transfer and making tax exemption
This is § 201 of the Gun Control Act of 1968
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 12 court decisions — leading case United States v. Jones (1992)
Most recently applied in Blakley v. United States (January 2010)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
Any firearm may be transferred to the United States or any department, independent establishment, or agency thereof, without payment of the transfer tax imposed by section 5811.
Any firearm may be made by, or on behalf of, the United States, or any department, independent establishment, or agency thereof, without payment of the making tax imposed by section 5821.
A manufacturer qualified under this chapter to engage in such business may make the type of firearm which he is qualified to manufacture without payment of the making tax imposed by section 5821.
A firearm registered to a person qualified under this chapter to engage in business as an importer, manufacturer, or dealer may be transferred by that person without payment of the transfer tax imposed by section 5811 to any other person qualified under this chapter to manufacture, import, or deal in that type of firearm.
An unserviceable firearm may be transferred as a curio or ornament without payment of the transfer tax imposed by section 5811, under such requirements as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe.
No firearm may be transferred or made exempt from tax under the provisions of this section unless the transfer or making is performed pursuant to an application in such form and manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Prior Provisions
A prior section 5852, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 728, related to removing or changing identification marks, prior to the general revision of this chapter by Pub. L. 90–618. See section 5861(g) of this title and section 922(k) of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.
Provisions similar to those comprising this section were contained in prior section 5814, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 723, as amended by act Sept. 2, 1958, Pub. L. 85–859, title II, §203(c), 72 Stat. 1427, prior to the general revision of this chapter by Pub. L. 90–618.
Amendments
1976—Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 94–455 struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.