26 U.S.C. § 6071
Section 6071 · Time for filing returns and other documents
Amended 6 times on record
Applied in 3 court decisions — leading case Favell v. United States (1991)
Most recently applied in Favell v. United States (February 1991)
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.
When not otherwise provided for by this title, the Secretary shall by regulations prescribe the time for filing any return, statement, or other document required by this title or by regulations.
Returns made under subpart B of part III of this subchapter (other than returns and statements required to be filed with respect to nonemployee compensation) which are filed electronically shall be filed on or before March 31 of the year following the calendar year to which such returns relate.
Forms W–2 and W–3 and any returns or statements required by the Secretary to report nonemployee compensation shall be filed on or before January 31 of the year following the calendar year to which such returns relate.
For payment of special taxes before engaging in certain trades and businesses, see section 4901 and section 5732.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Amendments
2015—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–113, § 201(c), substituted “subpart B of part III of this subchapter (other than returns and statements required to be filed with respect to nonemployee compensation)” for “subparts B and C of part III of this subchapter”.
Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 114–113, § 201(a), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).
2005—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–59 substituted “section 5732” for “section 5142”.
1998—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 105–206 added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c).
1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–455 struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.
1958—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 85–859 inserted reference to section 5142 of this title.
Effective Date of 2015 Amendment
Pub. L. 114–113, div. Q, title II, § 201(d), Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 3076, provided that: “(1)
In general.—
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section [amending this section and section 6402 of this title] shall apply to returns and statements relating to calendar years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 2015].
“(2)Date for certain refunds.—
The amendment made by subsection (b) [amending section 6402 of this title] shall apply to credits or refunds made after December 31, 2016.”
Effective Date of 2005 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 109–59 effective July 1, 2008, but inapplicable to taxes imposed for periods before such date, see section 11125(c) of Pub. L. 109–59, set out as a note under section 5002 of this title.
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Pub. L. 105–206, title II, § 2002(c), July 22, 1998, 112 Stat. 724, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to returns required to be filed after December 31, 1999.”
Effective Date of 1958 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 85–859 effective Sept. 3, 1958, see section 210(a)(1) of Pub. L. 85–859, set out as an Effective Date note under section 5001 of this title.