Certain fringe benefits
Exclusion from gross income
Gross income shall not include any fringe benefit which qualifies as a—
no-additional-cost service,
qualified employee discount,
working condition fringe,
de minimis fringe,
qualified transportation fringe,
qualified moving expense reimbursement,
qualified retirement planning services, or
qualified military base realignment and closure fringe.
No-additional-cost service defined
For purposes of this section, the term “no-additional-cost service” means any service provided by an employer to an employee for use by such employee if—
such service is offered for sale to customers in the ordinary course of the line of business of the employer in which the employee is performing services, and
the employer incurs no substantial additional cost (including forgone revenue) in providing such service to the employee (determined without regard to any amount paid by the employee for such service).
Qualified employee discount defined
For purposes of this section—
Qualified employee discount
The term “qualified employee discount” means any employee discount with respect to qualified property or services to the extent such discount does not exceed—
in the case of property, the gross profit percentage of the price at which the property is being offered by the employer to customers, or
in the case of services, 20 percent of the price at which the services are being offered by the employer to customers.
Gross profit percentage
In general
The term “gross profit percentage” means the percent which—
the excess of the aggregate sales price of property sold by the employer to customers over the aggregate cost of such property to the employer, is of
the aggregate sale price of such property.
Determination of gross profit percentage
Gross profit percentage shall be determined on the basis of—
all property offered to customers in the ordinary course of the line of business of the employer in which the employee is performing services (or a reasonable classification of property selected by the employer), and
the employer’s experience during a representative period.
Employee discount defined
The term “employee discount” means the amount by which—
the price at which the property or services are provided by the employer to an employee for use by such employee, is less than
the price at which such property or services are being offered by the employer to customers.
Qualified property or services
Working condition fringe defined
De minimis fringe defined
For purposes of this section—
In general
Treatment of certain eating facilities
The operation by an employer of any eating facility for employees shall be treated as a de minimis fringe if—
such facility is located on or near the business premises of the employer, and
revenue derived from such facility normally equals or exceeds the direct operating costs of such facility.
The preceding sentence shall apply with respect to any highly compensated employee only if access to the facility is available on substantially the same terms to each member of a group of employees which is defined under a reasonable classification set up by the employer which does not discriminate in favor of highly compensated employees. For purposes of subparagraph (B), an employee entitled under section 119 to exclude the value of a meal provided at such facility shall be treated as having paid an amount for such meal equal to the direct operating costs of the facility attributable to such meal.
Qualified transportation fringe
In general
For purposes of this section, the term “qualified transportation fringe” means any of the following provided by an employer to an employee:
Transportation in a commuter highway vehicle if such transportation is in connection with travel between the employee’s residence and place of employment.
Any transit pass.
Qualified parking.
Limitation on exclusion
The amount of the fringe benefits which are provided by an employer to any employee and which may be excluded from gross income under subsection (a)(5) shall not exceed—
$175 per month in the case of the aggregate of the benefits described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1), and
$175 per month in the case of qualified parking.
Cash reimbursements
No constructive receipt
Definitions
For purposes of this subsection—
Transit pass
The term “transit pass” means any pass, token, farecard, voucher, or similar item entitling a person to transportation (or transportation at a reduced price) if such transportation is—
on mass transit facilities (whether or not publicly owned), or
provided by any person in the business of transporting persons for compensation or hire if such transportation is provided in a vehicle meeting the requirements of subparagraph (B)(i).
Commuter highway vehicle
The term “commuter highway vehicle” means any highway vehicle—
the seating capacity of which is at least 6 adults (not including the driver), and
at least 80 percent of the mileage use of which can reasonably be expected to be—
for purposes of transporting employees in connection with travel between their residences and their place of employment, and
on trips during which the number of employees transported for such purposes is at least ½ of the adult seating capacity of such vehicle (not including the driver).
Qualified parking
Transportation provided by employer
Employee
Inflation adjustment
In general
In the case of any taxable year beginning in a calendar year after 1999, the dollar amounts contained in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) shall be increased by an amount equal to—
such dollar amount, multiplied by
the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year in which the taxable year begins, by substituting “calendar year 1997” for “calendar year 2016” in subparagraph (A)(ii) thereof.
Rounding
Coordination with other provisions
Qualified moving expense reimbursement
For purposes of this section—
In general
Suspension for taxable years beginning after 2017
Certain individuals treated as employees for purposes of subsections (a)(1) and (2)
For purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a)—
Retired and disabled employees and surviving spouse of employee treated as employee
With respect to a line of business of an employer, the term “employee” includes—
any individual who was formerly employed by such employer in such line of business and who separated from service with such employer in such line of business by reason of retirement or disability, and
any widow or widower of any individual who died while employed by such employer in such line of business or while an employee within the meaning of subparagraph (A).
Spouse and dependent children
In general
Dependent child
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “dependent child” means any child (as defined in section 152(f)(1)) of the employee—
who is a dependent of the employee, or
both of whose parents are deceased and who has not attained age 25.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, any child to whom section 152(e) applies shall be treated as the dependent of both parents.
Special rule for parents in the case of air transportation
Reciprocal agreements
For purposes of paragraph (1) of subsection (a), any service provided by an employer to an employee of another employer shall be treated as provided by the employer of such employee if—
such service is provided pursuant to a written agreement between such employers, and
neither of such employers incurs any substantial additional costs (including foregone revenue) in providing such service or pursuant to such agreement.
Special rules
Exclusions under subsection (a)(1) and (2) apply to highly compensated employees only if no discrimination
Special rule for leased sections of department stores
In general
For purposes of paragraph (2) of subsection (a), in the case of a leased section of a department store—
such section shall be treated as part of the line of business of the person operating the department store, and
employees in the leased section shall be treated as employees of the person operating the department store.
Leased section of department store
Auto salesmen
In general
Qualified automobile demonstration use
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “qualified automobile demonstration use” means any use of an automobile by a full-time automobile salesman in the sales area in which the automobile dealer’s sales office is located if—
such use is provided primarily to facilitate the salesman’s performance of services for the employer, and
there are substantial restrictions on the personal use of such automobile by such salesman.
On-premises gyms and other athletic facilities
In general
On-premises athletic facility
For purposes of this paragraph, the term “on-premises athletic facility” means any gym or other athletic facility—
which is located on the premises of the employer,
which is operated by the employer, and
substantially all the use of which is by employees of the employer, their spouses, and their dependent children (within the meaning of subsection (h)).
Special rule for affiliates of airlines
In general
If—
a qualified affiliate is a member of an affiliated group another member of which operates an airline, and
employees of the qualified affiliate who are directly engaged in providing airline-related services are entitled to no-additional-cost service with respect to air transportation provided by such other member,
then, for purposes of applying paragraph (1) of subsection (a) to such no-additional-cost service provided to such employees, such qualified affiliate shall be treated as engaged in the same line of business as such other member.
Qualified affiliate
Airline-related services
For purposes of this paragraph, the term “airline-related services” means any of the following services provided in connection with air transportation:
Catering.
Baggage handling.
Ticketing and reservations.
Flight planning and weather analysis.
Restaurants and gift shops located at an airport.
Such other similar services provided to the airline as the Secretary may prescribe.
Affiliated group
Highly compensated employee
Air cargo
Application of section to otherwise taxable educational or training benefits
Customers not to include employees
Section not to apply to fringe benefits expressly provided for elsewhere
Qualified retirement planning services
In general
Nondiscrimination rule
Qualified employer plan
Qualified military base realignment and closure fringe
For purposes of this section—
In general
Limitation
Regulations
Source
(Added Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title V, § 531(a)(1),Notes
Inflation Adjusted Items for Certain Years
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Prior Provisions
Amendments
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2025 Amendment
Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
Effective Date of 2017 Amendment
Effective Date of 2015 Amendment
Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
Effective Date of 2013 Amendment
Effective Date of 2010 Amendment
Effective Date of 2009 Amendment
Effective Date of 2008 Amendment
Effective Date of 2004 Amendment
Effective Date of 2003 Amendment
Effective Date of 2001 Amendment
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Effective Date of 1993 Amendment
Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Effective Date of 1989 Amendment
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Effective Date
Regulations
Nonenforcement of Amendment Made by Section 1151 of Pub. L. 99–514 for Fiscal Year 1990
Plan Amendments Not Required Until January 1, 1989
Certain Recordkeeping Requirements
In General.—
For purposes of sections 132 and 274 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 [now 1986], use of an automobile by a special agent of the Internal Revenue Service shall be treated in the same manner as use of an automobile by an officer of any other law enforcement agency.
Effective Date.—
The provisions of this section shall take effect on
Treatment of Certain Leased Operations of Department Stores
Transitional Rule for Determination of Line of Business in Case of Affiliated Group Operating Airline
“If, as of
an individual—
was an employee (within the meaning of section 132 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [formerly I.R.C. 1954], including subsection (f) [now (h)] thereof) of one member of an affiliated group (as defined in section 1504 of such Code), hereinafter referred to as the ‘first corporation’, and
was eligible for no-additional-cost service in the form of air transportation provided by another member of such affiliated group, hereinafter referred to as the ‘second corporation’,
at least 50 percent of the individuals performing service for the first corporation were or had been employees of, or had previously performed services for, the second corporation, and
the primary business of the affiliated group was air transportation of passengers,
then, for purposes of applying paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 132(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, with respect to no-additional-cost services and qualified employee discounts provided after
Special Rule for Services Related To Providing Air Transportation
In general.—
If—
an individual performs services for a qualified air transportation organization, and
such services are performed primarily for persons engaged in providing air transportation and are of the kind which (if performed on
then, with respect to such individual, such qualified air transportation organization shall be treated as engaged in the line of business of providing air transportation.
Qualified air transportation organization.—
For purposes of paragraph (1), the term ‘qualified air transportation organization’ means any organization—
if such organization (or a predecessor) was in existence on
if—
such organization is described in section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [formerly I.R.C. 1954] and the membership of such organization is limited to entities engaged in the transportation by air of individuals or property for compensation or hire, or
such organization is a corporation all the stock of which is owned entirely by entities referred to in clause (i), and
if such organization is operated in furtherance of the activities of its members or owners.”
Determination of Line of Business in Case of Affiliated Group Operating Retail Department Stores
“If—
as of
the primary business of the affiliated group is the operation of retail department stores,
then, for purpose of applying section 132(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, with respect to discounts provided for such employees at the retail department stores operated by such other member, the employer shall be treated as engaged in the same line of business as such other member.”