republic-os/legal/us/code/title-26/chapter-1/section-504.md

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LegalText	26 U.S.C. § 504	Status after organization ceases to qualify for exemption under section 501(c)(3) because of substantial lobbying or because of political activities	us	united_states_code	code_section	26	INTERNAL REVENUE CODE	1	NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES	504	26 U.S.C. § 504	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc26@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t26/s504	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-26/usc26.xml	90085e4f4d5053d48dd9f265d59355c8f04287830921c37b6e2d746b8b6dedd0	a261f094809116f42a96648a3d5eee80fa010379d67412551c21dd5c900b27f4	0478919a39215d32c0c690ba967b3d9d21cf267a29694f4fc3903898a314f43a	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

26 U.S.C. § 504 - Status after organization ceases to qualify for exemption under section 501(c)(3) because of substantial lobbying or because of political activities

Text

(a) General rule An organization which—

(1) was exempt (or was determined by the Secretary to be exempt) from taxation under section 501(a) by reason of being an organization described in section 501(c)(3), and

(2) is not an organization described in section 501(c)(3)—

(A) by reason of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation, or

(B) by reason of participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office,

shall not at any time thereafter be treated as an organization described in section 501(c)(4).

(b) Regulations to prevent avoidance The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to prevent the avoidance of subsection (a), including regulations relating to a direct or indirect transfer of all or part of the assets of an organization to an organization controlled (directly or indirectly) by the same person or persons who control the transferor organization.

(c) Churches, etc. Subsection (a) shall not apply to any organization which is a disqualified organization within the meaning of section 501(h)(5) (relating to churches, etc.) for the taxable year immediately preceding the first taxable year for which such organization is described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a).

(Added Pub. L. 94–455, title XIII, § 1307(a)(2), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1721; amended Pub. L. 100–203, title X, § 10711(b)(1), (2)(A), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–464.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

Prior ProvisionsA prior section 504, acts Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 168; Oct. 22, 1968, Pub. L. 90–630, § 6(a), 82 Stat. 1330, related to denial of exemption, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 91–172, title I, § 101(j)(15), Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 527. For effective date of repeal, see section 101(k)(2)(B) of Pub. L. 91–172, set out as an Effective Date note under section 4940 of this title.

Amendments1987—Pub. L. 100–203, § 10711(b)(2)(A), substituted “substantial lobbying or because of political activities” for “substantial lobbying” in section catchline. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 100–203, § 10711(b)(1), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: “is not an organization described in section 501(c)(3) by reason of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation,”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1987 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–203 applicable with respect to activities after Dec. 22, 1987, see section 10711(c) of Pub. L. 100–203, set out as a note under section 170 of this title.

Construction of AmendmentPub. L. 94–455, title XIII, § 1307(a)(3), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1722, provided that: “It is the intent of Congress that enactment of this section [amending section 501 and enacting section 504 of this title] is not to be regarded in any way as an approval or disapproval of the decision of the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Christian Echoes National Ministry, Inc. versus United States, 470 F.2d 849 (1972), or of the reasoning in any of the opinions leading to that decision.”