United States Code
USC most recently checked for updates: Sep 10, 2024
Salvage value shall be treated as zero.
An election under paragraph (2)(D) 1
For purposes of this section, the applicable recovery period shall be determined in accordance with the following table:
In the case of: | The applicable recovery period is: |
---|---|
3-year property | 3 years |
5-year property | 5 years |
7-year property | 7 years |
10-year property | 10 years |
15-year property | 15 years |
20-year property | 20 years |
Water utility property | 25 years |
Residential rental property | 27.5 years |
Nonresidential real property | 39 years. |
Any railroad grading or tunnel bore | 50 years. |
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the applicable convention is the half-year convention.
The half-year convention is a convention which treats all property placed in service during any taxable year (or disposed of during any taxable year) as placed in service (or disposed of) on the mid-point of such taxable year.
The mid-month convention is a convention which treats all property placed in service during any month (or disposed of during any month) as placed in service (or disposed of) on the mid-point of such month.
The mid-quarter convention is a convention which treats all property placed in service during any quarter of a taxable year (or disposed of during any quarter of a taxable year) as placed in service (or disposed of) on the mid-point of such quarter.
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, property shall be classified under the following table:
Property shall be treated as: | If such property has a class life (in years) of: |
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The term “residential rental property” means any building or structure if 80 percent or more of the gross rental income from such building or structure for the taxable year is rental income from dwelling units.
The term “20-year property” means initial clearing and grading land improvements with respect to any electric utility transmission and distribution plant.
The term “railroad grading or tunnel bore” means all improvements resulting from excavations (including tunneling), construction of embankments, clearings, diversions of roads and streams, sodding of slopes, and from similar work necessary to provide, construct, reconstruct, alter, protect, improve, replace, or restore a roadbed or right-of-way for railroad track.
The term “qualified improvement property” means any improvement made by the taxpayer to an interior portion of a building which is nonresidential real property if such improvement is placed in service after the date such building was first placed in service.
Any public utility property (within the meaning of subsection (i)(10)) if the taxpayer does not use a normalization method of accounting.
Any motion picture film or video tape.
Any works which result from the fixation of a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds, regardless of the nature of the material (such as discs, tapes, or other phonorecordings) in which such sounds are embodied.
In the case of any property to which this section would apply but for this paragraph, the depreciation deduction under section 167 shall be determined under the provisions of this section as in effect before the amendments made by section 201 of the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
In the case of: | The recovery period shall be: |
---|---|
(i) Property not described in clause (ii) or (iii) | The class life. |
(ii) Personal property with no class life |
In the case of any tax-exempt use property subject to a lease, the recovery period used for purposes of paragraph (2) shall (notwithstanding any other subparagraph of this paragraph) in no event be less than 125 percent of the lease term.
For purposes of paragraph (2), in the case of property described in any of the following subparagraphs of subsection (e)(3), the class life shall be determined as follows:
If property is described in subparagraph: | The class life is: |
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(A)(iii) | 4 |
(B)(ii) | 5 |
(B)(iii) | 9.5 |
(B)(vii) | 10 |
(C)(i) | 10 |
(C)(iii) | 22 |
(C)(iv) | 14 |
(D)(i) | 15 |
(D)(ii) | 20 |
(E)(i) | 24 |
(E)(ii) | 24 |
(E)(iii) | 20 |
(E)(iv) | 20 |
(E)(v) | 30 |
(E)(vi) | 35 |
(E)(vii) | 20 |
(F) | 25 |
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In the case of any qualified technological equipment, the recovery period used for purposes of paragraph (2) shall be 5 years.
In the case of any automobile or light general purpose truck, the recovery period used for purposes of paragraph (2) shall be 5 years.
In the case of any section 1245 property which is real property with no class life, the recovery period used for purposes of paragraph (2) shall be 40 years.
Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the term “tax-exempt bond financed property” means any property to the extent such property is financed (directly or indirectly) by an obligation the interest on which is exempt from tax under section 103(a).
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the proceeds of any obligation shall be treated as used to finance property acquired in connection with the issuance of such obligation in the order in which such property is placed in service.
The term “tax-exempt bond financed property” shall not include any qualified residential rental project (within the meaning of section 142(a)(7)).
If the taxpayer makes an election under this paragraph with respect to any class of property for any taxable year, the alternative depreciation system under this subsection shall apply to all property in such class placed in service during such taxable year. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, in the case of nonresidential real property or residential rental property, such election may be made separately with respect to each property.
An election under subparagraph (A), once made, shall be irrevocable.
The property described in this paragraph shall consist of any nonresidential real property, residential rental property, and qualified improvement property held by an electing real property trade or business (as defined in 163(j)(7)(B)).
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the term “tax-exempt use property” means that portion of any tangible property (other than nonresidential real property) leased to a tax-exempt entity.
In the case of nonresidential real property, the term “tax-exempt use property” means that portion of the property leased to a tax-exempt entity in a disqualified lease.
Clause (i) shall apply to any property only if the portion of such property leased to tax-exempt entities in disqualified leases is more than 35 percent of the property.
For purposes of this subparagraph, improvements to a property (other than land) shall not be treated as a separate property.
Subclause (IV) of clause (ii) shall not apply to any property which is leased within 3 months after the date such property is first used by the tax-exempt entity (or a related entity).
Property shall not be treated as tax-exempt use property merely by reason of a short-term lease.
The term “tax-exempt use property” shall not include any portion of a property if such portion is predominantly used by the tax-exempt entity (directly or through a partnership of which such entity is a partner) in an unrelated trade or business the income of which is subject to tax under section 511. For purposes of subparagraph (B)(iii), any portion of a property so used shall not be treated as leased to a tax-exempt entity in a disqualified lease.
For purposes of this paragraph, the term “nonresidential real property” includes residential rental property.
For purposes of this subsection, an organization shall be treated as an organization described in subparagraph (A)(ii) with respect to any property (other than property held by such organization) if such organization was an organization (other than a cooperative described in section 521) exempt from tax imposed by this chapter at any time during the 5-year period ending on the date such property was first used by such organization. The preceding sentence and subparagraph (D)(ii) shall not apply to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
In the case of an organization formerly exempt from tax under section 501(a) as an organization described in section 501(c)(12), clause (i) shall not apply to such organization with respect to any property if such organization elects not to be exempt from tax under section 501(a) during the tax-exempt use period with respect to such property.
For purposes of subclause (I), the term “tax-exempt use period” means the period beginning with the taxable year in which the property described in subclause (I) is first used by the organization and ending with the close of the 15th taxable year following the last taxable year of the applicable recovery period of such property.
Any election under subclause (I), once made, shall be irrevocable.
Any organization which is engaged in activities substantially similar to those engaged in by a predecessor organization shall succeed to the treatment under this subparagraph of such predecessor organization.
For purposes of this section, the term “tax-exempt use property” shall not include any qualified technological equipment if the lease to the tax-exempt entity has a lease term of 5 years or less. Notwithstanding subsection (i)(3)(A)(i), in determining a lease term for purposes of the preceding sentence, there shall not be taken into account any option of the lessee to renew at the fair market value rent determined at the time of renewal; except that the aggregate period not taken into account by reason of this sentence shall not exceed 24 months.
Subclause (II) of clause (i) shall not apply to any property which is leased within 3 months after the date such property is first used by the tax-exempt entity (or a related entity).
In the case of any property which is leased to a partnership, the determination of whether any portion of such property is tax-exempt use property shall be made by treating each tax-exempt entity partner’s proportionate share (determined under paragraph (6)(C)) of such property as being leased to such partner.
Rules similar to the rules of subparagraph (A) shall also apply in the case of any pass-thru entity other than a partnership and in the case of tiered partnerships and other entities.
Unless it is otherwise established to the satisfaction of the Secretary, it shall be presumed that the partners of a foreign partnership (and the beneficiaries of any other foreign pass-thru entity) are persons who are not United States persons.
For purposes of subparagraph (A), a tax-exempt entity’s proportionate share of any property owned by a partnership shall be determined on the basis of such entity’s share of partnership items of income or gain (excluding gain allocated under section 704(c)), whichever results in the largest proportionate share.
For purposes of clause (i), if a tax-exempt entity’s share of partnership items of income or gain (excluding gain allocated under section 704(c)) may vary during the period such entity is a partner in the partnership, such share shall be the highest share such entity may receive.
For purposes of this subsection, in the case of any property which is owned by a partnership which has both a tax-exempt entity and a person who is not a tax-exempt entity as partners, the determination of whether such property is used in an unrelated trade or business of such an entity shall be made without regard to section 514.
Rules similar to the rules of subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) shall also apply in the case of any pass-thru entity other than a partnership and in the case of tiered partnerships and other entities.
For purposes of this paragraph and paragraph (5), except as otherwise provided in this subparagraph, any tax-exempt controlled entity shall be treated as a tax-exempt entity.
The term “tax-exempt controlled entity” means any corporation (which is not a tax-exempt entity determined without regard to this subparagraph and paragraph (2)(E)) if 50 percent or more (in value) of the stock in such corporation is held by 1 or more tax-exempt entities (other than a foreign person or entity).
For purposes of subclause (I), in the case of a corporation the stock of which is publicly traded on an established securities market, stock held by a tax-exempt entity shall not be taken into account unless such entity holds at least 5 percent (in value) of the stock in such corporation. For purposes of this subclause, related entities (within the meaning of paragraph (4)) shall be treated as 1 entity.
For purposes of this clause, a tax-exempt entity shall be treated as holding stock which it holds through application of section 318 (determined without regard to the 50-percent limitation contained in subsection (a)(2)(C) thereof).
For purposes of this subsection, the term “lease” includes any grant of a right to use property.
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this subsection.
Except as provided in this section, the term “class life” means the class life (if any) which would be applicable with respect to any property as of
The term “related peripheral equipment” means any auxiliary machine (whether on-line or off-line) which is designed to be placed under the control of the central processing unit of a computer.
For purposes of this paragraph, the term “high technology medical equipment” means any electronic, electromechanical, or computer-based high technology equipment used in the screening, monitoring, observation, diagnosis, or treatment of patients in a laboratory, medical, or hospital environment.
For purposes of clause (i) of subparagraph (A), in the case of nonresidential real property or residential rental property, there shall not be taken into account any option to renew at fair market value, determined at the time of renewal.
Under regulations, a taxpayer may maintain 1 or more general asset accounts for any property to which this section applies. Except as provided in regulations, all proceeds realized on any disposition of property in a general asset account shall be included in income as ordinary income.
The Secretary shall, by regulations, provide for the method of determining the deduction allowable under section 167(a) with respect to any tangible property for any taxable year (and the succeeding taxable years) during which such property changes status under this section but continues to be held by the same person.
In the case of any property transferred in a transaction described in subparagraph (B), the transferee shall be treated as the transferor for purposes of computing the depreciation deduction determined under this section with respect to so much of the basis in the hands of the transferee as does not exceed the adjusted basis in the hands of the transferor. In any case where this section as in effect before the amendments made by section 201 of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 applied to the property in the hands of the transferor, the reference in the preceding sentence to this section shall be treated as a reference to this section as so in effect.
Under regulations, property which is disposed of and then reacquired by the taxpayer shall be treated for purposes of computing the deduction allowable under subsection (a) as if such property had not been disposed of.
In the case of any building erected (or improvements made) on leased property, if such building or improvement is property to which this section applies, the depreciation deduction shall be determined under the provisions of this section.
For treatment of qualified long-term real property constructed or improved in connection with cash or rent reduction from lessor to lessee, see section 110(b).
One way in which the requirements of subparagraph (A) are not met is if the taxpayer, for ratemaking purposes, uses a procedure or adjustment which is inconsistent with the requirements of subparagraph (A).
The procedures and adjustments which are to be treated as inconsistent for purposes of clause (i) shall include any procedure or adjustment for ratemaking purposes which uses an estimate or projection of the taxpayer’s tax expense, depreciation expense, or reserve for deferred taxes under subparagraph (A)(ii) unless such estimate or projection is also used, for ratemaking purposes, with respect to the other 2 such items and with respect to the rate base.
The Secretary may by regulations prescribe procedures and adjustments (in addition to those specified in clause (ii)) which are to be treated as inconsistent for purposes of clause (i).
In the case of any public utility property to which this section does not apply by reason of subsection (f)(2), the allowance for depreciation under section 167(a) shall be an amount computed using the method and period referred to in subparagraph (A)(i).
The term “research and experimentation” has the same meaning as the term research and experimental has under section 174.
The terms “section 1245 property” and “section 1250 property” have the meanings given such terms by sections 1245(a)(3) and 1250(c), respectively.
The term “livestock” includes poultry.
The term “qualified rent-to-own property” means property held by a rent-to-own dealer for purposes of being subject to a rent-to-own contract.
The term “rent-to-own dealer” means a person that, in the ordinary course of business, regularly enters into rent-to-own contracts with customers for the use of consumer property, if a substantial portion of those contracts terminate and the property is returned to such person before the receipt of all payments required to transfer ownership of the property from such person to the customer.
The term “consumer property” means tangible personal property of a type generally used within the home for personal use.
Such term shall not include any transportation equipment, administrative services assets, warehouses, administrative buildings, hotels, or motels.
Such term shall not include any property placed in service after
For purposes of subsection (a), the applicable recovery period for qualified Indian reservation property shall be determined in accordance with the table contained in paragraph (2) in lieu of the table contained in subsection (c).
For purposes of paragraph (1)—
In the case of: | The applicable recovery period is: |
---|---|
3-year property | 2 years |
5-year property | 3 years |
7-year property | 4 years |
10-year property | 6 years |
15-year property | 9 years |
20-year property | 12 years |
Nonresidential real property | 22 years. |
For purposes of determining alternative minimum taxable income under section 55, the deduction under subsection (a) for qualified Indian reservation property shall be determined under this section without regard to any adjustment under section 56.
Subparagraph (A)(ii) shall not apply to qualified infrastructure property located outside of the Indian reservation if the purpose of such property is to connect with qualified infrastructure property located within the Indian reservation.
For purposes of this subsection, the rental to others of real property located within an Indian reservation shall be treated as the active conduct of a trade or business within an Indian reservation.
Any reference in this subsection to a provision not contained in this title shall be treated for purposes of this subsection as a reference to such provision as in effect on the date of the enactment of this paragraph.
If a taxpayer makes an election under this paragraph with respect to any class of property for any taxable year, paragraph (1) shall not apply to all property in such class placed in service during such taxable year. Such election, once made, shall be irrevocable.
This subsection shall not apply to property placed in service after
In the case of property which is qualified property solely by reason of clause (i), paragraph (1) shall apply only to the extent of the adjusted basis thereof attributable to manufacture, construction, or production before
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “transportation property” means tangible personal property used in the trade or business of transporting persons or property.
This subparagraph shall not apply to any property which is described in subparagraph (C).
In the case of a taxpayer manufacturing, constructing, or producing property for the taxpayer’s own use, the requirements of subclause (III) of subparagraph (B)(i) shall be treated as met if the taxpayer begins manufacturing, constructing, or producing the property before
In the case of a passenger automobile (as defined in section 280F(d)(5)) which is qualified property, the Secretary shall increase the limitation under section 280F(a)(1)(A)(i) by $8,000.
The deduction allowable under paragraph (1) shall be taken into account in computing any recapture amount under section 280F(b)(2).
For purposes of determining alternative minimum taxable income under section 55, the deduction under section 167 for qualified property shall be determined without regard to any adjustment under section 56.
An election under this paragraph may be revoked only with the consent of the Secretary.
If this paragraph applies to any specified plant, such specified plant shall not be treated as qualified property in the taxable year in which placed in service.
Rules similar to the rules of paragraph (2)(G) shall apply for purposes of this paragraph.
If a taxpayer makes an election under this paragraph with respect to any class of property for any taxable year, paragraphs (1) and (2)(F) shall not apply to any qualified property in such class placed in service during such taxable year. An election under this paragraph may be revoked only with the consent of the Secretary.
In the case of qualified property placed in service by the taxpayer during the first taxable year ending after
Any election under this paragraph shall be made at such time and in such form and manner as the Secretary may prescribe.
Such term shall not include any property to which subsection (k) applies.
Such term shall not include any property described in subsection (k)(2)(D).
Such term shall not include any property any portion of which is financed with the proceeds of any obligation the interest on which is exempt from tax under section 103.
If a taxpayer makes an election under this subparagraph with respect to any class of property for any taxable year, this subsection shall not apply to all property in such class placed in service during such taxable year.
For purposes of this subsection, rules similar to the rules of subsection (k)(2)(E) shall apply.
For purposes of this subsection, rules similar to the rules of subsection (k)(2)(G) shall apply.
For purposes of this subsection, rules similar to the rules under section 179(d)(10) shall apply with respect to any qualified second generation biofuel plant property which ceases to be qualified second generation biofuel plant property.
Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any qualified second generation biofuel plant property with respect to which an election has been made under section 179C (relating to election to expense certain refineries).
The term “qualified reuse and recycling property” shall not include any property to which subsection (k) (determined without regard to paragraph (4) thereof) applies.
The term “qualified reuse and recycling property” shall not include any property to which the alternative depreciation system under subsection (g) applies, determined without regard to paragraph (7) of subsection (g) (relating to election to have system apply).
If a taxpayer makes an election under this clause with respect to any class of property for any taxable year, this subsection shall not apply to all property in such class placed in service during such taxable year.
In the case of a taxpayer manufacturing, constructing, or producing property for the taxpayer’s own use, the requirements of clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) shall be treated as met if the taxpayer begins manufacturing, constructing, or producing the property after
For purposes of determining alternative minimum taxable income under section 55, the deduction under subsection (a) for qualified reuse and recycling property shall be determined under this section without regard to any adjustment under section 56.
The term “reuse and recycling property” means any machinery and equipment (not including buildings or real estate), along with all appurtenances thereto, including software necessary to operate such equipment, which is used exclusively to collect, distribute, or recycle qualified reuse and recyclable materials.
Such term does not include rolling stock or other equipment used to transport reuse and recyclable materials.
The term “qualified reuse and recyclable materials” means scrap plastic, scrap glass, scrap textiles, scrap rubber, scrap packaging, recovered fiber, scrap ferrous and nonferrous metals, or electronic scrap generated by an individual or business.
The term “recycling” or “recycle” means that process (including sorting) by which worn or superfluous materials are manufactured or processed into specification grade commodities that are suitable for use as a replacement or substitute for virgin materials in manufacturing tangible consumer and commercial products, including packaging.