[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 2]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.132-5]

[Page 568-583]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.132-5  Working condition fringes.

    (a) In general--(1) Definition. Gross income does not include the 
value of a working condition fringe. A ``working condition fringe'' is 
any property or service provided to an employee of an employer to the 
extent that, if the employee paid for the property or service, the 
amount paid would be allowable as a deduction under section 162 or 167.
    (i) A service or property offered by an employer in connection with 
a flexible spending account is not excludable from gross income as a 
working condition fringe. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a 
flexible spending account is an agreement (whether or not written) 
entered into between an employer and an employee that makes available to 
the employee over a time period a certain level of unspecified non-cash 
benefits with a pre-determined cash value.
    (ii) If, under section 274 or any other section, certain 
substantiation requirements must be met in order for a deduction under 
section 162 or 167 to be allowable, then those substantiation 
requirements apply when determining whether a property or service is 
excludable as a working condition fringe.
    (iii) An amount that would be deductible by the employee under a 
section other than section 162 or 167, such as section 212, is not a 
working condition fringe.
    (iv) A physical examination program provided by the employer is not 
excludable as a working condition fringe even if the value of such 
program might be deductible to the employee under section 213. The 
previous sentence applies without regard to whether the employer makes 
the program mandatory to some or all employees.
    (v) A cash payment made by an employer to an employee will not 
qualify as a working condition fringe unless the employer requires the 
employee to--
    (A) Use the payment for expenses in connection with a specific or 
pre-arranged activity or undertaking for which a deduction is allowable 
under section 162 or 167,
    (B) Verify that the payment is actually used for such expenses, and
    (C) Return to the employer any part of the payment not so used.
    (vi) The limitation of section 67(a) (relating to the two-percent 
floor on miscellaneous itemized deductions) is not considered when 
determining the amount of a working condition fringe. For example, 
assume that an employer provides a $1,000 cash advance to Employee A and 
that the conditions of paragraph (a)(1)(v) of this section are not 
satisfied. Even to the extent A uses the allowance for expenses for 
which a deduction is allowable under section 162 and 167, because such 
cash payment is not a working condition fringe, section 67(a) applies. 
The $1,000 payment is includible in A's gross income and subject to 
income and employment tax withholding. If, however, the conditions of 
paragraph (a)(1)(v) of this section are satisfied with respect to the 
payment, then the amount of A's working condition fringe is determined 
without regard to section 67(a). The $1,000 payment is excludible from 
A's gross income and not subject to income and employment tax reporting 
and withholding.
    (2) Trade or business of the employee--(i) General. If the 
hypothetical payment for a property or service would be allowable as a 
deduction with respect to a trade or business of an employee other than 
the employee's trade or business of being an employee of the employer, 
it cannot be taken into account for purposes of determining the amount, 
if any, of the working condition fringe.

[[Page 569]]

    (ii) Examples. The rule of paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section may 
be illustrated by the following examples:

    Example (1). Assume that, unrelated to company X's trade or business 
and unrelated to employee A's trade or business of being an employee of 
company X, A is a member of the board of directors of company Y. Assume 
further that company X provides A with air transportation to a company Y 
board of director's meeting. A may not exclude from gross income the 
value of the air transportation to the meeting as a working condition 
fringe. A may, however, deduct such amount under section 162 if the 
section 162 requirements are satisfied. The result would be the same 
whether the air transportation was provided in the form of a flight on a 
commercial airline or a seat on a company X airplane.
    Example (2). Assume the same facts as in example (1) except that A 
serves on the board of directors of company Z and company Z regularly 
purchases a significant amount of goods and services from company X. 
Because of the relationship between Company Z and A's employer, A's 
membership on Company Z's board of directors is related to A's trade or 
business of being an employee of Company X. Thus, A may exclude from 
gross income the value of air transportation to board meetings as a 
working condition fringe.
    Example (3). Assume the same facts as in example (1) except that A 
serves on the board of directors of a charitable organization. Assume 
further that the service by A on the charity's board is substantially 
related to company X's trade or business. In this case, A may exclude 
from gross income the value of air transportation to board meetings as a 
working condition fringe.
    Example (4). Assume the same facts as in example (3) except that 
company X also provides A with the use of a company X conference room 
which A uses for monthly meetings relating to the charitable 
organization. Also assume that A uses company X's copy machine and word 
processor each month in connection with functions of the charitable 
organization. Because of the substantial business benefit that company X 
derives from A's service on the board of the charity, A may exclude as a 
working condition fringe the value of the use of company X property in 
connection with the charitable organization.

    (b) Vehicle allocation rules--(1) In general--(i) General rule. In 
general, with respect to an employer-provided vehicle, the amount 
excludable as a working condition fringe is the amount that would be 
allowable as a deduction under section 162 or 167 if the employee paid 
for the availability of the vehicle. For example, assume that the value 
of the availability of an employer-provided vehicle for a full year is 
$2,000, without regard to any working condition fringe (i.e., assuming 
all personal use). Assume Further that the employee drives the vehicle 
6,000 miles for his employer's business and 2,000 miles for reasons 
other than the employer's business. In this situation, the value of the 
working condition fringe is $2,000 multiplied by a fraction, the 
numerator of which is the business-use mileage (6,000 miles) and the 
denominator of which is the total mileage (8,000 miles). Thus, the value 
of the working condition fringe is $1,500. The total amount includible 
in the employee's gross income on account of the availability of the 
vehicle is $500 ($2,000-$1,500). For purposes of this section, the term 
``vehicle'' has the meaning given the term in Sec. 1.61-21(e)(2). 
Generally, when determining the amount of an employee's working 
condition fringe, miles accumulated on the vehicle by all employees of 
the employer during the period in which the vehicle is available to the 
employee are considered. For example, assume that during the year in 
which the vehicle is available to the employee in the above example, 
other employees accumulate 2,000 additional miles on the vehicle (while 
the employee is not in the automobile). In this case, the value of the 
working condition fringe is $2,000 multiplied by a fraction, the 
numerator of which is the business-use mileage by the employee 
(including all mileage (business and personal) accumulated by other 
employees) (8,000 miles) and the denominator of which is the total 
mileage (including all mileage accumulated by other employees) (10,000 
miles). Thus, the value of the working condition fringe is $1,600; the 
total amount includible in the employee's gross income on account of the 
availability of the vehicle is $400 ($2,000-$1,600). If, however, 
substantially all of the use of the automobile by other employees in the 
employer's business is limited to a certain period, such as the last 
three months of the year, the miles driven by the other employees during 
that period

[[Page 570]]

would not be considered when determining the employee's working 
condition fringe exclusion. Similarly, miles driven by other employees 
are not considered if the pattern of use of the employer-provided 
automobiles is designed to reduce Federal taxes. For example, assume 
that an employer provides employees A and B each with the availability 
of an employer-provided automobile and that A uses the automobile 
assigned to him 80 percent for the employer's business and that B uses 
the automobile assigned to him 30 percent for the employer's business. 
If A and B alternate the use of their assigned automobiles each week in 
such a way as to achieve a reduction in federal taxes, then the employer 
may count only miles placed on the automobile by the employee to whom 
the automobile is assigned when determining each employee's working 
condition fringe.
    (ii) Use by an individual other than the employee. For purposes of 
this section, if the availability of a vehicle to an individual would be 
taxed to an employee, use of the vehicle by the individual is included 
in references to use by the employee.
    (iii) Provision of an expensive vehicle for personal use. If an 
employer provides an employee with a vehicle that an employee may use in 
part for personal purposes, there is no working condition fringe 
exclusion with respect to the personal miles driven by the employee; if 
the employee paid for the availability of the vehicle, he would not be 
entitled to deduct under section 162 or 167 any part of the payment 
attributable to personal miles. The amount of the inclusion is not 
affected by the fact that the employee would have chosen the 
availability of a less expensive vehicle. Moreover, the result is the 
same even though the decision to provide an expensive rather than an 
inexpensive vehicle is made by the employer for bona fide 
noncompensatory business reasons.
    (iv) Total value inclusion. In lieu of excluding the value of a 
working condition fringe with respect of an automobile, an employer 
using the automobile lease valuation rule of Sec. 1.61-21(d) may 
include in an employee's gross income the entire Annual Lease Value of 
the automobile. Any deduction allowable to the employee under section 
162 or 167 with respect to the automobile may be taken on the employee's 
income tax return. The total inclusion rule of this paragraph (b)(1)(iv) 
is not available if the employer is valuing the use or availability of a 
vehicle under general valuation principles or a special valuation rule 
other than the automobile lease valuation rule. See Sec. Sec. 1.162-25 
and 1.162-25T for rules relating to the employee's deduction.
    (v) Shared usage. In calculating the working condition fringe 
benefit exclusion with respect to a vehicle provided for use by more 
than one employee, an employer shall compute the working condition 
fringe in a manner consistent with the allocation of the value of the 
vehicle under section 1.61-21(c)(2)(ii)(B).
    (2) Use of different employer-provided vehicles. The working 
condition fringe exclusion must be applied on a vehicle-by-vehicle 
basis. For example, assume that automobile Y is available to employee D 
for 3 days in January and for 5 days in March, and automobile Z is 
available to D for a week in July. Assume further that the Daily Lease 
Value, as defined in Sec. 1.61-21(d)(4)(ii), of each automobile is $50. 
For the eight days of availability of Y in January and March, D uses Y 
90 percent for business (by mileage). During July, D uses Z 60 percent 
for business (by mileage). The value of the working condition fringe is 
determined separately for each automobile. Therefore, the working 
condition fringe for Y is $360 ($400x.90) leaving an income inclusion of 
$40. The working condition fringe for Z is $210 ($350x.60), leaving an 
income inclusion of $140. If the value of the availability of an 
automobile is determined under the Annual Lease Value rule for one 
period and Daily Lease Value rule for a second period (see Sec. 1.61-
21(d)), the working condition fringe exclusion must be calculated 
separately for the two periods.
    (3) Provision of a vehicle and chauffeur services--(i) General rule. 
In general, with respect to the value of chauffeur services provided by 
an employer, the amount excludable as a working condition fringe is the 
amount that would be

[[Page 571]]

allowable as a deduction under section 162 and 167 if the employee paid 
for the chauffeur services. The working condition fringe with respect to 
a chauffeur is determined separately from the working condition fringe 
with respect to the vehicle. An employee may exclude from gross income 
the excess of the value of the chauffeur services over the value of the 
chauffeur services for personal purposes (such as commuting) as 
determined under Sec. 1.61-21(b)(5). See Sec. 1.61-21(b)(5) for 
additional rules and examples concerning the valuation of chauffeur 
services. See Sec. 1.132-5(m)(5) for rules relating to an exclusion 
from gross income for the value of bodyguard/chauffeur services. When 
determining whether miles placed on the vehicle are for the employer's 
business, miles placed on the vehicle by a chauffeur between the 
chauffeur's residence and the place at which the chauffeur picks up (or 
drops off) the employee are with respect to the employee (but not the 
chauffeur) considered to be miles placed on the vehicle for the 
employer's business and thus eligible for the working condition fringe 
exclusion. Thus, because miles placed on the vehicle by a chauffeur 
between the chauffeur's residence and the place at which the chauffeur 
picks up (or drops off) the employee are not considered business miles 
with respect to the chauffeur, the value of the availability of the 
vehicle for commuting is includible in the gross income of the 
chauffeur. For general and special rules concerning the valuation of the 
use of employer-provided vehicles, see paragraphs (b) through (f) of 
Sec. 1.61-21.
    (ii) Examples. The rules of paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section are 
illustrated by the following examples:

    Example (1). Assume that an employer makes available to an employee 
an automobile and a chauffeur. Assume further that the value of the 
chauffeur services determined in accordance with Sec. 1.61-21 is 
$30,000 and that the chauffeur spends 30 percent of each workday driving 
the employee for personal purposes. There may be excluded from the 
employee's income 70 percent of $30,000, or $21,000, leaving an income 
inclusion with respect to the chauffeur services of $9,000.
    Example (2). Assume that the value of the availability of an 
employer-provided vehicle for a year is $4,850 and that the value of 
employer-provided chauffeur services with respect to the vehicle for the 
year is $20,000. Assume further that 40 percent of the miles placed on 
the vehicle are for the employer's business and that 60 percent are for 
other purposes. In addition, assume that the chauffeur spends 25 percent 
of each workday driving the employee for personal purposes (i.e., 2 
hours). The value of the chauffeur services includible in the employee's 
income is 25 percent of $20,000, or $5,000. The excess of $20,000 over 
$5,000 or $15,000 is excluded from the employee's income as a working 
condition fringe. The amount excludable as a working condition fringe 
with respect to the vehicle is 40 percent of $4,850, or $1,940 and the 
amount includible is $4,850-$1,940, or $2,910.

    (c) Applicability of substantiation requirements of sections 162 and 
274 (d)--(1) In general. The value of property or services provided to 
an employee may not be excluded from the employee's gross income as a 
working condition fringe, by either the employer or the employee, unless 
the applicable substantiation requirements of either section 274(d) or 
section 162 (whichever is applicable) and the regulations thereunder are 
satisfied. The substantiation requirements of section 274(d) apply to an 
employee even if the requirements of section 274 do not apply to the 
employee's employer for deduction purposes (such as when the employer is 
a tax-exempt organization or a governmental unit).
    (2) Section 274(d) requirements. The substantiation requirements of 
section 274(d) are satisfied by ``adequate records or sufficient 
evidence corroborating the [employee's] own statement''. Therefore, such 
records or evidence provided by the employee, and relied upon by the 
employer to the extent permitted by the regulations promulgated under 
section 274(d), will be sufficient to substantiate a working condition 
fringe exclusion.
    (d) Safe harbor substantiation rules--(1) In general. Section 1.274-
6T provides that the substantiation requirements of section 274(d) and 
the regulations thereunder may be satisfied, in certain circumstances, 
by using one or more of the safe harbor rules prescribed in Sec. 1.274-
6T. If the employer uses one of the safe harbor rules prescribed in 
Sec. 1.274-6T during a period with respect to a vehicle (as defined in 
Sec. 1.61-21(e)(2)), that rule must be used by the employer to 
substantiate a working condition fringe exclusion with respect

[[Page 572]]

to that vehicle during the period. An employer that is exempt from 
Federal income tax may still use one of the safe harbor rules (if the 
requirements of that section are otherwise met during a period) to 
substantiate a working condition fringe exclusion with respect to a 
vehicle during the period. If the employer uses one of the methods 
prescribed in Sec. 1.274-6T during a period with respect to an 
employer-provided vehicle, that method may be used by an employee to 
substantiate a working condition fringe exclusion with respect to the 
same vehicle during the period, as long as the employee includes in 
gross income the amount allocated to the employee pursuant to Sec. 
1.274-6T and this section. (See Sec. 1.61-21(c)(2) for other rules 
concerning when an employee must include in income the amount determined 
by the employer.) If, however, the employer uses the safe harbor rule 
prescribed in Sec. 1.274-6T(a) (2) or (3) and the employee without the 
employer's knowledge uses the vehicle for purposes other than de minimis 
personal use (in the case of the rule prescribed in Sec. 1.274-
6T(a)(2)), or for purposes other than de minimis personal use and 
commuting (in the case of the rule prescribed in Sec. 1.274-6T(a)(3)), 
then the employees must include an additional amount in income for the 
unauthorized use of the vehicle.
    (2) Period for use of safe harbor rules. The rules prescribed in 
this paragraph (d) assume that the safe harbor rules prescribed in Sec. 
1.274-6T are used for a one-year period. Accordingly, references to the 
value of the availability of a vehicle, amounts excluded as a working 
condition fringe, etc., are based on a one-year period. If the safe 
harbor rules prescribed in Sec. 1.274-6T are used for a period of less 
than a year, the amounts referred to in the previous sentence must be 
adjusted accordingly. For purposes of this section, the term ``personal 
use'' has the same meaning as prescribed in Sec. 1.274-6T (e)(5).
    (e) Safe harbor substantiation rule for vehicles not used for 
personal purposes. For a vehicle described in Sec. 1.274-6T(a)(2) 
(relating to certain vehicles not used for personal purposes), the 
working condition fringe exclusion is equal to the value of the 
availability of the vehicle if the employer uses the method prescribed 
in Sec. 1.274-6T(a)(2).
    (f) Safe harbor substantiation rule for vehicles not available to 
employees for personal use other than commuting. For a vehicle described 
in Sec. 1.274-6T(a)(3) (relating to certain vehicles not used for 
personal purposes other than commuting), the working condition fringe 
exclusion is equal to the value of the availability of the vehicle for 
purposes other than commuting if the employer uses the method prescribed 
in Sec. 1.274-6T(a)(3). This rule applies only if the special rule for 
valuing commuting use, as prescribed in Sec. 1.61-21(f), is used and 
the amount determined under the special rule is either included in the 
employee's income or reimbursed by the employee.
    (g) Safe harbor substantiation rule for vehicles used in connection 
with the business of farming that are available to employees for 
personal use--(1) In general. For a vehicle described in Sec. 1.274-
6T(b) (relating to certain vehicles used in connection with the business 
of farming), the working condition fringe exclusion is calculated by 
multiplying the value of the availability of the vehicle by 75 percent.
    (2) Vehicles available to more than one individual. If the vehicle 
is available to more than one individual, the employer must allocate the 
gross income inclusion attributable to the vehicle (25 percent of the 
value of the availability of the vehicle) among the employees (and other 
individuals whose use would not be attributed to an employee) to whom 
the vehicle was available. This allocation must be done in a reasonable 
manner to reflect the personal use of the vehicle by the individuals. An 
amount that would be allocated to a sole proprietor reduces the amounts 
that may be allocated to employees but is otherwise to be disregarded 
for purposes of this paragraph (g). For purposes of this paragraph (g), 
the value of the availability of a vehicle may be calculated as if the 
vehicle were available to only one employee continuously and without 
regard to any working condition fringe exclusion.
    (3) Examples. The following examples illustrate a reasonable 
allocation of

[[Page 573]]

gross income with respect to an employer-provided vehicle between two 
employees:

    Example (1). Assume that two farm employees share the use of a 
vehicle that for a calendar year is regularly used directly in 
connection with the business of farming and qualifies for use of the 
rule in Sec. 1.274-6T(b). Employee A uses the vehicle in the morning 
directly in connection with the business of farming and employee B uses 
the vehicle in the afternoon directly in connection with the business of 
farming. Assume further that employee B takes the vehicle home in the 
evenings and on weekends. The employer should allocate all the income 
attributable to the availability of the vehicle to employee B.
    Example (2). Assume that for a calendar year, farm employees C and D 
share the use of a vehicle that is regularly used directly in connection 
with the business of farming and qualifies for use of the rule in Sec. 
1.2.4-6T(b). Assume further that the employees alternate taking the 
vehicle home in the evening and alternate the availability of the 
vehicle for personal purposes on weekends. The employer should allocate 
the income attributable to the availability of the vehicle for personal 
use (25 percent of the value of the availability of the vehicle) equally 
between the two employees.
    Example (3). Assume the same facts as in example (2) except that C 
is the sole proprietor of the farm. Based on these facts, C should 
allocate the same amount of income to D as was allocated to D in example 
(2). No other income attributable to the availability of the vehicle for 
personal use should be allocated.

    (h) Qualified nonpersonal use vehicles. (1) In general. Except as 
provided in paragraph (h)(2) of this section, 100 percent of the value 
of the use of a qualified nonpersonal use vehicle (as described in Sec. 
1.274-5T(k)) is excluded from gross income as a working condition 
fringe, provided that, in the case of a vehicle described in paragraph 
(k) (3) through (8) of that section, the use of the vehicle conforms to 
the requirements of that paragraph.
    (2) Shared usage of qualified nonpersonal use vehicles. In general, 
a working condition fringe under paragraph (h) of this section is 
available to the driver and all passengers of a qualified nonpersonal 
use vehicle. However, a working condition fringe under this paragraph 
(h) is available only with respect to the driver and not with respect to 
any passengers of a qualified nonpersonal use vehicle described in Sec. 
1.274-5T(k)(2)(ii) (L) or (P). In this case, the passengers must comply 
with provisions of this section (excluding this paragraph (h)) to 
determine the applicability of the working condition fringe exclusion. 
For example, if an employer provides a passenger bus with a capacity of 
25 passengers to its employees for purposes of transporting employees to 
and/or from work, the driver of the bus may exclude from gross income as 
a working condition fringe 100 percent of the value of the use of the 
vehicle. The value of the commuting use of the employer-provided bus by 
the employee-passengers is includible in their gross incomes. See Sec. 
1.61-21(f) for a special rule to value the commuting-only use of 
employer-provided vehicles.
    (i) [Reserved]
    (j) Application of section 280F. In determining the amount, if any, 
of an employee's working condition fringe, section 280F and the 
regulations thereunder do not apply. For example, assume that an 
employee has available for a calendar year an employer-provided 
automobile with a fair market value of $28,000. Assume further that the 
special rule provided in Sec. 1.61-21(d) is used yielding an Annual 
Lease Value, as defined in Sec. 1.61-21(d), of $7,750, and that all of 
the employee's use of the automobile is for the employer's business. The 
employee would be entitled to exclude as a working condition fringe the 
entire Annual Lease Value, despite the fact that if the employee paid 
for the availability of the automobile, an income inclusion would be 
required under Sec. 1.280F-6(d)(1). This paragraph (j) does not affect 
the applicability of section 280F to the employer with respect to such 
employer-provided automobile, nor does it affect the applicability of 
section 274 to either the employer or the employee. For rules concerning 
substantiation of an employee's working condition fringe, see paragraph 
(c) of this section.
    (k) Aircraft allocation rule. In general, with respect to a flight 
on an employer-provided aircraft, the amount excludable as a working 
condition fringe is the amount that would be allowable as a deduction 
under section 162 or 167 if the employee paid for the

[[Page 574]]

flight on the aircraft. For example, if employee P and P's spouse fly on 
P's employer's airplane primarily for business reasons of P's employer 
so that P could deduct the expenses relating to the trip to the extent 
of P's payments, the value of the flights is excludable from gross 
income as a working condition fringe. However, if P's children accompany 
P on the trip primarily for personal reasons, the value of the flights 
by P's children are includible in P's gross income. See Sec. 1.61-21 
(g) for special rules for valuing personal flights on employer-provided 
aircraft.
    (l) [Reserved]
    (m) Employer-provided transportation for security concerns--(1) In 
general. The amount of a working condition fringe exclusion with respect 
to employer-provided transportation is the amount that would be 
allowable as a deduction under section 162 or 167 if the employee paid 
for the transportation. Generally, if an employee pays for 
transportation taken for primarily personal purposes, the employee may 
not deduct any part of the amount paid. Thus, the employee may not 
generally exclude the value of employer-provided transportation as a 
working condition fringe if such transportation is primarily personal. 
If, however, for bona fide business-oriented security concerns, the 
employee purchases transportation that provides him or her with 
additional security, the employee may generally deduct the excess of the 
amount actually paid for the transportation over the amount the employee 
would have paid for the same mode of transportation absent the bona fide 
business-oriented security concerns. This is the case whether or not the 
employee would have taken the same mode of transportation absent the 
bona fide business-oriented security concerns. With respect to a 
vehicle, the phrase ``the same mode of transportation'' means use of the 
same vehicle without the additional security aspects, such as 
bulletproof glass. With respect to air transportation, the phrase ``the 
same mode of transportation'' means comparable air transportation. These 
same rules apply to the determination of an employee's working condition 
fringe exclusion. For example, if an employer provides an employee with 
a vehicle for commuting and, because of bona fide business-oriented 
security concerns, the vehicle is specially designed for security, then 
the employee may exclude from gross income the value of the special 
security design as a working condition fringe. The employee may not 
exclude the value of the commuting from income as a working condition 
fringe because commuting is a nondeductible personal expense. However, 
if an independent security study meeting the requirements of paragraph 
(m)(2)(v) of this section has been performed with respect to a 
government employee, the government employee may exclude the value of 
the personal use (other than commuting) of the employer-provided vehicle 
that the security study determines to be reasonable and necessary for 
local transportation. Similarly, if an employee travels on a personal 
trip in an employer-provided aircraft for bona fide business-oriented 
security concerns, the employee may exclude the excess, if any, of the 
value of the flight over the amount the employee would have paid for the 
same mode of transportation, but for the bona fide business-oriented 
security concerns. Because personal travel is a nondeductible expense, 
the employee may not exclude the total value of the trip as a working 
condition fringe.
    (2) Demonstration of bona fide business-oriented security concerns--
(i) In general. For purposes of this paragraph (m), a bona fide 
business-oriented security concern exists only if the facts and 
circumstances establish a specific basis for concern regarding the 
safety of the employee. A generalized concern for an employee's safety 
is not a bona fide business-oriented security concern. Once a bona fide 
business-oriented security concern is determined to exist with respect 
to a particular employee, the employer must periodically evaluate the 
situation for purposes of determining whether the bona fide business-
oriented security concern still exists. Example of factors indicating a 
specific basis for concern regarding the safety of an employee are--
    (A) A threat of death or kidnapping of, or serious bodily harm to, 
the employee or a similarly situated employee because of either 
employee's

[[Page 575]]

status as an employee of the employer; or
    (B) A recent history of violent terrorist activity (such as 
bombings) in the geographic area in which the transportation is 
provided, unless that activity is focused on a group of individuals 
which does not include the employee (or a similarly situated employee of 
an employer), or occurs to a significant degree only in a location 
within the geographic area where the employee does not travel.
    (ii) Establishment of overall security program. Notwithstanding 
anything in paragraph (m)(2)(i) of this section to the contrary, no bona 
fide business-oriented security concern will be deemed to exist unless 
the employee's employer establishes to the satisfaction of the 
Commissioner that an overall security program has been provided with 
respect to the employee involved. An overall security program is deemed 
to exist if the requirements of paragraph (m)(2)(iv) of this section are 
satisfied (relating to an independent security study).
    (iii) Overall security program--(A) Defined. An overall security 
program is one in which security is provided to protect the employee on 
a 24-hour basis. The employee must be protected while at the employee's 
residence, while commuting to and from the employee's workplace, and 
while at the employee's workplace. In addition, the employee must be 
protected while traveling both at home and away from home, whether for 
business or personal purposes. An overall security program must include 
the provision of a bodyguard/chauffeur who is trained in evasive driving 
techniques; an automobile specially equipped for security; guards, metal 
detectors, alarms, or similar methods of controlling access to the 
employee's workplace and residence; and, in appropriate cases, flights 
on the employer's aircraft for business and personal reasons.
    (B) Application. There is no overall security program when, for 
example, security is provided at the employee's workplace but not at the 
employee's residence. In addition, the fact that an employer requires an 
employee to travel on the employer's aircraft, or in an employer-
provided vehicle that contains special security features, does not alone 
constitute an overall security program. The preceding sentence applies 
regardless of the existence of a corporate or other resolution requiring 
the employee to travel in the employer's aircraft or vehicle for 
personal as well as business reasons.
    (iv) Effect of an independent security study. An overall security 
program with respect to an employee is deemed to exist if the conditions 
of this paragraph (m)(2)(iv) are satisfied:
    (A) A security study is performed with respect to the employer and 
the employee (or a similarly situated employee of the employer) by an 
independent security consultant;
    (B) The security study is based on an objective assessment of all 
facts and circumstances;
    (C) The recommendation of the security study is that an overall 
security program (as defined in paragraph (m)(2)(iii) of this section) 
is not necessary and the recommendation is reasonable under the 
circumstances; and
    (D) The employer applies the specific security recommendations 
contained in the security study to the employee on a consistent basis.

The value of transportation-related security provided pursuant to a 
security study that meets the requirements of this paragraph (m)(2)(iv) 
may be excluded from income if the security study conclusions are 
reasonable and, but for the bona fide business-oriented security 
concerns, the employee would not have had such security. No exclusion 
from income applies to security provided by the employer that is not 
recommended in the security study. Security study conclusions may be 
reasonable even if, for example, it is recommended that security be 
limited to certain geographic areas, as in the case in which air travel 
security is provided only in certain foreign countries.
    (v) Independent security study with respect to government employees. 
For purposes of establishing the existence of an overall security 
program under paragraph (m)(2)(ii) of this section with respect to a 
particular government employee, a security study conducted by the 
government employer (including an agency or instrumentality thereof) 
will be treated as a security study pursuant

[[Page 576]]

to paragraph (m)(2)(iv) of this section if, in lieu of the conditions of 
paragraphs (m)(2)(iv)(A) through (D) of this section, the following 
conditions are satisfied:
    (A) The security study is conducted by a person expressly designated 
by the government employer as having the responsibility and independent 
authority to determine both the need for employer-provided security and 
the appropriate protective services in response to that determination;
    (B) The security study is conducted in accordance with written 
internal procedures that require an independent and objective assessment 
of the facts and circumstances, such as the nature of the threat to the 
employee, the appropriate security response to that threat, an estimate 
of the length of time protective services will be necessary, and the 
extent to which employer-provided transportation may be necessary during 
the period of protection;
    (C) With respect to employer-provided transportation, the security 
study evaluates the extent to which personal use, including commuting, 
by the employee and the employee's spouse and dependents may be 
necessary during the period of protection and makes a recommendation as 
to what would be considered reasonable personal use during that period; 
and
    (D) The employer applies the specific security recommendations 
contained in the study to the employee on a consistent basis.
    (3) Application of security rules to spouses and dependents. (i) In 
general. If a bona fide business-oriented security concern exists with 
respect to an employee (because, for example, threats are made on the 
life of an employee), the bona fide business-oriented security concern 
is deemed to exist with respect to the employee's spouse and dependents 
to the extent provided in this paragraph (m)(3).
    (ii) Certain transportation. If a working condition fringe exclusion 
is available under this paragraph (m) for transportation in a vehicle or 
aircraft provided for a bona fide business-oriented security concern 
with respect to an employee, the requirements of this paragraph (m) are 
deemed to be satisfied with respect to transportation in the same 
vehicle or aircraft provided at the same time to the employee's spouse 
and dependent children.
    (iii) Other. Except as provided in paragraph (m)(3)(ii) of this 
section, a bona fide business oriented security concern is deemed to 
exist for the spouse and dependent children of the employer only if the 
requirements of paragraph (m)(2) (iii) or (iv) of this section are 
applied independently to such spouse and dependent children.
    (iv) Spouses and dependents of government employees. The security 
rules of this paragraph (m)(3) apply to the spouse and dependents of a 
government employee. However, the value of local vehicle transportation 
provided to the government employee's spouse and dependents for personal 
purposes, other than commuting, during the period that a bona fide 
business-oriented security concern exists with respect to the government 
employee will not be included in the government employee's gross income 
if the personal use is determined to be reasonable and necessary by the 
security study described in paragraph (m)(2)(v) of this section.
    (4) Working condition safe harbor for travel on employer-provided 
aircraft. Under the safe harbor rule of this paragraph (m)(4), if, for a 
bona fide business-oriented security concern, the employer requires that 
an employee travel on an employer-provided aircraft for a personal trip, 
the employer and the employee may exclude from the employee's gross 
income, as a working condition fringe, the excess value of the aircraft 
trip over the safe harbor airfare without having to show what method of 
transportation the employee would have flown but for the bona fide 
business-oriented security concern. For purposes of the safe harbor rule 
of this paragraph (m)(4), the value of the safe harbor airfare is 
determined under the non-commercial flight valuation rule of Sec. 1.61-
21(g) (regardless of whether the employer or employee elects to use such 
valuation rule) by multiplying an aircraft multiple of 200-percent by 
the applicable cents-per-mile rates and the number of miles in the 
flight and then adding the applicable terminal charge. The value of the 
safe harbor airfare determined under this paragraph (m)(4)

[[Page 577]]

must be included in the employee's income (to the extent not reimbursed 
by the employee) regardless of whether the employee or the employer uses 
the special valuation rule of Sec. 1.61-21(g). The excess of the value 
of the aircraft trip over this amount may be excluded from gross income 
as a working condition fringe. If, for a bona fide business-oriented 
security concern, the employer requires that an employee's spouse and 
dependents travel on an employer-provided aircraft for a personal trip, 
the special rule of this paragraph (m)(4) is available to exclude the 
excess value of the aircraft trips over the safe harbor airfares.
    (5) Bodyguard/chauffeur provided for a bona fide business-oriented 
security concern. If an employer provides an employee with vehicle 
transportation and a bodyguard/chauffeur for a bona fide business-
oriented security concern, and but for the bona fide business-oriented 
security concern the employee would not have had a bodyguard or a 
chauffeur, then the entire value of the services of the bodyguard/
chauffeur is excludable from gross income as a working condition fringe. 
For purposes of this section, a bodyguard/chauffeur must be trained in 
evasive driving techniques. An individual who performs services as a 
driver for an employee is not a bodyguard/chauffeur if the individual is 
not trained in evasive driving techniques. Thus, no part of the value of 
the services of such an individual is excludable from gross income under 
this paragraph (m)(5). (See paragraph (b)(3) of this section for rules 
relating to the determination of the working condition fringe exclusion 
for chauffeur services.)
    (6) Special valuation rule for government employees. If 
transportation is provided to a government employee for commuting during 
the period that a bona fide business-oriented security concern under 
Sec. 1.132-5(m) exists, the commuting use may be valued by reference to 
the values set forth in Sec. 1.61-21(e)(1)(i) or (f)(3) (vehicle cents-
per-mile or commuting valuation of $1.50 per one-way commute, 
respectively) without regard to the additional requirements contained in 
Sec. 1.61-21 (e) or (f) and is deemed to have met the requirements of 
Sec. 1.61-21(c).
    (7) Government employer and employee defined. For purposes of this 
paragraph (m), ``government employer'' includes any Federal, State, or 
local government unit, and any agency or instrumentality thereof. A 
``government employee'' is any individual who is employed by the 
government employer.
    (8) Examples. The provisions of this paragraph (m) may be 
illustrated by the following examples:

    Example (1). Assume that in response to several death threats on the 
life of A, the president of X a multinational company, X establishes an 
overall security program for A, including an alarm system at A's home 
and guards at A's workplace, the use of a vehicle that is specially 
equipped with alarms, bulletproof glass, and armor plating, and a 
bodyguard/chauffeur. Assume further that A is driven for both personal 
and business reasons in the vehicle. Also, assume that but for the bona 
fide business-oriented security concerns, no part of the overall 
security program would have been provided to A. With respect to the 
transportation provided for security reasons, A may exclude as a working 
condition fringe the value of the special security features of the 
vehicle and the value attributable to the bodyguard/chauffeur. Thus, if 
the value of the specially equipped vehicle is $40,000, and the value of 
the vehicle without the security features is $25,000, A may determine 
A's inclusion in income attributable to the vehicle as if the vehicle 
were worth $25,000. A must include in income the value of the 
availability of the vehicle for personal use.
    Example (2). Assume that B is the chief executive officer of Y, a 
multinational corporation. Assume further that there have been 
kidnapping attempts and other terrorist activities in the foreign 
countries in which B performs services and that at least some of such 
activities have been directed against B or similarly situated employees. 
ln response to these activities, Y provides B with an overall security 
program, including an alarm system at B's home and bodyguards at B's 
workplace, a bodyguard/chauffeur, and a vehicle specially designed for 
security during B's overseas travels. In addition, assume that Y 
requires B to travel in Y's airplane for business and personal trips 
taken to, from, and within these foreign countries. Also, assume that 
but for bona fide business-oriented security concerns, no part of the 
overall security program would have been provided to B. B may exclude as 
a working condition fringe the value of the special security features of 
the automobile and the value attributable to the bodyguards and the 
bodyguard/chauffeur. B may also exclude the excess, if any, of the value 
of the flights over the amount A would have paid for the same

[[Page 578]]

mode of transportation but for the security concerns. As an alternative 
to the preceding sentence, B may use the working condition safe harbor 
described in paragraph (m)(4) of this section and exclude as a working 
condition fringe the excess, if any, of the value of personal flights in 
the Y airplane over the safe harbor airfare determined under the method 
described in paragraph (m)(4) of this section. If this alternative is 
used, B must include in income the value of the availability of the 
vehicle for personal use and the value of the safe harbor.
    Example (3). Assume the same facts as in example (2) except that Y 
also requires B to travel in Y's airplane within the United States, and 
provides B with a chauffeur-driven limousine for business and personal 
travel in the United States. Assume further that Y also requires B's 
spouse and dependents to travel in Y's airplane for personal flights in 
the United States. If no bona fide business-oriented security concern 
exists with respect to travel in the United States, B may not exclude 
from income any portion of the value of the availability of the 
chauffeur or limousine for personal use in the United States. Thus, B 
must include in income the value of the availability of the vehicle and 
chauffeur for personal use. In addition, B may not exclude any portion 
of the value attributable to personal flights by B or B's spouse and 
dependents on Y's airplane. Thus, B must include in income the value 
attributable to the personal use of Y's airplane. See Sec. 1.61-21 for 
rules relating to the valuation of an employer-provided vehicle and 
chauffeur, and personal flights on employer-provided airplanes.
    Example (4). Assume that company Z retains an independent security 
consultant to perform a security study with respect to its chief 
executive officer. Assume further that, based on an objective assessment 
of the facts and circumstances, the security consultant reasonably 
recommends that 24-hour protection is not necessary but that the 
employee be provided security at his workplace and for ground 
transportation, but not for air transportation. If company Z follows the 
recommendations on a consistent basis, an overall security program will 
be deemed to exist with respect to the workplace and ground 
transportation security only.
    Example (5). Assume the same facts as in example (4) except that 
company Z only provides the employee security while commuting to and 
from work, but not for any other ground transportation. Because the 
recommendations of the independent security study are not applied on a 
consistent basis, an overall security program will not be deemed to 
exist. Thus, the value of commuting to and from work is not excludable 
from income. However, the value of a bodyguard with professional 
security training who does not provide chauffeur or other personal 
services to the employee or any member of the employee's family may be 
excludable as a working condition fringe if such expense would be 
otherwise allowable as a deduction by the employee under section 162 or 
167.
    Example (6). J is a United States District Judge. At the beginning 
of a 3-month criminal trial in J's court, a member of J's family 
receives death threats. M, the division (within government agency W) 
responsible for evaluating threats and providing protective services to 
the Federal judiciary, directs its threat analysis unit to conduct a 
security study with respect to J and J's family. The study is conducted 
pursuant to internal written procedures that require an independent and 
objective assessment of any threats to members of the Federal judiciary 
and their families, a statement of the requisite security response, if 
any, to a particular threat (including the form of transportation to be 
furnished to the employee as part of the security program), and a 
description of the circumstances under which local transportation for 
the employee and the employee's spouse and dependents may be necessary 
for personal reasons during the time protective services are provided. 
M's study concludes that a bona fide business-oriented security concern 
exists with respect to J and J's family and determines that 24-hour 
protection of J and J's family is not necessary, but that protection is 
necessary during the course of the criminal trial whenever J or J's 
family is away from home. Consistent with that recommendation, J is 
transported every day in a government vehicle for both personal and 
business reasons and is accompanied by two bodyguard/chauffeurs who have 
been trained in evasive driving techniques. In addition, J's spouse is 
driven to and from work and J's children are driven to and from school 
and occasional school activities. Shortly after the trial is concluded, 
M's threat analysis unit determines that J and J's family no longer need 
special protection because the danger posed by the threat no longer 
exists and, accordingly, vehicle transportation is no longer provided. 
Because the security study conducted by M complies with the conditions 
of Sec. 1.132-5(m)(2)(v), M has satisfied the requirement for an 
independent security study and an overall security program with respect 
to J is deemed to exist. Thus, with respect to the transportation 
provided for security concerns, J may exclude as a working condition 
fringe the value of any special security features of the government 
vehicle and the value attributable to the two bodyguard/chauffeurs. See 
Example (1) of this paragraph (m)(8). The value of vehicle 
transportation provided to J and J's family for personal reasons, other 
than commuting, may also be excluded during the period of

[[Page 579]]

protection, because its provision was consistent with the recommendation 
of the security study.
    Example (7). Assume the same facts as in Example (6) and that J's 
one-way commute between home and work is 10 miles. Under paragraph 
(m)(6) of this section, the Federal Government may value transportation 
provided to J for commuting purposes pursuant to the value set forth in 
either the vehicle cents-per-mile rule of Sec. 1.61-21(e) or the 
commuting valuation rule of Sec. 1.61-21(f). Because the commuting 
valuation rule yields the least amount of taxable income to J under the 
circumstances, W values the transportation provided to J for commuting 
at $1.50 per one-way commute, even though J is a control employee within 
the meaning of Sec. 1.61-21(f)(6).

    (n) Product testing--(1) In general. The fair market value of the 
use of consumer goods, which are manufactured for sale to nonemployees, 
for product testing and evaluation by an employee of the manufacturer 
outside the employer's workplace, is excludible from gross income as a 
working condition fringe if--
    (i) Consumer testing and evaluation of the product is an ordinary 
and necessary business expense of the employer;
    (ii) Business reasons necessitate that the testing and evaluation of 
the product be performed off the employer's business premises by 
employees (i.e., the testing and evaluation cannot be carried out 
adequately in the employer's office or in laboratory testing 
facilities);
    (iii) The product is furnished to the employee for purposes of 
testing and evaluation;
    (iv) The product is made available to the employee for no longer 
than necessary to test and evaluate its performance and (to the extent 
not exhausted) must be returned to the employer at completion of the 
testing and evaluation period;
    (v) The employer imposes limits on the employee's use of the product 
that significantly reduce the value of any personal benefit to the 
employee; and
    (vi) The employee must submit detailed reports to the employer on 
the testing and evaluation. The length of the testing and evaluation 
period must be reasonable in relation to the product being tested.
    (2) Employer-imposed limits. The requirement of paragraph (n)(1)(v) 
of this section is satisfied if--
    (i) The employer places limits on the employee's ability to select 
among different models or varieties of the consumer product that is 
furnished for testing and evaluation purposes; and
    (ii) The employer generally prohibits use of the product by persons 
other than the employee and, in appropriate cases, requires the 
employee, to purchase or lease at the employee's own expense the same 
type of product as that being tested (so that personal use by the 
employee's family will be limited). In addition, any charge by the 
employer for the personal use by an employee of a product being tested 
shall be taken into account in determining whether the requirement of 
paragraph (n)(1)(v) of this section is satisfied.
    (3) Discriminating classifications. If an employer furnishes 
products under a testing and evaluation program only, or presumably, to 
certain classes of employees (such as highly compensated employees, as 
defined in Sec. 1.132-8(g)), this fact may be relevant when determining 
whether the products are furnished for testing and evaluation purposes 
or for compensation purposes, unless the employer can show a business 
reason for the classification of employees to whom the products are 
furnished (e.g., that automobiles are furnished for testing and 
evaluation by an automobile manufacturer to its design engineers and 
supervisory mechanics).
    (4) Factors that negate the existence of a product testing program. 
If an employer fails to tabulate and examine the results of the detailed 
reports submitted by employees within a reasonable period of time after 
expiration of the testing period, the program will not be considered a 
product testing program for purposes of the exclusion of this paragraph 
(n). Existence of one or more of the following factors may also 
establish that the program is not a bona fide product testing program 
for purposes of the exclusion of this paragraph (n):
    (i) The program is in essence a leasing program under which 
employees

[[Page 580]]

lease the consumer goods from the employer for a fee;
    (ii) The nature of the product and other considerations are 
insufficient to justify the testing program; or
    (iii) The expense of the program outweighs the benefits to be gained 
from testing and evaluation.
    (5) Failure to meet the requirements of this paragraph (n). The fair 
market value of the use of property for product testing and evaluation 
by an employee outside the employee's workplace, under a product testing 
program that does not meet all of the requirements of this paragraph 
(n), is not excludable from gross income as a working condition fringe 
under this paragraph (n).
    (6) Example. The rules of this paragraph (n) may be illustrated by 
the following example:

    Example. Assume that an employer that manufactures automobiles 
establishes a product testing program under which 50 of its 5,000 
employees test and evaluate the automobiles for 30 days. Assume further 
that the 50 employees represent a fair cross-section of all of the 
employees of the employer, such employees submit detailed reports to the 
employer on the testing and evaluation, the employer tabulates and 
examines the test results within a reasonable time, and the use of the 
automobiles is restricted to the employees. If the employer imposes the 
limits described in paragraph (n)(2) of this section, the employees may 
exclude the value of the use of the automobile during the testing and 
evaluation period.

    (o) Qualified automobile demonstration use--(1) In general. The 
value of qualified automobile demonstration use is excludable from gross 
income as a working condition fringe. ``Qualified automobile 
demonstration use'' is any use of a demonstration automobile by a full-
time automobile salesman in the sales area in which the automobile 
dealer's sales office is located if--
    (i) Such use is provided primarily to facilitate the salesman's 
performance of services for the employer; and
    (ii) There are substantial restrictions on the personal use of the 
automobile by the salesman.
    (2) Full-time automobile salesman--(i) Defined. The term ``full-time 
automobile salesman'' means any individual who--
    (A) Is employed by an automobile dealer;
    (B) Customarily spends at least half of a normal business day 
performing the functions of a floor salesperson or sales manager;
    (C) Directly engages in substantial promotion and negotiation of 
sales to customers;
    (D) Customarily works a number of hours considered full-time in the 
industry (but at a rate not less than 1,000 hours per year); and
    (E) Derives at least 25 percent of his or her gross income from the 
automobi1e dealership directly as a result of the activities described 
in paragraphs (o)(2)(i) (B) and (C) of this section.


For purposes of paragraph (o)(2)(i) (E) of this section, income is not 
considered to be derived directly as a result of activities described in 
paragraphs (o)(2)(i) (B) and (C) of this section to the extent that the 
income is attributable to an individual's ownership interest in the 
dealership. An individual will not be considered to engage in direct 
sales activities if the individual's sales-related activities are 
substantially limited to review of sales price offers from customers. An 
individual, such as the general manager of an automobi1e dealership, who 
receives a sales commission on the sale of an automobile is not a full-
time automobile salesman unless the requirements of this paragraph 
(o)(2)(i) are met. The exclusion provided in this paragraph (o) is 
available to an individual who meets the definition of this paragraph 
(o)(2)(i) whether the individual performs services in addition to those 
described in this paragraph (o)(2)(i). For example, an individual who is 
an owner of the automobile dealership but who otherwise meets the 
requirements of this paragraph (o)(2)(i) may exclude from gross income 
the value of qualified automobile demonstration use. However, the 
exclusion of this paragraph (o) is not available to owners of large 
automobile dealerships who do not customarily engage in significant 
sales activities.
    (ii) Use by an individual other than a full-time automobile 
salesman. Personal use of a demonstration automobile by an individual 
other than a full-time automobile salesman is not treated as a working 
condition fringe. Therefore,

[[Page 581]]

any personal use, including commuting use, of a demonstration automobile 
by a part-time salesman, automobile mechanic, or other individual who is 
not a full-time automobile salesman is not ``qualified automobile 
demonstration use'' and thus not excludable from gross income. This is 
the case whether or not the personal use is within the sales area (as 
defined in paragraph (o)(5) of this section).
    (3) Demonstration automobile. The exclusion provided in this 
paragraph (o) applies only to qualified use of a demonstration 
automobile. A demonstration automobile is an automobile that is--
    (i) Currently in the inventory of the automobile dealership; and
    (ii) Available for test drives by customers during the normal 
business hours of the employee.
    (4) Substantial restrictions on personal use. Substantial 
restrictions on the personal use of a demonstration automobile exist 
when all of the following conditions are satisfied:
    (i) Use by individuals other than the full-time automobile salesmen 
(e.g., the salesman's family) is prohibited;
    (ii) Use for personal vacation trips is prohibited;
    (iii) The storage of personal possessions in the automobile is 
prohibited; and
    (iv) The total use by mileage of the automobile by the salesman 
outside the salesman's normal working hours is limited.
    (5) Sales area--(i) In general. Qualified automobile demonstration 
use consists of use in the sales area in which the automobile dealer's 
sales office is located. The sales area is the geographic area 
surrounding the automobile dealer's sales office from which the office 
regularly derives customers.
    (ii) Sales area safe harbor. With respect to a particular full-time 
salesman, the automobile dealer's sales area may be treated as the area 
within a radius of the larger of--
    (A) 75 miles or
    (B) The one-way commuting distance (in miles) of the particular 
salesman from the dealer's sales office.
    (6) Applicability of substantiation requirements of sections 162 and 
274(d). Notwithstanding anything in this section to the contrary, the 
value of the use of a demonstration automobile may not be excluded from 
gross income as a working condition fringe, by either the employer or 
the employee, unless, with respect to the restrictions of paragraph 
(o)(4) of this section, the substantiation requirements of section 
274(d) and the regulations thereunder are satisfied. See Sec. 1.132-
5(c) for general and safe harbor rules relating to the applicability of 
the substantiation requirements of section 274(d).
    (7) Special valuation rules. See Sec. 1.61-21(d)(6)(ii) for special 
rules that may be used to value the availability of demonstration 
automobiles.
    (p) Parking--(1) In general. The value of parking provided to an 
employee on or near the business premises of the employer is excludable 
from gross income as a working condition fringe under the special rule 
of this paragraph (p). If the rules of this paragraph (p) are satisfied, 
the value of parking is excludable from gross income whether the amount 
paid by the employee for parking would be deductible under section 162. 
The working condition fringe exclusion applies whether the employer owns 
or rents the parking facility or parking space.
    (2) Reimbursement of parking expenses. A reimbursement to the 
employee of the ordinary and necessary expenses of renting a parking 
space on or near the business premises of the employer is excludable 
from gross income as a working condition fringe, if, but for the parking 
expense, the employee would not have been entitled to receive and retain 
such amount from the employer. If, however an employee is entitled to 
retain a general transportation allowance or a similar benefit whether 
or not the employee has parking expenses, no portion of that allowance 
is excludable from gross income under this paragraph (p) even if it is 
used for parking expenses.
    (3) Parking on residential property. With respect to an employee, 
this paragraph (p) does not apply to any parking facility or space 
located on property owned or leased by the employee for residential 
purposes.
    (4) Dates of applicability. This paragraph (p) applies to benefits 
provided before January 1, 1993. For benefits

[[Page 582]]

provided after December 31, 1992, see Sec. 1.132-9.
    (q) Nonapplicability of nondiscrimination rules. Except to the 
extent provided in paragraph (n)(3) of this section (relating to 
discriminating classifications of a product testing program), the 
nondiscrimination rules of section 132 (h)(1) and Sec. 1.132-8 do not 
apply in determining the amount, if any, of a working condition fringe.
    (r) Volunteers--(1) In general. Solely for purposes of section 
132(d) and paragraph (a)(1) of this section, a bona fide volunteer 
(including a director or officer) who performs services for an 
organization exempt from tax under section 501(a), or for a government 
employer (as defined in paragraph (m)(7) of this section), is deemed to 
have a profit motive under section 162.
    (2) Limit on application of this paragraph. This paragraph (r) shall 
not be used to support treatment of the bona fide volunteer as having a 
profit motive for purposes of any provision of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 (Code) other than section 132(d). Nothing in this paragraph (r) 
shall be interpreted as determining the employment status of a bona fide 
volunteer for purposes of any section of the Code other than section 
132(d).
    (3) Definitions--(i) Bona fide volunteer. For purposes of this 
paragraph (r), an individual is considered a ``bona fide volunteer'' if 
the individual does not have a profit motive for purposes of section 
162. For example, an individual is considered a ``bona fide volunteer'' 
if the total value of the benefits provided with respect to the 
volunteer services is substantially less than the total value of the 
volunteer services the individual provides to an exempt organization or 
government employer.
    (ii) Liability insurance coverage for a bona fide volunteer. For 
purposes of this paragraph (r), the receipt of liability insurance 
coverage by a volunteer, or an exempt organization or government 
employer's undertaking to indemnify the volunteer for liability, does 
not by itself confer a profit motive on the volunteer, provided the 
insurance coverage or indemnification relates to acts performed by the 
volunteer in the discharge of duties, or the performance of services, on 
behalf of the exempt organization or government employer.
    (4) Example. The following example illustrates the provisions of 
paragraph (r) of this section.

    Example. A is a manager and full-time employee of P, a tax-exempt 
organization described in section 501(c)(3). B is a member of P's board 
of directors. Other than $25 to defray expenses for attending board 
meetings, B receives no compensation for serving as a director and does 
not have a profit motive. Therefore, B is a bona fide volunteer by 
application of paragraph (r)(3)(i) of this section and is deemed to have 
a profit motive under paragraph (r)(1) of this section for purposes of 
section 132(d). In order to provide liability insurance coverage, P 
purchases a policy that covers actions arising from A's and B's 
activities performed as part of their duties to P. The value of the 
policy and payments made to or on behalf of A under the policy are 
excludable for A's gross income as a working condition fringe, because A 
has a profit motive under section 162 and would be able to deduct 
payments for liability insurance coverage had he paid for it himself. 
The receipt of liability insurance coverage by B does not confer a 
profit motive on B by application of paragraph (r)(3)(ii) of this 
section. Thus, the value of the policy and payments made to or on behalf 
of B under the policy are excludable from B's income as a working 
condition fringe. For the year in which the liability insurance coverage 
is provided to A and B, P may exclude the value of the benefit on the 
Form W-2 it issues to A or on any Form 1099 it might otherwise issue to 
B.

    (s) Application of section 274(a)(3)--(1) In general. If an 
employer's deduction under section 162(a) for dues paid or incurred for 
membership in any club organized for business, pleasure, recreation, or 
other social purpose is disallowed by section 274(a)(3), the amount, if 
any, of an employee's working condition fringe benefit relating to an 
employer-provided membership in the club is determined without regard to 
the application of section 274(a) to the employee. To be excludible as a 
working condition fringe benefit, however, the amount must otherwise 
qualify for deduction by the employee under section 162(a). If an 
employer treats the amount paid or incurred for membership in any club 
organized for business, pleasure, recreation, or other social purpose as 
compensation under

[[Page 583]]

section 274(e)(2), then the expense is deductible by the employer as 
compensation and no amount may be excluded from the employee's gross 
income as a working condition fringe benefit. See Sec. 1.274-
2(f)(2)(iii)(A).
    (2) Treatment of tax-exempt employers. In the case of an employer 
exempt from taxation under subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code, any 
reference in this paragraph (s) to a deduction disallowed by section 
274(a)(3) shall be treated as a reference to the amount which would be 
disallowed as a deduction by section 274(a)(3) to the employer if the 
employer were not exempt from taxation under subtitle A of the Internal 
Revenue Code.
    (3) Examples. The following examples illustrate this paragraph (s):

    Example 1. Assume that Company X provides Employee B with a country 
club membership for which it paid $20,000. B substantiates, within the 
meaning of paragraph (c) of this section, that the club was used 40 
percent for business purposes. The business use of the club (40 percent) 
may be considered a working condition fringe benefit, notwithstanding 
that the employer's deduction for the dues allocable to the business use 
is disallowed by section 274(a)(3), if X does not treat the club 
membership as compensation under section 274(e)(2). Thus, B may exclude 
from gross income $8,000 (40 percent of the club dues, which reflects 
B's business use). X must report $12,000 as wages subject to withholding 
and payment of employment taxes (60 percent of the value of the club 
dues, which reflects B's personal use). B must include $12,000 in gross 
income. X may deduct as compensation the amount it paid for the club 
dues which reflects B's personal use provided the amount satisfies the 
other requirements for a salary or compensation deduction under section 
162.
    Example 2. Assume the same facts as Example 1 except that Company X 
treats the $20,000 as compensation to B under section 274(e)(2). No 
portion of the $20,000 will be considered a working condition fringe 
benefit because the section 274(a)(3) disallowance will apply to B. 
Therefore, B must include $20,000 in gross income.

    (t) Application of section 274(m)(3)--(1) In general. If an 
employer's deduction under section 162(a) for amounts paid or incurred 
for the travel expenses of a spouse, dependent, or other individual 
accompanying an employee is disallowed by section 274(m)(3), the amount, 
if any, of the employee's working condition fringe benefit relating to 
the employer-provided travel is determined without regard to the 
application of section 274(m)(3). To be excludible as a working 
condition fringe benefit, however, the amount must otherwise qualify for 
deduction by the employee under section 162(a). The amount will qualify 
for deduction and for exclusion as a working condition fringe benefit if 
it can be adequately shown that the spouse's, dependent's, or other 
accompanying individual's presence on the employee's business trip has a 
bona fide business purpose and if the employee substantiates the travel 
within the meaning of paragraph (c) of this section. If the travel does 
not qualify as a working condition fringe benefit, the employee must 
include in gross income as a fringe benefit the value of the employer's 
payment of travel expenses with respect to a spouse, dependent, or other 
individual accompanying the employee on business travel. See Sec. Sec. 
1.61-21(a)(4) and 1.162-2(c). If an employer treats as compensation 
under section 274(e)(2) the amount paid or incurred for the travel 
expenses of a spouse, dependent, or other individual accompanying an 
employee, then the expense is deductible by the employer as compensation 
and no amount may be excluded from the employee's gross income as a 
working condition fringe benefit. See Sec. 1.274-2(f)(2)(iii)(A).
    (2) Treatment of tax-exempt employers. In the case of an employer 
exempt from taxation under subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code, any 
reference in this paragraph (t) to a deduction disallowed by section 
274(m)(3) shall be treated as a reference to the amount which would be 
disallowed as a deduction by section 274(m)(3) to the employer if the 
employer were not exempt from taxation under subtitle A of the Internal 
Revenue Code.

[T.D. 8256, 54 FR 28608, July 6, 1989, as amended by 8451, 57 FR 57669, 
Dec. 7, 1992; T.D. 8457, 57 FR 62196, Dec. 30, 1992; T.D. 8666, 61 FR 
27006, May 30, 1996; T.D. 8933, 66 FR 2244, Jan. 11, 2001]