[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 12]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.1445-4]

[Page 181-183]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1_INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.1445-4  Liability of agents.

    (a) Duty to provide notice of false certification or statement to 
transferee. A transferee's or transferor's agent must provide notice to 
the transferee if either--
    (1) The transferee is furnished with a non-U.S. real property 
interest statement pursuant to Sec. 1.1445-2(c)(3) and the agent knows 
that the statement is false; or
    (2) The transferee is furnished with a non-foreign certification 
pursuant to Sec. 1.1445-2(b)(2) and either (i) the agent knows that the 
certification is false, or (ii) the agent represents a transferor that 
is a foreign corporation. An agent that represents a transferor that is 
a foreign corporation is not required to provide notice to the 
transferee if the foreign corporation provided a non-foreign 
certification to the transferee prior to such agent's employment and the 
agent does not know that the corporation did so.
    (b) Duty to provide notice of false certification or statement to 
entity or fiduciary. A transferee's or transferor's agent must provide 
notice to an entity or fiduciary that plans to carry out a transaction 
described in section 1445(e) (1), (2), (3), or (4) if either--
    (1) The entity or fiduciary is furnished with a non-U.S. real 
property interest statement pursuant to Sec. 1.1445-5(b)(4)(iii) and 
the agent knows that such statement is false; or
    (2) The entity or fiduciary is furnished with a non-foreign 
certification pursuant to Sec. 1.1445-5(b)(3) (ii) and either (i) the 
agent knows that such certification is false, or (ii) the agent 
represents a foreign corporation that made such a certification.

[[Page 182]]

    (c) Procedural requirements--(1) Notice to transferee, entity, or 
fiduciary. An agent who is required by this section to provide notice 
must do so in writing as soon as possible after learning of the false 
certification or statement, but not later than the date of the transfer 
(prior to the transferee's payment of consideration). If an agent first 
learns of a false certification or statement after the date of the 
transfer, notice must be given by the third day following that 
discovery. The notice must state that the certification or statement is 
false and may not be relied upon. The notice must also explain the 
possible consequences to the recipient of a failure to withhold. The 
notice need not disclose the information on which the agent's statement 
is based. The following is an example of an acceptable notice.``This is 
to notify you that you may be required to withhold tax in connection 
with (describe transaction). You have been provided with a certification 
of non-foreign status (or a non-U.S. real property interest statement) 
in connection with that transaction. I have learned that that document 
is false. Therefore, you may not rely upon it as a basis for failing to 
withhold under section 1445 of the Internal Revenue Code. Section 1445 
provides that any person who acquires a U.S. real property interest from 
a foreign person must withhold a tax equal to 10 percent of the total 
purchase price. (The term `U.S. real property interest' includes real 
property, stock in U.S. corporations whose assets are primarily real 
property, and some personal property associated with realty.) Any person 
who is required to withhold but fails to do so can be held liable for 
the tax. Thus, if you do not withhold the 10 percent tax from the total 
that you pay on this transaction you could be required to pay the tax 
yourself, if what you are acquiring is a U.S. real property interest and 
the transferor is a foreign person. Tax that is withheld must be 
promptly paid over to the IRS using Form 8288. For further information 
see sections 897 and 1445 of the Internal Revenue Code and the related 
regulations.''
    (2) Notice to be filed with IRS. An agent who is required by 
paragraph (a) or (b) of this section to provide notice to a transferee, 
entity, or fiduciary must furnish a copy of that notice to the Internal 
Revenue Service by the date on which the notice is required to be given 
to the transferee, entity, or fiduciary. The copy of the notice must be 
delivered to the Director, Philadelphia Service Center at the address 
provided in Sec. 1.1445-1(g)(10) and must be accompanied by a cover 
letter stating that the copy is being filed pursuant to the requirements 
of this Sec. 1.1445-4(c)(2).
    (d) Effect on recipient. A transferee, entity, or fiduciary that 
receives a notice pursuant to this section prior to the date of the 
transfer from any agent of the transferor or transferee may not rely 
upon the subject certification or statement for purposes of excusing 
withholding pursuant to Sec. 1.1445-2 or Sec. 1.1445-5. Therefore, the 
recipient of a notice may be held liable for any failure to deduct and 
withhold tax under section 1445 as if such certification or statement 
had never been given. For special rules concerning the effect of the 
receipt of a notice after the date of the transfer, see Sec. Sec. 
1.1445-2(b)(4)(iv) and 1.1445-5 (c), (d) and (e).
    (e) Failure to provide notice. Any agent who is required to provide 
notice but who fails to do so in the manner required by paragraph (a) or 
(b) of this section shall be held liable for the tax that the recipient 
of the notice would have been required to withhold under section 1445 if 
such notice had been given. However, an agent's liability under this 
paragraph (e) is limited to the amount of compensation that that agent 
derives from the transaction. In addition, an agent who assists in the 
preparation of, or fails to disclose knowledge of, a false certification 
or statement may be liable for civil or criminal penalties.
    (f) Definition of transferor's or transferee's agent--(1) In 
general. For purposes of this section, the terms ``transferor's agent'' 
and ``transferee's agent'' means any person who represents the 
transferor or transferee (respectively)--
    (i) In any negotiation with another person (or another person's 
agent) relating to the transaction; or
    (ii) In settling the transaction.

[[Page 183]]

    (2) Transactions subject to section 1445(e). In the case of 
transactions subject section 1445(e), the following definitions apply.
    (i) The term ``transferor's agent'' means any person that represents 
or advises an entity or fiduciary with respect to the planning, 
arrangement, or consummation by the entity of a transaction described in 
section 1445(e) (1), (2), (3), or (4).
    (ii) The term ``transferee's agent'' means any person that 
represents or advises the holder of an interest in an entity with 
respect to the planning, arrangement or consummation by the entity of a 
transaction described in section 1445(e) (1), (2), (3), or (4).
    (3) Exclusion of settlement officers and clerical personnel. For 
purposes of this section, a person shall not be treated as a 
transferor's agent or transferee's agent with respect to any transaction 
solely because such person performs one or more of the following 
activities.
    (i) The receipt and disbursement of any portion of the consideration 
for the transaction;
    (ii) The recording of any document in connection with the 
transaction;
    (iii) Typing, copying, and other clerical tasks;
    (iv) The obtaining of title insurance reports and reports concerning 
the condition of the real property that is the subject of the 
transaction; or
    (v) The transmission or delivery of documents between the parties.
    (4) Exclusion for governing body of a condominium association and 
the board of directors of a cooperative housing corporation. The members 
of a board, committee or other governing body of a condominium 
association and the board of directors and officers of a cooperative 
housing corporation will not be deemed agents of the transferor or 
transferee if such individuals function exclusively in their capacity as 
representatives of such association or corporation with respect to the 
transaction. In addition, the managing agent of a cooperative housing 
corporation or condominium association will not be deemed to be an agent 
of the transferee or transferor if such person functions exclusively in 
its capacity as a managing agent. If a person's activities include 
advising the transferee or transferor with respect to the transfer, this 
exclusion shall not apply.

[T.D. 8113, 51 FR 46641, Dec. 24, 1986; 52 FR 3796, 3917, Feb. 6, 1987; 
T.D. 9082, 68 FR 46086, Aug. 5, 2003]