[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 18]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR301.6339-1]

[Page 304-305]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 301_PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION--Table of Contents
 
               Seizure of Property for Collection of Taxes
 
Sec. 301.6339-1  Legal effect of certificate of sale of personal property 
and deed of real property.

    (a) Certificate of sale of property other than real property. In all 
cases of sale pursuant to section 6335 of property (other than real 
property), the certificate of such sale--
    (1) As evidence. Shall be prima facie evidence of the right of the 
officer to make such sale, and conclusive evidence of the regularity of 
his proceedings in making the sale; and
    (2) As conveyance. Shall transfer to the purchaser all right, title, 
and interest of the party delinquent in and to the property sold; and
    (3) As authority for transfer of corporate stock. If such property 
consists of corporate stocks, shall be notice, when received, to any 
corporation, company, or association of such transfer, and shall be 
authority to such corporation, company, or association to record the 
transfer on its books and records in the same manner as if the stocks 
were transferred or assigned by the party holding the stock certificate, 
in lieu of any original or prior certificate, which shall be void, 
whether canceled or not; and
    (4) As receipts. If the subject of sale is securities or other 
evidences of debt, shall be a good and valid receipt to the person 
holding the certificate of sale as against any person holding or 
claiming to hold possession of such securities or other evidences of 
debt; and
    (5) As authority for transfer of title to motor vehicle. If such 
property consists of a motor vehicle, shall be notice, when received, to 
any public official charged with the registration of title to motor 
vehicles, of such transfer and shall be authority to such official to 
record the transfer on his books and records in the same manner as if 
the certificate of title to such motor vehicle were transferred or 
assigned by the party holding the certificate of title, in lieu of any 
original or prior certificate, which shall be null and void, whether 
canceled or not.
    (b) Deed to real property. In the case of the sale of real property 
pursuant to section 6335--
    (1) Deed as evidence. The deed of sale given pursuant to section 
6338 shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated; and
    (2) Deed as conveyance of title. If the proceedings of the district 
director as set forth have been substantially in accordance with the 
provisions of law, such deed shall be considered and operate as a 
conveyance of all the right, title, and interest the party delinquent 
had in and to the real property thus sold at the time the lien of the 
United States attached thereto.
    (c) Effect of junior encumbrances. A certificate of sale of personal 
property

[[Page 305]]

given or a deed to real property executed pursuant to section 6338 
discharges the property from all liens, encumbrances, and titles over 
which the lien of the United States, with respect to which the levy was 
made, has priority. For example, a mortgage on real property executed 
after a notice of a Federal tax lien has been filed is extinguished when 
the district director executes a deed to the real property to a 
purchaser thereof at a sale pursuant to section 6335 following the 
seizure of the property by the United States. The proceeds of such a 
sale are distributed in accordance with priority of the liens, 
encumbrances, or titles. See section 6342(b) and the regulations 
thereunder for provisions relating to the distribution of surplus 
proceeds. See section 7426(a)(2) and the regulations thereunder for 
judicial procedures with respect to surplus proceeds.

[32 FR 15241, Nov. 3, 1967, as amended by T.D. 7180, 37 FR 7320, Apr. 
13, 1972]