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Treasury Regulations · 26 CFR

§ 1.883-1. Exclusion of income from the international operation of ships or aircraft.

In effect eCFR current as of October 15, 2026

Regulation text, no changes From the eCFR, current as of October 15, 2026. The eCFR is an authoritative but unofficial editorial compilation of the Code of Federal Regulations; the official text is the annual CFR on govinfo. Compare it with this section on ecfr.gov (external site) or the official annual CFR on govinfo (external site).

Regulation under 26 U.S.C. § 883

Cite as 26 CFR § 1.883-1

At a glance

Read from the text and its source citation. Not part of the regulation.

Status
In the current eCFR
Issued
August 26, 2003 by T.D. 9087
Last amended
September 17, 2010 by T.D. 9502
Issued under
26 U.S.C. § 883
Length
7,951 words · about 35 min to read
Defines
2 terms
Cross-references
cites 6 Code sections and 5 regulations; cited by 6
(a) General rule. Qualified income derived by a qualified foreign corporation from its international operation of ships or aircraft is excluded from gross income and exempt from United States Federal income tax. Paragraph (b) of this section defines the term qualified income. Paragraph (c) of this section defines the term qualified foreign corporation. Paragraph (f) of this section defines the term international operation of ships or aircraft.
(b) Qualified income. Qualified income is income derived from the international operation of ships or aircraft that—
(1) Is properly includible in any of the income categories described in paragraph (h)(2) of this section; and
(2) Is the subject of an equivalent exemption, as defined in paragraph (h) of this section, granted by the qualified foreign country, as defined in paragraph (d) of this section, in which the foreign corporation seeking qualified foreign corporation status is organized.
(c) Qualified foreign corporation—
(1) General rule. A qualified foreign corporation is a corporation that is organized in a qualified foreign country and considered engaged in the international operation of ships or aircraft. The term corporation is defined in section 7701(a)(3) and the regulations thereunder. Paragraph (d) of this section defines the term qualified foreign country. Paragraph (e) of this section defines the term operation of ships or aircraft, and paragraph (f) of this section defines the term international operation of ships or aircraft. To be a qualified foreign corporation, the corporation must satisfy the stock ownership test of paragraph (c)(2) of this section and satisfy the substantiation and reporting requirements described in paragraph (c)(3) of this section. A corporation may be a qualified foreign corporation with respect to one category of qualified income but not with respect to another such category. See paragraph (h)(2) of this section for a discussion of the categories of qualified income.
(2) Stock ownership test. To be a qualified foreign corporation, a foreign corporation must satisfy the publicly-traded test of § 1.883-2(a), the CFC stock ownership test of § 1.883-3(a), or the qualified shareholder stock ownership test of § 1.883-4(a).
(3) Substantiation and reporting requirements—
(i) General rule. To be a qualified foreign corporation, a foreign corporation must include the following information in its Form 1120-F, “U.S. Income Tax Return of a Foreign Corporation,” in the manner prescribed by such form and its accompanying instructions—
(A) The corporation's name and address (including mailing code);
(B) The corporation's U.S. taxpayer identification number;
(C) The foreign country in which the corporation is organized;
(D) The applicable authority for an equivalent exemption, for example, the citation of a statute in the country where the corporation is organized, a diplomatic note between the United States and such country, or an income tax convention between the United States and such country in the case of a corporation described in paragraphs (h)(3)(i), (ii) and (iii) of this section;
(E) The category or categories of qualified income for which an exemption is being claimed;
(F) A reasonable estimate of the gross amount of income in each category of qualified income for which the exemption is claimed, to the extent such amounts are readily determinable;
(G) A statement as to whether any shares of the foreign corporation or of any intermediary corporation that are relied on to satisfy any stock ownership test described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section are issued in bearer form and whether the bearer shares are maintained in a dematerialized book-entry system in which the bearer shares are represented only by book entries and no physical certificates are issued or transferred, or in an immobilized book-entry system in which evidence of ownership is maintained on the books and records of the corporate issuer or by a broker or financial institution;
(H) Any other information required under § 1.883-2(f), § 1.883-3(d), or § 1.883-4(e), as applicable; and
(I) Any other relevant information specified in Form 1120-F, “U.S. Income Tax Return of a Foreign Corporation,” and its accompanying instructions.
(ii) Further documentation—
(A) General rule. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, if the Commissioner requests in writing that the foreign corporation provide documentation or substantiate any representations made under paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section, or under § 1.883-2(f), § 1.883-3(d), or § 1.883-4(e), as applicable, the foreign corporation must provide the requested documentation or substantiation within 60 days of receiving the written request. If the foreign corporation does not provide the requested documentation or substantiation within the 60-day period, but demonstrates that the failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, the Commissioner may grant the foreign corporation a 30-day extension to provide the requested documentation or substantiation. Whether a failure to provide the documentation or substantiation in a timely manner was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect shall be determined by the Commissioner based on all the facts and circumstances.
(B) Names and permanent addresses of certain shareholders. If the Commissioner requests the names and permanent addresses of individual qualified shareholders of a foreign corporation, as represented on each individual's ownership statement, to substantiate the requirements of the exception to the closely-held test in the publicly-traded test in § 1.883-2(e), the qualified shareholder stock ownership test in § 1.883-4(a), or the qualified U.S. person ownership test in § 1.883-3(b), the foreign corporation must provide the requested information within 30 days of receiving the written request. If the foreign corporation does not provide the requested information within the 30-day period, but demonstrates that the failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, the Commissioner may grant the foreign corporation a 30-day extension to provide the requested information. Whether a failure to provide the requested information was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect shall be determined by the Commissioner based on all the facts and circumstances.
(d) Qualified foreign country. A qualified foreign country is a foreign country that grants to corporations organized in the United States an equivalent exemption, as described in paragraph (h) of this section, for the category of qualified income, as described in paragraph (h)(2) of this section, derived by the foreign corporation seeking qualified foreign corporation status. A foreign country may be a qualified foreign country with respect to one category of qualified income but not with respect to another such category.
(e) Operation of ships or aircraft—
(1) General rule. Except as provided in paragraph (e)(2) of this section, a foreign corporation is considered engaged in the operation of ships or aircraft only during the time it is an owner or lessee of one or more entire ships or aircraft and uses such ships or aircraft in one or more of the following activities—
(i) Carriage of passengers or cargo for hire;
(ii) In the case of a ship, the leasing out of the ship under a time or voyage charter (full charter), space or slot charter, or bareboat charter, as those terms are defined in paragraph (e)(5) of this section, provided the ship is used to carry passengers or cargo for hire; and
(iii) In the case of aircraft, the leasing out of the aircraft under a wet lease (full charter), space, slot, or block-seat charter, or dry lease, as those terms are defined in paragraph (e)(5) of this section, provided the aircraft is used to carry passengers or cargo for hire.
(2) Pool, partnership, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code-sharing arrangement or other joint venture. A foreign corporation is considered engaged in the operation of ships or aircraft within the meaning of paragraph (e)(1) of this section with respect to its participation in a pool, partnership, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code-sharing arrangement or other joint venture if it directly, or indirectly through one or more fiscally transparent entities under the income tax laws of the United States, as defined in paragraph (e)(5)(v) of this section—
(i) Owns an interest in a partnership, disregarded entity, or other fiscally transparent entity under the income tax laws of the United States that itself would be considered engaged in the operation of ships or aircraft under paragraph (e)(1) of this section if it were a foreign corporation; or
(ii) Participates in a pool, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code-sharing arrangement, or other joint venture that is not an entity, as defined in paragraph (e)(5)(iv) of this section, involving one or more activities described in paragraphs (e)(1)(i) through (iii) of this section, but only if—
(A) In the case of a direct interest, the foreign corporation is otherwise engaged in the operation of ships or aircraft under paragraph (e)(1) of this section; or
(B) In the case of an indirect interest, either the foreign corporation is otherwise engaged, or one of the fiscally transparent entities would be considered engaged if it were a foreign corporation, in the operation of ships or aircraft under paragraph (e)(1) of this section.
(3) Activities not considered operation of ships or aircraft. Activities that do not constitute operation of ships or aircraft include, but are not limited to—
(i) The activities of a nonvessel operating common carrier, as defined in paragraph (e)(5)(vii) of this section;
(ii) Ship or aircraft management;
(iii) Obtaining crews for ships or aircraft operated by another party;
(iv) Acting as a ship's agent;
(v) Ship or aircraft brokering;
(vi) Freight forwarding;
(vii) The activities of travel agents and tour operators;
(viii) Rental by a container leasing company of containers and related equipment; and
(ix) The activities of a concessionaire.
(4) Examples. The rules of paragraphs (e)(1) through (3) of this section are illustrated by the following examples:
Example 1.

Three tiers of charters—(i) Facts. A, B, and C are foreign corporations. A purchases a ship. A and B enter into a bareboat charter of the ship for a term of 20 years, and B, in turn, enters into a time charter of the ship with C for a term of 5 years. Under the time charter, B is responsible for the complete operation of the ship, including providing the crew and maintenance. C uses the ship during the term of the time charter to carry its customers' freight between U.S. and foreign ports. C owns no ships.

(ii) Analysis. Because A is the owner of the entire ship and leases out the ship under a bareboat charter to B, and because the sublessor, C, uses the ship to carry cargo for hire, A is considered engaged in the operation of a ship under paragraph (e)(1) of this section during the term of the time charter. B leases in the entire ship from A and leases out the ship under a time charter to C, who uses the ship to carry cargo for hire. Therefore, B is considered engaged in the operation of a ship under paragraph (e)(1) of this section during the term of the time charter. C time charters the entire ship from B and uses the ship to carry its customers' freight during the term of the charter. Therefore, C is also engaged in the operation of a ship under paragraph (e)(1) of this section during the term of the time charter.

Example 2.

Partnership with contributed shipping assets—(i) Facts. X, Y, and Z, each a foreign corporation, enter into a partnership, P. P is a fiscally transparent entity under the income tax laws of the United States, as defined in paragraph (e)(5)(v) of this section. Under the terms of the partnership agreement, each partner contributes all of the ships in its fleet to P in exchange for interests in the partnership and shares in the P profits from the international carriage of cargo. The partners share in the overall management of P, but each partner, acting in its capacity as partner, continues to crew and manage all ships previously in its fleet.

(ii) Analysis. P owns the ships contributed by the partners and uses these ships to carry cargo for hire. Therefore, if P were a foreign corporation, it would be considered engaged in the operation of ships within the meaning of paragraph (e)(1) of this section. Accordingly, because P is a fiscally transparent entity under the income tax laws of the United States, as defined in paragraph (e)(5)(v) of this section, X, Y, and Z are each considered engaged in the operation of ships through P, within the meaning of paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section, with respect to their distributive share of income from P's international carriage of cargo.

Example 3.

Joint venture with chartered in ships—(i) Facts. Foreign corporation A owns a number of foreign subsidiaries involved in various aspects of the shipping business, including S1, S2, S3, and S4. S4 is a foreign corporation that provides cruises but does not own any ships. S1, S2, and S3 are foreign corporations that own cruise ships. S1, S2, S3, and S4 form joint venture JV, in which they are all interest holders, to conduct cruises. JV is a fiscally transparent entity under the income tax laws of the United States, as defined in paragraph (e)(5)(v) of this section. Under the terms of the joint venture, S1, S2, and S3 each enter into time charter agreements with JV, pursuant to which S1, S2, and S3 retain control of the navigation and management of the individual ships, and JV will use the ships to carry passengers for hire. The overall management of the cruise line will be provided by S4.

(ii) Analysis. S1, S2, and S3 each owns ships and time charters those ships to JV, which uses the ships to carry passengers for hire. Accordingly, S1, S2, and S3 are each considered engaged in the operation of ships under paragraph (e)(1) of this section. JV leases in entire ships by means of the time charters, and JV uses those ships to carry passengers on cruises. Thus, JV would be engaged in the operation of ships within the meaning of paragraph (e)(1) of this section if it were a foreign corporation. Therefore, although S4 does not directly own or lease in a ship, S4 also is engaged in the operation of ships, within the meaning of paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section, with respect to its participation in JV.

Example 4.

Tiered partnerships—(i) Facts. Foreign corporations A, B, and C enter into a partnership, P1. P1 is one of several shareholders of Poolco, a foreign limited liability company that makes an election pursuant to § 301.7701-3 of this chapter to be treated as a partnership for U.S. tax purposes. P1 acquires several ships and time charters them out to Poolco. Poolco slot or voyage charters such ships out to third parties for use in the carriage of cargo for hire. P1 and Poolco are fiscally transparent entities under the income tax laws of the United States, as defined in paragraph (e)(5)(v) of this section.

(ii) Analysis. A, B, and C are considered engaged in the operation of ships under paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section with respect to their direct interest in P1 and with respect to their indirect interest in Poolco because both P1 and Poolco are fiscally transparent entities under the income tax laws of the United States and would be considered engaged in the operation of ships under paragraph (e)(1) of this section if they were foreign corporations. The result would be the same if Poolco were a single-member disregarded entity owned solely by P1.

(5) Definitions—
(i) Bareboat charter. A bareboat charter is a contract for the use of a ship or aircraft whereby the lessee is in complete possession, control, and command of the ship or aircraft. For example, in a bareboat charter, the lessee is responsible for the navigation and management of the ship or aircraft, the crew, supplies, repairs and maintenance, fees, insurance, charges, commissions and other expenses connected with the use of the ship or aircraft. The lessor of the ship bears none of the expense or responsibility of operation of the ship or aircraft.
(ii) Code-sharing arrangement. A code-sharing arrangement is an arrangement in which one air carrier puts its identification code on the flight of another carrier. This arrangement allows the first carrier to hold itself out as providing service in markets where it does not otherwise operate or where it operates infrequently. Code-sharing arrangements can range from a very limited agreement between two carriers involving only one market to agreements involving multiple markets and alliances between or among international carriers which also include joint marketing, baggage handling, one-stop check-in service, sharing of frequent flyer awards, and other services. For rules involving the sale of code-sharing tickets, see paragraph (g)(1)(vi) of this section.
(iii) Dry lease. A dry lease is the bareboat charter of an aircraft.
(iv) Entity. For purposes of this paragraph (e), an entity is any person that is treated by the United States as other than an individual for U.S. Federal income tax purposes. The term includes disregarded entities.
(v) Fiscally transparent entity under the income tax laws of the United States. For purposes of this paragraph (e), an entity is fiscally transparent under the income tax laws of the United States if the entity would be considered fiscally transparent under the income tax laws of the United States under the principles of § 1.894-1(d)(3).
(vi) Full charter. Full charter (or full rental) means a time charter or a voyage charter of a ship or a wet lease of an aircraft but during which the full crew and management are provided by the lessor.
(vii) Nonvessel operating common carrier. A nonvessel operating common carrier is an entity that does not exercise control over any part of a vessel, but holds itself out to the public as providing transportation for hire, issues bills of lading, assumes responsibility or is liable by law as a common carrier for safe transportation of shipments, and arranges in its own name with other common carriers, including those engaged in the operation of ships, for the performance of such transportation.
(viii) Space or slot charter. A space or slot charter is a contract for use of a certain amount of space (but less than all of the space) on a ship or aircraft, and may be on a time or voyage basis. When used in connection with passenger aircraft this sort of charter may be referred to as the sale of block seats.
(ix) Time charter. A time charter is a contract for the use of a ship or aircraft for a specific period of time, during which the lessor of the ship or aircraft retains control of the navigation and management of the ship or aircraft (i.e., the lessor continues to be responsible for the crew, supplies, repairs and maintenance, fees and insurance, charges, commissions and other expenses connected with the use of the ship or aircraft).
(x) Voyage charter. A voyage charter is a contract similar to a time charter except that the ship or aircraft is chartered for a specific voyage or flight rather than for a specific period of time.
(xi) Wet lease. A wet lease is the time or voyage charter of an aircraft.
(f) International operation of ships or aircraft—
(1) General rule. The term international operation of ships or aircraft means the operation of ships or aircraft, as defined in paragraph (e) of this section, with respect to the carriage of passengers or cargo on voyages or flights that begin or end in the United States, as determined under paragraph (f)(2) of this section. The term does not include the carriage of passengers or cargo on a voyage or flight that begins and ends in the United States, even if the voyage or flight contains a segment extending beyond the territorial limits of the United States, unless the passenger disembarks or the cargo is unloaded outside the United States. Operation of ships or aircraft beyond the territorial limits of the United States does not constitute in itself international operation of ships or aircraft.
(2) Determining whether income is derived from international operation of ships or aircraft. Whether income is derived from international operation of ships or aircraft is determined on a passenger by passenger basis (as provided in paragraph (f)(2)(i) of this section) and on an item-of-cargo by item-of-cargo basis (as provided in paragraph (f)(2)(ii) of this section). In the case of the bareboat charter of a ship or the dry lease of an aircraft, whether the charter income for a particular period is derived from international operation of ships or aircraft is determined by reference to how the ship or aircraft is used by the lowest-tier lessee in the chain of lessees (as provided in paragraph (f)(2)(iii) of this section).
(i) International carriage of passengers—
(A) General rule. Except in the case of a round trip described in paragraph (f)(2)(i)(B) of this section, income derived from the carriage of a passenger will be income from international operation of ships or aircraft if the passenger is carried between a beginning point in the United States and an ending point outside the United States, or vice versa. Carriage of a passenger will be treated as ending at the passenger's final destination even if, en route to the passenger's final destination, a stop is made at an intermediate point for refueling, maintenance, or other business reasons, provided the passenger does not change ships or aircraft at the intermediate point. Similarly, carriage of a passenger will be treated as beginning at the passenger's point of origin even if, en route to the passenger's final destination, a stop is made at an intermediate point, provided the passenger does not change ships or aircraft at the intermediate point. Carriage of a passenger will be treated as beginning or ending at a U.S. or foreign intermediate point if the passenger changes ships or aircraft at that intermediate point. Income derived from the sale of a ticket for international carriage of a passenger will be treated as income derived from international operation of ships or aircraft even if the passenger does not begin or complete an international journey because of unanticipated circumstances.
(B) Round trip travel on ships. In the case of income from the carriage of a passenger on a ship that begins its voyage in the United States, calls on one or more foreign intermediate ports, and returns to the same or another U.S. port, such income from carriage of a passenger on the entire voyage will be treated as income derived from international operation of ships or aircraft under paragraph (f)(2)(i)(A) of this section. This result obtains even if such carriage includes one or more intermediate stops at a U.S. port or ports and even if the passenger does not disembark at the foreign intermediate point.
(ii) International carriage of cargo. Income from the carriage of cargo will be income derived from international operation of ships or aircraft if the cargo is carried between a beginning point in the United States and an ending point outside the United States, or vice versa. Carriage of cargo will be treated as ending at the final destination of the cargo even if, en route to that final destination, a stop is made at a U.S. intermediate point, provided the cargo is transported to its ultimate destination on the same ship or aircraft. If the cargo is transferred to another ship or aircraft, the carriage of the cargo may nevertheless be treated as ending at its final destination, if the same taxpayer transports the cargo to and from the U.S. intermediate point and the cargo does not pass through customs at the U.S. intermediate point. Similarly, carriage of cargo will be treated as beginning at the cargo's point of origin, even if en route to its final destination a stop is made at a U.S. intermediate point, provided the cargo is transported to its ultimate destination on the same ship or aircraft. If the cargo is transferred to another ship or aircraft at the U.S. intermediate point, the carriage of the cargo may nevertheless be treated as beginning at the point of origin, if the same taxpayer transports the cargo to and from the U.S. intermediate point and the cargo does not pass through customs at the U.S. intermediate point. Repackaging, recontainerization, or any other activity involving the unloading of the cargo at the U.S. intermediate point does not change these results, provided the same taxpayer transports the cargo to and from the U.S. intermediate point and the cargo does not pass through customs at the U.S. intermediate point. A lighter vessel that carries cargo to, or picks up cargo from, a vessel located beyond the territorial limits of the United States and correspondingly loads or unloads that cargo at a U.S. port, carries cargo between a point in the United States and a point outside the United States. However, a lighter vessel that carries cargo to, or picks up cargo from, a vessel located within the territorial limits of the United States, and correspondingly loads or unloads that cargo at a U.S. port, is not engaged in international operation of ships or aircraft. Income from the carriage of military cargo on a voyage that begins in the United States, stops at a foreign intermediate port or a military prepositioning location, and returns to the same or another U.S. port without unloading its cargo at the foreign intermediate point, will nevertheless be treated as derived from international operation of ships or aircraft.
(iii) Bareboat charter of ships or dry lease of aircraft used in international operation of ships or aircraft. If a qualified foreign corporation bareboat charters a ship or dry leases an aircraft to a lessee, and the lowest tier lessee in the chain of ownership uses such ship or aircraft for the international carriage of passengers or cargo for hire, as described in paragraphs (f)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section, then the amount of charter income attributable to the period the ship or aircraft is used by the lowest tier lessee is income from international operation of ships or aircraft. The foreign corporation generally must determine the amount of the charter income that is attributable to such international operation of ships or aircraft by multiplying the amount of charter income by a fraction, the numerator of which is the total number of days of uninterrupted travel on voyages or flights of such ship or aircraft between the United States and the farthest point or points where cargo or passengers are loaded en route to, or discharged en route from, the United States during the smaller of the taxable year or the particular charter period, and the denominator of which is the total number of days in the smaller of the taxable year or the particular charter period. For this purpose, the number of days during which the ship or aircraft is not generating transportation income, within the meaning of section 863(c)(2), are not included in the numerator or denominator of the fraction. However, the foreign corporation may adopt an alternative method for determining the amount of the charter income that is attributable to the international operation of ships or aircraft if it can establish that the alternative method more accurately reflects the amount of such income.
(iv) Charter of ships or aircraft for hire. For purposes of this section, if a foreign corporation time, voyage, or bareboat charters out a ship or aircraft, and the lowest-tier lessee uses the ship or aircraft to carry passengers or cargo on a fee basis, the ship or aircraft is considered used to carry passengers or cargo for hire, regardless of whether the ship or aircraft may be empty during a portion of the charter period due to a backhaul voyage or flight or for purposes of repositioning. If a foreign corporation time, voyage, or bareboat charters out a ship or aircraft, and the lowest-tier lessee uses the ship or aircraft for the carriage of proprietary goods, including an empty backhaul voyage or flight or repositioning related to such carriage of proprietary goods, the ship or aircraft similarly will be treated as used to carry cargo for hire.
(g) Activities incidental to the international operation of ships or aircraft—
(1) General rule. Certain activities of a foreign corporation engaged in the international operation of ships or aircraft are so closely related to the international operation of ships or aircraft that they are considered incidental to such operation, and income derived by the foreign corporation from its performance of these incidental activities is deemed to be income derived from the international operation of ships or aircraft. Examples of such activities include—
(i) Temporary investment of working capital funds to be used in the international operation of ships or aircraft by the foreign corporation;
(ii) Sale of tickets by the foreign corporation engaged in the international operation of ships for the international carriage of passengers by ship on behalf of another corporation engaged in the international operation of ships;
(iii) Sale of tickets by the foreign corporation engaged in the international operation of aircraft for the international carriage of passengers by air on behalf of another corporation engaged in the international operation of aircraft;
(iv) Contracting with concessionaires for performance of services onboard during the international operation of the foreign corporation's ships or aircraft;
(v) Providing (either by subcontracting or otherwise) for the carriage of cargo preceding or following the international carriage of cargo under a through bill of lading, airway bill or similar document through a related corporation or through an unrelated person (and the rules of section 267(b) shall apply for purposes of determining whether a corporation or other person is related to the foreign corporation);
(vi) To the extent not described in paragraph (g)(1)(iii) of this section, the sale or issuance by the foreign corporation engaged in the international operation of aircraft of intraline, interline, or code-sharing tickets for the carriage of persons by air between a U.S. gateway and another U.S. city preceding or following international carriage of passengers, provided that all such flight segments are provided pursuant to the passenger's original invoice, ticket or itinerary and in the case of intraline tickets are a part of uninterrupted international air transportation (within the meaning of section 4262(c)(3));
(vii) Arranging for port city hotel accommodations within the United States for a passenger for the one night before or after the international carriage of that passenger by the foreign corporation engaged in the international operation of ships;
(viii) Bareboat charter of ships or dry lease of aircraft normally used by the foreign corporation in international operation of ships or aircraft but currently not needed, if the ship or aircraft is used by the lessee for international carriage of cargo or passengers;
(ix) Arranging by means of a space or slot charter for the carriage of cargo listed on a bill of lading or airway bill or similar document issued by the foreign corporation on the ship or aircraft of another corporation engaged in the international operation of ships or aircraft;
(x) The provision of containers and related equipment by the foreign corporation in connection with the international carriage of cargo for use by its customers, including short-term use within the United States immediately preceding or following the international carriage of cargo (for this purpose, a period of five days or less shall be presumed to be short-term); and
(xi) The provision of goods and services by engineers, ground and equipment maintenance staff, cargo handlers, catering staff, and customer services personnel, and the provision of facilities such as passenger lounges, counter space, ground handling equipment, and hangars.
(2) Activities not considered incidental to the international operation of ships or aircraft. Examples of activities that are not considered incidental to the international operation of ships or aircraft include—
(i) The sale of or arranging for train travel, bus transfers, single day shore excursions, or land tour packages;
(ii) Arranging for hotel accommodations within the United States other than as provided in paragraph (g)(1)(vii) of this section;
(iii) The sale of airline tickets or cruise tickets other than as provided in paragraph (g)(1)(ii), (iii), or (vi) of this section;
(iv) The sale or rental of real property;
(v) Treasury activities involving the investment of excess funds or funds awaiting repatriation, even if derived from the international operation of ships or aircraft;
(vi) The carriage of passengers or cargo on ships or aircraft on domestic legs of transportation not treated as either international operation of ships or aircraft under paragraph (f) of this section or as an activity that is incidental to such operation under paragraph (g)(1) of this section;
(vii) The carriage of cargo by bus, truck or rail by a foreign corporation between a U.S. inland point and a U.S. gateway port or airport preceding or following the international carriage of such cargo by the foreign corporation; and
(viii) The provision of containers or other related equipment by the foreign corporation within the United States other than as provided in paragraph (g)(1)(x) of this section, including warehousing.
(3) Other services. [Reserved]
(4) Activities involved in a pool, partnership, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code-sharing arrangement or other joint venture. Notwithstanding paragraph (g)(1) of this section, an activity is considered incidental to the international operation of ships or aircraft by a foreign corporation, and income derived by the foreign corporation with respect to such activity is deemed to be income derived from the international operation of ships or aircraft, if the activity is performed by or pursuant to a pool, partnership, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code-sharing arrangement or other joint venture in which such foreign corporation participates directly, or indirectly through a fiscally transparent entity under the income tax laws of the United States, provided that—
(i) Such activity is incidental to the international operation of ships or aircraft by the pool, partnership, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code-sharing arrangement or other joint venture, and provided that it is described in paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section; or
(ii) Such activity would be incidental to the international operation of ships or aircraft by the foreign corporation, or fiscally transparent entity if it performed such activity itself, and provided the foreign corporation is engaged or the fiscally transparent entity would be considered engaged if it were a foreign corporation in the operation of ships or aircraft under paragraph (e)(1) of this section.
(h) Equivalent exemption—
(1) General rule. A foreign country grants an equivalent exemption when it exempts from taxation income from the international operation of ships or aircraft derived by corporations organized in the United States. Whether a foreign country provides an equivalent exemption must be determined separately with respect to each category of income, as provided in paragraph (h)(2) of this section. An equivalent exemption may be available for income derived from the international operation of ships even though income derived from the international operation of aircraft may not be exempt, and vice versa. For rules regarding foreign corporations organized in countries that provide exemptions only through an income tax convention, see paragraph (h)(3) of this section. An equivalent exemption may exist where the foreign country—
(i) Generally imposes no tax on income, including income from the international operation of ships or aircraft;
(ii) Provides an exemption from tax for income derived from the international operation of ships or aircraft, either by statute, decree, income tax convention, or otherwise; or
(iii) Exchanges diplomatic notes with the United States, or enters into an agreement with the United States, that provides for a reciprocal exemption for purposes of section 883.
(2) Determining equivalent exemptions for each category of income. Whether a foreign country grants an equivalent exemption must be determined separately with respect to income from the international operation of ships and income from the international operation of aircraft for each category of income listed in paragraphs (h)(2)(i) through (v), (vii), and (viii) of this section. If an exemption is unavailable in the foreign country for a particular category of income, the foreign country is not considered to grant an equivalent exemption with respect to that category of income. Income in that category is not considered to be the subject of an equivalent exemption and, thus, is not eligible for exemption from income tax in the United States, even though the foreign country may grant an equivalent exemption for other categories of income. With respect to paragraph (h)(2)(vi) of this section, a foreign country may be considered to grant an equivalent exemption for one or more types of income described in paragraph (g)(1) of this section. The following categories of income derived from the international operation of ships or aircraft may be exempt from United States income tax if an equivalent exemption is available—
(i) Income from the carriage of passengers and cargo;
(ii) Time or voyage (full) charter income of a ship or wet lease income of an aircraft;
(iii) Bareboat charter income of a ship or dry charter income of an aircraft;
(iv) Incidental bareboat charter income or incidental dry lease income;
(v) Incidental container-related income;
(vi) Income incidental to the international operation of ships or aircraft other than incidental income described in paragraphs (h)(2)(iv) and (v) of this section;
(vii) Capital gains derived by a qualified foreign corporation engaged in the international operation of ships or aircraft from the sale, exchange or other disposition of a ship, aircraft, container or related equipment or other moveable property used by that qualified foreign corporation in the international operation of ships or aircraft; and
(viii) Income from participation in a pool, partnership, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code-sharing arrangement, international operating agency, or other joint venture described in paragraph (e)(2) of this section.
(3) Special rules with respect to income tax conventions—
(i) Countries with only an income tax convention. If a foreign country grants an exemption from tax for profits from the international operation of ships or aircraft only under an income tax convention with the United States, that exemption shall constitute an equivalent exemption with respect to a foreign corporation organized in that country only if—
(A) The foreign corporation satisfies the conditions for claiming benefits with respect to such profits under the income tax convention; and
(B) The profits that are exempt from tax pursuant to the shipping and air transport or gains article of the income tax convention and are described within a category of income included in paragraphs (h)(2)(i) through (viii) of this section.
(ii) Countries with both an income tax convention and an equivalent exemption—
(A) General rule. If a foreign country grants an exemption from tax for profits from the international operation of ships or aircraft under the shipping and air transport or gains article of an income tax convention with the United States and also by some other means (for example, by diplomatic note or domestic law of the foreign country), a foreign corporation may elect annually whether to claim an exemption from tax under section 883 or the income tax convention. Except as provided in paragraph (h)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, the foreign corporation must apply the elected exemption (section 883 or the income tax convention) to all categories of income described in paragraph (h)(2) of this section. If the foreign corporation elects to claim the exemption under section 883, it must satisfy all of the requirements for claiming the exemption under section 883. If the foreign corporation elects to claim the exemption under the income tax convention, it must satisfy all of the requirements and conditions for claiming benefits under the income tax convention. See § 1.883-4(b)(3) for rules concerning relying on shareholders resident in a foreign country that grants an equivalent exemption under an income tax convention to satisfy the stock ownership test of paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(B) Special rule for claiming simultaneous benefits under section 883 and an income tax convention. If a foreign corporation that is organized in a country that grants an exemption from tax under an income tax convention and also by some other means (such as by diplomatic note or domestic law of the foreign country) with respect to a specific category of income described in paragraph (h)(2) of this section, and the foreign corporation elects to claim the exemption under the income tax convention, the foreign corporation may nonetheless simultaneously claim an exemption under section 883 with respect to a category of income exempt from tax by such other means if the foreign corporation—
(1) Satisfies the requirements of paragraphs (h)(3)(i)(A) and (B) of this section for each category of income;
(2) Satisfies one of the stock ownership tests of paragraph (c)(2) of this section; and
(3) Complies with the substantiation and reporting requirements in paragraph (c)(3) of this section.
(iii) Participation in certain joint ventures. If a foreign country grants an exemption for a category of income only through an income tax convention, a foreign corporation that is organized in that country and that derives income, directly or indirectly, through a participation in a pool, partnership, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code-sharing arrangement, or other joint venture described in paragraph (e)(2) of this section, may treat that exemption as an equivalent exemption even if the foreign corporation would not be eligible to claim benefits under the income tax convention for that category of income solely because the joint venture was not fiscally transparent, within the meaning of § 1.894-1(d)(3)(iii)(A), with respect to that category of income under the income tax laws of the foreign corporation's country of residence.
(iv) Independent interpretation of income tax conventions. Nothing in this section nor §§ 1.883-2 through 1.883-5 affects the rights or obligations under any income tax convention between the United States and a foreign country. The definitions provided in this section and §§ 1.883-2 through 1.883-5 shall not give meaning to similar or identical terms used in an income tax convention, or provide guidance regarding the scope of any exemption provided by such convention, unless the income tax convention entered into force after August 26, 2003, and it, or its legislative history, explicitly refers to section 883 and guidance promulgated under that section for its meaning.
(4) Exemptions not qualifying as equivalent exemptions—
(i) General rule. Certain types of exemptions provided to corporations organized in the United States by foreign countries do not satisfy the equivalent exemption requirements of this section. Paragraphs (h)(4)(ii) through (vii) of this section provide descriptions of some of the types of exemptions that do not qualify as equivalent exemptions for purposes of this section.
(ii) Reduced tax rate or time limited exemption. The exemption granted by the foreign country's law or income tax convention must be a complete exemption. The exemption may not constitute merely a reduction to a nonzero rate of tax levied against the income of corporations organized in the United States derived from the international operation of ships or aircraft or a temporary reduction to a zero rate of tax, such as in the case of a tax holiday.
(iii) Inbound or outbound freight tax. With respect to the carriage of cargo, the foreign country must provide an exemption from tax for income from transporting freight both inbound and outbound. For example, a foreign country that imposes tax only on outbound freight will not be treated as granting an equivalent exemption for income from transporting freight inbound into that country.
(iv) Exemptions for limited types of cargo. A foreign country must provide an exemption from tax for income from transporting all types of cargo. For example, if a foreign country were generally to impose tax on income from the international carriage of cargo but were to provide a statutory exemption for income from transporting agricultural products, the foreign country would not be considered to grant an equivalent exemption with respect to income from the international carriage of cargo, including agricultural products.
(v) Territorial tax systems. A foreign country with a territorial tax system will be treated as granting an equivalent exemption if it treats all income derived from the international operation of ships or aircraft derived by a U.S. corporation as entirely foreign source and therefore not subject to tax, including income derived from a voyage or flight that begins or ends in that foreign country.
(vi) Countries that tax on a residence basis. A foreign country that provides an equivalent exemption to corporations organized in the United States but also imposes a residence-based tax on certain corporations organized in the United States may nevertheless be considered to grant an equivalent exemption if the residence-based tax is imposed only on a corporation organized in the United States that maintains its center of management and control or other comparable attributes in that foreign country. If the residence-based tax is imposed on corporations organized in the United States and engaged in the international operation of ships or aircraft that are not managed and controlled in that foreign country, the foreign country shall not be treated as a qualified foreign country and shall not be considered to grant an equivalent exemption for purposes of this section.
(vii) Exemptions within categories of income. With respect to paragraphs (h)(2)(i) through (v), (vii), and (viii) of this section, a foreign country must provide an exemption from tax for all income in a category of income, as defined in paragraph (h)(2) of this section. For example, a country that exempts income from the bareboat charter of passenger aircraft but not the bareboat charter of cargo aircraft does not provide an equivalent exemption. However, an equivalent exemption may be available for income derived from the international operation of ships even though income derived from the international operation of aircraft may not be exempt, and vice versa. With respect to paragraph (h)(2)(vi) of this section, a foreign country may be considered to grant an equivalent exemption for one or more types of income described in paragraph (g)(1) of this section.
(i) Treatment of possessions. For purposes of this section, a possession of the United States will be treated as a foreign country. A possession of the United States will be considered to grant an equivalent exemption and will be treated as a qualified foreign country if it applies a mirror system of taxation. If a possession does not apply a mirror system of taxation, the possession may nevertheless be a qualified foreign country if, for example, it provides for an equivalent exemption through its internal law. A possession applies the mirror system of taxation if the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applies in the possession with the name of the possession used instead of “United States” where appropriate.
(j) Expenses related to qualified income. If a qualified foreign corporation derives qualified income from the international operation of ships or aircraft as well as income that is not qualified income, and the nonqualified income is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, the foreign corporation may not deduct from such nonqualified income any amount otherwise allowable as a deduction from qualified income, if that qualified income is excluded under this section. See section 265(a)(1).

[T.D. 9087, 68 FR 51400, Aug. 26, 2003; 69 FR 7995, Feb. 20, 2004, as amended by T.D. 9332, 72 FR 34605, June 25, 2007; 72 FR 45159, Aug. 13, 2007; T.D. 9502, 75 FR 56861, Sept. 17, 2010]

Terms defined here

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Other regulations under § 883

Cross-references

Computed from the citations in the text of 26 CFR.

Code sections it cites

Regulations it cites

Cited by 6 other regulations

Amendment history

From the source citation at the end of the section, newest first. T.D. is a Treasury decision; FR is the Federal Register.

  1. Amended by T.D. 9502 (75 FR 56861)
  2. Amended (72 FR 45159)
  3. Amended by T.D. 9332 (72 FR 34605)
  4. Amended (69 FR 7995)
  5. Issued by T.D. 9087 (68 FR 51400)

Where it sits in 26 CFR

  1. Subchapter A Income tax
  2. Part 1 Income taxes
  3. Foreign corporations

Nearby sections