Treasury Regulations · 26 CFR
§ 49.5000B-1. Indoor tanning services.
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. § 5000B
Cite as 26 CFR § 49.5000B-1
At a glance
Read from the text and its source citation. Not part of the regulation.
- Status
- In the current eCFR
- Issued
- June 11, 2013 by T.D. 9621
- Issued under
- 26 U.S.C. § 5000B
- Length
- 2,687 words · about 12 min to read
- Defines
- 6 terms
- Cross-references
- cites 2 Code sections and 0 regulations; cited by 0
(i) P is a nail salon that also provides indoor tanning service incidental to its primary business of providing nail salon services. P advertises a price of $15.00 (exclusive of the tax imposed by section 5000B) for one 10-minute indoor tanning service. During a period when the tax is 10 percent of the amount paid, P calculates the section 5000B tax on $15.00 as provided by paragraph (d)(1) of this section. Thus, the tax is $1.50 ($15.00 × 10%). The person paying for the service is liable for the tax when that person pays for the services. If P does not collect the tax from the person at the time of the payment for the services, P is liable for the tax.
(ii) The facts are the same as in paragraph (i) of this example except that P's advertised price of $15.00 includes the tanning tax. In this case, the tax is $1.36 ($15.00 × 10%/110%) under the second sentence of paragraph (d)(1) of this section.
P provides indoor tanning services and other goods and services. On July 1, 2013, A, an individual, pays P for one 10-minute indoor tanning service and one pair of protective eyewear. P charges $15.00 for the 10-minute indoor tanning service and $2.00 for a pair of protective eyewear. The $2.00 charge for the protective eyewear does not exceed its fair market value. The invoice from P is $17.00 (exclusive of the tax imposed by section 5000B) and separately states the cost of the protective eyewear. Because the cost of the protective eyewear is separately stated, P calculates the section 5000B tax on $15.00 as provided by paragraph (d)(2) of this section. A is liable for the tax when A pays for the services. If P does not collect the tax from A at the time A pays for the services, P is liable for the tax.
P provides indoor tanning services and other goods and services and offers bundled services. On July 1, 2013, A, an individual, buys bundled service from P that includes 10 swimming lessons, the use of towels while on P's premises, one pair of protective eyewear, and 2 “free” 10-minute indoor tanning services. P charges $252.00 (exclusive of the tax imposed by section 5000B) for the bundled services. If these services are purchased separately, P charges (exclusive of the tax imposed by section 5000B) $25.00 per swimming lesson, $15.00 for a 10-minute indoor tanning service, $2.00 for the protective eyewear, and does not charge for the use of towels while on P's premises. As determined under paragraph (d)(3) of this section, the section 5000B tax applies to the amount reasonably attributable to the indoor tanning service, which is $26.81 (($30.00/$282.00) × $252.00).
On July 1, 2013, A buys bundled services (described in Example 3) from P as a gift for B. Under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, A is deemed to be the person on whom the indoor tanning services are performed for purposes of collecting the tax. Therefore, under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, A is liable for the tax when A pays for the services. The tax will be computed under the rules of paragraph (d)(3) of this section. If A does not pay the tax at the time A pays for the services, P is liable for the tax.
(i) P operates a spa that provides a variety of cosmetic goods and services, including indoor tanning services. On July 1, 2013, A buys a gift certificate in the amount of $100.00 from P as a gift for B. The gift certificate may be redeemed by B for B's choice among several services offered by P, including indoor tanning services. On July 15, 2013, B partially redeems the gift certificate to pay for one 10-minute indoor tanning service.
(ii) Under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, a payment for indoor tanning services is made, and the tax under section 5000B is imposed, on July 15, 2013, when B partially redeems the gift certificate to pay for one indoor tanning service. Under paragraph (e)(2) of this section, B is the person who pays for the indoor tanning services. Therefore, B is liable for the tax, computed under the rules of paragraph (d) of this section, and pays the tax by permitting P to debit the amount of the tax from the balance of the gift certificate or by paying the amount of the tax to P in cash. If B does not pay the tax at the time B partially redeems the gift certificate to pay for the indoor tanning services, P is liable for the tax.
On July 1, 2013, A pays $1,000.00 (exclusive of the tax imposed by section 5000B) to spa P for the right to use the following equipment and services during the month of July: up to four massages or facials, unlimited use of a sauna, steam room, showers, and towel service, and unlimited indoor tanning services. If the services are purchased separately, P charges (exclusive of the tax imposed by section 5000B) $150.00 for unlimited indoor tanning services during the month of July, and $900.00 for the other equipment and services during the month of July, not including indoor tanning services. Under paragraph (b) of this section, A has made a payment for indoor tanning services and the tax will be computed under the rules of paragraph (d)(3) of this section. As determined under paragraph (d)(3) of this section, the section 5000B tax applies to the amount reasonably attributable to the indoor tanning services, which is $142.86 (($150.00/$1050.00) × $1000.00). If A does not pay the tax at the time A pays for the bundled services, P is liable for the tax.
P operates a full-service gym facility that offers fitness classes, multiple exercise machines (such as treadmills, stationary bicycles, weight training machines, and free weights), and has as its predominant business providing these facilities, equipment, and services to members for purposes of exercise and physical fitness. P provides its members with access to indoor tanning services, comprised of two tanning beds that meet the definition of indoor tanning services under paragraph (c)(1) of this section. P generally charges its members a fee for monthly usage of its facilities, equipment, and services, but also offers short-term or free trial memberships and allows non-members to purchase individual or a series of exercise classes. P does not charge any fee for the indoor tanning services, does not offer indoor tanning services separately from its other services, and has no membership tier or category that differs from others based on access to the indoor tanning services. P holds itself out to the public through advertising and marketing as providing equipment and services to improve physical fitness. On July 1, 2013, A pays a membership fee to P in return for use of P's facility during the month of July. Under paragraph (d)(4) of this section, no portion of A's membership fee payment is treated as a payment made for indoor tanning services, because A is a qualified physical fitness facility under paragraph (c)(5) of this section. Therefore, no liability for tax arises under section 5000B.
[T.D. 9621, 78 FR 34876, June 11, 2013]
Terms defined here
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Cross-references
Computed from the citations in the text of 26 CFR.
Code sections it cites
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.
- Issued by T.D. 9621 (78 FR 34876)
Where it sits in 26 CFR
- Subchapter D Miscellaneous excise taxes
- Part 49 Facilities and services excise taxes
- Subpart G Indoor Tanning Services