CFR > Title 26 - Internal Revenue > CHAPTER I—INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY > SUBCHAPTER A—INCOME TAX (Parts 1–19) > PART 1—INCOME TAXES > 1.179A-1—Recapture of deduction for qualified clean-fuel vehicle property and qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property.

1.179A-1—Recapture of deduction for qualified clean-fuel vehicle property and qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property.

(a) In general. If a recapture event occurs with respect to a taxpayer's qualified clean-fuel vehicle property or qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property, the taxpayer must include the recapture amount in taxable income for the taxable year in which the recapture event occurs.
(b) Recapture event— (1) Qualified clean-fuel vehicle property— A recapture event occurs if, within 3 full years from the date a vehicle of which qualified clean-fuel vehicle property is a part is placed in service, the property ceases to be qualified clean-fuel vehicle property. Property ceases to be qualified clean-fuel vehicle property if—
(A) The vehicle is modified by the taxpayer so that it may no longer be propelled by a clean-burning fuel;
(B) The vehicle is used by the taxpayer in a manner described in section 50(b) ;
(C) The vehicle otherwise ceases to qualify as property defined in section 179A(c); or
(D) The taxpayer receiving the deduction under section 179A sells or disposes of the vehicle and knows or has reason to know that the vehicle will be used in a manner described in paragraph (b)(1)(i) (A), (B), or (C) of this section.
(ii) Exception for disposition. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(1)(i)(D) of this section, a sale or other disposition (including a disposition by reason of an accident or other casualty) of qualified clean-fuel vehicle property is not a recapture event.
(2) Qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property— (i) In general. A recapture event occurs if, at any time before the end of its recovery period, the property ceases to be qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property. Property ceases to be qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property if—
(A) The property no longer qualifies as property described in section 179A(d) ;
(B) The property is no longer used predominantly in a trade or business (property will be treated as no longer used predominantly in a trade or business if 50 percent or more of the use of the property in a taxable year is for use other than in a trade or business);
(C) The property is used by the taxpayer in a manner described in section 50(b); or
(D) The taxpayer receiving the deduction under section 179A sells or disposes of the property and knows or has reason to know that the property will be used in a manner described in paragraph (b)(2)(i) (A), (B), or (C) of this section.
(ii) Exception for disposition. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2)(i)(D) of this section, a sale or other disposition (including a disposition by reason of an accident or other casualty) of qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property is not a recapture event.
(c) Recapture date— (1) Qualified clean-fuel vehicle property. The recapture date is the actual date of the recapture event unless an event described in paragraph (b)(1)(i)(B) of this section occurs, in which case the recapture date is the first day of the recapture year.
(2) Qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property. The recapture date is the actual date of the recapture event unless the recapture occurs as a result of an event described in paragraph (b)(2)(i) (B) or (C) of this section, in which case the recapture date is the first day of the recapture year.
(d) Recapture amount— (1) Qualified clean-fuel vehicle property. The recapture amount is equal to the benefit of the section 179A deduction allowable multiplied by the recapture percentage. The recapture percentage is—
(i) 100, if the recapture date is within the first full year after the date the vehicle is placed in service;
(ii) 66 2/3, if the recapture date is within the second full year after the date the vehicle is placed in service; or
(iii) 33 1/3, if the recapture date is within the third full year after the date the vehicle is placed in service.
(2) Qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property. The recapture amount is equal to the benefit of the section 179A deduction allowable multiplied by the following fraction. The numerator of the fraction equals the total recovery period for the property minus the number of recovery years prior to, but not including, the recapture year. The denominator of the fraction equals the total recovery period.
(e) Basis adjustment. As of the first day of the taxable year in which the recapture event occurs, the basis of the vehicle of which qualified clean-fuel vehicle property is a part or the basis of qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property is increased by the recapture amount. For a vehicle or refueling property that is of a character that is subject to an allowance for depreciation, this increase in basis is recoverable over its remaining recovery period beginning as of the first day of the taxable year in which the recapture event occurs.
(f) Application of For purposes of section 1245, the amount of the deduction allowable under section 179A(a) with respect to any property that is (or has been) of a character subject to an allowance for depreciation is treated as a deduction allowed for depreciation under section 167. Therefore, upon a sale or other disposition of depreciable qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property or a depreciable vehicle of which qualified clean-fuel vehicle property is a part, section 1245 will apply to any gain recognized to the extent the basis of the depreciable property or vehicle was reduced under section 179A(e)(6) net of any basis increase described in paragraph (e) of this section.
(g) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this section:

Code of Federal Regulations

Example 1. A, a calendar-year taxpayer, purchases and places in service for personal use on January 1, 1995, a clean-fuel vehicle, a portion of which is qualified clean-fuel vehicle property, costing $25,000. The qualified clean-fuel vehicle property costs $11,000. On A's 1995 federal income tax return, A claims a section 179A deduction of $2,000. On January 2, 1996, A sells the vehicle to an unrelated third party who subsequently converts the vehicle into a gasoline-propelled vehicle on October 15, 1996. There is no recapture upon the sale of the vehicle by A provided A did not know or have reason to know that the purchaser intended to convert the vehicle to a gasoline-propelled vehicle.

Code of Federal Regulations

Example 2. B, a calendar-year taxpayer, purchases and places in service for personal use on October 11, 1994, a clean-fuel vehicle costing $20,000, a portion of which is qualified clean-fuel vehicle property. The qualified clean-fuel vehicle property costs $10,000. On B's 1994 federal income tax return, B claims a deduction of $2,000, which reduces B's gross income by $2,000. The basis of the vehicle is reduced to $18,000 ($20,000−$2,000). On January 31, 1996, B sells the vehicle to a tax-exempt entity. Because B knowingly sold the vehicle to a tax-exempt entity described in section 50(b) in the second full year from the date the vehicle was placed in service, B must recapture $1,333 ($2,000 × 662/3 percent). This recapture amount increases B's gross income by $1,333 on B's 1996 federal income tax return and is added to the basis of the motor vehicle as of January 1, 1996, the beginning of the taxable year of recapture.

Code of Federal Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations 251
Example 3. X, a calendar-year taxpayer, purchases and places in service for its business use on January 1, 1994, qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property costing $400,000. Assume this property has a 5-year recovery period. On X's 1994 federal income tax return, X claims a deduction of $100,000, which reduces X's gross income by $100,000. The basis of the property is reduced to $300,000 ($400,000−$100,000) prior to any adjustments for depreciation. In 1996, more than 50 percent of the use of the property is other than in X's trade or business. Because the property is no longer used predominantly in X's business, X must recapture three-fifths of the section 179A deduction or $60,000 ($100,000×(5-2)/5 = $60,000) and include that amount in gross income on its 1996 federal income tax return. The recapture amount of $60,000 is added to the basis of the property as of January 1, 1996, the beginning of the taxable year of recapture, and to the extent the property remains depreciable, the adjusted basis is recoverable over the remaining recovery period.

Code of Federal Regulations

Example 4. X, a calendar-year taxpayer, purchases and places in service for business use on January 1, 1994, qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property costing $350,000. Assume this property has a 5-year recovery period. On X's 1994 federal income tax return, X claims a deduction of $100,000, which reduces X's gross income by $100,000. The basis of the property is reduced to $250,000 ($350,000−$100,000) prior to any adjustments for depreciation. In 1995, X converts the property to store and dispense gasoline. Because the property is no longer used as qualified clean-fuel vehicle refueling property in 1995, X must recapture four-fifths of the section 179A deduction or $80,000 ($100,000×(5-1)/5 = $80,000) and include that amount in gross income on its 1995 federal income tax return. The recapture amount of $80,000 is added to the basis of the property as of January 1, 1995, the beginning of the taxable year of recapture, and to the extent the property remains depreciable, the adjusted basis is recoverable over the remaining recovery period.

Code of Federal Regulations

Example 5. The facts are the same as in Example 4. In 1996, X sells the refueling property for $351,000, recognizing a gain from this sale. Under paragraph (f) of this section, section 1245 will apply to any gain recognized on the sale of depreciable property to the extent the basis of the property was reduced by the section 179A deduction net of any basis increase from recapture of the section 179A deduction. Accordingly, the gain from the sale of the property is subject to section 1245 to the extent of the depreciation allowance for the property plus the deduction allowed under section 179A ($100,000), less the previous recapture amount ($80,000). Any remaining amount of gain may be subject to other applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
(h) Effective date. This section is effective on October 14, 1994. If the recapture date is before the effective date of this section, a taxpayer may use any reasonable method to recapture the benefit of any deduction allowable under section 179A(a) consistent with section 179A and its legislative history. For this purpose, the recapture date is defined in paragraph (c) of this section.

Code of Federal Regulations

[T.D.8606, 60 FR 39651, Aug. 3, 1995]