On March 31, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (“TTB”) issued a newsletter and industry circular extending certain filing and payment deadlines on account of the novel coronavirus (“COVID‑19”).

Recognizing that businesses subject to its regulation “are being severely impacted by COVID‑19,” TTB is “postponing several filing and payment due dates for 90-days where the original due date falls on or after March 1, 2020, through July 1, 2020.” TTB is taking the following actions:

  1. Postponing tax payment due dates for wine, beer, distilled spirits, tobacco products, cigarette papers and tubes, firearms, and ammunition excise taxes.
  2. Postponing filing due dates for excise tax returns.
  3. Postponing filing due dates for submission of operational reports.
  4. Postponing filing due dates for claims for credit or refund by producers.
  5. Postponing filing due dates for claims by manufacturers of nonbeverage products.
  6. Postponing due dates for submission of export documentation.
  7. Considering emergency variations from regulatory requirements for affected businesses on a case-by-case basis.
  8. Reviewing requests for relief from penalties based on reasonable cause.

These actions are subject to TTB’s reevaluation if circumstances warrant. Further details are provided in TTB’s industry circular.

These actions are being taken in accordance with President Trump’s March 13 letter “instructing Secretary Mnuchin to provide relief from tax deadlines to Americans who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 emergency, as appropriate, pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 7508A(a).”

TTB is posting updates and guidance on COVID‑19 at https://www.ttb.gov/coronavirus.