TREASURY REGULATIONS

(a) Accounts or readily tradable instruments acquired directly from the payor (including a broker who holds an instrument in street name) by electronic transmission or by mail. In the case of an account established directly with, or a readily tradable instrument acquired directly from, the payor by means of electronic transmission (i.e., telephone or wire instruction) or by mail, the payor may permit the payee to furnish the certifications required in § 31.3406(d)-1(b)(3) (relating to certification that the payee's taxpayer identification number is correct) and § 31.3406(d)-2 (relating to certification of notified payee underreporting) within 30 days after the establishment or acquisition without subjecting the account to withholding during the 30 days. The preceding sentence applies only if the payee furnishes a taxpayer identification number to the payor at the time of the establishment or acquisition, and the payee does not withdraw more than 69 percent of a reportable interest or dividend payment before the certifications are received within the 30 days. If the payee does not provide the required certifications within 30 days of the establishment or acquisition, the payor must withhold 31 percent of any reportable interest or dividend payments made to the account after its acquisition. For purposes of this section, an account or instrument is considered acquired directly from the payor if the instrument was acquired by the payee without the assistance of a broker or the instrument was acquired directly from a broker who holds the instrument as nominee for the payee (i.e., in street name) and who is considered a payor under § 31.3406(a)-2. For payments made after December 31, 1998, see § 1.6049-5(d)(2)(ii) of this chapter for the application of a 90-day grace period in lieu of the 30-day grace period described in this paragraph (a) if, at the beginning of the 90-day grace period, certain conditions are satisfied. If the grace period provisions of § 1.6049-5(d)(2)(ii) or § 1.1441-1(b)(3)(iv) of this chapter are applied with respect to a new account, the grace period provisions of this paragraph (a) shall not apply to that account.

(b) Sale of an instrument for a customer by electronic transmission or by mail. The special rules set forth in paragraph (a) of this section apply comparably with respect to certification of the taxpayer identification number for the sale of an instrument under section 6045 (as described in § 31.3406(b)(3)-2) through a post-1983 brokerage account (as described in § 31.3406(d)-1(c)(2)) for a customer by electronic transmission or by mail. However, the 30-day rules may apply only if the payee furnishes the payee's taxpayer identification number before the sale occurs. For purposes of applying the 30-day rules under this paragraph (b), a payee's reinvestment of the gross proceeds of the sale into other instruments constitutes a withdrawal.

(c) Application to foreign payees. The rules of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section also apply to a payee from whom the payor is required to obtain a Form W-8 (or an acceptable substitute) or other evidence of foreign status (pursuant to relevant regulations under an applicable Internal Revenue Code section without regard to the requirement to furnish a taxpayer identifying number, and the certifications described in §§ 31.3406(d)-1(b)(3) and 31.3406(d)-2), provided the payee represents orally or otherwise, before or at the time of the acquisition or sale of the instrument or the establishment of the account, that the payee is not a United States citizen or resident. The 30-day rules described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section may apply only if the payee does not qualify for, or the payor does not apply, the 90-day grace period described in § 1.6049-5(d)(2)(ii) or § 1.1441-1(b)(3)(iv) of this chapter.