Confidentiality and disclosure of returns and return information

FederalStatutes

Ask Donna

How this section applies to your facts.

Title 26—INTERNAL REVENUE CODE > Subtitle F—Procedure and Administration > CHAPTER 61—INFORMATION AND RETURNS > Subchapter B—Miscellaneous Provisions

This text was captured on Sep 16, 2026. It is a snapshot, not a live feed, so check the official code before relying on it.

Text

no officer or employee of the United States,

( Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736 , 68A Stat. 753 ; Pub. L. 88–563, § 3(c) , Sept. 2, 1964 , 78 Stat. 844 ; Pub. L. 89–44, title VI, § 601(a) , June 21, 1965 , 79 Stat. 153 ; Pub. L. 89–713, § 4(a) , Nov. 2, 1966 , 80 Stat. 1109 ; Pub. L. 93–406, title II, § 1022(h) , Sept. 2, 1974 , 88 Stat. 941 ; Pub. L. 94–202, § 8(g) , Jan. 2, 1976 , 89 Stat. 1139 ; Pub. L. 94–455, title XII, § 1202(a)(1) , Oct. 4, 1976 , 90 Stat. 1667 ; Pub. L. 95–210, § 5 , Dec. 13, 1977 , 91 Stat. 1491 ; Pub. L. 95–600, title V, § 503 , title VII, § 701(bb)(1)(A), (B), (2)–(5), Nov. 6, 1978 , 92 Stat. 2879 , 2921–2923; Pub. L. 96–249, title I, § 127(a)(1) , (2)(A)–(C), May 26, 1980 , 94 Stat. 365 , 366, as amended Pub. L. 96–611, § 11(a)(1) , Dec. 28, 1980 , 94 Stat. 3573 , and Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title IV, § 453(b)(5) , July 18, 1984 , 98 Stat. 820 ; Pub. L. 96–265, title IV, § 408(a) –(2)(C), June 9, 1980 , 94 Stat. 468 , as amended Pub. L. 96–611, § 11(a)(2)(A) –(B)(iii), Dec. 28, 1980 , 94 Stat. 3573 ; Pub. L. 96–499, title III, § 302(a) , Dec. 5, 1980 , 94 Stat. 2604 ; Pub. L. 96–589, § 3(c) , Dec. 24, 1980 , 94 Stat. 3401 ; Pub. L. 96–598, § 3(a) , Dec. 24, 1980 , 94 Stat. 3487 ; Pub. L. 97–34, title VII, § 701(a) , Aug. 13, 1981 , 95 Stat. 340 ; Pub. L. 97–248, title III , §§ 356(a), (b)(1), 358(a), (b), Sept. 3, 1982 , 96 Stat. 641 , 645, 646, 648; Pub. L. 97–258, § 3(f)(4) –(6), Sept. 13, 1982 , 96 Stat. 1064 ; Pub. L. 97–365 , §§ 7(a), (b), 8(a)–(c)(1), Oct. 25, 1982 , 96 Stat. 1752–1754 ; Pub. L. 97–452, § 2(c)(4) , Jan. 12, 1983 , 96 Stat. 2478 ; Pub. L. 98–21, title I, § 121(c)(3)(A) , (B), Apr. 20, 1983 , 97 Stat. 83 ; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title IV , §§ 449(a), 453(a)–(b)(3), (6), div. B, title VI, §§ 2651(k), 2653(b)(3), 2663(j)(5)(E), July 18, 1984 , 98 Stat. 818 , 820, 1150, 1155, 1171; Pub. L. 98–378 , §§ 19(b), 21(f)(1)–(4), Aug. 16, 1984 , 98 Stat. 1322 , 1325, 1326; Pub. L. 99–92, § 8(h) , Aug. 16, 1985 , 99 Stat. 399 ; Pub. L. 99–335, title III, § 310(a) , (b), June 6, 1986 , 100 Stat. 607 , 608; Pub. L. 99–386, title II, § 206(b) , Aug. 22, 1986 , 100 Stat. 823 ; Pub. L. 99–514, title XIV, § 1411(b) , title XV, § 1568(a), title XVIII, § 1899A(53), Oct. 22, 1986 , 100 Stat. 2715 , 2764, 2961; Pub. L. 100–485, title VII, § 701(b)(1) , (2)(A), (B), Oct. 13, 1988 , 102 Stat. 2425 , 2426; Pub. L. 100–647, title I , §§ 1012(bb)(3)(A), (B), 1014(e)(4), title VI, § 6251, title VIII, § 8008(c)(1), (2)(A), Nov. 10, 1988 , 102 Stat. 3534 , 3561, 3752, 3786, 3787; Pub. L. 100–690, title VII , §§ 7601(b)(1), (2), 7602(c), (d)(2), Nov. 18, 1988 , 102 Stat. 4504 , 4508; Pub. L. 101–239, title VI, § 6202(a)(1)(A) , (B), title VII, § 7841(d)(1), Dec. 19, 1989 , 103 Stat. 2226 , 2227, 2428; Pub. L. 101–508, title IV, § 4203(a)(2) , title V, § 5111(b)(1), (2), title VIII, § 8051(a), title XI, §§ 11101(d)(6), 11212(b)(3), 11313(a), Nov. 5, 1990 , 104 Stat. 1388–107 , 1388–272, 1388–273, 1388–349, 1388–405, 1388–431, 1388–455; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, § 321 , Dec. 1, 1990 , 104 Stat. 5117 ; Pub. L. 102–568, title VI, § 602(b) , Oct. 29, 1992 , 106 Stat. 4342 ; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII , §§ 13401(a), 13402(a), (b), 13403(a), (b), 13444(a), 13561(a)(2), (e)(2)(B), Aug. 10, 1993 , 107 Stat. 563–565 , 570, 593, 595; Pub. L. 103–182, title V, § 522(a) , (b), Dec. 8, 1993 , 107 Stat. 2161 ; Pub. L. 103–296, title I, § 108(h)(6) , title III, § 311(b), Aug. 15, 1994 , 108 Stat. 1487 , 1525; Pub. L. 104–134, title III, § 31001(g)(2) , (i)(2), Apr. 26, 1996 , 110 Stat. 1321–363 , 1321–364; Pub. L. 104–168, title IV, § 403(a) , title IX, § 902(a), title XII, §§ 1206(a)–(b)(4), 1207, July 30, 1996 , 110 Stat. 1459 , 1466, 1472, 1473; Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1704(t)(41) , Aug. 20, 1996 , 110 Stat. 1889 ; Pub. L. 104–193, title I, § 110 ( l )(2), formerly ( l )(3), ( l )(4), (5), title III, § 316(g)(4), Aug. 22, 1996 , 110 Stat. 2173 , 2219, renumbered Pub. L. 105–33, title V, § 5514(a)(2) , Aug. 5, 1997 , 111 Stat. 620 ; Pub. L. 105–33, title IV, § 4631(c)(2) , title V, § 5514(a)(1), title XI, § 11024(b)(1)–(7), Aug. 5, 1997 , 111 Stat. 486 , 620, 721, 722; Pub. L. 105–34, title IX, § 976(c) , title X, §§ 1023(a), 1026(a), (b)(1), title XII, §§ 1201(b)(2), 1205(c)(1), (3), 1283(a), (b), Aug. 5, 1997 , 111 Stat. 899 , 923–925, 994, 998, 1038; Pub. L. 105–65, title V, § 542(b) , Oct. 27, 1997 , 111 Stat. 1412 ; Pub. L. 105–206, title I, § 1101(b) , title III, §§ 3702(a), (b), 3708(a), 3711(b), title VI, §§ 6007(f)(4), 6009(d), 6012(b)(2), (4), 6019(c), 6023(22), July 22, 1998 , 112 Stat. 696 , 776–778, 781, 810, 812, 819, 823, 826; Pub. L. 105–277, div. J, title I, § 1006 , title IV, §§ 4002(a), (h), 4006(a)(1), (2), Oct. 21, 1998 , 112 Stat. 2681–900 , 2681–906, 2681–907, 2681–912; Pub. L. 106–170, title V, § 521(a)(1) , Dec. 17, 1999 , 113 Stat. 1925 ; Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(7) [title III, §§ 304(a), 310(a), 313(c), 319(8)(B),(17)] , Dec. 21, 2000 , 114 Stat. 2763 , 2763A–632, 2763A–638, 2763A–643, 2763A–646, 2763A–647; Pub. L. 107–134, title II, § 201(a) –(c)(8), Jan. 23, 2002 , 115 Stat. 2440–2444 ; Pub. L. 107–147, title IV, § 416(c)(1) , Mar. 9, 2002 , 116 Stat. 55 ; Pub. L. 107–210, div. A, title II, § 202(b)(1) , (2), Aug. 6, 2002 , 116 Stat. 961 ; Pub. L. 107–296, title XI, § 1112(j) , Nov. 25, 2002 , 116 Stat. 2277 ; Pub. L. 107–330, title III, § 306 , Dec. 6, 2002 , 116 Stat. 2827 ; Pub. L. 108–89, title II, § 201(a) , Oct. 1, 2003 , 117 Stat. 1132 ; Pub. L. 108–173, title I , §§ 101(e)(6), 105(e)(1)–(3), title VIII, § 811(c)(1)–(2)(B), title IX, § 900(e)(3), Dec. 8, 2003 , 117 Stat. 2151 , 2167, 2368, 2369, 2372; Pub. L. 108–311, title III , §§ 311(a), 317, 320(a), (b), title IV, § 408(a)(24), Oct. 4, 2004 , 118 Stat. 1180–1182 , 1192; Pub. L. 108–357, title IV, § 413(c)(27) , Oct. 22, 2004 , 118 Stat. 1509 ; Pub. L. 108–429, title II, § 2004(a)(22) , Dec. 3, 2004 , 118 Stat. 2592 ; Pub. L. 109–135, title III, § 305(a)(1) , (b)(1), (c)(1), title IV, §§ 406(a), 412(rr)(3), (4), (yy), Dec. 21, 2005 , 119 Stat. 2609 , 2634, 2640; Pub. L. 109–280, title XII, § 1224(b)(1) –(3), Aug. 17, 2006 , 120 Stat. 1093 ; Pub. L. 109–432, div. A, title I, § 122(a)(1) , (b)(1), (c)(1), title IV, § 421(a), (b), Dec. 20, 2006 , 120 Stat. 2944 , 2971, 2972; Pub. L. 110–28, title VIII, § 8246(a)(2)(B) , May 25, 2007 , 121 Stat. 201 ; Pub. L. 110–142, § 8(c)(1) , Dec. 20, 2007 , 121 Stat. 1807 ; Pub. L. 110–172, § 11(a)(34)(A) , Dec. 29, 2007 , 121 Stat. 2487 ; Pub. L. 110–234, title IV, § 4002(b)(1)(B) , (H), (2)(O), May 22, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1096 , 1097; Pub. L. 110–245, title I, § 108(a) , (b), June 17, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1631 ; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a) , title IV, § 4002(b)(1)(B), (H), (2)(O), June 18, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1664 , 1857, 1858; Pub. L. 110–328, § 3(b) , Sept. 30, 2008 , 122 Stat. 3572 ; Pub. L. 110–343, div. C, title IV, § 402(a) , (b), Oct. 3, 2008 , 122 Stat. 3875 , 3876; Pub. L. 110–428, § 2(a) , (b), Oct. 15, 2008 , 122 Stat. 4839 ; Pub. L. 111–3, title VII, § 702(f)(1) , (2), Feb. 4, 2009 , 123 Stat. 110 ; Pub. L. 111–148, title I, § 1414(a)(1) , (b), (c), title III, § 3308(b)(2), Mar. 23, 2010 , 124 Stat. 236 , 237, 474; Pub. L. 111–152, title I, § 1004(a)(1)(B) , Mar. 30, 2010 , 124 Stat. 1034 ; Pub. L. 111–192, title I, § 103(a) , June 25, 2010 , 124 Stat. 1282 ; Pub. L. 111–198, § 4(a) –(d), July 2, 2010 , 124 Stat. 1356 , 1357; Pub. L. 112–240, title II, § 209(a) –(b)(2), Jan. 2, 2013 , 126 Stat. 2324 , 2325; Pub. L. 114–94, div. C, title XXXII , §§ 32101(c), 32102(d), Dec. 4, 2015 , 129 Stat. 1731 , 1734; Pub. L. 114–113, div. Q, title IV, § 403(a) , Dec. 18, 2015 , 129 Stat. 3117 ; Pub. L. 114–184, § 2(a) –(b)(2)(B), June 30, 2016 , 130 Stat. 536 , 537; Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title IV, § 401(a)(267) –(275), Mar. 23, 2018 , 132 Stat. 1197 ; Pub. L. 116–25, title I, § 1405(a)(1) , (2)(A), (C), title II, §§ 2003(c)(1), (2)(A), 2004(a), (b), 2202(a), (b), July 1, 2019 , 133 Stat. 997 , 998, 1001, 1003, 1004, 1012; Pub. L. 116–91, § 3(a) –(c), Dec. 19, 2019 , 133 Stat. 1189 , 1192; Pub. L. 116–94, div. O, title IV, § 404 , Dec. 20, 2019 , 133 Stat. 3180 ; Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title III, § 3516(a) , Mar. 27, 2020 , 134 Stat. 407 ; Pub. L. 116–260, div. N, title II , §§ 283(b)(1)–(2)(B), 284(a)(1)–(3), div. FF, title I, §§ 102(b)(1)–(2)(B), 103(a)(1)–(3), Dec. 27, 2020 , 134 Stat. 1984–1986 , 3084, 3085; Pub. L. 118–258, title II, § 202(a)(2)(A) –(E), Jan. 4, 2025 , 138 Stat. 2970–2972 .)

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

A word about cookies

We need a few to keep you signed in and the library working. The rest help us see which pages people use and where they get stuck. They stay off unless you say yes.