90-day extension to file a corrected IC-DISC election (Form 4876-A)

Plain-English summary

A company set up a new corporation to serve as an interest-charge domestic international sales corporation (an IC-DISC), a type of entity that provides a tax benefit for U.S. exporters. To get IC-DISC status, the corporation must file Form 4876-A within 90 days of the start of its first tax year, and every shareholder must sign the consent part of that form. Here the officer signed the form but did not realize the shareholders also had to sign, so the corporation filed an incomplete election. The IRS later notified the company it had no valid election on file. The corporation asked for relief under Treas. Reg. §§ 301.9100-1 and 301.9100-3, which grant extra time for a missed election when the taxpayer acted reasonably and in good faith. Because the corporation had relied on its accounting firm, which failed to advise it correctly, the IRS treated it as having acted reasonably and granted 90 days from the date of the letter to file a proper Form 4876-A, treated as a timely election. The IRS cautioned that granting the extension does not itself establish that the corporation actually qualifies as an IC-DISC.

Ruling snapshot

• Question: Should the corporation get an extension of time to file a proper Form 4876-A electing IC-DISC status for its first year?
• Outcome: Approved (90-day extension granted)
• Key authorities: IRC § 992(b); Temp. Treas. Reg. § 1.921-1T(b)(1); Treas. Reg. §§ 301.9100-1, 301.9100-3; IRC § 996(g)

Full text (IRS public release)

Internal Revenue Service Department of the Treasury
Washington, DC 20224

Number: 202552015 Third Party Communication: None
Release Date: 12/26/2025 Date of Communication: Not Applicable
Index Number: 9100.00-00, 992.02-00
Person To Contact:
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-------------------------------------- Telephone Number:
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Refer Reply To:
CC:INTL:B06
In Re: ------------------------ PLR-113803-25
Date:
September 26, 2025

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Legend

Taxpayer = -------------------------
Law Firm = -----------------------------------------------------
Accounting Firm = ------------------------
Company = ----------------------
Individual 1 = --------------------
Individual 2 = -------------------
Individual 3 = -------------------
Individual 4 = -------------------
Date 1 = --------------------------
Date 2 = ---------------------
Date 3 = ----------------------
Year 1 = -------

Dear -----------------:

This responds to correspondences dated June 23, 2025 and August 14, 2025,
submitted by Law Firm requesting that the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") grant
Taxpayer an extension of time under Treas. Reg. §§ 301.9100-1 and 301.9100-3 to file
Form 4876-A ("Election To Be Treated as an Interest Charge DISC") for Year 1,
Taxpayer's first taxable year.

                                             FACTS

Taxpayer was incorporated on Date 1 on behalf of Company to serve as an interest
charge domestic international sales corporation ("IC-DISC") at Accounting Firm's
recommendation. Taxpayer and Company relied on Accounting Firm at all times for the
PLR-113803-25 2

formation of Taxpayer and its IC-DISC election. Taxpayer is a domestic corporation
owned by Individual 1, Individual 2, Individual 3, and Individual 4.

Following Taxpayer's incorporation, Accounting Firm prepared a Form 4876-A for
Taxpayer to execute and file with the IRS. Individual 2, also an officer of Taxpayer,
properly executed Part I ("Signature and Title of Officer") of the Form 4876-A. However,
Individual 2 was unaware that all of Taxpayer's shareholders were required to execute
Part II ("Shareholders' Consent Statement") of the Form 4876-A. On or around Date 2,
Taxpayer filed the incomplete Form 4876-A by mail with the IRS. This attempted
election was made within 90 days of the beginning of Taxpayer's first taxable year.

Believing that Taxpayer had met all of the requirements to operate as an IC-DISC,
Accounting Firm submitted an initial return, a Form 1120-IC-DISC ("Interest Charge
Domestic International Sales Corporation Return"), to the IRS on Taxpayer's behalf. In
correspondence dated Date 3, the IRS sent Taxpayer a notice stating that it could not
process Taxpayer's Form 1120-IC-DISC for Year 1 since the IRS did not have an
approved Form 4876-A for Taxpayer on file.

Taxpayer submitted this request for relief under Treas. Reg. §§ 301.9100-1 and
301.9100-3 for an extension of time to file Form 4876-A to take effect for the tax year
beginning Date 1.

                             LAW AND ANALYSIS

Section 992(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code") provides that an
election by a corporation to be treated as an IC-DISC shall be made by such
corporation for a taxable year at any time during the 90-day period immediately
preceding the beginning of the taxable year, except that the Secretary may give his
consent to the making of an election at such other times as he may designate.

Section 992(b)(1)(B) provides that such election shall be made in such manner as the
Secretary shall prescribe and shall be valid only if all persons who are shareholders in
such corporation on such first day of the first taxable year for which such election is
effective consent to such election.

Temporary Treasury Regulation § 1.921-1T(b)(1) provides, in part, that a corporation
electing IC-DISC status must file Form 4876-A and that a corporation electing to be
treated as an IC-DISC for its first taxable year shall make its election within 90 days
after the beginning of that year.

Treasury Regulation § 301.9100-1(c) gives the Commissioner discretion to grant a
reasonable extension of time under the rules set forth in Treas. Reg. §§ 301.9100-2 and
301.9100-3 to make a regulatory election under all subtitles of the Code except subtitles
E, G, H, and I.
PLR-113803-25 3

Treasury Regulation § 301.9100-1(b) provides that a regulatory election is an election
whose due date is prescribed by a regulation published in the Federal Register, or a
revenue ruling, revenue procedure, notice, or announcement published in the Internal
Revenue Bulletin. For this purpose, an election includes an application for relief in
respect of tax.

Treasury Regulation § 301.9100-3(a) provides that requests for extensions of time for
regulatory elections that do not meet the requirements of Treas. Reg. § 301.9100-2
(automatic extensions) must be made under the rules of Treas. Reg. § 301.9100-3.
Requests for relief subject to Treas. Reg. § 301.9100-3 will be granted when the
taxpayer provides the evidence (including affidavits described in Treas. Reg. §
301.9100-3(e)) to establish to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that the taxpayer
acted reasonably and in good faith, and that the grant of relief will not prejudice the
interests of the Government.

Treasury Regulation § 301.9100-3(b)(1)(v) provides that a taxpayer is generally deemed
to have acted reasonably and in good faith if the taxpayer reasonably relied on a
qualified tax professional and the tax professional failed to make, or advise the taxpayer
to make, the election.

                                 CONCLUSION

Based on the facts and representations submitted with Taxpayer's ruling request, we
conclude that Taxpayer satisfies Treas. Reg. § 301.9100-3(a). Accordingly, Taxpayer is
granted an extension of time of 90 days from the date of this ruling letter to file Form
4876-A. Such filing will be treated as a timely election to be treated as an IC-DISC for
Taxpayer's first taxable year.

The granting of an extension in this ruling letter is not a determination that Taxpayer is
otherwise eligible to make the election or to claim IC-DISC status or benefits. See
Treas. Reg. § 301.9100-1(a). Except as expressly provided herein, no opinion is
expressed or implied concerning the tax consequences of any aspect of any transaction
or item discussed or referenced in this letter. For example, no opinion is expressed
regarding the consequences to any person under section 996(g).

In accordance with section 996(g), Taxpayer should not accept any income tax treaty
claims of reduced withholding under sections 1441 and 1442 with respect to
distributions (deemed or otherwise) of accumulated DISC income.

This ruling is directed only to the taxpayer requesting it. Section 6110(k)(3) of the Code
provides that it may not be used or cited as precedent.

Taxpayer should attach a copy of this ruling letter to its Form 4876-A and Federal
income tax return for the taxable years to which this letter applies. Alternatively,
PLR-113803-25 4

taxpayers filing their returns electronically may satisfy this requirement by attaching a
statement to their return that provides the date and control number of the letter ruling.

The rulings contained in this letter are based upon information and representations
submitted by Taxpayer and accompanied by affidavits and penalty of perjury statements
executed by appropriate parties. This office has not verified any of the material
submitted in support of the request for rulings. It is subject to verification upon
examination.
Sincerely,

                                             Brad McCormack
                                             Senior Technical Reviewer, Branch 6
                                             (International)

Enclosures (2)
Copy of this letter
Copies for § 6110 purposes

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