Notice 2020-55 - Relief for Taxpayers Affected by Ongoing Coronavirus Disease Pandemic, Related to Sport Fishing Equipment and Bows and Arrows Excise Tax Filing and Payment Deadlines

Sep 19, 2026

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Notice 2020-55 provides tax deadline relief under section 7508A(a) of the Internal Revenue Code for taxpayers determined to be affected by the COVID-19 emergency. It postpones the April 30, 2020 due date for filing Form 720 (Part II) and making federal excise tax payments for sport fishing equipment and bows and arrows to October 31, 2020. Specific filing instructions apply for taxpayers taking advantage of the postponement, including when to file paper Form 720 and how to report relevant excise tax lines.

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SECTION 1. PURPOSE

SECTION 2. BACKGROUND

SECTION 3. GRANT OF RELIEF

Relief for Taxpayers Affected by Ongoing Coronavirus Disease Pandemic, Related to Sport Fishing Equipment and Bows and Arrows Excise Tax Filing and Payment Deadlines Notice 2020-55 SECTION 1. PURPOSE On March 13, 2020, the President of the United States issued an emergency declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Actin response to the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (Emergency Declaration) . The Emergency Declaration instructed the Secretary of the Treasury “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) .”Pursuant to the Emergency Declaration, this notice provides relief under section 7508A(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) for the persons described in section 3 of this notice that the Secretary of the Treasury has determined to be affected by the COVID-19 emergency. Notice 2020-48, 2020-29 IRB 72 (July 13, 2020), previously postponed certain federal tax filing and payment deadlines related to second quarter 2020 sport fishing equipment and bows and arrows excise taxes. SECTION 2. BACKGROUND Section 7508A of the Code provides the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate (Secretary) with authority to postpone the time for performing certain acts under the internal revenue laws for a taxpayer determined by the Secretary to be affected by a federally declared disaster as defined in § 165(i)(5)(A) of the Code. Pursuant to § 7508A(a), a period of up to one year may be disregarded in determining whether the performance of those acts is timely under the internal revenue laws. Section 40.0-1(a) of the Excise Tax Procedural Regulations applies the part 40 procedural regulations to various excise taxes including those imposed on sporting goods by chapter 32, subchapter D, part I of the Code. Section 40 .6011(a)-1(a)(1) provides that the return of any tax to which part 40 applies must be made on Form 720 (Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return) according to the instructions applicable to the form. The requirement for filing a return under part 40 applies separately to each tax listed by IRS Number on Form 720. The federal sporting goods excise taxes are imposed by § 4161(a) on sport fishing equipment and by § 4161(b) on bows and arrows. These taxes are reported on Form 720, Part II, IRS Numbers: 41 (sport fishing equipment (other than fishing rodsand fishing poles)), 110 (fishing rods and fishing poles), 42 (electric outboard motors), 114 (fishing tackle boxes), 44 (bows, quivers, broadheads, and points), and 106 (arrow shafts) (hereafter the “sport fishing and archery equipment numbers”) . Under § 40 .6011(a)-1(a), an entry for each IRS Number on Form 720 constitutes a separate return. The Form 720 due on April 30 , 2020, covers the first calendar quarter (January, February, March ) of the year 2020. SECTION 3. GRANT OF RELIEF Any person (as defined in § 7701(a)(1) of the Code) with a federal sporting goods excise tax payment due and the requirement to file a return under the sport fishing and archery equipment numbers on Part II of Form 720, on April 30 , 2020 (the first quarter of 2020) , is determined to be affected by the COVID-19 emergency for purposes of the relief described in this section 3 (Affected Taxpayer) . For an Affected Taxpayer, the April 30 , 2020, due date for filing Form 720 for the sport fishing and archery equipment numbers and making corresponding federal sporting goods excise tax payments is automatically postponed to October 31, 2020. This postponement of the due date is automatic; Affected Taxpayers do not have to call the IRS or file any extension forms. An Affected Taxpayer who has already filed a first quarter Form 720 for excise taxes and fully paid the corresponding excise taxes on sport fishing and archery equipment by the normal due date (April 30 , 2020) may disregard this notice and does not need to do

FAQs

What relief does Notice 2020-55 provide?

Notice 2020-55 provides relief from certain federal tax filing and excise tax payment deadlines for affected taxpayers under section 7508A(a).

Who qualifies as an Affected Taxpayer under this notice?

An Affected Taxpayer is any person required to pay the federal sporting goods excise tax and to file a Form 720 return for the sport fishing and archery equipment numbers on Part II for the first quarter of 2020.

What is the postponed deadline for filing and paying the relevant excise taxes?

For an Affected Taxpayer, the due date for filing Form 720 for the sport fishing and archery equipment numbers and making corresponding payments is automatically postponed from April 30, 2020 to October 31, 2020.

Sep 19, 2026

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