27 CFR § 20.31 - Applicable laws and regulations; persons liable for tax.
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t27/s20.31"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "27 CFR § 20.31 - Applicable laws and regulations; persons liable for tax."
title_number: 27
title_name: "Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms"
section_number: "20.31"
section_name: "Applicable laws and regulations; persons liable for tax."
chapter_name: "ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "ALCOHOL"
part_number: "20"
part_name: "DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF DENATURED ALCOHOL AND RUM"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "26 U.S.C. 5001, 5206, 5214, 5271-5275, 5311, 5552, 5555, 5607, 6065, 6109, 7805."
regulatory_source: "T.D. ATF-199, 50 FR 9162, Mar. 6, 1985, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "20"
---
# 20.31 Applicable laws and regulations; persons liable for tax.
(a) All laws and regulations regarding alcohol or rum that is not denatured, including those requiring payment of the distilled spirits tax, apply to completely denatured alcohol, specially denatured alcohol, specially denatured rum, or articles produced, withdrawn, sold, transported, or used in violation of laws or regulations pertaining to those substances.
(b) Any person who produces, withdraws, sells, transports, or uses completely denatured alcohol, specially denatured alcohol, specially denatured rum, or articles in violation of laws or regulations shall be required to pay the distilled spirits tax on those substances.
(Sec. 201, Pub. L. 85-859, 72 Stat. 1314, as amended (26 U.S.C. 5001))