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  1. IRC
  2. Subtitle A
  3. Chapter 1
  4. Subchapter E
  5. Part II
  6. Subpart D
  7. § 471

Sec. 471. General Rule For Inventories

I.R.C. § 471(a) General Rule —
Whenever in the opinion of the Secretary the use of inventories is necessary in order clearly to determine the income of any taxpayer, inventories shall be taken by such taxpayer on such basis as the Secretary may prescribe as conforming as nearly as may be to the best accounting practice in the trade or business and as most clearly reflecting the income.
I.R.C. § 471(b) Estimates Of Inventory Shrinkage Permitted —
A method of determining inventories shall not be treated as failing to clearly reflect income solely because it utilizes estimates of inventory shrinkage that are confirmed by a physical count only after the last day of the taxable year if—
I.R.C. § 471(b)(1) —
the taxpayer normally does a physical count of inventories at each location on a regular and consistent basis, and
I.R.C. § 471(b)(2) —
the taxpayer makes proper adjustments to such inventories and to its estimating methods to the extent such estimates are greater than or less than the actual shrinkage.
I.R.C. § 471(c) Exemption For Certain Small Businesses
I.R.C. § 471(c)(1) In General —
In the case of any taxpayer (other than a tax shelter prohibited from using the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting under section 448(a)(3)) which meets the gross receipts test of section 448(c) for any taxable year—
I.R.C. § 471(c)(1)(A) —
subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to such taxpayer for such taxable year, and
I.R.C. § 471(c)(1)(B) —
the taxpayer's method of accounting for inventory for such taxable year shall not be treated as failing to clearly reflect income if such method either—
I.R.C. § 471(c)(1)(B)(i) —
treats inventory as non-incidental materials and supplies, or
I.R.C. § 471(c)(1)(B)(ii) —
conforms to such taxpayer's method of accounting reflected in an applicable financial statement of the taxpayer with respect to such taxable year or, if the taxpayer does not have any applicable financial statement with respect to such taxable year, the books and records of the taxpayer prepared in accordance with the taxpayer's accounting procedures.
I.R.C. § 471(c)(2) Applicable Financial Statement —
For purposes of this subsection, the term “applicable financial statement” has the meaning given the term in section 451(b)(3).
I.R.C. § 471(c)(3) Application Of Gross Receipts Test To Individuals, Etc. —
In the case of any taxpayer which is not a corporation or a partnership, the gross receipts test of section 448(c) shall be applied in the same manner as if each trade or business of such taxpayer were a corporation or partnership.
I.R.C. § 471(c)(4) Coordination With Section 481 —
Any change in method of accounting made pursuant to this subsection shall be treated for purposes of section 481 as initiated by the taxpayer and made with the consent of the Secretary.
I.R.C. § 471(d) Cross Reference —
For rules relating to capitalization of direct and indirect costs of property, see section 263A.
(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 159; Oct. 4, 1976, Pub. L. 94-455, title XIX, 1906(b)(13)(A), 90 Stat. 1834; Oct. 22, 1986, Pub. L. 99-514, title VIII, 803(b)(4), 100 Stat. 2356; Pub. L. 105-34, title IX, Sec. 961(a), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat 788; Pub. L. 115-97, title I, Sec. 13102(c), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2054.)
BACKGROUND NOTES
Amendments to Subpart
1986--Pub. L. 99-514, title VIII, 802(b), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2350, substituted “Simplified dollar-value LIFO method for certain small businesses” for “Election by certain small businesses to use one inventory pool” in item 474.
1981--Pub. L. 97-34, title II, 237(b), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 253, added item 474.
1980--Pub. L. 96-223, title IV, 403(a)(2), Apr. 2, 1980, 94 Stat. 304, added item 473.
AMENDMENTS
2017--Subsec. (c), (d). Pub. L. 115-97, Sec. 13102(c), redesignated subsec. (c) as subsec. (d) and added new subsec. (c).
1997--Subsec. (b), (c). Pub. L. 105-34, Sec. 961(a), redesignated subsec. (b) as subsec. (c) and added a new subsec. (b).
1986--Pub. L. 99-514 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).
1976--Pub. L. 94-455 struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary" wherever appearing.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2017 AMENDMENTS
Amendment by Sec. 13102(c) of Pub. L. 115-97, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1997 AMENDMENTS
Amendment by Section 961(a) of Pub. L. 105-34 applicable to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 5, 1997]. Sec. 961(b)(2) provided the following rule:
“(2) Coordination with section 481.--In the case of any taxpayer permitted by this section to change its method of accounting to a permissible method for any taxable year--
(A) such changes shall be treated as initiated by the taxpayer,
(B) such changes shall be treated as made with the consent of the Secretary of the Treasury, and
(C) the period for taking into account the adjustments under section 481 by reason of such change shall be 4 years.”
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1986 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 99-514 applicable to costs incurred after Dec. 31, 1986, in taxable years ending after such date, except as otherwise provided, see section 803(d) of Pub. L. 99-514, set out as an Effective Date note under section 263A of this title.
STUDY OF ACCOUNTING METHODS FOR INVENTORY REPORT NOT LATER THAN DECEMBER 31, 1982
Pub. L. 97-34, title II, 238, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 254, which directed the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a study of methods of tax accounting for inventory with a view towards development of simplified methods and to report to Congress, not later than Dec. 31, 1982, was repealed by Pub. L. 100-647, title VI, 6252(a)(2), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3752.