§4.20. Tonnage taxes. — Inbound Citations

(a) The authority to make refunds in accordance with section 26 of the Act of June 26, 1884 (46 U.S.C. 8) of regular tonnage taxes described in § 4.20(a) is delegated to the Directors of the ports where the collections were made. If any doubt exists, the case shall first be referred to Headquarters, U.S. Customs Service for advice.

The prohibition against imports in, and the penalty of forfeiture of, certain vessels from countries which discriminate against American vessels provided for in subsections 2 and 3 of paragraph J, section IV, Tariff Act of 1913, as amended by the act of March 4, 1915 (19 U.S.C. 130, 131), shall be enforced only in pursuance of specific instructions issued and published from time to time by the Secretary of the Treasury or such other officer as the Secretary may designate. (See also §§ 4.20(c) and 159.42 of this chapter.)

(b) Each application for refund of regular or special tonnage tax or light money prepared in accordance with this section shall be filed with the Customs officer to whom payment was made. After verification of the pertinent facts asserted in the claim, the application shall be forwarded with any necessary report or recommendation to the appropriate port director. Applications for refund of special tonnage tax and light money (see § 4.20(c)) with the reports and recommendations submitted therewith shall be forwarded by the port director to the Commissioner of Customs for decision. Any refund authorized by the Port Director under paragraph (a) of this section or any refund of special tonnae tax or light money authorized by the Commissioner of Customs shall be made by the appropriate Customs officer. The records of tonnage tax shall be clearly noted to show each refund authorized.