U.S. Individual Income Tax Return Forms

Instructions for Form 6478

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service

(Rev. January 2020)
Biofuel Producer Credit

Qualified Second Generation Biofuel
Production

Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code
unless otherwise noted.

Future Developments

For the latest information about developments related to
Form 6478 and its instructions, such as legislation
enacted after they were published, go to IRS.gov/
Form6478.

What’s New
Credit extension and change in updating. The biofuel
producer credit is retroactively extended for fuel sold or
used in calendar years 2018, 2019, and 2020. Don't claim
the credit for fuel sold or used after 2020 unless the credit
is extended again.
Form 6478 and its instructions will no longer be
updated annually. Instead, they'll only be updated when
necessary. Use these instructions and the Form 6478
(Rev. January 2020) for tax years beginning after 2017.
For previous tax years, see the applicable Form 6478
and instructions.
Example 1. Use the 2017 Form 6478 with the 2017
Instructions for Form 6478 for tax year ending December
31, 2017.

TIP

For 2018 claims, use Form 6478 (Rev. January
2020) because it has lines 1 and 2 available if
needed.

General Instructions

Qualified second generation biofuel production doesn’t
include purchasing alcohol and increasing the proof of the
alcohol through additional distillation. Nor does it include
second generation biofuel that isn’t both produced in the
United States or a U.S. possession and used as a fuel in
the United States or a U.S. possession.
A qualified second generation biofuel mixture combines
second generation biofuel with gasoline or a special fuel.
The producer of the mixture either:
• Used it as a fuel, or
• Sold it as fuel to another person.

Second Generation Biofuel

Purpose of Form

Use Form 6478 (Rev. January 2020) to figure your section
40 biofuel producer credit for tax years beginning after
2017. You claim the credit for the tax year in which the
sale or use occurs. The credit consists of the second
generation biofuel producer credit.
You may claim or elect not to claim the biofuel producer
credit at any time within 3 years from the due date of your
return (determined without regard to extensions) on either
an original or an amended return for the tax year of the
sale or use.
Partnerships, S corporations, cooperatives, estates,
and trusts must file this form to claim the credit. All other
taxpayers aren’t required to complete or file this form if
their only source for this credit is a partnership, S
corporation, cooperative, estate, or trust. Instead, they
can report this credit directly on the appropriate line of
Form 3800, General Business Credit.
Example 2. For 2018, report this credit on the 2018
Form 3800, Part III, line 4c; for 2019, report this credit on
the 2019 Form 3800, Part III, line 4c.
Jan 17, 2020

This is second generation biofuel which during the tax
year:
1. Is sold by the producer to another person:
a. For use by the buyer in the buyer’s trade or
business to produce a qualified second generation biofuel
mixture (other than casual off-farm production),
b. For use by the buyer as a fuel in a trade or
business, or
c. Who sells the second generation biofuel at retail to
another person and puts the second generation biofuel in
the retail buyer’s fuel tank; or
2. Is used or sold by the producer for any purpose
described in (1) above.

Generally, second generation biofuel, for credit purposes,
is any liquid fuel, which:
• Is derived by, or from, qualified feedstocks;
• Meets the registration requirements for fuels and fuel
additives established by the Environmental Protection
Agency under section 211 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C.
7545); and
• Isn’t alcohol of less than 150 proof. In figuring the proof
of any alcohol, disregard any added denaturants
(additives that make the alcohol unfit for human
consumption).
A qualified feedstock is:

• Any lignocellulosic or hemicellulosic matter that’s

available on a renewable or recurring basis; and
• Any cultivated algae, cyanobacteria, or lemna.

However, second generation biofuel doesn’t include
any fuel if:
• More than 4% of the fuel (determined by weight) is any
combination of water and sediment,
• The ash content of the fuel is more than 1%
(determined by weight), or
• The fuel has an acid number greater than 25.

Cat. No. 13606U

2019, report this amount on the 2019 Form 6251, line 3, or
Schedule I (Form 1041), line 21.

Special rules for algae. For sales described in (1) under
Qualified Second Generation Biofuel Production, earlier,
second generation biofuel also includes certain liquid fuel,
which:
• Is derived by, or from, any cultivated algae,
cyanobacteria, or lemna; and
• Isn’t alcohol of less than 150 proof (disregard any
added denaturants).
But only if this fuel is sold by the producer to another
person for refining by such other person into a liquid fuel
which will meet the registration requirements for fuels and
fuel additives established by the Environmental Protection
Agency under section 211 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C.
7545), and not include any fuel if:
• More than 4% of the fuel (determined by weight) is any
combination of water and sediment,
• The ash content of the fuel is more than 1%
(determined by weight), or
• The fuel has an acid number greater than 25.
Also, once this fuel is sold by the producer to another
person for refining by such person into a fuel which will
meet these requirements, neither the producer nor any
other person can use such fuel (or any fuel derived from
such fuel) to figure a second credit for qualified second
generation biofuel production.

Registration number. To claim a second generation
biofuel producer credit on line 1, you must be registered
with the IRS. Enter your SB registration number in the
space provided. For more information, see Form 637 and
Pub. 510, Excise Taxes.

Line 3

Enter the total biofuel producer credits from the
appropriate box of:
• Schedule K-1 (Form 1065), Partner’s Share of Income,
Deductions, Credits, etc.
Example 4. For 2018, from the 2018 Schedule K-1
(Form 1065), box 15 (code I); for 2019, from the 2019
Schedule K-1 (Form 1065), box 15 (code I).
• Schedule K-1 (Form 1120-S), Shareholder’s Share of
Income, Deductions, Credits, etc.
Example 5. For 2018, from the 2018 Schedule K-1
(Form 1120-S), box 13 (code I); for 2019, from the 2019
Schedule K-1 (Form 1120-S), box 13 (code I).
• Schedule K-1 (Form 1041), Beneficiary’s Share of
Income, Deductions, Credits, etc.
Example 6. For 2018, from the 2018 Schedule K-1
(Form 1041), box 13 (code H); for 2019, from the 2019
Schedule K-1 (Form 1041), box 13 (code H).
• Form 1099-PATR, Taxable Distributions Received
From Cooperatives, or other notice of credit allocation.

Registration

All producers of second generation biofuel must be
registered with the IRS. See Form 637, Application for
Registration.

Example 7. For 2018, from the 2018 Form
1099-PATR, box 10; for 2019, from the 2019 Form
1099-PATR, box 11; for 2020, from the 2020 Form
1099-PATR, box 12.

Recapture of Credit

You must pay a tax (recapture) on each gallon of second
generation biofuel at the rate you used to figure the credit
if you don’t use the fuel for the purposes described under
Qualified Second Generation Biofuel Production, earlier.

Partnerships, S corporations, cooperatives, estates,
and trusts must always report the above credits on line 3.
All other taxpayers:
• Report the above credits directly on the appropriate line
of Form 3800.

Report the tax on Form 720, Quarterly Federal Excise
Tax Return.

Specific Instructions

Example 8. For 2018, report this credit on the 2018
Form 3800, Part III, line 4c; for 2019, report this credit on
the 2019 Form 3800, Part III, line 4c.
• Don’t file Form 6478.

Line 1

Enter the number of gallons of second generation biofuel
sold or used for the tax year that meets the conditions
listed under Qualified Second Generation Biofuel
Production, earlier. Multiply by the rate of $1.01 per
gallon.

At the time these instructions went to print, the
2020 and later year tax forms hadn't been
CAUTION developed. Go to IRS.gov/Form6478 later this
year to determine which line to use.

!

Line 2

Line 4

The credit shown in column (c) on line 1 must be included
in income under “other income” on the applicable line of
your income tax return, even if you can’t use all of the
credit because of the tax liability limit. However, if you’re
subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT), this amount
isn’t income in figuring AMT and must be subtracted when
figuring your alternative minimum taxable income. Do this
by including this amount on the appropriate line of Form
6251 or Schedule I (Form 1041).

For 2018, report this amount on the 2018 Form 3800, Part
III, line 4c; for 2019, report this amount on the 2019 Form
3800, Part III, line 4c.
At the time these instructions went to print, the
2020 and later year tax forms hadn't been
CAUTION developed. Go to IRS.gov/Form6478 later this
year to determine which line to use.

!

Example 3. For 2018, report this amount on the 2018
Form 6251, line 3, or Schedule I (Form 1041), line 23; for
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Instructions for Form 6478

Line 5

amended return within 6 months of the due date of the
return (excluding extensions). Write “Filed pursuant to
section 301.9100-2” on the amended return.
Once made, the election can’t be revoked.

Cooperatives. A cooperative described in section
1381(a) can elect to allocate any part of the biofuel
producer credit to patrons of the cooperative. The credit is
allocated pro rata among the patrons eligible to share in
patronage dividends on the basis of the quantity or value
of business done with or for the patrons for the tax year.
If the cooperative is subject to the passive activity rules,
include on line 3 any Form 6478 credits from passive
activities disallowed for prior years and carried forward to
this year. Complete Form 8810, Corporate Passive
Activity Loss and Credit Limitations, to determine the
allowed producer credits that can be allocated to patrons.
For details, see the Instructions for Form 8810.
The cooperative is deemed to have made the election
by completing line 5. However, the election isn’t effective
unless:
• It’s made on a timely filed tax return (including
extensions), and
• The cooperative designates the apportionment in a
written notice or on Form 1099-PATR mailed to its patrons
during the payment period described in section 1382(d).
If you timely filed your return without making an
election, you can still make the election by filing an

Estates and trusts. Allocate the biofuel producer credit
on line 4 between the estate or trust and the beneficiaries
in the same proportion as income was allocated and enter
the beneficiaries’ share on line 5.
If the estate or trust is subject to the passive activity
rules, include on line 3 any Form 6478 credits from
passive activities disallowed for prior years and carried
forward to this year. Complete Form 8582-CR, Passive
Activity Credit Limitations, to determine the allowed credit
that must be allocated between the estate or trust and the
beneficiaries. See the Instructions for Form 8582-CR.

Line 6

For 2018, report this amount on the 2018 Form 3800, Part
III, line 4c; for 2019, report this amount on the 2019 Form
3800, Part III, line 4c.
At the time these instructions went to print, the
2020 and later year tax forms hadn't been
CAUTION developed. Go to IRS.gov/Form6478 later this
year to determine which line to use.

!

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice. We ask for the information on this form to carry out the Internal Revenue laws of the
United States. You’re required to give us the information. We need it to ensure that you’re complying with these laws and
to allow us to figure and collect the right amount of tax.
You aren’t required to provide the information requested on a form that’s subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act
unless the form displays a valid OMB control number. Books or records relating to a form or its instructions must be
retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any Internal Revenue law. Generally, tax
returns and return information are confidential, as required by section 6103.
The time needed to complete and file this form will vary depending on individual circumstances. The estimated burden
for individual taxpayers filing this form is approved under OMB control number 1545-0074 and is included in the
estimates shown in the instructions for their individual income tax return. The estimated burden for all other taxpayers
who file this form is shown below.
Recordkeeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Learning about the law or the form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preparing and sending the form to the IRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2 hr., 9 min.
53 min.
58 min.

If you have comments concerning the accuracy of these time estimates or suggestions for making this form simpler,
we’d be happy to hear from you. See the instructions for the tax return with which this form is filed.

Instructions for Form 6478

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