Official Summaries

Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act

This bill authorizes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to postpone federal tax deadlines for taxpayers affected by a qualified state declared disaster, upon written request by the state governor. The bill also increases the automatic extension of federal tax deadlines for certain taxpayers.

Under current law, the IRS may postpone federal tax deadlines for taxpayers affected by a federally declared disaster, including (but not limited to) deadlines for (1) filing federal tax returns, (2) paying federal taxes, (3) making retirement plan contributions, and (4) tax assessments and collections.

The bill authorizes the IRS to postpone such federal tax deadlines for taxpayers affected by a qualified state declared disaster upon written request by the state’s governor (or the District of Columbia mayor). Under the bill, a state includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The bill defines qualified state declared disaster as any natural catastrophe, fire, flood, or explosion that causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant a request to postpone such federal tax deadlines.

Further, under current law, an automatic 60-day extension of such federal tax deadlines applies to certain relief workers, individuals killed or injured as a result of a federally declared disaster, and taxpayers whose principal residence, business, or tax records are located in a federally declared disaster area.

The bill increases to 120 days the automatic extension of federal tax deadlines for these taxpayers.

Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act

This act authorizes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to postpone federal tax deadlines for taxpayers affected by a qualified state declared disaster, upon written request by the state governor. The act also increases the automatic extension of federal tax deadlines for certain taxpayers.

Under current law, the IRS may postpone federal tax deadlines for taxpayers affected by a federally declared disaster, including (but not limited to) deadlines for (1) filing federal tax returns, (2) paying federal taxes, (3) making retirement plan contributions, and (4) tax assessments and collections.

The act authorizes the IRS to postpone such federal tax deadlines for taxpayers affected by a qualified state declared disaster upon written request by the state’s governor (or the District of Columbia mayor). Under the act, a state includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The act defines qualified state declared disaster as any natural catastrophe, fire, flood, or explosion that causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant a request to postpone such federal tax deadlines.

Further, under current law, an automatic extension of such federal tax deadlines applies to certain relief workers, individuals killed or injured as a result of a federally declared disaster, and taxpayers whose principal residence, business, or tax records are located in a federally declared disaster area.

The act increases the automatic extension of federal tax deadlines for these taxpayers to 120 days (from 60 days).

Current Full Text

[119th Congress Public Law 29]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 139 STAT. 471]]

Public Law 119-29
119th Congress

                                 An Act


 
   To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the rules for 
  postponing certain deadlines by reason of disaster. <<NOTE: July 24, 
                          2025 -  [H.R. 517]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Filing 
Relief for Natural Disasters Act.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 26 USC 1 note.>>  SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Filing Relief for Natural Disasters 
Act''.
SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF RULES FOR POSTPONING CERTAIN DEADLINES BY 
                    REASON OF DISASTER.

    (a) Authority To Postpone Federal Tax Deadlines by Reason of State-
Declared Disasters.--Section 7508A of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 <<NOTE: 26 USC 7508A.>>  is amended by redesignating subsections 
(c), (d), and (e) as subsections (d), (e), and (f), respectively, and by 
inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:

    ``(c) <<NOTE: Definitions.>>  Special Rule for State-Declared 
Disasters.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary (after consultation with 
        the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency) 
        may, upon the written request of the Governor of a State (or the 
        Mayor, in the case of the District of Columbia), apply the rules 
        of subsections (a) and (b) to a qualified State declared 
        disaster in the same manner as a disaster, fire, or action 
        otherwise described in subsection (a).
            ``(2) <<NOTE: Determination.>>  Qualified state declared 
        disaster.--For purposes of this section, the term `qualified 
        State declared disaster' means, with respect to any State, any 
        natural catastrophe (including any hurricane, tornado, storm, 
        high water, winddriven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, 
        volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, or drought), 
        or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, in any 
        part of the State, which in the determination of the Governor of 
        such State (or the Mayor, in the case of the District of 
        Columbia) causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to 
        warrant the application of the rules of this section.
            ``(3) State.--For purposes of this section, the term `State' 
        includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.''.

    (b) Mandatory Extensions Extended to 120 Days.--Section 7508A(e) of 
such Code, as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended--
            (1) by striking ``60 days'' in paragraph (1)(B) thereof and 
        inserting ``120 days'',

[[Page 139 STAT. 472]]

            (2) by striking ``60-day'' in paragraph (6) thereof and 
        inserting ``120-day'', and
            (3) by striking ``60-day'' in the heading and inserting 
        ``120-day''.

    (c) <<NOTE: 26 USC 7508A note.>>  Effective Date.--The amendments 
made by this section shall apply to declarations made after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.

    Approved July 24, 2025.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 517:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 119-44 (Comm. on Ways and Means).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 171 (2025):
            Mar. 31, considered and passed House.
            July 10, considered and passed Senate.

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