Example. The N Company is engaged in the manufacture of ceramic products. It has a vehicle which is used to haul clay from a clay pit to its factory. This vehicle has not been registered for highway use and under the applicable State law is not required to be registered for highway use since none of the hauling of clay is done on public highways. The N Company also uses a ditch digging machine in the vicinity of the clay pit for the construction of drains. A fork lift truck is used to move cartons of merchandise from place to place inside the company's warehouse and to assist in the loading of merchandise onto the company's highway trucks for delivery to purchasers. The highway trucks are registered by the State for use on highways. Special motor fuel is used for the operation of all of these items of equipment. Before April 1, 1983, the special motor fuel sold for use as a fuel in the registered highway trucks is subject to tax at the rate specified in § 48.4041-1(b)(2)(i)(A) . On or after January 1, 1979, and before April 1, 1983, the special motor fuel sold for use as a fuel in the unregistered truck used to haul clay from the pit to the factory and in the fork lift truck, assuming both of these are used in qualified business uses, is subject to tax at the rate specified in § 48.4041-1(b)(2)(i)(C) . If the unregistered truck and forklift are not used in qualified business uses, then the special motor fuel sold for use in these vehicles is taxable at the rate specified in § 48.4041-1(b)(2)(i)(A) since both are motor vehicles. No tax is payable with respect to the special motor fuel sold for use in the ditch digging machine since that machine is not a motor vehicle. On and after April 1, 1983, and before October 1, 1988, special motor fuel sold for use in the registered trucks is taxable at the rate specified in § 48.4041-1(b)(2)(ii)(A) because the trucks are motor vehicles. On and after April 1, 1983, and before October 1, 1988, special motor fuel sold for use in the unregistered truck and the fork lift, assuming that both vehicles are used in off-highway business uses, is exempt from tax as specified in § 48.4041-1(b)(2)(ii)(C) . If the unregistered truck and fork lift are not used in off-highway business uses, then the special motor fuel sold for use in these vehicles is taxable at the rate specified in § 48.4041-1(b)(2)(ii)(A) since both are motor vehicles. No tax is payable with respect to the special motor fuel sold for use in the ditch digging machine since that machine is not a motor vehicle.
26 C.F.R. §48.4041-3