(a) Exemption—(1) Employer. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, an employer is exempt from the taxes imposed by section 3111 on wages paid to an employee if—

(i) The employer (or if the employer is a partnership, each partner therein) and its employee are members of a recognized religious sect or division described in section 1402(g)(1);

(ii) Both the employer (or if the employer is a partnership, each partner therein) and the employee adhere to the tenets and teachings of that sect; and

(iii) Both the employer and the employee have filed and had approved applications under section 3127(b) for exemption from the taxes imposed by sections 3111 and 3101.

(2) Employee. If an employer is exempt from the taxes imposed by section 3111 under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, then each employee described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section is exempt from the taxes imposed by section 3101 on the wages received with respect to employment with that employer.

(b) Corporation. Services performed in the employ of a corporation are not within the exemption described in paragraph (a) of this section, except that services performed in the employ of an entity that is treated as a corporation under §301.7701-2(c)(2)(iv)(B) of this chapter may qualify for the exemption if the requirements of the exemption are otherwise met. An entity that is treated as a corporation under §301.7701-2(c)(2)(iv)(B) of this chapter is not treated as the employer for purposes of applying section 3127 and this section. For purposes of applying section 3127 and paragraph (a) of this section, the owner of an entity that is treated as a corporation under §301.7701-2(c)(2)(iv)(B) of this chapter is treated as the employer.

(c) Effective/applicability date. This section applies to wages paid on or after November 1, 2011. However, taxpayers may apply this section to wages paid on or after January 1, 2009.

[T.D. 9670, 79 FR 36206, June 26, 2014]