(a) Establishment and alteration. The Commissioner may establish, and from time to time alter, renew, replace, or change the form, style, character, material, and device of any stamp, mark, or label under any provision of the law relating to internal revenue.

(b) Preparation and distribution of forms, stamps and dies. The Commissioner shall prepare and distribute all the instructions, directions, forms, blanks, and stamps; and shall provide proper and sufficient adhesive stamps and other stamps or dies for expressing and denoting the several stamp taxes.

(a) Postmaster General. The Commissioner shall furnish to the Postmaster General, without prepayment, a suitable quantity of adhesive stamps (other than the stamps on playing cards), coupons, tickets, or such other devices as may be prescribed pursuant to section 6302(b) (authorizing a discretionary method for collecting certain specified taxes) or chapter 69 of the Code, to be distributed to, and kept on sale by, the various postmasters in the United States in all post offices of the first and second classes, and such post offices of the third and fourth classes as are located in county seats or Postmaster General as necessary.

(b) Designated depositary of the United States. The district director for the district in which any designated depositary of the United States is located shall furnish to such designated depositary, without prepayment, a suitable quantity of adhesive stamps to be kept on sale by the designated depositary.

(c) State agents. Any person who is duly appointed and acting as agent of any State for the sale of stock transfer stamps of such State may make application to the district director for the district in which the State agent is located, to be designated for the purpose of being furnished without prepayment, for sale, stamps to be used in payment of the tax imposed by section 4301. The application shall contain the location and post office address of the State agent, and the maximum amount of stamps he desires to maintain on hand. A copy of the agent's appointment as State agent should be attached to the application.

In cases coming within the provisions of section 6802 (2) and (3) and paragraphs (b) and (c) of § 301.6802-1, the district director may require a bond in such amount as he deems advisable, conditioned for the faithful return, whenever so required, of all quantities or amounts of adhesive stamps undisposed of and for the payment monthly for all quantities or amounts of adhesive stamps sold or not remaining on hand. Such bond shall be furnished in accordance with the provisions contained in section 7101 and § 301.7101-1.

For provisions relating to the attachment and cancellation of specific stamps used with respect to a particular tax, see the regulations relating to such tax.

(a) Authorization. (1) Upon receipt of satisfactory evidence of the facts by the district director or director of the service center, he may make allowance for or redeem stamps issued under the authority of any internal revenue law if—

(i) The stamps have been spoiled, destroyed, or rendered useless or unfit for the purpose intended, or

(ii) The owner of the stamps has no use therefor.

(2) If a stamp has been in use for any period of time, it may not be redeemed under section 6805. Similarly, no allowance shall be made for stamps which have been lost or stolen.

(b) Method and conditions of allowance. Such allowance or redemption may be made, either by giving other stamps in lieu of the stamps so allowed for or redeemed, or by refunding the amount or value to the owner thereof, deducting therefrom, in case of repayment, the percentage, if any, allowed to the purchaser thereof. Claims for the redemption of or allowance for stamps shall be made on Form 843 and filed with the district director or director of the service center within three years from the date of the purchase of the stamps from the Government. The stamps for which redemption or allowance is claimed shall be submitted with the claim. If the stamps are destroyed or damaged to the extent that they cannot be presented for redemption or allowance, proof satisfactory to the district director or director of the service center that they have been destroyed or so damaged must accompany the claim before allowance or redemption shall be made. In any case where the actual date of purchase of the stamps from the Government cannot be established, it must be definitely shown in the claim whether they were so purchased within three years prior to the date of filing of the claim.

(c) Time for filing claims. No claim for the redemption of, or allowance for, stamps shall be allowed under this section unless presented within 3 years after the purchase of such stamps from the Government.

(d) Finality of decisions. The findings of fact in and the decision of the district director or director of the service center upon the merits of any claim presented under or authorized by this section, shall in the absence of fraud or mistake in mathematical calculation, be final and not subject to revision by any accounting officer.

For provisions relating to the posting of specific stamps used with respect to a particular tax, other than a special tax under subchapter B of chapter 35, subchapter B of chapter 36, or subtitle E, see the regulations relating to such tax. For penalties for failure to post occupational tax stamps, see section 7273.