§ 1.514(f)-1 — Definition of business lease.

26 CFR § 1.514(f)-1

• Title: Title 26: Internal Revenue
• Part: Part 1: Income Taxes
• Source: eCFR (current through Mar 20, 2026)

Text

§ 1.514(f)-1 Definition of business lease.

(a) In general. The term business lease means any lease, with certain exceptions discussed in paragraph (c) of this section, for a term of more than 5 years of real property by an organization subject to section 511 (or by a partnership of which it is a member) if at the close of the organization's taxable year there is a business lease indebtedness as defined in section 514(g) and § 1.514(g)-1 with respect to such property. For the purpose of this section the term real property and the term premises include personal property of the lessor tax-exempt organization leased by it to a lessee of its real estate if the lease of such personal property is made under, or in connection with, the lease of such real estate. For amounts of business lease rents and deductions to be included in computing unrelated business taxable income for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1970, see § 1.514(a)-2.

(b) Special rules. (1) In computing the term of the lease, the period for which a lease may be renewed or extended by reason of an option contained therein shall be considered as part of the term. For example, a 3-year lease with an option for renewal for another such period is considered a lease for a term of 6 years. Another example is the case of a 1-year lease with option of renewal for another such term, where the parties at the end of each year renew the arrangement. In this case, during the fifth year (but not during the first 4 years), the lease falls within the 5-year rule, since the lease then involves 5 years and there is an option for the sixth year. In determining the term of the lease, an option for renewal of the lease is taken into account whether or not the exercise of the option depends upon conditions or contingencies.

(2) If the property is acquired subject to a lease, the term of such lease shall be considered to begin on the date of such acquisition. For example, if an exempt organization purchases, in whole or in part with borrowed funds, real property subject to a 10-year lease which has 3 years left to run, and such lease contains no right of renewal or extension, the lease shall be considered a 3-year lease and hence does not meet the definition of a business lease in section 514(f) and paragraph (a) of this section. However, if this lease contains an option to renew for a period of 3 years or more, it is a business lease.

(3) Under the provisions of section 514(f)(2)(B) a lease is considered as continuing for more than 5 years if the same lessee has occupied the premises for a total period of more than 5 years, whether the occupancy is under one or more leases, renewals, extensions, or continuations. Continued occupancy shall be considered to be by the same lessee if the occupants during the period are so related that losses in respect of sales or exchanges of property between them would be disallowed under section 267(a). Such period shall be considered as commencing not earlier than the date of the acquisition of the property by the tax-exempt organization or trust. This rule is applicable only in the sixth and succeeding years of such occupancy by the same lessee. See, however, paragraph (c)(3) of this section.

(c) Exceptions. (1) A lease shall not be considered a business lease if such lease is entered into primarily for a purpose which is substantially related (aside from the need of such organization for income or funds, or the use it makes of the rents derived) to the exercise or performance by such organization of its charitable, educational, or other purpose or function constituting the basis for its exemption. For example, where a tax-exempt hospital leases real property owned by it to an association of doctors for use as a clinic, the rents derived under such lease would not be included in computing unrelated business taxable income if the clinic is substantially related to the carrying on of hospital functions. See § 1.513-1 for principles applicable in determining whether there is a substantial relationship to the exempt purpose of an organization.

(2) A lease is not a business lease if the lease is of premises in a building primarily designed for occupancy and occupied by the tax-exempt organization.

(3) If a lease for more than 5 years to a tenant is for only a portion of the real property, and space in the real property is rented during the taxable year under a lease for not more than 5 years to any other tenant of the tax-exempt organization, all leases of the real property for more than 5 years shall be considered as business leases during the taxable year only if:

(i) The rents derived from the real property during the taxable year under leases for more than 5 years represent 50 percent or more of the total rents derived during the taxable year from the real property; or the area of the premises occupied under leases for more than 5 years represents, at any time during the taxable year, 50 percent or more of the total area of the real property rented at such time; or

(ii) The rent derived from the real property during the taxable year from any tenant under a lease for more than 5 years, or from a group of tenants (under such leases) who are either members of an affiliated group (as defined in section 1504) or are partners, represents more than 10 percent of the total rents derived during the taxable year from such property; or the area of the premises occupied by any one such tenant, or by any such group of tenants, represents at any time during the taxable year more than 10 percent of the total area of the real property rented at such time

In determining whether 50 percent or more of the total rents are derived from leases for more than 5 years, or whether 50 percent or more of the total area is occupied under leases for more than 5 years:

(iii) An occupancy which is considered to be a lease of more than 5 years solely by reason of the provisions of paragraph (b)(3) of this subparagraph shall not be treated as such a lease for purposes of subdivision (i) of this subparagraph, and

(iv) An occupancy which is considered to be a lease of more than 5 years solely by reason of the provisions of paragraph (b)(3) of this section shall be treated as such a lease for purposes of subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph, and

(v) If during the last half of the term of a lease a new lease is made to take effect after the expiration of such lease, the unexpired portion of the first lease will not be added to the second lease to determine whether such second lease is a lease for more than 5 years for purposes of subdivision (i) of this subparagraph.

(4) The application of subparagraph (3) of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following example:

Example.In 1954 an educational organization, which is on the calendar year basis, begins the erection of an 11-story apartment building using funds borrowed for that purpose, and immediately leases for a 10-year term the first floor to a real estate development company to sublet for stores and shops. As fast as the new apartments are completed, they are rented on an annual basis. At the end of 1959 all except the 10th and 11th floors are rented. Those two floors are completed during 1960 and rented. Assume that for 1954 and each subsequent taxable year through 1959, and for the taxable year 1963, the gross rental for the first floor represents more than 10 percent of the total gross rents derived during the taxable year from the building. Under this set of facts the 10-year lease of the first floor would be considered to be a business lease for all except the taxable years 1961, 1962, and 1964. [T.D. 7229, 37 FR 28154, Dec. 21, 1972]