Use of payments; examples of qualified campaign expenses and non-qualified campaign expenses.
11 C.F.R. § 9004.4
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) Qualified campaign expenses. An eligible candidate shall use payments received under 11 CFR part 9005 only for the following purposes:
(1) To defray qualified campaign expenses;
(2) To repay loans that meet the requirements of 11 CFR 100.52(b) or 100.82 or to otherwise restore funds (other than contributions received pursuant to 11 CFR 9003.3 (b) or (c) and expended to defray qualified campaign expenses) used to defray qualified campaign expenses;
(3) To restore funds expended in accordance with 11 CFR 9003.4 for qualified campaign expenses incurred by the candidate prior to the beginning of the expenditure report period;
(4) To defray winding down costs pursuant to 11 CFR 9004.11;
(5) To defray costs associated with the candidate's general election campaign paid after the end of the expenditure report period, but incurred by the candidate prior to the end of the expenditure report period, for which written arrangement or commitment was made on or before the close of the expenditure report period for goods and services received during the expenditure reporting period; and
(6) Monetary bonuses paid after the date of the election and gifts shall be considered qualified campaign expenses, provided that:
(i) All monetary bonuses paid after the date of the election for committee employees and consultants in recognition of campaign-related activities or services:
(A) Are provided for pursuant to a written contract made prior to the date of the election; and
(B) Are paid during the expenditure report period; and
(ii) Gifts for committee employees, consultants and volunteers in recognition of campaign-related activities or services do not exceed $150 total per individual and the total of all gifts does not exceed $20,000.
(b) Non-qualified campaign expenses—(1) General. The following are examples of disbursements that are not qualified campaign expenses.
(2) Excessive expenditures. An expenditure which is in excess of any of the limitations under 11 CFR 9003.2 shall not be considered a qualified campaign expense. The Commission will calculate the amount of expenditures attributable to these limitations using the full amounts originally charged for goods and services rendered to the committee and not the amounts for which such obligations were later settled and paid, unless the committee can demonstrate that the lower amount paid reflects a reasonable settlement of a bona fide dispute with the creditor.
(3) Expenditures incurred after the close of the expenditure report period. Except for accounts payable pursuant to paragraph (a)(5) of this section and winding down costs pursuant to 11 CFR 9004.11, any expenditures incurred after the close of the expenditure report period, as defined in 11 CFR 9002.12, are not qualified campaign expenses.
(4) Civil or criminal penalties. Civil or criminal penalties paid pursuant to the Federal Election Campaign Act are not qualified campaign expenses and cannot be defrayed from payments received under 11 CFR part 9005. Penalties may be paid from contributions in the candidate's legal and accounting compliance fund, in accordance with 11 CFR 9003.3(a)(2)(i)(C). Additional amounts may be received and expended to pay such penalties, if necessary. These funds shall not be considered contributions or expenditures but all amounts so received shall be subject to the prohibitions of the Act. Amounts received and expended under this section shall be reported in accordance with 11 CFR part 104.
(5) Solicitation expenses. Any expenses incurred by a major party candidate to solicit contributions to a legal and accounting compliance fund established pursuant to 11 CFR 9003.3(a) are not qualified campaign expenses and cannot be defrayed from payments received under 11 CFR part 9005.
(6) Payments to candidate. Payments made to the candidate by his or her committee, other than to reimburse funds advanced by the candidate for qualified campaign expenses, are not qualified campaign expenses.
(7) Payments to other authorized committees. Payments, including transfers, contributions and loans, to other committees authorized by the same candidate for a different election are not qualified campaign expenses.
(8) Lost, misplaced, or stolen items. The cost of lost, misplaced, or stolen items may be considered a nonqualified campaign expense. Factors considered by the Commission in making this determination shall include, but not be limited to, whether the committee demonstrates that it made conscientious efforts to safeguard the missing equipment; whether the committee sought or obtained insurance on the items; whether the committee filed a police report; the type of equipment involved; and the number and value of items that were lost.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-11.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026