Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003

Time for exercising options: general

30 (1) The scheme must ensure that share options granted under it must not be capable of being exercised—

(a) before the bonus date, or

(b) later than 6 months after that date.

(2) However, in sub-paragraph (1)—

(a) paragraph (a) is subject to paragraphs 32 to 34 and 37 (exercise of options in the event of death, reaching the specified age without retiring, scheme-related employment ending or certain events occurring in relation to the company), and

(b) paragraph (b) is subject to paragraph 32.

(3) In the SAYE code “the bonus date” means the date on which repayments under the CCS scheme are due.

(4) For this purpose repayments are to be regarded as due as follows—

(a) if the repayments are to be taken as including the maximum bonus (see paragraph 26(2)), on the earliest date on which that bonus is payable, and

(b) in any other case, on the earliest date on which a bonus is payable.