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Sales And Use Tax Regulations

Title 18. Public Revenues
Division 2. California Department of Tax and Fee Administration — Business Taxes (State Board of Equalization — Business Taxes — See Chapters 6 and 9.9)
Chapter 4. Sales and Use Tax

Article 18. Administration—Miscellaneous

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Regulation 1698. Records.

Reference: Sections 6455, 7053, 7054, and 7153.6, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) Definitions.

(1) "Database Management System"—a software system that controls, relates, retrieves, and provides accessibility to data stored in a database.

(2) "Electronic cash register"— a device that keeps a register or supporting documents through the means of an electronic device or computer system designed to record transaction data for the purpose of computing, compiling, or processing retail sales transaction data. This can include integrated point of sale systems.

(3) "Electronic data interchange" or "EDI technology"—the computer to computer exchange of business transactions in a standardized structured electronic format.

(4) "Electronic record"—a collection of related information in an electronic, machine-sensible format. Electronic records do not include hardcopy records that are created or recorded on paper or stored in or by a storage-only imaging system such as microfilm, or microfiche, PDF files, or other media used in electronic imaging. Electronic records include records recorded and maintained by electronic cash registers.

(5) "Hardcopy"— any document, record, report or other data maintained in a paper format.

(6) "Taxpayer"—every seller or retailer of tangible personal property in this state and every person storing, using or otherwise consuming in this state tangible personal property purchased from a retailer, and every lessor and lessee of tangible personal property for use in this state.

(b) General.

(1) A taxpayer shall maintain and make available for examination on request by the Board or its authorized representative, all records necessary to determine the correct tax liability under the Sales and Use Tax Law and all records necessary for the proper completion of the sales and use tax return. Such records include but are not limited to:

(A) Normal books of account ordinarily maintained by the average prudent businessperson engaged in the activity in question.

(B) Bills, receipts, invoices, cash register tapes, or other documents of original entry supporting the entries in the books of account.

(C) Schedules or working papers used in connection with the preparation of tax returns.

(2) Electronic records are considered records under Revenue and Taxation Code sections 7053 and 7054.

(c) Electronic records.

(1) General.

(A) Electronic records used to establish tax compliance shall contain sufficient source document (transaction-level) information so that the details underlying the electronic records can be identified and made available to the Board upon request. A taxpayer has discretion to discard duplicated records and redundant information provided the integrity of the audit trail is preserved and the responsibilities under this regulation are met.

(B) At the time of an examination, the retained records must be capable of being retrieved and converted to a standard magnetic record format e.g., Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) or American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) flat file.

(C) Taxpayers are not required to construct electronic records other than those created in the ordinary course of business. A taxpayer who does not create the electronic equivalent of a traditional paper document in the ordinary course of business is not required to construct such a record for tax purposes.

(2) Electronic Data Interchange Requirements.

(A) Where a taxpayer uses electronic data interchange (EDI) processes and technology, the level of record detail, in combination with other records related to the transactions, must be equivalent to that contained in an acceptable paper record. For example, the retained records should contain such information as:

1. vendor name,

2. invoice date,

3. product description,

4. quantity purchased,

5. price,

6. amount of tax,

7. indication of tax status (e.g., for resale), and

8. shipping detail.

Codes may be used to identify some or all of the data elements, provided the taxpayer maintains a method which allows the Board to interpret the coded information.

(B) The taxpayer may capture the information necessary to satisfy subdivision (c)(2)(A) at any level within the accounting system and need not retain the original EDI transaction records provided the audit trail, authenticity, and integrity of the retained records can be established. For example, a taxpayer using EDI technology receives electronic invoices from its suppliers. The taxpayer decides to retain the invoice data from completed and verified EDI transactions in its accounts payable system rather than to retain the EDI transactions themselves. Since neither the EDI transaction nor the accounts payable system capture information from the invoice pertaining to product description and vendor name (i.e., they contain only codes for that information), the taxpayer must also retain other records, such as its vendor master file and product code description lists, and make them available to the Board. In this example, the taxpayer need not retain its EDI transaction for tax purposes.

(3) Electronic Data Processing Systems Requirements. The requirements for an electronic data processing (EDP) accounting system should be similar to that of a manual accounting system, in that an adequately designed accounting system should incorporate methods and records that will satisfy the requirements of this regulation.

(4) Business Process Information.

(A) Upon request of the Board, the taxpayer shall provide a description of the business process that created the retained records. Such description shall include the relationship between the records and the tax documents prepared by the taxpayer and the measures employed to ensure the integrity of the records.

(B) The taxpayer shall be capable of demonstrating:

1. the functions being performed as they relate to the flow of data through the system;

2. the internal controls used to ensure accurate and reliable processing, and;

3. the internal controls used to prevent unauthorized addition, alteration, or deletion of retained records.

(C) The following specific documentation is required for electronic records retained pursuant to this regulation:

1. record formats or layouts;

2. field definitions (including the meaning of all codes used to represent information);

3. file descriptions (e.g., data set name); and

4. detailed charts of accounts and account descriptions.

(d) Electronic Records Maintenance Requirements.

(1) The taxpayer's computer hardware or software shall accommodate the extraction and conversion of retained electronic records to a standard magnetic record format as provided in subdivision (c)(1)(B).

(2) The Board recommends but does not require that taxpayers refer to the National Archives and Record Administration's (NARA) standards for guidance on the maintenance and storage of electronic records, such as the labeling of records, the location and security of the storage environment, the creation of back-up copies, and the use of periodic testing to confirm the continued integrity of the records.

(e) Access to Electronic Records.

(1) The manner in which the Board is provided access to electronic records may be satisfied through a variety of means that shall take into account a taxpayer's facts and circumstances through consultation with the taxpayer.

(2) Such access will be provided in one or more the following manners:

(A) The taxpayer may arrange to provide the Board with the hardware, software, and personnel resources to access the electronic records.

(B) The taxpayer may arrange for a third party to provide the hardware, software, and personnel resources necessary to access the electronic records.

(C) The taxpayer may convert the electronic records to a standard record format specified by the Board, including copies of files, on a magnetic medium that is agreed to by the Board.

(D) The taxpayer and the Board may agree on other means of providing access to the electronic records.

(f) Taxpayer Responsibility and Discretionary Authority.

(1) In conjunction with meeting the requirements of subdivision (c), a taxpayer may create files solely for the use of the Board. For example, if a data base management system is used, it is consistent with this regulation for the taxpayer to create and retain a file that contains the transaction-level detail from the data base management system and that meets the requirements of subdivision (c). The taxpayer should document the process that created the separate file to show the relationship between that file and the original records.

(2) A taxpayer may contract with a third party to provide custodial or management services of the records. Such a contract shall not relieve the taxpayer of its responsibilities under this regulation.

(g) Hardcopy Records.

(1) Except as specifically provided, taxpayers are not relieved of the responsibility to retain hardcopy records that are created or received in the ordinary course of business as required by existing law and regulations. Hardcopy records may be retained on a record keeping medium as provided in subdivision (h).

(2) If hardcopy transaction level documents are not produced or received in the ordinary course of transacting business (e.g., when the taxpayer uses electronic data interchange technology), such hardcopy records need not be created.

(3) Hardcopy records generated at the time of a transaction using a credit or debit card must be retained unless all the details necessary to determine correct tax liability relating to the transaction are subsequently received and retained by the taxpayer in accordance with this regulation. Such details include those listed in subdivision (c)(2)(A).

(4) Computer printouts that are created for validation, control, or other temporary purposes need not be retained.

(h) Alternative Storage Media.

(1) For purposes of storage and retention, taxpayers may convert hardcopy documents received or produced in the normal course of business and required to be retained under this regulation to storage-only imaging media such as microfilm, microfiche, PDF files, or other media used in electronic imaging and may discard the original hardcopy documents, provided the conditions of this subdivision are met. Documents which may be stored on these media include, but are not limited to general books of account, journals, voucher registers, general and subsidiary ledgers, and supporting records of details, such as sales invoices, purchase invoices, exemption certificates, and credit memoranda.

(2) Storage-only imaging media such as microfilm, microfiche, PDF files, or other media used in electronic imaging systems shall meet the following requirements.

(A) Documentation establishing the procedures for converting the hardcopy documents to the storage-only imaging system must be maintained and made available on request. Such documentation shall, at a minimum, contain a sufficient description to allow an original document to be followed through the conversion system as well as internal procedures established for inspection and quality assurance.

(B) Procedures must be established for the effective identification, processing, storage, and preservation of the stored documents and for making them available for the period they are required to be retained under subdivision (i).

(C) Upon request by the Board, a taxpayer must provide facilities and equipment for reading, locating, and reproducing any documents maintained on storage-only imaging media.

(D) When displayed on such equipment or reproduced on paper, the documents must exhibit a high degree of legibility and readability. For this purpose, legibility is defined as the quality of a letter or numeral that enables the observer to identify it positively and quickly to the exclusion of all other letters or numerals. Readability is defined as the quality of a group of letters or numerals being recognizable as words or complete numbers.

(E) All data on storage-only imaging media must be maintained and arranged in a manner that permits the location of any particular record.

(F) There is no substantial evidence that the storage-only imaging medium lacks authenticity or integrity.

(i) Record Retention—Time Period. All records required to be retained under this regulation must be preserved for a period of not less than four years unless the State Board of Equalization authorizes in writing their destruction within a lesser period.

For reporting periods beginning before January 1, 2003 that are subject to the extended ten-year statute of limitations contained in Revenue and Taxation Code section 7073(d), records required to be retained under this regulation must be preserved for a period of not less than ten years.

For example, if a taxpayer has a point of sale system that overwrites data after a period of time less than four years, the taxpayer should transfer, maintain, and have available, all data that would have been overwritten or otherwise removed from the system for the required time periods indicated above.

(j) Record Retention Limitation Agreements.

(1) The Board has the authority to enter into or revoke a record retention limitation agreement with the taxpayer to modify or waive any of the specific requirements in this regulation. A taxpayer's request for an agreement must specify which records (if any) the taxpayer proposes not to retain and provide the reasons for not retaining such records, as well as proposing any other terms of the requested agreement. The taxpayer shall remain subject to all requirements of this regulation that are not modified, waived, or superseded by a duly approved record retention limitation agreement.

(A) If a taxpayer seeks to limit its retention of electronic records, the taxpayer may request a record retention limitation agreement, which shall;

1. document understandings reached with the Board, which may include, but is not limited to, any one or more of the following issues:

a. the conversion of files created on an obsolete computer system;

b. restoration of lost or damaged files and the actions to be taken;

c. use of taxpayer computer resources, and

2. specifically identify which of the taxpayer's records the Board determines are not necessary for retention and which the taxpayer may discard, and

3. authorize variances, if any, from the normal provisions of this regulation.

(B) The Board shall consider a taxpayer's request for a record retention limitation agreement and notify the taxpayer of the actions to be taken.

(C) The Board's decision to enter or not to enter into a record retention limitation agreement shall not relieve the taxpayer of the responsibility to keep adequate and complete records supporting entries shown on any tax or information return.

(2) A taxpayer's record retention practices shall be subject to evaluation by the Board when a record retention limitation agreement exists. The evaluation may include a review of the taxpayer's relevant data processing and accounting systems with respect to EDP systems, including systems using EDI technology.

(A) The Board shall notify the taxpayer of the results of any evaluation, including acceptance or disapproval of any proposals made by the taxpayer (e.g., to discard certain records) or any changes considered necessary to bring the taxpayer's practices into compliance with this regulation.

(B) Since the evaluation of a taxpayer's record retention practices is not directly related to the determination of tax reporting accuracy for a particular period or return, an evaluation made under this regulation is not an "examination of records" under section 7054 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(C) Unless otherwise specified, an agreement shall not apply to accounting and tax systems added subsequent to the completion of the record evaluation. All electronic records produced by a subsequently added accounting or tax system shall be retained by the taxpayer in accordance with this regulation until a new evaluation is conducted by the Board.

(D) Unless otherwise specified, an agreement made under this subdivision shall not apply to any person, company, corporation, or organization that, subsequent to the taxpayer's signing of a record retention limitation agreement, acquires or is acquired by the taxpayer. All electronic records produced by the acquired or the acquiring person, company, corporation, or organization, shall be retained pursuant to this regulation.

(3) In addition to the record retention evaluation under subdivision (j)(2), the Board may conduct tests to establish the authenticity, readability, completeness, and integrity of the electronic records retained under a record retention limitation agreement. The state shall notify the taxpayer of the results of such tests. These tests may include the testing of EDI and other procedures and a review of the internal controls and security procedures associated with the creation and storage of the records.

(k) Failure to Maintain Records.

Failure to maintain and keep complete and accurate records will be considered evidence of negligence or intent to evade the tax and may result in penalties or other appropriate administrative action.

History—Effective July 1, 1939.

Adopted as of January 1, 1945, as a restatement of previous rulings.

Amended and renumbered January 6, 1970, effective February 7, 1970.

Amended June 2, 1988, effective August 24, 1988. In subdivision (a) and (c), added provisions that provide that books and records may be maintained on microfilm or microfiche under certain conditions.

Amended June 26, 1997, effective October 4, 1997. Former paragraphs (a) through (e) deleted and replaced with new paragraphs (a) through (e). New paragraphs (f) through (j) added. Former paragraph (f) re-designated as (k).

Amended July 1, 2005, effective November 3, 2005. Word "board" changed to "Board" throughout. Subdivision (b)(2)—word "Sections" changed to "sections." Subdivision (i)—current language of subdivision placed in new subdivision (i)(1) and new subdivision (i)(2) added to require taxpayers to retain records for a minimum of ten years due to the statute of limitations for deficiency determinations in section 7073(d).

Amended March 29, 2016, effective October 1, 2016. Added new subdivision (a)(2) to define "electronic cash register" and renumbered old subdivision (a)(2) as subdivision (a)(3); moved the definition of "hardcopy" from subdivision (a)(3) to subdivision (a)(5) and renumbered subdivision (a)(5) as subdivision (a)(6); replaced "Machine-sensible" with "Electronic" in subdivisions (a)(4), (b)(2) and (c)(1)(A). In subdivision (a)(4) inserted ", machine-sensible" before "format" in the first sentence; added a comma after "microfilm" and deleted "or" from before "microfiche" in the second sentence; added the text after "microfiche". Replaced "machine-sensible" with "electronic" throughout subdivisions (c), (d), and (e). Numbered the examples provided in subdivision (c)(2)(A). In subdivisions (h)(1) and (h)(2) added ", PDF files, or other media used in electronic imaging" after "microfiche". Added a new third paragraph to subdivision (i); and added a reference to Revenue and Taxation Code section 7153.6 to the reference note.

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Regulation 1698.5. Audit Procedures.

Reference: Sections 7053 and 7054, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) Definitions.

(1) Board. For the purposes of this regulation, "Board" refers to the Board of Equalization.

(2) Audit Engagement Letter. An "audit engagement letter" is correspondence used by Board staff to confirm the start of an audit or establish contact with the taxpayer.

(3) Pre-Audit Conference. A "pre-audit conference" is a meeting between the taxpayer and/or the taxpayer's representative or designated employee and Board staff prior to the opening conference to discuss the availability and production of records, including electronic records. This meeting may occur several months before the opening conference with Board staff.

(4) Opening Conference. An "opening conference" is the first meeting between the taxpayer and/or the taxpayer's representative or designated employee and Board staff to discuss how the audit will be conducted and to begin the field audit work.

(5) Status Conferences. "Status conferences" are meetings between the taxpayer and/or the taxpayer's representative or designated employee and Board staff held throughout the audit to discuss audit issues and the progress of the audit.

(6) Exit Conference. An "exit conference" is the meeting between the taxpayer and/or the taxpayer's representative or designated employee and Board staff at the conclusion of the audit to discuss the audit findings.

(7) Information/Document Request (IDR). An "Information/Document Request" (IDR) is correspondence Board staff may issue to request single or multiple documents, data, and other information from the taxpayer under audit. An IDR will be issued when the taxpayer fails to provide records in response to verbal requests. An audit engagement letter is not an IDR.

(8) Audit Findings Presentation Sheet (AFPS). An "Audit Findings Presentation Sheet" (AFPS) is correspondence used to present Board staff's findings for each area of the audit as it is completed. The audit working paper lead and subsidiary schedules are attached to AFPSs.

(9) Records. For the purposes of this regulation, "records" includes all records, including electronic (machine-sensible) records, necessary to determine the correct tax liability under the Sales and Use Tax Law and all records necessary for the proper completion of the sales and use tax return as provided in Regulation 1698.

(10) Day. For the purposes of this regulation, "day" means calendar day.

(b) General.

The Board has a duty and an obligation to utilize its audit resources in the most effective and efficient manner possible. This regulation provides taxpayers and Board staff with the necessary procedures and guidance to facilitate the efficient and timely completion of an audit. The regulation also provides for appropriate and timely communication between Board staff and the taxpayer of requests, agreements, and expectations related to an audit.

(1) The purpose of an audit is to efficiently determine whether or not the amount of tax has been reported correctly based on relevant tax statutes, regulations, and case law.

(2) The audit of a taxpayer's records shall be completed in sufficient time to permit the issuance of a Notice of Determination or Notice of Refund within the applicable statute of limitations. Audits of periods with potential liability shall be completed in sufficient time prior to the expiration of the statute of limitations to allow for the issuance of a determination, unless the taxpayer consents to extend the period by signing a waiver of limitation.

(3) Waiver of Limitation. A waiver of limitation that is signed by the taxpayer prior to the statute expiration date extends the period in which a Notice of Determination or Notice of Refund may be issued. Auditors shall request taxpayers sign a waiver of limitation when there is sufficient information to indicate that an understatement or overstatement exists, but there is insufficient time to complete the audit before the expiration of the statute of limitations. The auditor should also request a waiver be signed when a taxpayer requests a postponement before the audit begins or while an audit is in process. If the taxpayer declines to sign a waiver, the Board may issue a determination for the expiring period(s). Supervisory approval of the circumstances which necessitated the request for the waiver will be documented in the audit before the waiver is presented to the taxpayer for signature. If the extension of the statute of limitations totals two years or more, approval by the District Principal Auditor will be documented in the audit before the waiver is presented to the taxpayer for signature.

(4) Duty of Board Staff.

(A) Apply and administer the relevant statutes and regulations fairly and consistently regardless of whether the audit results in a deficiency or refund of tax.

(B) Consider the materiality of an area being audited. Audit decisions are based on Board staff's determination of the amount of a potential adjustment balanced against the time required to audit the area and the duty to determine whether the correct amount of tax has been reported.

(C) Make information requests for the areas under audit as provided in Regulation 1698. The auditor will explain why records are being requested when asked to do so. The auditor will also work with the taxpayer to resolve difficulties a taxpayer has when responding to Board information requests, including the use of satisfactory alternative sources of information.

(D) Do not directly access the taxpayer's computer system if the taxpayer objects to such access, except in the case of a search warrant.

(E) Provide an audit plan to the taxpayer as provided in subdivision (c)(7) of this regulation.

(F) Adhere to the timelines set forth in the original audit plan, or in the audit plan as amended pursuant to subdivision (c)(7) of this regulation, and provide the resources to do so.

(G) Keep the taxpayer apprised of the status of the audit through status conferences and AFPSs.

(H) Inform the taxpayer of the audit findings at the exit conference.

(I) Copy taxpayers (e.g., owners, partners, or corporate officers) on all Board correspondence related to the audit when the taxpayer has authorized another party to represent them.

(J) Safeguard taxpayers' records while examining them.

(K) Inform the taxpayer of the audit process, the taxpayer's rights, and appeal rights at the beginning of the audit.

(5) Duty of Taxpayers.

(A) Maintain records. Taxpayers have a duty to maintain the records and documents as required by Regulation 1698.

(B) Provide records requested by the Board pursuant to Regulation 1698; and adhere to the timelines in the original audit plan, or in the audit plan as amended pursuant to subdivision (c)(7) of this regulation.

(C) Make records available for photocopying or scanning. The Board may require the taxpayer to provide photocopies, or make available for photocopying or scanning, any specific documents requested by the Board that relate to questioned transaction(s) if necessary to determine the correct amount of tax, unless the Board is prohibited by law from requiring the specific documents.

(6) Application of Timeframes. The timeframes in this regulation are intended to provide for an orderly process that leads to a timely conclusion of an audit and are not to be used to prevent or limit a taxpayer's right to provide information.

(A) Some AFPSs can be responded to in less than or more than the timeframe specified in this regulation. The auditor has discretion to adjust this timeframe as warranted.

(B) Due dates for responses to IDRs and AFPSs shall be within the statute of limitations applicable to the audit. Auditors will consider late responses to IDRs and AFPSs, provided a period of the audit will not expire due to the statute of limitations.

(C) The timeframes provided in this regulation will have no effect on the statute of limitations as provided by the Revenue and Taxation Code or on any remedies available to the Board or rights of the taxpayer.

(c) Audits.

(1) Location of Audit. Audits generally take place at the location where the taxpayer's original books, records, and source documents relevant to the audit are maintained, which is usually the taxpayer's principal place of business. A taxpayer's request to conduct the audit at a different location shall include the reason(s) for the request. It is the taxpayer's responsibility to provide all requested records at that location. Requests will be granted unless Board staff determines the move will significantly delay the start or completion of the audit, or the Board does not have adequate resources available to conduct the audit at the requested location.

If the taxpayer operates out of a private residence, or has a small office or work environment that will not accommodate the auditor(s), Board staff may require the records be brought to a Board office or taxpayer's representative's office. If the audit is conducted at a Board office, the taxpayer will be provided a receipt for records.

(2) Multiple Requests by Taxpayers to Change the Location of an Audit. After an initial request to change the audit location has been granted by Board staff, any subsequent requests for location changes in the same audit period shall be made in writing and include the reason(s) for the request. These subsequent requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Approval of these requests is at the discretion of Board staff.

(3) Site Visitations. Regardless of where the audit takes place, Board staff may visit the taxpayer's place of business to gain a better understanding of the business' operations (for example, a plant tour to understand a manufacturing process, or a visit to a restaurant to observe seating facilities or volume of business). Board staff may not visit secure areas, or areas that are regulated by the federal government where federal security clearance is necessary, unless authorized by the taxpayer. Board staff generally will visit on a normal workday of the Board during the Board's normal business hours.

(4) Time of the Audit. Board staff will generally schedule the field audit work for full days during normal workdays and business hours of the Board. The Board will schedule audits throughout the year, without regard to seasonal fluctuations in the businesses of taxpayers or their representatives. However, the Board will work with taxpayers and their representatives in scheduling the date and time of an audit to try to minimize any adverse effects.

Generally, the Board will not hold in abeyance the start of an audit pending the conclusion of an audit of prior periods or pending completion of an appeal of a prior audit currently in the Board's appeals process. In cases where a prior audit is under appeal and the audit for the subsequent periods is not held in abeyance, the Board will begin the current audit by examining areas that are not affected by the outcome of the appeal.

(5) Pre-Audit Conference. Taxpayers (e.g., owners, partners, or corporate officers) shall be invited and encouraged to attend the pre-audit conference, whether or not the taxpayer has authorized another party to represent them. On audits where electronic records are involved, the Board's computer audit specialist shall participate in the pre-audit conference and the taxpayer's appropriate information technology staff shall be invited and encouraged to attend.

During the pre-audit conference, the items to be discussed include, but are not limited to: general audit procedures, availability and access of records, computer assisted audit procedures, relevant sampling issues, data transfer process, verification of data, security of data, timeframes for furnishing and reviewing records, and the name of the person designated to receive IDRs.

(6) Opening Conference. Taxpayers (e.g., owners, partners, or corporate officers) shall be invited and encouraged to attend the opening conference, whether or not the taxpayer has authorized another party to represent them. During the opening conference, the items to be discussed include, but are not limited to: the scope of the audit, the audit plan, audit processes and procedures, claims for refund, estimated timeframes to complete the audit, the name of the person designated to receive IDRs, and the scheduling of future audit appointments. At the opening conference, the auditor shall provide in writing, the name and telephone number of the audit supervisor, and any Board staff assigned to the audit team.

(7) Audit Plan. All audits must be guided by an organized plan. The audit plan documents the areas under audit, the audit procedures, and the estimated timeframes to complete the audit. A carefully thought out, but flexible audit plan requires advance planning and a proper overview of the assignment as a whole. To facilitate the timely and efficient completion of an audit, Board staff shall develop an audit plan that strives for the completion of the audit within a two-year timeframe commencing with the date of the opening conference and ending with the date of the exit conference.

Most audits will be completed in a much shorter timeframe and others may require a period beyond two years. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to extend the completion of an audit to two years when it can be completed in a shorter timeframe, nor limit the completion of an audit to two years when a longer timeframe is warranted.

An audit plan is required on all audits. The audit plan shall be discussed with, and a copy provided to, the taxpayer at the opening conference, or when it is necessary for the auditor to first review the taxpayer's records, within 30 days from the opening conference. The audit plan should be signed by the auditor and either the taxpayer or the taxpayer's representative to show a commitment by both parties that the audit will be conducted as described in the audit plan to allow for the timely completion of the audit. The audit plan is considered a guideline for conducting the audit and may be amended throughout the audit process as warranted. If the original audit plan is amended, the auditor shall provide the taxpayer with a copy of the amended plan.

(8) Status Conferences. Taxpayers (e.g., owners, partners, or corporate officers) shall be invited and encouraged to attend status conferences, whether or not the taxpayer has authorized another party to represent them. Status conferences should be held throughout the audit to discuss the status of the audit, IDRs and AFPSs, and to ensure the audit is on track for completion within the estimated timeframes as outlined in the audit plan.

(9) Record Requests.

(A) Verbal Requests. Before auditors proceed with the IDR process, taxpayers shall be allowed to comply with verbal requests for records. When Board staff is unable to make verbal contact with the taxpayer, the auditor may proceed directly with the IDR process. The auditor has the discretion to determine response times for verbal requests.

When records are not provided by the taxpayer in response to verbal requests for information as required by Regulation 1698 and subdivision (b)(5)(B) of this regulation, the auditor may proceed to the IDR process unless doing so results in a period of the audit expiring under the statute of limitations. If a period of the audit will expire, the Board may issue a determination for the expiring period(s).

(B) IDR Process. The IDR process includes the issuance of an initial IDR, a second IDR, and a formal notice and demand to furnish information.

1. Taxpayers will be allowed 30 days to respond to the initial IDR measured from the date the IDR is delivered or mailed to the taxpayer and the person designated by the taxpayer at the pre-audit or opening conference to receive IDRs. Any response other than full compliance with the IDR shall be reviewed by the District Principal Auditor who shall determine the course of action to be taken in response to any issues raised by the taxpayer.

2. Taxpayers will be allowed 15 days to provide records in response to the second IDR requesting the same records as the initial IDR. This date shall be measured from the date the second IDR is delivered or mailed to the taxpayer and the person designated by the taxpayer at the pre-audit or opening conference to receive IDRs.

3. Within 30 days of the taxpayer providing records in response to an IDR, the auditor will notify the taxpayer in writing if the documents provided are sufficient, if additional information is needed, or if the auditor requires additional time to determine the sufficiency of the records.

4. A formal notice and demand to furnish information shall be issued upon the taxpayer's failure to furnish the requested records in response to the second IDR requesting the same records. The taxpayer will have 15 days to provide records in response to the notice and demand to furnish information before Board staff may issue a subpoena for those records or issue a determination based on an estimate, unless doing so results in a period of the audit expiring under the statute of limitations. This date shall be measured from the date the notice and demand is delivered or mailed to the taxpayer and the person designated by the taxpayer at the pre-audit or opening conference to receive IDRs.

(10) Audit Findings Presentation Sheet (AFPS). An AFPS should be used during the course of the audit as soon as each area of the audit is completed to provide the taxpayer with the proposed audit findings. Taxpayers will be asked to indicate whether they agree or disagree with the proposed findings. The taxpayer will be given an opportunity to provide additional information and documents to rebut the audit findings, generally within 30 days of the date the AFPS was delivered or mailed to the taxpayer, or the taxpayer's representative, or as otherwise provided for in subdivision (b)(6) of this regulation. Agreement to the audit findings does not preclude the taxpayer from appealing the issue(s) at a later date. As a general rule, within 30 days of the taxpayer providing additional information in response to an AFPS, the auditor will notify the taxpayer if adjustment to the audit is warranted based on the information provided.

(11) Exit Conference. Taxpayers (e.g., owners, partners, or corporate officers) shall be invited and encouraged to attend the exit conference, whether or not the taxpayer has authorized another party to represent them. During an exit conference, the items discussed include, but are not limited to: an explanation of the audit findings, the audit schedules, the review process, how to prepay a liability, and the Board's appeal procedures.

The auditor shall provide the taxpayer and the taxpayer's representative with a complete copy of the audit working papers, including verification comments, which explain the basis for the audit findings.

(A) Generally, taxpayers shall be given 30 days from the date of the exit conference to indicate whether they agree or disagree with the audit findings, unless doing so results in a period of the audit expiring under the statute of limitations. If the taxpayer disagrees with the audit findings, they may provide additional information within this 30 days for the auditor to consider. The auditor may adjust the audit findings if warranted based on the information provided.

(B) The audit findings are subject to additional review by Board staff to ensure that the audit findings are consistent with the Sales and Use Tax laws and regulations, and Board policies, practices, and procedures. A copy of any audit working papers adjusted as a result of the review process shall be provided to the taxpayer.

History—Adopted May 25, 2010, effective August 18, 2010.

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Regulation 1699. Permits.

Reference: Sections 6066, 6067, 6070, 6070.5, 6071.1, 6072, 6073, 6075 and 6225, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) Seller's Permit in General—Number of Permits Required. Every person engaged in the business of selling (or leasing under a lease defined as a sale in Revenue and Taxation Code section 6006(g)) tangible personal property of a kind the gross receipts from the retail sale of which are required to be included in the measure of the sales tax, and only a person actively so engaged, is required to hold a seller's permit for each place of business in this state at which transactions relating to sales are customarily negotiated with his or her customers. For example, a seller's permit is required for a branch sales office at which orders are customarily taken or contracts negotiated, whether or not merchandise is stocked there.

No additional permits are required for warehouses or other places at which merchandise is merely stored and which customers do not customarily visit for the purpose of making purchases and which are maintained in conjunction with a place of business for which a permit is held; but at least one permit must be held by every person maintaining stocks of merchandise in this state for sale. However, permits are required for warehouses or other places at which merchandise is stored and from which retail sales of such merchandise negotiated out of state are delivered or fulfilled.

If two or more activities are conducted by the same person on the same premises, even though in different buildings, only one seller's permit is required. For example, a service station operator having a restaurant in addition to the station on the same premises requires only one seller's permit for both activities.

(b) Persons Selling in Interstate Commerce or to United States Government. A seller's permit is not required to be held by persons all of whose sales are made exclusively in interstate or foreign commerce but a seller's permit is required of persons notwithstanding all their sales (or leases under a lease defined as a sale in Revenue and Taxation Code section 6006(g)) are made to the United States or instrumentalities thereof.

(c) Persons Selling Feed. Effective April 1, 1996, a seller's permit is not required to be held by persons whose sales consist entirely of sales of feed for any form of animal life of a kind the products of which ordinarily constitute food for human consumption (food animals), or for any form of animal life not of such a kind (nonfood animals) which are being held for sale in the regular course of business, provided no other retail sales of tangible personal property are made.

If a seller of hay is also the grower of the hay, this exemption shall apply only if either:

1. The hay is produced for sale only to beef cattle feedlots or dairies, or

2. The hay is sold exclusively through a farmer-owned cooperative.

(d) Concessionaires. For the purposes of this regulation, the term concessionaire is defined as an independent retailer who is authorized, through contract with, or permission of, another retail business enterprise (the prime retailer), to operate within the perimeter of the prime retailer's own retail business premises, which to all intents and purposes appear to be wholly under the control of that prime retailer, and to make retail sales that to the general public might reasonably be believed to be the transactions of the prime retailer. Some indicators that a retailer is not operating as a concessionaire are that he or she:

• Appears to the public to be a business separate and autonomous from the prime retailer. Examples of businesses that may appear to be separate and autonomous, while operating within the prime retailer's premises, are thosewith signs posted on the premises naming each of such businesses, those with separate cash registers, and those with their own receipts or invoices printed with their business name.
• Maintains separate business records, particularly with respect to sales.
• Establishes his or her own selling prices.
• Makes business decisions independently, such as hiring employees or purchasing inventory and supplies.
• Registers as a separate business with other regulatory agencies, such as an agency issuing business licenses, the Employment Development Department, and/or the Secretary of State.
• Deposits funds into a separate account.

In cases where a retailer is not operating as a concessionaire, the prime retailer is not liable for any tax liabilities of the retailer operating on his or her premises. However, if a retailer is deemed to be operating as a concessionaire, the prime retailer may be held jointly and severally liable for any sales and use taxes imposed on unreported retail sales made by the concessionaire while operating as a concessionaire. Such a prime retailer will be relieved of his or her obligation for sales and use tax liabilities incurred by such a concessionaire for the period in which the concessionaire holds a seller's permit for the location of the prime retailer or in cases where the prime retailer obtains and retains a written statement that is taken in good faith in which the concessionaire affirms that he or she holds a seller's permit for that location with the Board. The following essential elements must be included in the statement in order to relieve the prime retailer of his or her liability for any unreported tax liabilities incurred by the concessionaire:

• The seller's permit number of the concessionaire
• The location for which the permit is issued (must show the concessionaire's location within the perimeter of the prime retailer's location)
• Signature of the concessionaire
• Date

While any statement, taken timely, in good faith and containing all of these essential elements will relieve a prime retailer of his or her liability for the unreported sales or use taxes of a concessionaire, a suggested format of an acceptable statement is provided as Appendix A to this regulation. While not required, it is suggested that the statement from the concessionaire contain language to clarify which party will be responsible for reporting and remitting the sales and/or use tax due on his or her retail sales.

In instances where the lessor, or grantor of permission to occupy space, is not a retailer himself or herself, he or she is not liable for any sales or use taxes owed by his or her lessee or grantee. In instances where an independent retailer leases space from another retailer, or occupies space by virtue of the granting of permission by another retailer, but does not operate his or her business within the perimeter of the lessor's or grantor's own retail business, such an independent retailer is not a concessionaire within the meaning of this regulation. In this case, the lessor or grantor is not liable for any sales or use taxes owed by the lessee or grantee.

In the event the retailer fails to make a return and remit the amount of tax due with respect to operations of the concessions, the concessionaires must secure permits and file returns together with remittances of the amount of tax due.

(e) Agents. If agents make sales on behalf of a principal and do not have a fixed place of business, but travel from house to house or from town to town, it is unnecessary that a seller's permit be obtained for each agent if the principal obtains a permit for each place of business located in California. If, however, the principal does not obtain a permit for each place of business located in California, it is necessary for each agent to obtain a seller's permit.

(f) Inactive Permits. A seller's permit may only be held by a person actively engaged in business as a seller of tangible personal property. The Board may revoke a seller's permit where it finds that the person holding the permit is not actively engaged in business as a seller of tangible personal property.

(1) Any person who holds a seller's permit but is not actively engaged in business as a seller of tangible personal property shall promptly surrender the permit by notifying the Board to cancel it.

(2) Except as explained in paragraph (3) of this subdivision, a person holding a seller's permit will be held liable for any taxes, interest, and penalties incurred, through the date on which the Board is notified to cancel the permit, by any other person who, with the permit holder's actual or constructive knowledge, uses the permit in any way. For example, a permit holder may be held liable for tax, interest, and penalty actually incurred by his or her transferee where the transferee displays the permit in his or her place of business, or uses the permit number on a resale certificate, or files sales and use tax returns under the permit number. The permit holder has the burden of establishing that the Board received notice to cancel the permit.

(A) The seller's permit holder may notify the Board by delivering the actual seller's permit to the Board with the clear request that the permit be canceled. Where the reason for cancellation is that the permit holder transferred the business, the permit holder should identify the name and address of the transferee at the time the permit is surrendered to the Board. The permit holder may also notify the Board by delivering a written statement or email to the Board that the permit holder has transferred or otherwise ceased the business, or will do so at a specified time, and requesting that the permit be canceled. The statement should identify the name and address of the transferee, if any. The permit holder may also provide this notice to the Board orally, but it will be presumed that such notice was not provided unless the Board's records reflect that the permit holder clearly notified the Board of the cessation or transfer of the business for which the permit was held.

(B) The Board will also be regarded as having received notice of cancellation of the seller's permit, and the permit holder will be excused from liability for the tax, interest, and penalty incurred by another person using the permit, as of the date the Board receives actual notice of transfer of the business for which the permit was issued. It will be presumed such notice was not received by the Board unless the Board's records reflect that the Board received a clear notice of the cessation or transfer of the business for which the permit was held. For example, the Board's receipt of an application for a seller's permit from the transferee constitutes sufficient notice if it contains adequate information to show that the application pertains to the same business for which the permit was held. Notice to another state agency of a transfer or cessation of a business does not constitute notice to the Board. Rather, the Board must itself receive actual notice of the transfer or cessation of business.

(3) Where the seller's permit holder does not establish that the Board received actual notice of the transfer of the business for which the permit was held and is thus liable for the taxes, interest, and penalties incurred by another person using that permit, that liability is limited to the quarter in which the business was transferred and the three subsequent quarters, and shall not include any penalties imposed on the other person for fraud or intent to evade the tax. However, these limitations (liability only for the quarter in which the business was transferred and the three subsequent quarters and no fraud or intent to evade penalty) do not apply where, after the transfer of the business, 80 percent or more of the real or ultimate ownership of that business is held by the permit holder. For these purposes, stockholders, bondholders, partners, or other persons holding an ownership interest in an entity are regarded as having the "real or ultimate ownership" of that entity.

(g) Non-Issuance or Revocation of a Seller's Permit.

(1) The Board may refuse to issue a seller's permit to any person submitting an application for a seller's permit if the person has an outstanding final liability with the Board for any amount under the Sales and Use Tax Law. The Board may also refuse to issue a seller's permit if the person applying for it is not a natural person and is being controlled by a person with an outstanding final liability for any amount under the Sales and Use Tax Law.

(2) Natural Person—A "natural person" is a living human.

(3) Control and Controlling—For the purposes of this section and as defined in Section 22971 of the Business and Professions Code, the Board defines the words "control" and "controlling" to mean the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person. Evidence that a person controls or is controlling another person may include, but is not limited to, the ownership of voting securities, by contract, other than a commercial contract for goods or nonmanagement services, or as otherwise provided below; however, no individual shall be deemed to control a person solely on account of being a director, officer, or employee of that person. It shall be a rebuttable presumption that a person has the power to control another person if any of the following apply:

(A) A person holds 25 percent or more of any class of the voting securities issued by a person; or

(B) A person is a general partner in a partnership, a managing member of a limited liability company, or president or director of a closely held corporation; or

(C) A person with an outstanding final liability as described in paragraph (g)(1) transfers the business to a non-natural person in a sale that was not at arm's length. A sale is presumed to be not at arm's length if it is between and among relatives (by blood or marriage, which relationships include, but are not limited to, spouses, parents, children and siblings). A transfer is among relatives if the person with the outstanding final liability is either a natural person who is a relative of the person or persons controlling the non-natural person acquiring the business, or is a non-natural person controlled by a relative or relatives of the person or persons controlling the non-natural person acquiring the business.

(4) A final liability will not be deemed to be outstanding for the purposes of this part if the person with the outstanding liability as described in paragraph (g)(1) has entered into a payment plan pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code section 6832 and remains in full compliance with it. If the person submitting an application for a seller's permit has entered into a payment plan as provided in this paragraph and fails to comply with the terms of the payment plan, the Board may seek revocation of the seller's permit obtained by the person pursuant to this section.

(5) The Board shall consider offers in compromise when determining whether to issue a seller's permit. If a seller's permit is conditioned on an offer in compromise being entered into, then a final liability will not be deemed outstanding for the purposes of this part, if the offer in compromise has been accepted by the Board and the person has paid the amount in full or remains in full compliance with the compromise plan. If the person submitting an application for a seller's permit has entered into an offer in compromise as provided in this paragraph and fails to comply with the terms of the offer in compromise, the Board may seek revocation of the seller's permit obtained by the person pursuant to this section.

(6) Whenever any person is denied a permit pursuant to this section, the Board shall give the person written notice of the denial. Any person denied a permit pursuant to this section may make a request for reconsideration by the Board, if submitted in writing within 30 days of the denial. A timely submitted written request for reconsideration shall afford the person a hearing in a manner that is consistent with a hearing provided for by Revenue and Taxation Code section 6070. If a request for reconsideration is not filed within the 30-day period, the denial becomes final.

(h) Due Date of Returns—Closeout of Account on Yearly Reporting Basis. Where a person authorized to file tax returns on a yearly basis transfers the business to another person or discontinues it before the end of the yearly period, a closing return shall be filed with the Board on or before the last day of the month following the close of the calendar quarter in which the business was transferred or discontinued.

(i) Buying Companies—General.

(1) Definition. For the purpose of this regulation, a buying company is a legal entity that is separate from another legal entity that owns, controls, or is otherwise related to, the buying company and which has been created for the purpose of performing administrative functions, including acquiring goods and services, for the other entity. It is presumed that the buying company is formed for the operational reasons of the entity which owns or controls it or to which it is otherwise related. A buying company formed, however, for the sole purpose of purchasing tangible personal property ex-tax for resale to the entity which owns or controls it or to which it is otherwise related in order to re-direct local sales tax from the location(s) of the vendor(s) to the location of the buying company shall not be recognized as a separate legal entity from the related company on whose behalf it acts for purposes of issuing it a seller's permit. Such a buying company shall not be issued a seller's permit. Sales of tangible personal property to third parties will be regarded as having been made by the entity owning, controlling, or otherwise related to the buying company. A buying company that is not formed for the sole purpose of so re-directing local sales tax shall be recognized as a separate legal entity from the related company on whose behalf it acts for purposes of issuing it a seller's permit. Such a buying company shall be issued a seller's permit and shall be regarded as the seller of tangible personal property it sells or leases.

(2) Elements. A buying company is not formed for the sole purpose of re-directing local sales tax if it has one or more of the following elements:

(A) Adds a markup to its cost of goods sold in an amount sufficient to cover its operating and overhead expenses.

(B) Issues an invoice or otherwise accounts for the transaction.

The absence of any of these elements is not indicative of a sole purpose to redirect local sales tax.

(j) Web Sites. The location of a computer server on which a web site resides may not be issued a seller's permit for sales tax purposes except when the retailer has a proprietary interest in the server and the activities at that location otherwise qualify for a seller's permit under this regulation.

(k) Use Tax Permit—Qualified Purchasers. Except for the purchase of a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, a person who meets all of the following conditions is required to register and report and pay use tax directly to the Board:

(1) The person is not required to hold a seller's permit.

(2) The person is not required to be registered pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code section 6226.

(3) The person is not a holder of a use tax direct payment permit as described in Revenue and Taxation Code section 7051.3.

(4) The person receives at least one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in gross receipts from business operations per calendar year.

(5) The person is not otherwise registered with the board to report use tax.

The return must show the total sales price of the tangible personal property purchased by the qualified purchaser, the storage, use, or other consumption of which became subject to the use tax during the preceding calendar year, for which the qualified purchaser did not pay tax to a retailer required to collect the tax or a retailer the qualified purchaser reasonably believed was required to collect the tax. Notwithstanding Revenue and Taxation Code sections 6451, 6452, 6452.1, and 6455, the returns for the 2009 calendar year and subsequent years shall be filed with the Board, together with a remittance of the amount of the tax due, on or before April 15 of the succeeding calendar year.

History—Effective July 1, 1939.

Adopted as of January 1, 1945, as a restatement of previous rulings.

Amended August 2, 1965, applicable on and after August 1, 1965.

Amended and renumbered November 3, 1969, effective December 5, 1969.

Amended May 25, 1977, effective June 24, 1977.

Amended May 1, 1985, effective May 31, 1985. Subdivision (e)(2) has been changed to provide that penalties for intent to evade the tax are excluded from the type of penalty the permit holder would be liable for if the permit holder fails to notify the Board of the transfer of a business.

Amended June 22, 1995, effective July 22, 1995. Amended subdivision (e) as provided in Statutes of 1993, Chapter 1109.

Amended April 25, 1996, effective May 25, 1996. Added new (c) to incorporate provisions of Chapter 696, Statutes of 1995 and renumbered the following subdivisions.

Amended May 30, 2001, effective September 7, 2001. Subdivision (d)—Existing language deleted—Four new unnumbered paragraphs added to define "concessionaire" and clarify the relationship between concessionaire and prime retailer. New Appendix A was added to provide a suggested form for the Certification of Permit—Concessionaire.

Amended February 6, 2002, effective June 14, 2002. Subdivisions (h) and (i) added.

Amended November 15, 2005, effective December 13, 2006. Added sentence to subdivision (a) to explain that permits are required for locations at which merchandise is stored when the retailer negotiates sales out of state but fulfills such sales from stocks of goods located in this state.

Amended November 15, 2007, effective February 23, 2008. Amended subdivision (f) to clarify the methods for notifying the Board when a seller's permit becomes inactive. The amendments also explain the limitation on predecessor's liability set forth in Revenue and Taxation Code section 6071.1 and make it clear that the fraud penalty can be imposed on a predecessor when the ownership of the successor who committed fraud is substantially the same as the predecessor ownership.

Amended January 27, 2010, effective March 17, 2010. Amended subdivisions (a) through (f) to add "seller's" before "permit" as needed. Subdivision (j) added to incorporate provisions of section 6225 regarding use tax—qualified purchasers.

Amended March 25, 2014, effective July 1, 2014. The amendments added a new subdivision (g) to the regulation, renumbered the regulation's prior subdivisions (g) through (j), as subdivisions (h) through (k), respectively, and added a reference to Revenue and Taxation Code section 6070.5 to the regulation's reference note.

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Regulation 1699.5. Direct Payment Permits.

Reference: Sections 7051.1 and 7051.2, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) Definition. As used in this regulation, "Direct payment permit" means a permit issued by the board which allows the holder to purchase tangible personal property for use without paying tax or tax reimbursement to the retailer from whom the purchase is made, and which relieves that retailer from liability for tax on the transaction provided that the retailer obtains an exemption certificate as provided herein from the purchaser.

(b) Requirements for Permit. A direct payment permit will be issued only if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The applicant holds a valid seller's permit.

(2) The applicant agrees to report and pay directly to the board all tax liabilities which are transferred from retailers to the applicant as a result of exemption certificates issued in accordance with this regulation.

(3) The board determines that issuance of the direct payment permit will facilitate the collection of the tax. This requirement will be met only if the applicant has sufficient information processing resources to accurately and timely account for and report the tax liabilities assumed as a result of the direct payment permit (separately from other tax liabilities) and allocate the local tax portion of such liabilities to all of the cities, counties, redevelopment agencies, and districts involved.

(4) The board determines that issuance of the direct payment permit is to the mutual convenience of the board, the applicant, and the retailers whose tax liability will be reported and paid by the applicant. Issuance of the permit will not be deemed to be to the convenience of the board if the applicant is a government entity or if the applicant has had gross receipts from sales of tangible personal property of less than $75,000,000 and purchases of tangible personal property subject to sales or use tax of less than $75,000,000 in any calendar quarter during the twelve months immediately preceding the application for the permit.

(5) The applicant has a record of timely payment of tax liabilities and is in such financial condition that issuance of the direct payment permit will not result in a tax loss to the state.

(c) Application for Permit.

(1) An application for a direct payment permit must be in writing and provide information which supports the claim that the applicant meets the requirements for a permit. The application must include a certified financial statement and a detailed description of the information processing system which will be used to account for the tax liabilities assumed and allocate the local taxes involved.

(2) Within 30 days of receipt of an application for a direct payment permit the board shall inform the applicant in writing either that the application is complete and has been accepted or that the application is deficient and what additional specific information is required to make the application complete. Within 60 days of acceptance of a complete application the board shall approve or deny the issuance of a direct payment permit and notify the applicant in writing of its decision.

(d) Revocation of Permit. Any direct payment permit issued pursuant to this regulation shall be revoked if the board determines that the holder no longer meets the requirements for the permit.

(e) Returns. On or before the last day of the month following each quarterly period, a holder of a direct payment permit shall file a return with the board in such form as the board may prescribe. The person required to file the return shall deliver it together with a remittance for the amount of tax due to the office of the board. The return shall show the aggregate gross receipts of retailers during the reporting period with respect to which the person filing the return has assumed responsibility for payment of the retailers' tax liabilities, the amount of such liabilities, and such other information as the board may require. This return shall be separate from and in addition to any returns required to be filed by the person to report his or her own sales and use tax liabilities.

(f) Prepayments. A holder of a direct payment permit shall make prepayments of the tax liabilities assumed in accordance with this regulation as prescribed in Section 6471 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. The prepayments shall be made as prescribed in Section 6472 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, except that the due dates of these prepayments shall be five days earlier than the due dates prescribed in that section. These prepayments shall be made separately from any prepayments of the person's own sales and use tax liabilities.

(g) Allocation of Local Tax. Every holder of a direct payment permit must include with each direct payment tax return a schedule approved by the board allocating all local sales and use taxes and district transactions and use taxes to the cities, counties, redevelopment agencies, and districts to which the tax would have been allocated if it had been reported and paid by the retailers involved. The allocation shall be based on the place of sale as provided in Regulation 1802 and Regulation 1822. The board may require that the schedule be provided on computer tape in a format prescribed by the Board. If the local and district taxes are misallocated due to negligence or intentional disregard of the law, a penalty of 10 percent of the amount misallocated may be imposed.

(h) Exemption Certificates. A holder of a direct payment permit may issue a direct payment exemption certificate to any retailer. The certificate shall be in substantially the following form and shall be valid only with respect to the calendar year for which it is issued.

(i) Effect of Certificate.

(1) A party who issues a direct payment exemption certificate to a retailer shall be liable for the tax with respect to sales made pursuant to the certificate in the same manner as if the party were the retailer making the sale. The liability assumed by issuing the certificate must be included on the return filed for the period in which the sale was made rather than on the return for the period in which the property was used by the purchaser. The party who issued the exemption certificate is liable for the tax on the sale even if the property is lost, destroyed, removed from this state, or otherwise never used or consumed in this state.

(2) A direct payment exemption certificate shall not be substituted for a resale certificate because the tax consequences are different. Resale certificates shall only be issued with respect to property which the purchaser intends to resell and direct payment exemption certificates shall be issued only for property purchased for use or other consumption.

(3) A retailer who timely takes a direct payment exemption certificate in good faith from a person who holds a direct payment permit is relieved from liability for the sales tax and responsibility for collecting the use tax with respect to retail sales to the person who issued the certificate during the period covered by the certificate. A certificate will be considered timely if it is given at any time before the seller bills the purchaser for the property, or at any time within the seller's normal billing and payment cycle, or at any time at or prior to delivery of the property to the purchaser. The invoice or other evidence of sale issued by the retailer must clearly state that the sale was made pursuant to a direct payment exemption certificate in order to support a deduction on the retailer's sales tax return. If a retailer makes sales under both a direct payment exemption certificate and a resale certificate to the same customer, care must be exercised to identify which property is sold pursuant to each certificate. The retailer must segregate in his or her records, and on his or her sales tax return, sales made pursuant to a direct payment exemption certificate from sales for resale.

(j) Interest and Penalties. All provisions of the Sales and Use Tax Law relating to interest and penalties apply to tax liabilities incurred under the provisions of this regulation in the same manner as to other sales and use tax liabilities. (See Section 1703 of Title 18 of the California Code of Regulations.)

History—Adopted October 19, 1988, effective January 14, 1989. Adopted Regulation 1699.5 (Direct Payment Permits), which provides the rules under which the Board of Equalization will issue a direct payment permit to a person holding a valid seller's permit. The direct payment permit allows the holder of this permit to purchase tangible personal property from a retailer without paying sales tax reimbursement for the sales or the use tax for the use of the property.

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Regulation 1699.6. Use Tax Direct Payment Permits.

Reference: Sections 6007, 6070, and 7051.3, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) Foreword. "Use tax direct payment permit" means a permit issued by the board that allows a use tax direct payment permit holder to self-assess and pay state, local, and district use taxes under Part 1 (commencing with Section 6001), Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 7200), and, if applicable, Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251) directly to the board. The provisions of this regulation apply only to transactions subject to use tax.

(b) Application for Permit.

(1) Persons seeking to pay use taxes directly to the board shall file an application for a use tax direct payment permit. An application for a use tax direct payment permit shall be made on Board of Equalization Form BOE-400-DP (no revision date). The application shall be signed by the owner, if a natural person; in the case of an association or partnership, by a member or partner; and in the case of a corporation, by an executive officer or some person specifically authorized by the corporation to sign the application.

(2) Within 30 days of receipt of an application for a direct payment permit the board shall inform the applicant in writing either that the application is complete and has been accepted or that the application is deficient and what additional specific information is required to make the application complete. Within 60 days of acceptance of a complete application the board shall approve or deny the issuance of a direct payment permit and notify the applicant in writing of its decision.

(c) Requirements for Permit. Pursuant to an application, a use tax direct payment permit shall be issued to any person who meets all of the following conditions:

(1) The applicant agrees to self-assess and pay directly to the board any use tax liability incurred under this regulation.

(2) The applicant certifies to the board either of the following:

(A) The applicant is the purchaser for its own use or is the lessee of tangible personal property subject to the use tax at a cost of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) or more in the aggregate, during the calendar year immediately preceding the application for the permit. Tangible personal property purchased for own use includes both property subject to use tax and property exempt from use tax except that it does not include property purchased for resale; or

(B) The applicant is a county, city, city and county, or redevelopment agency.

(d) Reporting of Local Use Tax. Any person who holds a valid use tax direct payment permit shall self-assess and pay directly to the board with each return the use taxes due under Division 2, Part 1 (commencing with Section 6001), Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 7200), and, if applicable, Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251), for all purchases subject to use tax for which a use tax direct payment exemption certificate was issued, and shall report the local use tax component to the jurisdiction in which the property is located at the time the state imposed use tax must be reported. Temporary storage for the purpose of reporting local tax shall be disregarded. Any tax so reported may be redistributed in accordance with law.

(e) Returns. On or before the last day of the month following each quarterly period, a holder of a direct payment permit shall file a return with the board. The person required to file the return shall deliver it together with a remittance for the amount of tax due to the board. The return shall show the aggregate sales price of tangible personal property purchased during the reporting period with respect to which the person filing the return has issued a use tax direct payment exemption certificate relieving the retailer of liability for reporting and paying use tax, and such other information as the board may require.

(f) Exemption Certificates. The board shall allow any holder of a use tax direct payment permit to issue a use tax direct payment certificate to any registered retailer or seller subject to all of the following:

(1) The use tax direct payment exemption certificate shall be in a form prescribed by the board, and shall be signed by, and bear the name, address, and permit number of, the holder of the use tax direct payment permit.

(2) Once a use tax direct payment exemption certificate has been issued by a holder of a use tax direct payment permit, it shall remain effective until revised or withdrawn by the holder of the permit or until the retailer or seller has received written notice that the permit has been revoked by the board.

(3) A use tax direct payment certificate relieves a person selling property from the duty of collecting use tax only if taken timely and in good faith from a person who holds a use tax direct payment permit. A certificate will be considered timely if it is taken at any time before the seller bills the purchaser for the property, or any time within the seller's normal billing and payment cycle, or any time at or prior to delivery of the property to the purchaser.

(4) A purchaser who issues a use tax direct payment certificate that is accepted in good faith by a seller or retailer of tangible personal property shall be the sole person liable for any sales tax and related interest and penalties with respect to any transaction that is subsequently determined by the board to be subject to sales tax and not use tax. The local sales tax portion so determined shall be allocated to the city, county, city and county, or redevelopment agency to which the tax would have been allocated if it had been reported and paid by the retailer in accordance with Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 7200). Such allocation shall be based on the place of sale as provided in Regulation 1802 and Regulation 1822.

(5) Any person who holds a use tax direct payment permit and gives a use tax direct payment certificate to a seller or retailer shall, in addition to any applicable use tax liabilities, be subject to the same penalty provisions that apply to a seller or retailer.

(g) Resale Transactions. A use tax direct payment exemption certificate shall not be substituted for a resale certificate, because the tax consequences are different. Resale certificates shall only be issued with respect to property which the purchaser intends to resell, and use tax direct payment exemption certificates shall be issued only for property purchased for use or other consumption. If a retailer makes sales under both a use tax direct payment exemption certificate and a resale certificate to the same customer, an audit trail must be maintained to identify which property is sold pursuant to each certificate.

(h) Revocation of Permit. The board may revoke the use tax direct payment permit of any person who fails to purchase tangible personal property for own use of at least $500,000 per year. The permit shall remain valid for all transactions taking place prior to the date the permit is revoked.

(i) Successor Entities. A successor entity to a use tax direct payment permit holder shall qualify to obtain a use tax direct payment permit if the predecessor entity so qualified in the calendar year in which the succession occurred but must obtain its own permit.

(j) Operative Date. The provisions of this regulation apply only to purchases that occur on or after January 1, 1998.

History—Adopted September 23, 1998, effective July 9, 1999.

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Regulation 1700. Reimbursement for Sales Tax.

Reference: Section 6901.5, Revenue and Taxation Code; Section 1656.1, Civil Code.

Meals, tips and other charges as tax-included amounts, see Regulation 1603.

(a) Reimbursement for Sales Tax.

(1) Addition of Sales Tax Reimbursement. Whether a retailer may add sales tax reimbursement to the sales price of the tangible personal property sold at retail to a purchaser depends solely upon the terms of the agreement of sale.

(2) Presumptions. Certain presumptions concerning the addition of sales tax reimbursements are created by Civil Code Section 1656.1. It shall be presumed that the parties agreed to the addition of sales tax reimbursement to the sales price of tangible personal property sold at retail to a purchaser if:

(A) The agreement of sale expressly provides for such addition of sales tax reimbursement;

(B) Sales tax reimbursement is shown on the sales check or other proof of sale; or

(C) The retailer posts in his or her premises in a location visible to purchasers, or includes on a price tag or in an advertisement or other printed material directed to purchasers, a notice to the effect that reimbursement for sales tax will be added to the sales price of all items or certain items, whichever is applicable.

It shall be presumed that the property, the gross receipts from the sale of which is subject to the sales tax, is sold at a price which includes tax reimbursement if the retailer posts in his or her premises, or includes on a price tag or in an advertisement (whichever is applicable) one of the following notices:

1. "All prices of taxable items include sales tax reimbursement computed to the nearest mill."

2. "The price of this item includes sales tax reimbursement computed to the nearest mill."

(3) Reimbursement Schedules. Each retailer who adds to the sales price of tangible personal property sold at retail an amount from a consumer in reimbursement of the sales tax upon gross receipts shall compute the amount of reimbursement by reference to schedules prepared by the board pursuant to Civil Code Section 1656.1 or by mathematical computation as described below. Schedules are available from the local district board offices for the various applicable rates. Reimbursement on sales prices in excess of those shown in the schedules provided by the board may be computed by applying the applicable tax rate to the sales price, rounded off to the nearest cent by eliminating any fraction less than one-half cent and increasing any fraction of one-half cent or over to the next higher cent.

(b) Excess Tax Reimbursement.

(1) Definition. When an amount represented by a person to a customer as constituting reimbursement for sales tax is computed upon an amount that is not taxable or is in excess of the taxable amount and is actually paid by the customer to the person, the amount so paid is excess tax reimbursement. Excess tax reimbursement is charged when reimbursement is computed on a transaction which is not subject to tax, when reimbursement is computed on an amount in excess of the amount subject to tax, when reimbursement is computed using a tax rate higher than the rate imposed by law, and when mathematical or clerical errors result in an overstatement of the reimbursement on a billing.

(2) Procedure Upon Ascertainment of Excess Tax Reimbursement. Whenever the board ascertains that a person has collected excess tax reimbursement, the person will be afforded an opportunity to refund the excess collections to the customers from whom they were collected. In the event of failure or refusal of the person to make such refunds, the board will make a determination against the person for the amount of the excess tax reimbursement collected and not previously paid to the state, plus applicable interest and penalty.

(3) Evidence Sufficient to Establish That Excess Amounts Have Been or Will Be Returned to Customer.

(A) If a person already has refunded to each customer amounts collected as reimbursement for tax in excess of the tax due, this may be evidenced by any type of record which can be verified by audit such as:

1. Receipts or cancelled checks.

2. Books of account showing that credit has been allowed the customer as an offset against an existing indebtedness owed by the customer to the person.

(B) If a person has not already made sales tax reimbursement refunds to each customer but desires to do so rather than incur an obligation to the state, the person must:

1. Inform in writing each customer from whom an excess amount was collected that the excess amount collected will be refunded to the customer or that, at the customer's option, the customer will be credited with such amount, and

2. The person must obtain and retain for verification by the board an acknowledgement from the customer that the customer has received notice of the amount of indebtedness of the person to the customer.

(4) Offsets. If a person who has collected excess tax reimbursement on a transaction fails or refuses to refund it to the customer from whom it was collected, the excess tax reimbursement shall be offset against any tax liability of the taxpayer on the same transaction. Any excess tax reimbursement remaining after the offset must be refunded to the customer or paid to the state. The offset can be made when returns are filed, when a determination is issued, or when a refund is claimed. Such offsets can be made only on a transaction by transaction basis. Tax reimbursement collected on a specific transaction can be used only to satisfy a tax liability arising from the same transaction. The "same transaction" means all activities involved in the acquisition and disposition of the same property. The "same transaction" may involve several persons, such as a vendor, a subcontractor, a prime contractor, and the final customer; or a vendor, a lessor, and a series of sublessors. Tax reimbursement can be offset against the tax liability of the taxpayer whether the liability was satisfied by paying sales tax reimbursement to a vendor, paying use tax to a vendor, or paying use tax to the state.

An offset of a taxpayer's own tax liability against tax reimbursement collected from a customer can be made only with respect to transactions in which possession of the property upon which the taxpayer's tax liability is based is transferred, either permanently or temporarily, to the customer, as in the case of construction contracts or leases. A taxpayer such as a repairman or printer who uses shop supplies or printing aids in performing a job for a customer cannot offset the tax liability arising from the use of the supplies or aids against tax reimbursement collected from the customer.

A person who claims that a tax liability on a transaction should be offset against tax reimbursement paid to the state by another person has the burden of proving that tax reimbursement was in fact paid to the state on the same transaction by the other person. In the absence of such proof no offset will be allowed.

The offset allowances explained above are procedural changes mandated by statute and apply to all proceedings pending before the board on and after September 7, 1982.

(5) Particular Applications. (Examples at 8.25 percent tax rate.)

(A) Discounts and Trading Stamps.

1. Discounts. A retailer who allows discounts on sales prices but charges customers tax reimbursement computed upon the prices before the discount is deducted is collecting excess reimbursement.

For example, a sale is made for $100 plus $8.25 as tax reimbursement. Upon payment for the item the purchaser is allowed a discount of 20 percent of the sales price of $100 but the $8.25 tax reimbursement is excluded from the computation. Since the retailer is deducting the amount of the discount, $20, from taxable gross receipts, the retailer is actually paying a tax of only $6.60, i.e., 8.25 percent of $80, and has retained excessive tax reimbursement of $1.65.

2. Trading Stamps. A retailer who issues trading stamps or similar evidences of patronage may deduct as cash discounts the cost to the retailer of the stamps or other indicia (hereinafter called "stamps") issued in connection with taxable retail sales. A retailer who deducts the cost of stamps as a cash discount in computing the tax payable to the state, but who charges tax reimbursement on the full sales price of the goods, collects more tax reimbursement than the retailer pays to the state. The following illustration shows why this is true: If a retailer collects sales tax reimbursement of $8.25 on a $100 sale but gives the customer trading stamps which cost the retailer $2 and then deducts the $2 as a cash discount when reporting taxable receipts, the retailer will pay a tax of only $8.08 (8.25 percent of $98).

The retailer must follow one of the three following procedures:

a. Adjust the price upon which tax reimbursement is computed so it will correspond to the price upon which the retailer computes the tax paid by the retailer to the state.

b. Consider the price which determines the number of stamps to be given a customer as the total amount paid by the customer, inclusive of that portion charged as reimbursement for sales tax.

c. Take no deduction from gross receipts in computing tax to be paid to the state on account of the cost of stamps given to customers.

(B) Construction Contractors. (See Regulation 1521 (18 CCR 1521) for application of tax to construction contractors generally.) A contractor furnishes and installs materials under a lump sum construction contract for the improvement of real property and collects tax reimbursement on the total contract price. As the contractor is the consumer of materials furnished and installed in the performance of the lump sum contract, the tax reimbursement collected on the total contract price constitutes excess tax reimbursement. Such excess tax reimbursement must be returned to the customer or paid to the state. However, offsets will be allowed as explained in (b)(4).

Under a lump sum contract to improve real property, a subcontractor furnishes and installs materials which were acquired without the payment of sales or use tax. The prime contractor collects tax reimbursement from the prime contractor's customer on the total contract price and pays all of the tax reimbursement collected to the state. The subcontractor's use tax liability on the materials consumed in performing the contract will be offset against the tax reimbursement paid to the state by the prime contractor, and the subcontractor has no further tax liability on the transaction. The tax reimbursement paid to the state by the prime contractor in excess of the use tax liability of the subcontractor will be refunded to the prime contractor only if it is returned to the customer.

(C) Lessors of Mobile Transportation Equipment. A lessor of mobile transportation equipment purchases such equipment under a resale certificate and collects tax reimbursement on the rental receipts, but pays no tax to the state. The lessor must pay tax on the purchase price of the equipment since a timely election to measure the tax by fair rental value was not made. The tax reimbursement collected on rental receipts is excess tax reimbursement. Such excess tax reimbursement must be returned to the lessee or paid to the state. However, offsets will be allowed as explained in (b)(4). (See Regulation 1661 (18 CCR 1661) for application of tax to leases of mobile transportation equipment.)

(D) Other Lessors of Tangible Personal Property. A lessor purchases property and pays sales tax reimbursement to the vendor. The property is leased in the same form as acquired and tax reimbursement is collected on the rental receipts. Tax reimbursement collected on rental receipts must be returned to the lessee or paid to the state to the extent that it exceeds the tax liability measured by the purchase price. (See Regulation 1660 (18 CCR 1660) for application of tax to leases, generally.)

(6) Rights of Customers. The provisions of this regulation with respect to offsets do not necessarily limit the rights of customers to pursue refunds from persons who collected tax reimbursement from them in excess of the amount due.

History—Effective September 15, 1961.

Amended November 7, 1961.

Amended August 8, 1967, applicable on and after August 1, 1967.

Amended October 8, 1968, applicable on and after November 13, 1968.

Amended February 19, 1970, effective March 28, 1970.

Amended and renumbered June 4, 1970, effective July 9, 1970.

Amended May 10, 1972, effective June 18, 1972.

Amended September 14, 1972, effective September 15, 1972.

Amended May 10, 1973, applicable on and after July 1, 1973.

Amended May 21, 1975, effective June 29, 1975. Added revocation of seller's permit for collection of excessive reimbursement.

Amended December 7, 1978, effective January 28, 1979. Incorporates the requirements provided in Civil Code Section 1656.1.

Amended July 7, 1984, effective September 6, 1984. Deleted date reference from title to subdivision (a). In subdivision (a)(3) added language following Section 1656.1 in first sentence. Deleted remainder of regulation. Added new subdivision (b).

Amended effective July 26, 1985. Added Appendix J, 7% reimbursement schedule.

Amended effective January 1, 1991. Added appendices A, B, C, D and E.

Amended November 18, 1994, effective December 17, 1994. Amended subparagraph (a)(2)(C) to delete gender-based language; amended subparagraph (a)(3) to reflect that tax reimbursement schedules are available from district board offices and deleted the second sentence which referred to the reimbursement schedules being attached to the regulation; added a reference to the California Code of Regulations to subparagraphs (b)(5)(B), (C), and (D)(3); and deleted the tax reimbursement schedules attached to the regulation.

Amended March 25, 2010, effective May 13, 2010. Amended subdivisions (b)(5), (b)(5)(A)1, and (b)(5)(A)2 to replace old tax rate of 6 percent with current tax rate of 8.25 percent and corresponding calculations for discounts and trading stamps with revised figures due to use of 8.25 percent tax rate.

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Regulation 1701. "Tax-paid Purchases Resold."

Reference: Section 6012(a), Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) Procedure in General. A retailer who resells tangible personal property before making any use thereof (other than retention, demonstration or display while holding it for sale in the regular course of business) may take a deduction of the purchase price of the property if, with respect to its purchase, he has reimbursed his vendor for the sales tax or has paid the use tax. If such a deduction is taken by the retailer, no refund or credit will be allowed to his vendor with respect to the sale of the property.

The deduction under the caption "Tax-paid purchases resold" must be taken on the retailer's return in which his sale of the property is included. If the deduction is not taken in the proper quarter, a claim for refund of tax must be filed.

(b) Circumstances Warranting Use. This procedure should be used in any of the following circumstances:

(1) The retailer when making the purchase intends to use the property rather than resell it, but later resells it before making any use thereof.

(2) The particular property is of a kind not ordinarily sold or stocked by the retailer, and not customarily covered by resale certificates given to his vendors and is the subject of an unusual sale, such as a sale for the accommodation of a customer, employee, etc.

(3) The particular property is generally for the use of the retailer, but a small portion is incidentally resold.

(4) Through error, sales tax reimbursement or use tax is paid by the retailer with respect to the purchase price of property purchased for resale in the regular course of business.

(c) Particular Application. "Standby Service." Property purchased "tax-paid" by a retailer and placed in "Standby Service," located at the place of intended use and committed to that use, is considered used sufficiently to preclude a tax-paid purchase deduction when sold, even though never physically used there and ultimately removed and sold.

History—Effective July 1, 1939.

Amended June 29, 1945.

Amended and renumbered August 5, 1969, effective September 6, 1969.

Amended June 22, 1983, effective October 6, 1983. In last paragraph of subsection (a), deleted "should" and inserted "must"; and added last sentence.

Note.—See Business Taxes General Bulletin 61-2 following Regulation 1525.

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Regulation 1702. Successor's Liability.

Reference: Sections 6701, 6811, 6812, 6813, and 6814, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) When Duty to Withhold Purchase Price Arises. The requirement that a successor or purchaser of a business or stock of goods withhold sufficient of the purchase price to cover the tax liability of the seller, arises only in the case of the purchase and sale of a business or stock of goods under a contract, providing for the payment to the seller or person designated by him of a purchase price in money or property or providing for the assumption of liabilities and only to the extent thereof, and does not arise in connection with other transfers of a business such as assignments for the benefit of creditors, foreclosures of mortgages, or sales by trustees in bankruptcy.

(b) Amounts to Which Liability Extends. The liability of the successor or purchaser of a business or stock of goods extends to amounts incurred with reference to the operation of the business by the predecessor or any former owner, including the sale thereof, even though not then determined against him or her, which include taxes, interest thereon to the date of payment of the taxes, and penalties including penalties for nonpayment of taxes. Liability also extends to penalties determined and unpaid at the time of sale for negligence or intentional disregard of the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized rules and regulations, and fraud or intent to evade the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized rules and regulations.

(c) Release from Obligation. The purchaser of the business or stock of goods will be released from further obligation to withhold the purchase price if he obtains a certificate from the board stating that no taxes, interest, or penalties are due from a predecessor. He will also be released if he makes a written request to the board for a certificate and if the board does not issue the certificate or mail to the purchaser a notice of the amount of the tax, interest, and penalties that must be paid as a condition of issuing the certificate within 60 days after the latest of the following dates:

(1) The date the board receives a written request from the purchaser for a certificate.

(2) The date of the sale of the business or stock of goods.

(3) The date the former owner's records are made available for audit.

The certificate may be issued after the payment of all amounts due under the Sales and Use Tax Law, according to the records of the board as of the date of the certificate, or after the payment of the amounts, including amounts not yet ascertained, is secured to the satisfaction of the board. Such security is not subject to the limitations contained in Section 6701 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(d) Enforcement of Obligation.

(1) The liability is enforced by service of a notice of successor liability not later than three years after the date the board receives written notice of the purchase of the business or stock of goods. The successor may petition the Board for reconsideration of the liability within 30 days after service. The liability becomes final, and the amount due and payable, in the same manner as determinations and redeterminations of other sales and use tax liability.

(2) On or after January 1, 1990, a successor shall be relieved of any penalty originally imposed upon the predecessor included in the notice of successor liability regardless of when the notice was issued where there is no relationship between the successor and predecessor. A relationship exists between the successor and predecessor if there is any common ownership or if the successor was a responsible person as defined in Sales and Use Tax Regulation 1702.5 (b)(1) in the predecessor entity. A successor seeking relief of a penalty must file a written statement with the Board under penalty of perjury stating the facts upon which he or she bases the claim for relief.

(e) Separate Business Locations. Where one person operates several business establishments, each at a separate location, each establishment is a separate "business" and has a separate "stock of goods" for purposes of determining the liability of a successor. A purchaser of the business or stock of goods of any such establishment is subject to liability as a successor with respect to that establishment even if he does not purchase the business or stock of goods of all the establishments.

(f) Purchase of a Portion of a Business. A person who purchases a portion of a business or stock of goods may become liable as a successor as, for example, where he purchases substantially all of the business or stock of goods or where the business or stock of goods is purchased by two or more persons. In cases of doubt as to possible liability, the purchaser should obtain a certificate as provided in subdivision (c) above.

History—Amended November 18, 1953.

Amended and renumbered October 8, 1969, effective November 9, 1969.

Amended December 7, 1977, effective January 19, 1978. In (c) added 90 days from date of sale as alternative time period.

Amended December 6, 1978, effective January 28, 1979. Amends subsection (c) to provide for issuance of a sales tax clearance certificate if satisfactory security is posted.

Amended February 6, 1980, effective March 29, 1980. Added reference to 6814, added subsection (d), and relettered remaining sections.

Amended August 19, 1987, effective November 7, 1987. In subdivision (a), corrected a typographical error. In subdivision (c), added time limits to regulation that specify when purchaser of business or stock of goods will be released from tax liability of seller.

Amended July 31, 1990, effective October 13, 1990. Amended paragraph (b) to clarify that the liability of a successor extends to all taxes, penalties and interest incurred by the predecessor. Also added the words "business or" in the first sentence. Amended paragraph (d)(1) to provide that a notice of successor liability must be served by the Board not later than three years after the date the Board is notified of the purchase of the business or stock of goods. Paragraph (d)(2) explains that the successor may be relieved by the Board of penalties for failure to withhold sufficient of the purchase price to cover the amount of sales and use taxes owed by the predecessor if such failure is due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the successor's control and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and in the absence of willful neglect.

Amended July 19, 1999, effective October 27, 1999. In subdivision (c) the phrase "of the Revenue and Taxation Code" was added. Letter case errors corrected in titles to subdivisions (d) and (f). In subdivision (d)(2) replaced the word "may" in the first sentence with "shall"; added the phrases "originally imposed upon the predecessor" and "where there is no relationship between the successor and predecessor;" also added a new second sentence and deleted the phrase "if it is determined … was not willfully negligent." In Subdivision (f) the word "subdivision" was added.

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Regulation 1702.5. Responsible Person Liability.

Reference: Section 6829, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) General. Any responsible person who willfully fails to pay or to cause to be paid, under circumstances set forth below, any taxes due from a corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company pursuant to Part 1, Division 2, of the Revenue and Taxation Code shall be personally liable for any unpaid taxes and interest and penalties on those taxes not so paid upon termination, dissolution, or abandonment of the business of the corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company.

Personal liability shall only apply if the Board establishes that while the person was a responsible person, as defined in subdivision (b)(1), the corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company:

1. sold tangible personal property in the conduct of its business and collected sales tax reimbursement on the selling price (whether separately itemized or included in the selling price) and failed to remit such tax when due; or

2. consumed tangible personal property and failed to pay the applicable tax to the seller or the Board; or

3. issued a receipt for use tax and failed to report and pay the tax.

(b) Definition of Terms.

(1) Responsible Person. As used herein, the term "responsible person" means any officer, member, manager, employee, director, shareholder, partner, or other person having control or supervision of, or who is charged with the responsibility for, the filing of returns or the payment of tax or who has a duty to act for the corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company in complying with any provision of the Sales and Use Tax Law. The fact that a person possesses any of the aforementioned titles, in and of itself, is not sufficient to establish that the person is a "responsible person." The term "responsible person" does not include any person who would otherwise qualify but is serving in that capacity as an unpaid volunteer for a non-profit organization.

(2) Willfully Fails to Pay or to Cause to Be Paid. As used herein, the term "willfully fails to pay or to cause to be paid" means that the failure was the result of a voluntary, conscious and intentional course of action. A failure to pay or to cause to be paid may be willful even though such failure was not done with a bad purpose or motive. A person has willfully failed to pay the taxes, or to cause them to be paid, only when the Board establishes all of the following:

(A) On or after the date that the taxes came due, the responsible person had actual knowledge that the taxes were due, but not being paid.

(B) The responsible person had the authority to pay the taxes or to cause them to be paid (i) on the date that the taxes came due and (ii) when the responsible person had actual knowledge as defined in (A). A responsible person who was required to obtain approval from another person prior to paying the taxes at issue and was unable to act on his or her own in making the decision to pay the taxes does not have the authority to pay the taxes or to cause them to be paid.

(C) When the responsible person had actual knowledge as defined in (A), the responsible person had the ability to pay the taxes but chose not to do so.

(3) Termination. As used herein, "termination" of the business of a corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company includes discontinuance or cessation of all business activities for which the corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company was required to hold a seller's permit or certificate of registration for the collection of use tax.

(c) Collection.

(1) Once the Board has established the requirements of personal liability in subdivision (a), and further defined in subdivision (b), the Board may issue a Notice of Determination, in the manner provided in Chapter 5 of the Sales and Use Tax Law, for the amount of the personal liability of the responsible person, and penalties and interest shall be added to the amount due as applicable. The Board may collect the amounts due from the responsible person in the manner provided by Chapter 6 of the Sales and Use Tax Law for the collection of sales and use taxes.

(2) On or after January 1, 2009, a Notice of Determination shall be mailed within whichever of the following periods expires earlier:

(A) Three years after the last day of the calendar month following the quarterly period in which the Board obtains actual knowledge, through its audit or compliance activities, or by written communication by the business or its representative, of the termination, dissolution, or abandonment of the business of the corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company; or

(B) Eight years after the last day of the calendar month following the quarterly period in which the business of the corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company was terminated, dissolved, or abandoned.

(3) If a business or its representative files a notice of termination, dissolution, or abandonment of its business with a state or local agency other than the Board, this filing shall not constitute actual knowledge by the Board under this regulation.

(d) Burden of Proof and Standard of Proof. In order for a person to be personally liable, the Board has the burden to prove that the requirements of personal liability in subdivision (a), and further defined in subdivision (b), have been satisfied under the preponderance of the evidence standard of proof.

(e) Presumption. If the person is not an officer or a member or a partner or a manager with an ownership interest in the entity, the person is presumed to not be personally liable under subdivision (a), unless the Board rebuts this presumption with clear and convincing evidence.

History—Adopted February 22, 1996, effective February 8, 1997.

Amended September 17, 2008, effective January 2, 2009. Amendments in subdivision (a) and (b) clarify that a partner in a partnership, limited partnership, or limited liability partnership may have liability as a responsible person. Amendments in subdivision (c) incorporate a specific statute of limitations for issuing deficiency determinations to corporate officers or other responsible persons.

Amended August 30, 2016, effective April 1, 2017. Amended the first sentence of the second paragraph of subdivision (a) to add "only" after "shall" and added "as defined in subdivision (b)(1)," after "responsible person". In subdivision (b)(1) added "The fact that a person possesses any of the aforementioned titles, in and of itself, is not sufficient to establish that the person is a 'responsible person.'". In subdivision (b)(2) replaced "Willful" with "Willfully Fails to Pay or to Cause to be Paid" in the heading; replaced "'willful'" with "'willfully fails to pay or to cause to be paid'" in the first sentence; added "that the failure was the result of a" after "means" and added "course of action" after "intentional" to the first sentence, and deleted "evil" from before "motive" in the second sentence; also added "A person has willfully failed to pay the taxes, or to cause them to be paid, only when the Board establishes all of the following:" to subdivision (b)(2). Added new subdivisions (b)(2)(A), (B), and (C); added "all" after "cessation of" and added "for which the corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company was required to hold a seller's permit or certificate of registration for the collection of use tax" after "activities" to subdivision (b)(3); added "Once the Board has established the requirements of personal liability in subdivision (a), and further defined in subdivision (b)," to the beginning of the first sentence of subdivision (c)(1); and added new subdivisions (d) and (e).

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Regulation 1702.6. Suspended Corporations.

Reference: Section 6066, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) General. A corporate officer or shareholder with control over operations or management of a closely held corporation during a time in which the corporation's powers, rights, and privileges are suspended or any responsible person who fails to pay or to cause to be paid any taxes due from a closely held corporation during a time in which the corporation's powers, rights, and privileges are suspended shall be personally liable under the circumstances set forth below for any unpaid sales or use tax liability of that suspended corporation incurred during the period of that suspension. The corporate officer, shareholder, or responsible person shall be liable for the unpaid tax, and interest and penalties on those taxes not so paid, regardless of the basis for the suspension of the corporation's powers, rights, and privileges.

Personal liability under this regulation applies only when the Board establishes that, during the period of suspension, the corporation:

(1) Sold tangible personal property in the conduct of its business and collected sales tax reimbursement on the selling price (whether separately itemized or included in the selling price) and failed to remit such tax when due; or

(2) Collected use tax and failed to report and pay the tax; or

(3) Consumed tangible personal property and failed to pay the applicable tax to the seller or the Board.

(b) Definition of Terms.

(1) Responsible Person. For the purposes of this regulation, the term "responsible person" means any officer or shareholder who is charged with the responsibility for the filing of returns or the payment of tax or who has a duty to act for the closely held corporation in complying with any provision of the Sales and Use Tax Law, and who derives a direct financial benefit from the failure to pay the tax liability.

(2) Closely Held. For the purposes of this regulation, the term "closely held" corporation means one in which ownership is concentrated in one individual, one family, or a small number of individuals and the majority stockholders manage the business.

(3) Control Over Operations or Management. For the purposes of this regulation, the term "control over operations and management" means the power to manage or affect day to day operations of the business. For the purposes of this regulation, it is rebuttably presumed that a corporate officer has control over operations and management of the closely held corporation.

(c) Determination and Collection. The Board shall determine and collect the liability established under this regulation in the manner provided in Chapter 5 (commencing with section 6451) and Chapter 6 (commencing with section 6701) of Part 1, Division 2, of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(d) Liability of the Corporation. A suspended corporation shall remain liable for the unpaid tax, interest, and penalties incurred during the period in which its corporate powers, rights, and privileges were suspended without regard to any personal liability determined under subdivision (a) of this regulation. Payments made pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be applied to the liability of the corporation.

History—Adopted July 26, 2000, effective October 18, 2000.

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Regulation 1703. Interest and Penalties.

Reference: Sections 6071, 6072, 6073, 6074, 6077, 6094.5, 6207, 6291–6294, 6422.1, 6452, 6455, 6459, 6476–6478, 6479.3, 6480.4, 6482, 6484, 6485, 6485.1, 6511–6514, 6514.1, 6537, 6565, 6591, 6591.5, 6591.6, 6592, 6593, 6593.5, 6596, 6597, 6901, 6907, 6908, 6936, 6964, 7051.2, 7073, 7074, 7076.4, 7101, 7152–7153, 7153.5, 7153.6, and 7155, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) Statutory Provisions. Interest and penalties are prescribed in various sections of the Sales and Use Tax Law as follows:

(b) Interest.

(1) Interest Rates.

(A) In General. Interest is computed at the modified adjusted rate per month, or fraction thereof. "Modified adjusted rate per month, or fraction thereof" means the modified adjusted rate per annum divided by 12.

(B) Underpayments. "Modified adjusted rate per annum" for underpayments of tax is the rate for underpayments determined in accordance with the provisions of section 6621 of the Internal Revenue Code plus three percentage points. Such rate is subject to semiannual modification pursuant to the provisions of subparagraph (c) of section 6591.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(C) Overpayments. Except as provided below, "modified adjusted rate per annum" for overpayments of tax is the bond equivalent rate of 13-week treasury bills auctioned, rounded to the nearest full percent (or to the next highest full percent if .50%), subject to semiannual modification pursuant to the provisions of subparagraph (d) of section 6591.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. For the period

July 1, 1991, through June 30, 1992, the modified adjusted rate per annum for overpayments is equal to the bond equivalent rate of 13-week treasury bills auctioned on July 1, 1991, rounded to the nearest full percent (or to the next highest full percent if .50%).

(D) Managed Audit Program. Upon completion of the managed audit and verification by the board, interest shall be computed at one-half the rate that would otherwise be imposed for liabilities covered by the audit period.

(E) Error or Delay by Employee of Board or Department of Motor Vehicles. For tax liabilities that arise during taxable periods commencing on or after July 1, 1999, this subdivision is limited to interest imposed by sections 6480.4, 6513, 6591, and 6592.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. Effective January 1, 2002, this subdivision applies to interest imposed by any provision of the Sales and Use Tax Law. All or any part of such interest imposed may be relieved by the Board, in its discretion, under either of the following circumstances:

1. Where the failure to pay tax is due in whole or in part to an unreasonable error or delay by an employee of the Board acting in his or her official capacity.

2. Where failure to pay use tax on a vehicle or vessel registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles was the direct result of an error by the Department of Motor Vehicles in calculating the use tax.

For the purposes of this subdivision, an error or delay shall be deemed to have occurred only if no significant aspect of the error or delay is attributable to an act of, or a failure to act by, the taxpayer.

Any person seeking relief under this subdivision shall file with the Board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts on which the claim for relief is based and any other information which the Board may require.

(F) Erroneous Refund. Operative for any action for recovery under Revenue and Taxation Code section 6961 on or after July 1, 1999, no interest shall be imposed on the amount of an erroneous refund by the Board until 30 days after the date on which the Board mails a notice of determination for repayment of the erroneous refund if the Board finds that neither the person liable for payment of tax nor any party related to that person had in any way caused an erroneous refund for which an action for recovery is provided under section 6961 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. The act of filing a claim for refund shall not be considered as causing the erroneous refund.

(2) Late Payments Generally. Interest applies to the amount of all taxes, except prepayments of amounts of tax due and payable pursuant to section 6471 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, not paid within the time required by law from the date on which the amount of tax became due and payable until the date of payment.

Interest applies to amounts due but not paid by any supplier or wholesaler of motor vehicle fuel, aircraft jet fuel, or diesel fuel who fails to make a timely remittance of the prepayment of tax required pursuant to sections 6480.1 and 6480.3 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(3) Determinations. Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (b)(1)(E) and (b)(1)(F) above, interest applies to all determinations from the date on which the amount of tax becomes due and payable until the date of payment.

(4) Extensions of Time. In cases in which an extension of time for the filing of a return and the payment of tax has been granted, interest applies from the date on which the tax would have been due and payable had the extension not been granted until the date of payment. In cases in which an extension of time has been granted for making a prepayment of tax pursuant to section 6471 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, interest applies to the unpaid amount of the required prepayment at the same rate.

(5) Electronic Payments Made One Day Late.

(A) For the period of January 1, 2011, through January 1, 2016, if the Board finds, taking into account all facts and circumstances, that it is inequitable to compute interest at the modified adjusted rate per month or fraction thereof, as defined in subdivision (b)(1)(A) above, interest shall be computed at the modified adjusted daily rate from the date on which the tax or prepayment was due until the date of payment, if all of the following occur:

1. A payment or prepayment of tax was made one business day after the due date.

2. The person was granted relief from all penalties that applied to that payment of tax or prepayment.

3. The person filed a request for an oral hearing before the Board.

(B) For purposes of this paragraph:

1. "Modified adjusted daily rate" means the modified adjusted rate per annum, as defined in subdivision (b)(1)(B) above, determined on a daily basis by dividing the modified adjusted rate per annum by 365.

2. "Board" means the members of the State Board of Equalization meeting as a public body.

3. "Business day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or any day designated as a state holiday.

(C) This paragraph only applies to electronic payments or prepayments of taxes and does not apply to any payment made pursuant to a deficiency determination, a determination where no return has been filed, or a jeopardy determination.

(6) Refunds and Credits.

(A) In General. If an overpayment is credited on amounts due from any person or is refunded, interest will be computed on the overpayment from the first day of the calendar month following the month during which the overpayment was made. A refund or credit shall be made of any interest imposed upon the person making the overpayment with respect to the amount being refunded or credited. Interest will be paid in the case of a refund, to the last day of the calendar month following the date upon which the person making the overpayment, if he or she has not already filed a claim, is notified by the Board that a claim may be filed or the date upon which the refund is approved by the Board, whichever date is the earlier; and in the case of a credit, to the same date as that to which interest is computed on the tax or amount against which the credit is applied.

(B) Intentional or Careless Overpayments. Credit interest will be allowed on all overpayments, except when statutorily prohibited or in cases of intentional overpayment, fraud, negligence, or carelessness. Carelessness occurs if a taxpayer makes an overpayment which: 1) is the result of a computational error on the return or on its supporting schedules or the result of a clerical error such as including receipts for periods other than that for which the return is intended, failing to take allowable deductions, or using an incorrect tax rate; and 2) is made after the taxpayer has been notified in writing by the Board of the same or similar errors on one or more previous returns.

(C) Waiver of Interest as Condition of Deferring Action on Claim. If any person who has filed a claim for refund requests the Board to defer action on the claim, the Board, as a condition to deferring action, may require the claimant to waive interest for the period during which the person requests the Board to defer action.

(7) Improper Use of Resale Certificate. Interest applies to the taxes imposed upon any person who knowingly issues a resale certificate for personal gain or to evade the payment of taxes while not actively engaged in business as a seller. The interest is computed from the last day of the month following the quarterly period for which a return should have been filed and the amount of tax or any portion thereof should have been paid.

(8) Untimeliness Caused by Disaster. A person may be relieved of the interest imposed by sections 6459, 6480.4, 6513, and 6591 of the Revenue and Taxation Code if the Board finds that the person's failure to make a timely return or payment was occasioned by a disaster and was neither negligent nor willful. Such person shall file with the Board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts upon which the claim for relief is based.

For purposes of this section "disaster" means fire, flood, storm, tidal wave, earthquake or similar public calamity, whether or not resulting from natural causes.

(c) Penalties.

(1) Late Payments Generally.

(A) Prepayments.

1. Any person required to make a prepayment who fails to make a prepayment before the last day of the monthly period following the quarterly period in which the prepayment became due and who files a timely return and payment for that quarterly period shall pay a penalty of 6 percent of the amount equal to 90 percent or 95 percent of the tax liability, as prescribed in section 6471 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, for each of the periods during that quarterly period for which a required prepayment was not made.

2. If the failure to make a prepayment as described in (c)(1)(A)1. above is due to negligence or intentional disregard of the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations, the penalty shall be 10 percent instead of 6 percent.

3. Any person required to make a prepayment who fails to make a timely prepayment, but who makes such prepayment before the last day of the monthly period following the quarterly period in which the prepayment became due, shall pay a penalty of 6 percent of the amount of the prepayment.

4. If any part of a deficiency in prepayment is due to negligence or intentional disregard of the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations, a penalty of 10 percent of the deficiency shall be paid.

The penalties provided in subparagraphs 2 and 4 of this subsection shall not apply to amounts subject to the provisions of sections 6484, 6485, 6511, 6514, and 6591 of the Revenue and Taxation Code (subparagraphs (c)(1)(B), (c)(2)(A) and (c)(2)(B) of this regulation).

5. A penalty of 10 percent shall apply to the amount of prepayment due but not paid by any supplier or whoelsaler of motor vehicle fuel, aircraft jet fuel, or diesel fuel who fails to make a timely remittance of the prepayment as required pursuant to sections 6480.1 and 6480.3 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

This penalty shall be 25 percent if the supplier or wholesaler knowingly or intentionally fails to make a timely remittance.

(B) Other Late Payments. A penalty of 10 percent of the amount of all unpaid tax shall be added to any tax not paid in whole or in part within the time required by law.

(C) Vehicles, Vessels and Aircraft. A purchaser of a vehicle, vessel or aircraft who registers it outside this state for the purpose of evading the payment of sales or use taxes shall be liable for a penalty of 50 percent of any tax determined to be due on the sales price of the vehicle, vessel or aircraft.

(2) Late Return Forms Generally.

(A) Any person who fails to file a return in accordance with the due date set forth in section 6451 of the Revenue and Taxation Code or the due date established by the Board in accordance with section 6455 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, shall pay a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of taxes, exclusive of prepayments, with respect to the period for which the return is required.

(B) Any person remitting taxes by electronic funds transfer shall, on or before the due date of the remittance, file a return for the preceding reporting period in the form and manner prescribed by the Board. Any person who fails to timely file the required return shall pay a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of taxes, exclusive of prepayments, with respect to the period for which the return is required.

(3) Determinations.

(A) Negligence or Intentional Disregard. A penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the tax specified in the determination shall be added to deficiency determinations if any part of the deficiency for which the determination is imposed is due to negligence or intentional disregard of the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations.

Generally, a penalty for negligence or intentional disregard should not be added to deficiency determinations associated with the first audit of a taxpayer in the absence of evidence establishing that any bookkeeping and reporting errors cannot be attributed to the taxpayer's good faith and reasonable belief that its bookkeeping and reporting practices were in substantial compliance with the requirements of the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations.

(B) Failure to Make Return. A penalty of 10 percent of the amount of tax specified in the determination shall be added to all determinations made on account of the failure of any person to make a return as required by law.

(C) Fraud or Intent to Evade. A penalty of 25 percent of the amount of the tax specified in a deficiency determination shall be added thereto if any part of the deficiency for which the determination is made is due to fraud or intent to evade the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations. In the case of a determination for failure to file a return, if such failure is due to fraud or an intent to evade the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations, a penalty of 25 percent of the amount required to be paid, exclusive of penalties, shall be added thereto in addition to the 10 percent penalty for failure to file a return. Fraud or intent to evade shall be established by clear and convincing evidence.

A penalty of 50 percent applies to the taxes imposed upon any person who, for the purpose of evading the payment of taxes, knowingly fails to obtain a valid permit prior to the date in which the first tax return is due. The 50 percent penalty applies to the taxes determined to be due for the period during which the person engaged in business in this state as a seller without a valid permit and may be added in addition to the 10 percent penalty for failure to file a return. However, the 50 percent penalty shall not apply if the measure of tax liability over the period during which the person was engaged in business without a valid permit averaged one thousand dollars ($1,000) or less per month.

Also, the 50 percent penalty shall not apply to the amount of taxes due on the sale or use of a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, if the amount is subject to the penalty imposed by section 6485.1 or 6514.1 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(D) Failure to timely remit collected sales tax reimbursement or use tax. With respect to Board-assessed determinations, except as provided below, for periods beginning on or after January 1, 2007, a person who knowingly collects sales tax reimbursement or use tax, and who fails to timely remit that sales tax reimbursement or use tax to the Board, shall be liable for a penalty of 40 percent of the amount not timely remitted. The penalty shall not apply if:

1. the person's liability for the unremitted sales tax reimbursement or use tax averages one thousand dollars ($1,000) or less per month, or does not exceed 5 percent of the total amount of tax liability for which the tax reimbursement was collected for the period in which tax was due, whichever is greater; or

2. the person's failure to make a timely remittance of sales tax reimbursement or use tax is due to a reasonable cause or circumstances beyond the person's control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect.

For purposes of this penalty, "reasonable cause or circumstances beyond the person's control" includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:

a. the occurrence of a death or serious illness of the person or the person's next of kin that caused the person's failure to make a timely remittance;

b. the occurrence of an emergency, as defined in section 8558 of the Government Code, that caused the person's failure to make a timely remittance;

c. a natural disaster or other catastrophe directly affecting the business operations of the person that caused the person's failure to make a timely remittance;

d. the Board's failure to send returns or other information to the correct address of record that caused the person's failure to make a timely remittance;

e. the person's failure to make a timely remittance occurred only once over a three-year period, or once during the period in which the person was engaged in business, whichever time period is shorter; or

f. the person voluntarily corrected errors in remitting sales tax reimbursement or use tax collected that were made in previous reporting periods, and remitted payment of the liability owed as a result of those errors prior to being contacted by the Board regarding possible errors or discrepancies.

For purposes of this penalty, "sales tax reimbursement" is defined in section 1656.1 of the Civil Code, and also includes any sales tax that is advertised, held out, or stated to the public or any customer, directly or indirectly, that the tax or any part thereof will be assumed or absorbed by the retailer.

This penalty applies to determinations made by the Board pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with section 6481), Article 3 (commencing with section 6511), and Article 4 (commencing with section 6536) of Chapter 5, Part 1, Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(E) Nonpayment of Determinations. A penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the tax specified in the determination shall be added to any determination not paid within the time required by law.

(4) Improper Use of Resale Certificate. A penalty of 10 percent applies to the taxes imposed upon any person who knowingly issues a resale certificate for personal gain or to evade the payment of taxes while not actively engaged in business as a seller.

The penalty is 10 percent of the amount of tax or five hundred dollars ($500), whichever is greater, if the purchase is made for personal gain or to evade payment of taxes.

(5) Direct Payment Permits. Every holder of a direct payment permit who gives an exemption certificate to a retailer for the purpose of paying that retailer's tax liability directly to the board must make a proper allocation of that retailer's local sales and use tax liability and also its district transactions and use tax liability if applicable. Such allocation must be made to the cities, counties, city and county, redevelopment agencies, and district to which the taxes would have been allocated if they had been reported by that retailer. Allocations must be submitted to the Board in conjunction with the direct payment permit holder's tax return on which the taxes are reported. If the local and district taxes are misallocated due to negligence or intentional disregard of the law, a penalty of 10 percent of the amount misallocated shall be imposed.

(6) Failure to Obtain Evidence That Operator of Catering Truck Holds Valid Seller's Permit. Any person making sales to an operator of a catering truck who has been required by the Board pursuant to section 6074 of the Revenue and Taxation Code to obtain evidence that the operator is the holder of a valid seller's permit issued pursuant to section 6067 of the Revenue and Taxation Code and who fails to comply with that requirement shall be liable for a penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) for each such failure to comply.

(7) Failure of Retail Florist to Obtain Permit. Any retail florist (including a mobile retail florist) who fails to obtain a seller's permit before engaging in or conducting business as a seller shall, in addition to any other applicable penalty, pay a penalty of five hundred dollars ($500). For purposes of this regulation, "mobile retail florist" means any retail florist who does not sell from a structure or retail shop, including, but not limited to, a florist who sells from a vehicle, pushcart, wagon, or other portable method, or who sells at a swap meet, flea market, or similar transient location. "Retail florist" does not include any flower or ornamental plant grower who sells his or her own products.

(8) Relief from Penalty for Reasonable Cause. If the Board finds that a person's failure to make a timely return, payment, or prepayment, or failure to comply with the provisions of section 6074 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the person's control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect, the person may be relieved of the penalty provided by sections 6074, 6476, 6477, 6480.4, 6511, 6565, 6591, and 7051.2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code for such failure.

Any person seeking to be relieved of the penalty shall file with the Board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts upon which the claim for relief is based. Section 6592 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, providing for the relief of certain penalties does not apply to the 10 percent penalty imposed for failure to make a timely prepayment under section 6478 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(9) Tax Amnesty Program (Reporting Periods Beginning Before January 1, 2003).

(A) If on or after April 1, 2005, the Board issues a deficiency determination upon a return filed under the amnesty program or upon any other nonreporting or underreporting of tax liability by a person who could have otherwise been eligible for amnesty as specified in sections 7071, 7072 and 7073 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, the Board shall impose penalties at a rate that is double the rate of penalties normally applicable.

(B) Any taxpayer who could have applied for amnesty as specified in sections 7071, 7072 and 7073 of the Revenue Taxation Code but fails to do so, will be subject to a penalty of 50 percent of the interest computed under section 6591 of the Revenue and Taxation Code for the period beginning on the date the tax was due and ending on March 31, 2005.

History—Amended September 18, 1963.

Amended August 2, 1965, applicable on and after August 1, 1965.

Amended June 23, 1966, applicable as amended on and after July 1, 1966.

Amended November 7, 1967, applicable on and after November 8, 1967.

Amended October 8, 1968.

Amended and renumbered November 3, 1969, effective December 5, 1969.

Amended December 17, 1975, effective January 1, 1976. Changed ½% interest to 1% per month.

Amended June 25, 1981, effective November 1, 1981. Added references. In (a) added Section 6072, improper use of resale certificates and Section 6593, leases to the U.S. Government. Added (b)(5) improper use of resale certificate. Added (b)(6) untimeliness caused by natural disaster. Added (b)(7) leases to the U.S. Government. In (c)(2) added (E) improper use of resale certificate. In (c) added (4) leases to the U.S. Government.

Amended February 3, 1983, effective July 3, 1983. In subdivision (a), deleted reference to Section 6053 and added the last line. In subdivision (b)(1), deleted reference to the rate of interest and added second paragraph. In subdivision (b)(2), (3) and (4), deleted reference to rate of interest. In subdivision (b)(5), deleted reference to rate of interest and added last sentence. In subdivision (b)(6), deleted reference to "NATURAL" and added reference to relief from interest and definition of "disaster".

Amended October 9, 1985, effective February 9, 1986. In Subdivision (a), added reference to Revenue and Taxation Code Sections 6291–6294, and 6591.5 under "Interest" with short explanation under "subject;" and Sections 6291–6292, 6985.1, and 6514.1 (intent to evade) under "Penalties" with short explanation under "subject." In Subdivision (b)(4), obsolete language is stricken and subheadings are added. In Subdivision (b)(5), deleted language concerning when interest is computed in last sentence and added language beginning "last day of the month … ". In Subdivision (b)(7), deleted reference to interest with respect to leases to the United States Government. In Subdivision (c), deleted obsolete provisions and updated text to show when penalties apply to prepayments and purchases of vehicles, vessels, or aircraft when registered outside the state for purpose of evading the payment of sales or use tax.

Amended August 20, 1987, effective November 15, 1987. In subdivision (a), added references to Sections 6073, 6074 and 7051.2. In subdivision (c)(2)(C), added second paragraph pertaining to 50% penalty for fraud. Added subdivision (c)(4) pertaining to the penalties associated with a direct payment permit holder's improper allocation of a retailer's local tax liability due to the direct payment permit holder's negligence or intentional disregard of the law. Added subdivision (c)(5) pertaining to the penalty associated with the failure to obtain evidence that an operator of a catering truck holds a valid seller's permit. In subdivision (c)(6), added Sections 6074 and 7051.2 to the list of penalty provisions for which the Board may grant relief for reasonable cause.

Amended July 27, 1988, effective November 11, 1988. In subdivision (a), added provisions that pertain to the interest and penalty provisions found in Revenue and Taxation Code Section 7153.5 (Chapter 1064, Statutes of 1987).

Amended August 26, 1992, effective January 20, 1993. Paragraph (a) updated the list of Sales and Use Tax Law sections prescribing interest and penalties. Paragraph (b)(1) added explanation of procedures for computing interest on overpayments and under payments. Paragraphs (b)(2) and (c)(1)(A)6 added explanation of application of interest and penalties to amounts due but not paid on sale of fuel as provided in Sections 6480.16, Revenue and Taxation Code.

Amended May 19, 1997, effective June 18, 1997. Added new subdivision (c)(6) to incorporate provisions of Chapter 1130, Statutes of 1996, and renumbered the following subdivision.

Amended September 2, 1998, effective October 2, 1998. In subdivision (a), added references to Sections 6479.3, 6591, and 7076.5. Added new subdivision (b)(1)(D) to incorporate provisions of Chapter 686, Statutes of 1997. Added subdivision (c)(2) to incorporate provisions of Chapter 1294, Statutes of 1992 and Chapter 1087, Statutes of 1996, and renumbered following subdivisions.

Amended March 18, 1999, effective April 17, 1999. Reference to Section 6479.3 added to subdivision (a) to correct clerical omission in previous amendment. Added cross references in subdivision (a) to Sections 6593.5 and 6964 and added subdivision (b)(1)(E) and (F) to incorporate provisions of Assembly Bill 821, Statutes 1998, Chapter 612. Clerical amendments made to un-numbered paragraph in subdivision (c)(1)(A)4. Phrase "of the Revenue and Taxation Code" added to section numbers throughout; references to "Sales and Use Tax Law" deleted from subdivisions (c)(6) and (c)(8).

Amended October 6, 1999, effective January 8, 2000. Subdivision (b)(5)(B) "Intentional and Careless Overpayments," old language deleted; new language concerning when credit interest will be allowed on overpayments added.

Amended September 11, 2002, effective January 9, 2003. Subdivision (c)(3)(C)—sentence "Fraud or intent to evade shall be established by clear and convincing evidence." added.

Amended January 25, 2005; effective April 7, 2005. Added sections 7073 and 7074 to reference section. Changed words "Section" and "Sections" to lower case throughout. Changed word "board" to upper case throughout. Subdivision (a): Tax Amnesty Program and sections 7073 and 7074 added to list. Subdivision (b)(1)(C): Word "bulls" corrected to "bills." Subdivision (b)(1)(E): Added phrase "this … imposed" after "1999," and deleted phrase "the Board … person." Added phrase "Effective … discretion" to remaining language to make new second and third sentences. Subdivision (b)(3): Added phrase "Except … above." Subdivision (c)(5): Changed word "permitholder's" to "permit holder's." Added subdivision (c)(9) to incorporate provisions of sections 7073 and 7074, Revenue and Taxation Code.

Amended December 12, 2006, effective May 15, 2007. In subdivision (c)(3)(D), described the new penalty for failure to timely remit collected sales tax reimbursement or use tax. Former subdivision (c)(3)(D) became new subdivision (c)(3)(E).

Amended June 11, 2013, effective August 28, 2013. In subdivision (a), added a reference to the modified adjusted daily rate provided in section 6591.6. Corrected grammatical error in the reference to "permitholder" in subdivision (a); changed word "Section" to lower case in subdivisions (b)(1)(C) and (c)(1)(A)1. Added a new paragraph (5) to subdivision (b), and renumbered paragraphs (5) through (7) as paragraphs (6) through (8), respectively. Corrected punctuation error in subdivision (c)(1)(A)4. Changed the word "voluntary" to the word "voluntarily" in subdivision (c)(3)(D)2f. Added a citation to RTC section 6591.6 to the reference note.

Amended October 25, 2016, effective July 1, 2017. In subdivision (a): deleted "6480.8, 6480.19," from the Interest and Penalties columns in the first row; moved "6479.3," from the end of the Penalties column in the second row to place in numerical order; moved "6514 (fraud)" from the end of the Penalties column in the fifth row to place in numerical order; added ", 7153.6" to the end of the Penalties column in the thirteenth row; moved "6072," from the end of the Penalties column in the twenty-first row to place in numerical order; replaced "7076.5" with "7076.4" in the Interest column in the thirty-first row. Deleted "6480.8," in subdivision (b)(1)(E); replaced "distributor or broker" with "supplier or wholesaler" in and added ", aircraft jet fuel, or diesel fuel" to the second paragraph in subdivision (b)(2); deleted the third paragraph from subdivision (b)(2); deleted "6480.8," in subdivision (b)(8). In subdivision (c)(1)(A)5 replaced "25%" with "10 percent" and replaced "distributor or broker" with "supplier and wholesaler" in and added ", aircraft jet fuel, or diesel fuel,". In subdivision (c)(1)(A)6, deleted the first sentence; replaced "producer, importer, or jobber" with "supplier or wholesaler" in the second sentence, and reformatted the sentence as the last sentence in subdivision (c)(1)(A)5. Added the second paragraph to subdivision (c)(3)(A); deleted "6480.8," in subdivision (c)(8). In the reference note, deleted "6480.8, 6480.19,", replaced "7076.5" with "7076.4" in, and added ", 7153.6".

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Regulation 1704. Whole Dollar Reporting—Computations on Returns or Other Documents.

Reference: Sections 6452, 6453, 6471, and 7055, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) General. Any amount required to be reported or shown on any form filed with the board, including any return, statement, supporting schedule, or other document, may be entered at the nearest whole dollar amount. For the purpose of the computation to the nearest whole dollar, a fractional part of a dollar shall be disregarded unless it amounts to one-half dollar ($0.50) or more, in which case the amount shall be increased to the next whole dollar.

(b) Election to Use Whole Dollar Amounts. The election to report using whole dollar amounts must be made at the time of filing the return statement or other document. The election is irrevocable as to that return, statement or other document. However, a new election may be made on the return, statement, or other document filed for a subsequent reporting period.

(c) Computation of Amount to Be Reported or Shown. The provisions of paragraph (a) of this regulation apply only to cumulative amounts required to be reported or shown on a return, statement, or other document. The total amount to be reported at the nearest whole dollar must be computed from the aggregate sum of the individual items which include cents.

(d) Computation of Interest and Penalties. If a return, statement, or other document is not filed, or the tax due is not paid, within the time required by law, the computation of any interest and penalty due shall be made from the amount of tax due, computed as provided in this regulation. If the interest and penalty is entered on the return, statement or other document, it may be entered at the nearest whole dollar amount. If the interest and penalty is computed and billed by the board, the billing will be issued showing the full amount due, including cents.

History—Adopted August 19, 1987, effective November 8, 1987.

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Regulation 1705. Relief from Liability.

Reference: Section 6596, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) In General. A person may be relieved from the liability for the payment of sales and use taxes, including any penalties and interest added to those taxes, when that liability resulted from the failure to make a timely return or a payment and such failure was found by the Board to be due to reasonable reliance on:

(1) Written advice given by the Board under the conditions set forth in subdivision (b) below, or

(2) Written advice in the form of an annotation or legal ruling of counsel under the conditions set forth in subdivision (d) below; or

(3) Written advice given by the Board in a prior audit under the conditions set forth in subdivision (c) below. As used in this regulation, the term "prior audit" means any audit conducted prior to the current examination where the issue in question was examined.

Written advice from the Board may only be relied upon by the person to whom it was originally issued or a legal or statutory successor to that person. Written advice from the Board which was received during a prior audit of the person under the conditions set forth in subdivision (c) below, may be relied upon by the person audited or a person with shared accounting and common ownership with the audited person or by a legal or statutory successor to those persons.

The term "written advice" includes advice that was incorrect at the time it was issued as well as advice that was correct at the time it was issued, but, subsequent to issuance, was invalidated by a change in statutory or constitutional law, by a change in Board regulations, or by a final decision of a court of competent jurisdiction. Prior written advice may not be relied upon subsequent to: (1) the effective date of a change in statutory or constitutional law and Board regulations or the date of a final decision of a court of competent jurisdiction regardless that the Board did not provide notice of such action; or (2) the person receiving a subsequent writing notifying the person that the advice was not valid at the time it was issued or was subsequently rendered invalid. As generally used in this regulation, the term "written advice" includes both written advice provided in a written communication under subdivision (b) below and written advice provided in a prior audit of the person under subdivision (c) below.

(b) Advice Provided in a Written Communication.

(1) Advice from the Board provided to the person in a written communication must have been in response to a specific written inquiry from the person seeking relief from liability, or from his or her representative. To be considered a specific written inquiry for purposes of this regulation, representatives must identify the specific person for whom the advice is requested. Such inquiry must have set forth and fully described the facts and circumstances of the activity or transactions for which the advice was requested.

(2) A person may write to the Board and propose a use tax reporting methodology for qualified purchases subject to use tax. If the Board concludes that the reporting method reflects the person's use tax liability for the defined population, then the Board may write to the person approving the use of the reporting method. The approval shall be subject to certain conditions. The following conditions shall be included in the approval:

(A) The defined population of the purchases that will be included in the reporting method;

(B) The percentage of purchases of the defined population that is subject to tax;

(C) The length of time the writing shall remain in effect;

(D) The definition of a significant or material change that will require rescinding the approved reporting method; and

(E) Other conditions as required.

The written approval of the use tax reporting methodology is void and shall not be relied upon for the purposes of Revenue and Taxation Code section 6596 if the taxpayer files a claim for refund for tax that had been reported based upon this reporting method.

(c) Written Advice Provided in a Prior Audit. Presentation of the person's books and records for examination by an auditor shall be deemed to be a written request for the audit report by the audited person and any person with shared accounting and common ownership with the audited person. If a prior audit report of the person requesting relief contains written evidence which demonstrates that the issue in question was examined, either in a sample or census (actual) review, such evidence will be considered "written advice from the Board" for purposes of this regulation. A census (actual) review, as opposed to a sample review, involves examination of 100% of the person's transactions pertaining to the issue in question. For written advice contained in a prior audit of the person to apply to the person's activity or transaction in question, the facts and conditions relating to the activity or transaction must not have changed from those which occurred during the period of operation in the prior audit. Audit comments, schedules, and other writings prepared by the Board that become part of the audit work papers which reflect that the activity or transaction in question was properly reported and no amount was due are sufficient for a finding for relief from liability, unless it can be shown that the person seeking relief knew such advice was erroneous.

For the purposes of this section a person is considered to have shared accounting and common ownership if the person:

(1) Is engaged in the same line of business as the audited person,

(2) Has common verifiable controlling ownership of 50% or greater ownership or has a common majority shareholder with the audited person, and

(3) Shares centralized accounting functions with the audited person. The audited person routinely follows the same business practices that are followed by each entity involved. Evidence that may indicate sharing of centralized accounting functions includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(A) Quantifiable control of the accounting practices of each business by the common ownership or management that dictates office policies for accounting and tax return preparation.

(B) Shared accounting staff or an outside firm who maintains books and records and prepares sales and use tax returns.

(C) Shared accounting policies and procedures.

These requirements must be established as existing during the periods for which relief is sought. A subsequent written notification stating that the advice was not valid at the time it was issued or was subsequently rendered invalid to any party with shared accounting and common ownership, including the audited party, serves as notification to all parties with shared accounting and common ownership, including the audited party, that the prior written advice may not be relied upon as of the notification date.

(d) Annotations and Legal Rulings of Counsel. Advice from the Board provided to the person in the form of an annotation or legal ruling of counsel shall constitute written advice only if:

(1) The underlying legal ruling of counsel involving the fact pattern at issue is addressed to the person or to his or her representative under the conditions set forth in subdivision (b) above; or

(2) The annotation or legal ruling of counsel is provided to the person or his or her representative by the Board within the body of a written communication and involves the same fact pattern as that presented in the subject annotation or legal ruling of counsel.

(e) Trade or Industry Associations or Franchisors. A trade or industry association requesting advice on behalf of its member(s) must identify and include the specific member name(s) for whom the advice is requested for relief from liability under this regulation. A franchisor requesting advice on behalf of its franchisee(s) must identify and include the specific franchisee name(s) for whom the advice is requested for relief from liability under this regulation.

For an identified trade or industry member or franchisee to receive relief based on advice provided in the written communication to the trade or industry association or franchisor, the activity or transactions in question must involve the same facts and circumstances as those presented in the written inquiry by the association or franchisor.

History—Adopted August 1, 1997, effective November 9, 1997.

Amended October 6, 1999, effective January 7, 2000. New subdivision (a)(2) added, old subdivision (2) renumbered to (3). New subdivision (d) added detailing when annotations or legal rulings of counsel constitute written advice. Also new subdivision (e) added concerning the request for written advice made by trade or industry associations on behalf of its members.

Amended February 15, 2001, effective June 22, 2001. Language of current subdivision (b) renumbered (b)(1). New subdivision (b)(2) added.

Amended December 17, 2008, effective April 3, 2009. Amended subdivision (e) concerning a request for written advice made by a franchisor on behalf of its franchisees. Added a second paragraph to clarify that relief may be granted only when the activity or transactions in question involve the same facts and circumstances as those presented in the written inquiry.

Amended January 16, 2014, effective July 1, 2014. The amendments deleted "of that person" from between the words "audit" and "under" in the first sentence of subdivision (a)(3), added "or a person with shared accounting and common ownership with the audited person" between the words "audit" and "or" in and replaced "that person" with "those persons" at the end of the last sentence in the second paragraph in subdivision (a), added "by the audited person and any person with shared accounting and common ownership with the audited person" to the end of the first sentence in subdivision (c), and added the text following the end of the first paragraph in subdivision (c).

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Regulation 1705.1. Innocent Spouse or Registered Domestic Partner Relief from Liability.

Reference: Section 6456, Revenue and Taxation Code; Sections 297 and 297.5, Family Code.

A spouse or registered domestic partner claiming relief from liability for sales and use tax, interest, penalties, and other amounts shall be relieved from such liability where all the requirements set forth in California Code of Regulations, title 18, section 35055 are met.

History—Adopted July 31, 1997, effective December 5, 1997.

Amended June 20, 2001, effective October 20, 2001. Subdivision (c)—Existing language from second sentence on designated as new subdivision (c)(2). New subdivision (c)(1) added. New subdivisions (h) and (i) added.

Amended October 11, 2006, effective January 3, 2007. Added subdivision (j) to explain that on and after January 1, 2005, registered domestic partners have the same rights, protections and benefits, and shall be subject to the same responsibilities, obligations and duties under the law, as are granted to and imposed upon spouses.

Amended September 16, 2015, effective January 1, 2016. In subdivision (a) replaced "claiming" with "may request innocent spouse," and added "A requesting spouse." In subdivisions (a)(2), (c)(1), and (i) replaced "nonclaiming" with "non-requesting"; in subdivisions (a)(3) and (4), (b), (c)(1), and (d) replaced "claiming" with "requesting"; in subdivision (c)(1) replaced "claim" with "request for innocent spouse relief." In subdivision (d) replaced "these provisions" with "subdivision (a)," replaced "may submit" with "must file," and inserted "innocent spouse." Added new subdivisions (e) and (f) and renumbered subdivisions (e), (f), and (g), as subdivisions (g), (h), and (i), respectively. In renumbered subdivision (g): in the first sentence added "for innocent spouse relief and other equitable relief"; in the first and second sentences replaced "claims made" with "requests filed," and replaced "claim" with "request." In renumbered subdivision (h) replaced "these provisions" with "this regulation"; deleted subdivision (h) and renumbered subdivisions (i) and (j) as subdivisions (j) and (k), respectively; in renumbered subdivision (j) replaced "claim" with "request" and inserted "innocent spouse."

Amendments filed March 19, 2018, as an emergency; effective and operative March 19, 2018. Amendments refiled September 17, 2018, as an emergency; effective and operative September 17, 2018. Amendments refiled December 17, 2018, as an emergency; effective and operative December 17, 2018. Certificate of Compliance transmitted to OAL on February 20, 2019, and filed March 19, 2019. The amendments replaced all of the text of subdivisions (a) (In General), (b) (Benefited), (c) (Attribution), (d) (Written Request for Relief), (e) (Other Equitable Relief), (f) (Reconsideration), (g) (Statute of Limitations), (h) (Refunds), (i) (retroactive effect), (j) (notification to non-requesting spouse), and (k) (Registered Domestic Partners), which prescribed the requirements for innocent spouse relief and other equitable relief, with new text that refers to Regulation 35055; and replaced the reference to "Sections 6066, 6067, 6456 and 6901-6908" with a reference to "Section 6456" in the regulation’s reference note.

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Regulation 1706. Drop Shipments.

Reference: Sections 6007, 6041, 6043, 6091, and 6203, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this regulation:

(1) "Drop shipment" means and includes any delivery of tangible personal property by an owner or former owner thereof, or factor or agent of that owner or former owner, to a California consumer pursuant to the instructions of a true retailer.

(2) "Drop shipper" means and includes any owner or former owner of tangible personal property, or factor or agent of that owner or former owner, who makes a drop shipment.

(3) "Marketplace" means and includes any place that would be so defined by Revenue and Taxation Code section 6041.

(4) "Marketplace facilitator" means and includes any person that would be so defined by Revenue and Taxation Code section 6041.

(5) "Marketplace seller" means and includes any person that would be so defined by Revenue and Taxation Code section 6041.

(6) "Retailer engaged in business in this state" means and includes any person who would be so defined by Revenue and Taxation Code section 6203 if the person were a retailer.

(7) "True retailer" means and includes any retailer who is not a retailer engaged in business in this state and who makes a sale of tangible personal property to a consumer in California.

(b) General. A drop shipment generally involves two separate sales. The true retailer contracts to sell tangible personal property to a consumer. The true retailer then contracts to purchase that property from a supplier and instructs that supplier to ship the property directly to the consumer. The supplier is a drop shipper. A drop shipper that is a retailer engaged in business in this state is reclassified as the retailer and is liable for tax as provided in this regulation. When more than two separate sales are involved, the person liable for the applicable tax as the drop shipper is the first person who is a retailer engaged in business in this state in the series of transactions beginning with the purchase by the true retailer.

(c) Marketplace sales. When a marketplace facilitator is the retailer for a retail sale of tangible personal property to a California consumer by a marketplace seller under Revenue and Taxation Code section 6043, the marketplace facilitator is not a true retailer. In addition, if the marketplace seller contracts to purchase the property from a supplier and instructs the supplier to deliver the property directly to the consumer, the supplier is not a drop shipper. See Regulation 1684.5, Marketplace Sales, for more information about how to determine who the retailer is for purposes of a marketplace sale.

(d) Application of Tax.

(1) Unless the sale to the California consumer and the use by the California consumer are exempt from sales and use tax as otherwise provided in the Sales and Use Tax Law, a drop shipper must report and pay tax measured by the retail selling price of the property paid by the California consumer to the true retailer.

(2) Except as provided in subdivision (d)(3) of this regulation, for reporting periods commencing on or after January 1, 2001, the drop shipper may calculate the retail selling price of its drop shipments of property based on its selling price of the property to the true retailer plus a mark-up of 10 percent (10%). A drop shipper may use a mark-up percentage lower than 10 percent if the drop shipper can document that the lower mark-up percentage accurately reflects the retail selling price charged by the true retailer to the California consumer.

If a mark-up percentage lower than 10 percent is developed in an audit of the drop shipper, the drop shipper may use that percentage for the subsequent reporting periods provided the drop shipper has not had a significant change in business operations. Provided there is no significant change in business operations, if a later audit develops a higher percentage, the Department would not assess additional tax based on that newly computed mark-up percentage. However, for subsequent reporting periods, the lower mark-up from the previous audit cannot be used, and the drop shipper must instead use the higher percentage developed in the most recent audit or 10 percent, whichever is lower.

(3) The procedures set forth in subdivision (d)(2) of this regulation do not apply to drop shipments of vehicles, vessels, and aircraft (also known as "courtesy deliveries"). For purposes of this regulation, "vehicle," "vessel," and "aircraft" are defined in Revenue and Taxation Code sections 6272, 6273, and 6274, respectively.

(e) Examples.

(1) ABC Co. is not a retailer engaged in business in this state. It contracts to sell tangible personal property to a California consumer. ABC Co. then contracts with XYZ Inc. to purchase the tangible personal property. ABC Co. instructs XYZ Inc. to ship the property directly to the California consumer. XYZ Inc. is a retailer engaged in business in this state. XYZ Inc. is the drop shipper liable for the applicable tax as the retailer.

(2) ABC Co. is not a retailer engaged in business in this state. It contracts to sell tangible personal property to a California consumer. ABC Co. then contracts with XYZ Inc. to purchase the tangible personal property. ABC Co. instructs XYZ Inc. to ship the property directly to the California consumer. XYZ Inc. is a retailer engaged in business in California. XYZ Inc. then contracts with Supplies Corp. to purchase the tangible personal property, and instructs Supplies Corp. to ship the property directly to the California consumer. Whether or not Supplies Corp. is a retailer engaged in business in this state, XYZ Inc. is the drop shipper liable for the applicable tax as the retailer.

(3) ABC Co. is not a retailer engaged in business in this state. It contracts to sell tangible personal property to a California consumer. ABC Co. then contracts with XYZ Inc. to purchase the tangible personal property. ABC Co. instructs XYZ Inc. to ship the property directly to the California consumer. XYZ Inc. is not a retailer engaged in business in this state. XYZ Inc. then contracts with Supplies Corp. to purchase the tangible personal property, and instructs Supplies Corp. to ship the property directly to the California consumer. Supplies Corp. is a retailer engaged in business in this state. Supplies Corp. is the drop shipper liable for the applicable tax as the retailer.

(4) Dropshipper Company is a drop shipper of tangible personal property to California consumers on behalf of retailers who are not retailers engaged in business in this state. During its last audit, the Department developed and applied a mark-up of 8½ percent. During the current audit, the Department develops a mark-up of 11 percent. The Department will apply a mark-up of 8½ percent in the current audit provided there was no significant change in Dropshipper Company's business operations between the prior audit period and the current audit period. If there was a significant change in business operations, the Department will apply a mark-up percentage of 10 percent in the current audit. For periods after the current audit period, Dropshipper Company must use a 10 percent mark-up percentage.

(5) In the previous example, Dropshipper Company sold only furniture during the period covered by the prior audit, but in the period covered by the current audit, it also made considerable sales of appliances. Since there was a significant change in Dropshipper Company's business operations after the prior audit period, the mark-up of 8½ percent developed during that audit does not apply. The Department will apply a mark-up of 10 percent (because it is lower than the 11 percent mark-up developed during the audit).

(6) ABC Co. is a marketplace seller and not a retailer engaged in business in this state. On December 1, 2019, a marketplace facilitator that is registered with the Department for a seller’s permit or Certificate of Registration – Use Tax facilitates a retail sale of tangible personal property to a California consumer by ABC Co. through its online marketplace. ABC Co. then contracts with XYZ Inc. to purchase the tangible personal property and instructs XYZ Inc. to ship the property directly to the California consumer. XYZ Inc. is not a drop shipper liable for the applicable tax as the retailer. The marketplace facilitator is the retailer and is liable for the applicable tax.

(f) Burden of Proof.

An owner or former owner of tangible personal property, or a factor or agent of that owner or former owner, who, upon the instructions of that person's customer, delivers property to a person in California is presumed to be a drop shipper liable for the applicable tax as the retailer.

(1) A person may overcome the presumption by accepting a timely resale certificate in good faith from that person's customer that contains all the essential elements as provided by Regulation 1668, Sales for Resale, including:

(A) The customer’s valid California seller’s permit number; or

(B) An explanation as to the reason why the customer is not required to hold a California seller’s permit, and:

1. A statement that the customer is registered with the Department for a Certificate of Registration – Use Tax and the customer’s valid Certificate of Registration – Use Tax account number; or

2. A statement that the customer is a marketplace seller and purchasing the property pursuant to a sale facilitated by a registered marketplace facilitator that is the retailer for purposes of the sale, and the marketplace facilitator’s name and valid seller’s permit number or Certificate of Registration – Use Tax account number.

(2) A person who does not timely obtain a resale certificate from the person’s customer that satisfies the requirements of subdivision (f)(1) may overcome the presumption by establishing that the person’s customer was a retailer engaged in business in this state at the time of the sale or the person’s customer was a marketplace seller and purchased the property pursuant to its sale facilitated by a marketplace facilitator that was the retailer for purposes of the sale.

(3) A person can also overcome the presumption by accepting a timely and valid resale certificate in good faith that contains all the essential elements as provided by Regulation 1668 from the person in California to whom the property is delivered.

History—Adopted September 13, 2000, effective December 28, 2000.

Amended November 30, 2021, effective, November 30, 2021. The amendments renumbered subdivisions (a)(1) and (2) as subdivisions (a)(6) and (7) and replaced "a" with "any" in renumbered subdivision (a)(7); renumbered old subdivisions (a)(3) and (4) as subdivisions (a)(1) and (2); replaced "a" with "any" in renumbered subdivision (a)(1); replaced "an" with "any," replaced "thereof" with "of tangible personal property," and deleted "of tangible personal property" from after "drop shipment" in renumbered subdivision (a)(2); added new subdivisions (a)(3) through (5); added new subdivision (c) and renumbered old subdivisions (c) through (e) as subdivisions (d) through (f); revised renumbered subdivision (d)(2) to refer to subdivision (d)(3) instead of subdivision (c)(3), and replace "a" with "the" before "drop shipper" in the first sentence; replaced "Board" with "Department" in renumbered subdivisions (d)(2) and (e)(4) and (5); revised renumbered subdivision (d)(3) to refer to subdivision (d)(2) instead of subdivision (c)(2), delete "Sections 6272, 6273, and 6274 of the" from before "Revenue," and add "sections 6272, 6273, and 6274" after "Code"; replaced "computer hardware" with "furniture" and replaced "computer software" with "appliances" in the first sentence in renumbered subdivision (e)(5); added new subdivision (e)(6); reformatted the first sentence in old subdivision (e)(1) as subdivision (f) and inserted "person in" before and deleted "consumer" after "California" in reformatted subdivision (f); reformatted the second sentence in old subdivision (e)(1) as subdivision (f)(1); replaced "this" with "the" before "presumption," inserted "in good faith" after "certificate," and replaced "includes a valid California seller’s permit number" with "contains all the essential elements as provided by Regulation 1668, Sales for Resale, including:" after "customer that" in renumbered subdivision (f)(1); deleted the third sentence from old subdivision (e)(1), which provided that "The acceptance of a resale certificate that does not include a valid California seller’s permit number will not overcome the presumption"; added new subdivisions (f)(1)(A), (B), and (f)(2), and renumbered old subdivision (e)(2) as subdivision (f)(3); deleted "otherwise qualifying as a drop shipper under this regulation" before and inserted "also" after "can," deleted "that the delivery is to a consumer" after "presumption," and inserted "that contains all the essential elements as provided by Regulation 1668" after "faith" in renumbered subdivision (f)(3); added references to Government Code sections 15570.22 and 15570.24 to the regulation’s authority note; and added references to Revenue and Taxation Code sections 6041 and 6043 to the regulation’s reference note.

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Regulation 1707. Electronic Funds Transfer.

Reference: Sections 6479.3 and 6479.5, Revenue and Taxation Code.

(a) Definitions.

(1) "Electronic funds transfer" means any transfer of funds, other than a transaction originated by check, draft, or similar paper instrument, that is initiated through an electronic terminal, telephonic instrument, or computer or magnetic tape, so as to order, instruct, or authorize a financial institution to debit or credit an account. Electronic funds transfers shall be accomplished by an automated clearinghouse debit, an automated clearinghouse credit, or by Federal Reserve Wire Transfer.

(2) "Automated clearinghouse" means any federal reserve bank, or an organization established in agreement with the National Automated Clearing House Association, that operates as a clearinghouse for transmitting or receiving entries between banks or bank accounts and which authorizes an electronic transfer of funds between these banks or bank accounts.

(3) "Automated clearinghouse debit" means a transaction in which the state, through its designated depository bank, originates an automated clearinghouse transaction debiting the person's bank account and crediting the state's bank account for the amount due. Banking costs incurred for the automated clearinghouse debit transaction shall be paid by the state.

(4) "Automated clearinghouse credit" means an automated clearinghouse transaction in which the person through his or her own bank, originates an entry crediting the state's bank account and debiting his or her own bank account. Banking costs incurred for the automated clearinghouse credit transaction charged to the state shall be paid by the person originating the credit.

(5) "Federal Reserve Wire Transfer" means any transaction originated by a person and utilizing the national electronic payment system to transfer funds through the federal reserve banks, when that person debits his or her own bank account and credits the state's bank account. Electronic funds transfers pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code section 6479.3 may be made by Federal Reserve Wire Transfer only if payment cannot, for good cause, be made according to subdivision (a)(1) of this regulation, and the use of Federal Reserve Wire Transfer is preapproved pursuant to subdivision (h) of this regulation. Banking costs incurred for the Federal Reserve Wire Transfer transaction charged to the person and to the state shall be paid by the person originating the transaction.

(b) Participation.

(1) Mandatory Participation. Prior to January 1, 2006, persons with an estimated monthly tax liability of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) or more are required to remit amounts due by electronic funds transfer under procedures set forth in this regulation. Operative January 1, 2006, persons with an estimated monthly tax liability of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more are required to remit amounts due by electronic funds transfer under procedures set forth in this regulation. To identify mandatory participants, the Board shall conduct an annual review of all persons with sales and use tax permits. The review is performed by calculating an average monthly tax liability for a twelve-month period. Persons whose average monthly tax liability equals or exceeds the threshold for mandatory participation will be required to remit payments by electronic funds transfer. If a person did not begin making sales until after the beginning of the designated twelve-month review period, then the monthly tax liability will be calculated based upon the number of months in which sales were made (for example, in a calendar year review period, if the person obtains a seller's permit and begins making sales in May, the total tax liability would be divided by eight to determine the average monthly tax liability since there are eight months remaining in the evaluation period). Persons registering to report and pay sales or use tax for the first time, except certain successors, will not be required to participate in the electronic funds transfer program until an annual review is conducted.

A successor will be regarded as having an estimated tax liability that equals or exceeds the threshold for mandatory participation in the electronic funds transfer program when the monthly tax liability of the predecessor equalled or exceeded the threshold for mandatory participation or the predecessor was a mandatory participant in the electronic funds transfer program. If the successor purchases a portion of a business that is required to participate in the mandatory electronic funds transfer program (e.g. a multiple outlet business that only sells some, but not all, of its locations), the average monthly tax liability of the purchased locations will be computed to determine if the successor meets the threshold to be identified as a mandatory participant in the electronic funds transfer program.

After an annual review, if a person drops below the threshold for mandatory participation, the Board shall provide notification, in writing, that the status has been changed from mandatory participation to voluntary participation in the electronic funds transfer program. If, at that time, a person wishes to discontinue making electronic funds transfer payments, a written request must be made to the Board. Payments must continue to be remitted by electronic funds transfer until the taxpayer is notified by the Board, in writing, of an effective date of withdrawal from the program. Any person who fails to comply with the mandatory participation requirements under this subdivision shall be liable for penalty as provided under Revenue and Taxation Code section 6479.3.

(2) Voluntary Participation. Any person not meeting the criteria for mandatory participation set forth in subdivision (b)(1) may participate in the program on a voluntary basis. A person must register with the Board prior to participation. If a person wishes to discontinue making electronic funds transfer payments, a written request must be made to the Board. Payments must continue to be remitted by electronic funds transfer until notified by the Board, in writing, of an effective date of withdrawal from the program.

(c) Date of Payment. Payment is deemed complete on the date the electronic funds transfer is initiated, if the settlement to the state's demand account occurs on or before the banking day following the date the transfer is initiated. If the settlement to the state's demand account does not occur on or before the banking day following the date the transfer is initiated, payment is deemed to occur on the date settlement occurs.

(d) Filing of Returns. In addition to a tax payment made by electronic funds transfer, a return must be filed on or before the due date. Any person who fails to comply with this provision shall be subject to penalty charges as provided under Revenue and Taxation Code section 6479.3.

(e) Failure to Pay by Electronic Funds Transfer. Any person required to pay taxes by electronic funds transfer must continue to do so until the Board advises that person otherwise in writing. Any person required to pay taxes by electronic funds transfer, as set forth in subdivision (b)(1), who does not pay through electronic funds transfer but uses another means (e.g., pay by check), will be assessed a penalty as provided by Revenue and Taxation Code section 6479.3.

(f) Reporting Prepayments. Any person required to make prepayments will not receive and is not required to file prepayment forms; however, a payment must still be made by electronic funds transfer.

(g) Zero Amount Due. When no tax is due for a given period, a zero dollar transaction must be made by electronic funds transfer or the Board must receive written notification stating that no tax is due for that period.

(h) Emergencies. In emergency situations, a Federal Reserve Wire Transfer transaction may be used to transmit a payment. A Federal Reserve Wire Transfer is an electronic payment system used by federal reserve banks to transfer funds instantaneously. Generally, this method of payment is not approved for recurring transactions. Authorization must be received from the Board prior to making a payment by Federal Reserve Wire Transfer. The person who originates the transfer shall be responsible for any fees incurred by the Federal Reserve Wire Transfer transaction.

History—Adopted on March 26, 2003, effective June 26, 2003.

Amended January 31, 2006, effective April 20, 2006. Added and revised language in subdivision (b)(1) to explain that the threshold for mandatory participation in the electronic funds transfer (EFT) program is reduced from an estimated monthly tax liability of $20,000 or more to $10,000 or more, operative January 1, 2006, in conformity with Assembly Bill (AB) 139 (Stats. 2005, Ch. 74) and AB 1765 (Stats. 2005, Ch. 519). Also in conformity with AB 1765, revised language in subdivision (b)(2) to delete the requirement that a person voluntarily participating in the EFT program must do so for a minimum of one year.