Relief Request – Frequently Asked Questions

Submitting a relief request online is convenient, fast, and secure.

You may now request relief from penalty, collection cost recovery fees, declaration of timely mailing, return extension and/or interest using our Online Services. To submit a request for relief, log in with your username and password and select the account you want to request relief for. The Submit a Relief Request option is located under the I Want To section, More subsection. Simply select the Submit a Relief Request link and follow the prompts.

To submit an Extension of Time in Which to File a Tax/Fee Return, log in with your username and password and select the account you want to request an extension for. The Request a Filing Extension option is located under the I Want To section, select Request a Filing Extension link and follow the prompts.

To review your submitted request, log in in with your username and password, select your account, then select the Submissions tab.

No, there is no cost.

Yes, with the exception of Sunday from 7:00 p.m. to Monday at 5:00 a.m., Pacific time, when our system is down for weekly routine maintenance.

You may submit a relief request if you received a billing notice or statement of account. If you recently submitted your return and/or payment, allow five business days for us to process your electronic return and/or payment submissions or up to six weeks if mailed, prior to submitting your relief request. Your filing and payment must be posted to your account in order for your request to be considered.

Yes, we use the latest technology to ensure the security of taxpayer information.

Yes, to ensure proper functionality, you must allow pop-ups.

You may contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (TTY:711). Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific time, except state holidays.

Yes, you will receive a confirmation number immediately upon submitting your request, which you can print for your records. If you want to return to the confirmation page after leaving the system you will need to log in using your username and password. For more information about obtaining a username and password, please see our video tutorials on logging in.

No original signature is necessary. Filling out the "Declaration of Intent to Submit an Online Relief Request" is sufficient.

Once submitted, your request may be processed immediately. Some requests may require further review or approval and are generally processed within 30 days. However, if approval by the Deputy Director of Business Tax and Fee Division is required, the process may take 90 to 120 days to complete.

Yes. To check the status of your request, log in with your username and password, select your account, then select the Submissions tab. If you need additional help you may contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (TTY:711). Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific time, except state holidays.

Generally, the tax or fee must be paid in full and, if applicable, your return for the period you are requesting relief must have been filed before you request relief.

Generally, you should receive a refund within 8 to 12 weeks; however, if you have other liabilities, your refund may be applied to these liabilities first.

You should have received a list of possible reasons why we were unable to process your request. For example, if we were unable to process your request for relief from penalty because the tax or fee was not paid in full. Once all outstanding issues are resolved, you may submit a new request.

Declarations of Timely Mailing and Extensions of Time to File a Return that have been denied can be resubmitted online if you have new or additional information for us to consider. For all other relief requests that are denied you must submit a written Request for Reconsideration within 30 days from the date your request was denied. You may mail your request letter to the representative that sent you the denial letter. Your request must provide additional information and an explanation of why you disagree with our decision to deny your relief request.

We assess multiple types of penalties. Generally, penalties are assessed because a return and/or payment were not made by the due date. For more information on penalties, please see publication 75, Interest, Penalties, and Collection Cost Recovery Fee.

Refer to your Statement of Account or billing notice for an explanation or you may contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (TTY:711). Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific time, except state holidays.

We assess this fee on each liability greater than $250 that remains unpaid 90 days following the issuance of a demand notice. See table below.

Generally, tax/fee, interest, and/or penalty must be paid in full to process your request. If you are also requesting relief of interest and/or penalty, your request for relief of the collection cost recovery fee will be reviewed after those other relief requests have been processed.

You may be eligible to submit a request for relief if the effective date of your payment arrangement is prior to the assessment date of the Collection Cost Recovery Fee. You should contact your tax representative who assisted you in setting up your payment arrangement for assistance.

If your payment was late, you will owe interest. Interest is calculated on a monthly basis, even if a payment is only one day late. However, if an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payment was made one day late you may only have to pay one day of interest. For more information regarding EFT payments made one day late, please see our Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and follow the instructions on form, CDTFA-734, Request for CDTFA-734, Request for Interest Adjustment Electronic Payments – One Day Late.

There are very limited provisions that authorize us to relieve interest. If we approve your request, all or part of the interest may be relieved. You may submit a relief request only if any of the following reasons apply.

No significant aspect of the error or delay is attributable to your actions or your failure to act and the failure to pay tax occurred due to:

1. An unreasonable error or delay by a CDTFA employee acting in their official capacity caused your payment to be late, or
2. An error or delay by a state agency that collects the sales or use tax on behalf of CDTFA, or
3. A disaster occurred and caused a delay in filing a return or making a payment by the due date.

Pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code section 6592.5, interest on late prepayments is due when relief of penalty has been granted.

Disaster means fire, flood, storm, tidal wave, earthquake or similar public calamity, whether or not resulting from natural causes.

For more information, please see our State of Emergency Tax Relief guide.

Yes. In order to process your request, your return or prepayment form must be filed and the tax or fee portion due on the return, prepayment or billing must paid in full.

Yes. You must file your extension request within one month of the due date.

We are required by law to charge interest on any late payment.

No, only the person who mailed the return and/or payment can submit the Declaration of Timely Mailing.

Yes, to submit a request for relief, log in with your username and password and select the account you want to request relief for. The Submit a Relief Request option is located under the I Want To section, More subsection. Simply select the Submit a Relief Request link and follow the prompts. To submit a declaration for a timely payment made via EFT, click on the following link and follow the instructions on the form CDTFA-129-EFT, EFT Transmission Declaration.

Proof of mailing may not be required to process your request. However, please keep the original documents for your records, and be prepared to submit them, if we request it.