ARTICLE 1. Claim for Refund [46501. - 46507.]

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC 1.
in effect

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46501. Section 46501.

(a) If the department determines that any amount of fee, penalty, or interest has been paid more than once or has been erroneously or illegally collected or computed, the department shall set forth that fact in its records and certify the amount collected in excess of what was legally due and the person from whom it was collected or by whom paid. The excess amount collected or paid shall be credited on any amounts then due from the person from whom the excess amount was collected or by whom it was paid under this part, and the balance shall be refunded to the person, or the person’s successors, administrators, or executors. (b) Any determination by the department that is in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) shall be available as a public record for at least 10 days after the effective date of that determination.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46501.5. Section 46501.5.

When an amount represented by a person who is a feepayer under this part to a customer as constituting reimbursement for fees due under this part is computed upon an amount that is not subject to that fee or is in excess of that fee amount due and is actually paid by the customer to the person, the amount so paid shall be returned by the person to the customer upon notification by the State Board of Equalization or by the customer that the excess has been ascertained. If the person fails or refuses to do so, the amount so paid, if knowingly or mistakenly computed by the person upon an amount that is not subject to the fee or is in excess of the fee due, shall be remitted by that person to this state. Those amounts remitted to the state shall be credited by the board on any amounts due and payable under this part on the same activity from the person by whom it was paid to this state and the balance, if any, shall constitute an obligation due from the person to this state.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46502. Section 46502.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), no refund shall be approved by the board after three years from the due date of the payment for the period for which the overpayment was made, or, with respect to determinations made under Article 2 (commencing with Section 46201), Article 3 (commencing with Section 46251) or Article 4 (commencing with Section 46301) of Chapter 3, after six months from the date the determinations become final, or after six months from the date of overpayment, whichever period expires later, unless a claim therefor is filed with the board within that period. No credit shall be approved by the board after the expiration of that period, unless a claim for credit is filed with the board within that period or unless the credit relates to a period for which a waiver is given pursuant to Section 46205. (b) A refund may be approved by the board for any period for which a waiver is given pursuant to Section 46205 if a claim therefor is filed with the board before the expiration of the period agreed upon. (c) If the board has made a determination under Article 2 (commencing with Section 46201), Article 3 (commencing with Section 46251), or Article 4 (commencing with Section 46301) of Chapter 3, and if a person’s claim for refund was filed timely within the applicable six-month period specified by subdivision (a) or (b), that claim for refund shall be deemed to also apply to that person’s later payments in full or partial satisfaction of that determination.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46502.1. Section 46502.1.

(a) The limitation period specified in Section 46502 shall be suspended during any period of the person’s life that the person is financially disabled. (b) (1) For purposes of subdivision (a), a person is financially disabled if the person is unable to manage his or her financial affairs by reason of medically determinable physical or mental impairment of the person which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. A person shall not be considered to have an impairment unless proof of the existence thereof is furnished in the form and manner as the board may require. (2) A person shall not be treated as financially disabled during any period that the person’s spouse of any other person is authorized to act on behalf of the person in financial matters. (c) This section applies to periods of disability commencing before, on, or after the effective date of the act adding this section, but does not apply to any claim for refund that (without regard to this section) is barred by the operation or rule of law, including res judicata, as of the effective date of the act adding this section.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46502.2. Section 46502.2.

Notwithstanding Section 46502, a refund of an overpayment of any fee, penalty, or interest collected by the board by means of levy, through the use of liens, or by other enforcement procedures, shall be approved if a claim for a refund is filed within three years of the date of an overpayment.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46502.3. Section 46502.3.

(a) A claim for refund that is otherwise valid under Sections 46502 and 46503 that is made in the case in which the amount of fee determined has not been paid in full shall be deemed to be a timely filed claim for refund with respect to all subsequent payments applied to that determination. (b) For purposes of this section, “amount of fee determined” means an amount of fee, interest, or penalty, with respect to a single determination made under Article 2 (commencing with Section 46201), Article 3 (commencing with Section 46251), or Article 4 (commencing with Section 46301) of Chapter 3. (c) This section shall apply to all claims for refund on or after the effective date of the act adding this section.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46505. Section 46505.

Within 30 days after disallowing any claim, in whole or in part, the board shall serve written notice of its action on the claimant, the service to be made as provided by Section 46202.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46506. Section 46506.

Interest shall be computed, allowed, and paid upon any overpayment of any amount of fee at the modified adjusted rate per month established pursuant to Section 6591.5, from the 26th day of the calendar month following the period during which the overpayment was made. In addition, a refund or credit shall be made of any interest imposed upon the claimant with respect to the amount being refunded or credited. The interest shall be paid as follows: (a) In the case of a refund, to the 25th day of the calendar month following the date upon which the claimant, 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 claim is approved by the board, whichever date is earlier. (b) In the case of a credit, to the same date as that to which interest is computed on the fee or amount against which the credit is applied.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46507. Section 46507.

(a) If the board determines that any overpayment has been made intentionally or by reasons of carelessness, it shall not allow any interest thereon. (b) 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 on the claim.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

Starting a business in California? California LLC guide: costs and requirements