ARTICLE 1. Claim for Refund [9151. - 9156.]

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC 1.

in effect

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 9151. Section 9151.

If the department determines that any amount not required to be paid under this part has been paid by any person, the department shall set forth that fact in its records and certify the amount paid in excess of the amount legally due and the person by whom the excess was paid to the department or from whom it was collected. The excess amount paid or collected shall be credited on any amounts then due and payable from the person from whom the excess amount was collected or by whom it was paid under this part, and the balance shall either be refunded to the person, or the person’s successors, administrators, executors, or assigns, or, if authorized by the department, deducted by the person from any amounts to become due from that person under this part. Any overpayment of the tax by a user to a vendor who is required to collect the tax and who gives the user a receipt therefor pursuant to Section 8732 shall be credited or refunded by the state to the user. For any amount exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), the department’s determination under this section shall be available as a public record for at least 10 days after the effective date of the determination.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 9151.5. Section 9151.5.

When an amount represented by a person who is a taxpayer under this part to a customer as constituting reimbursement for taxes due under this part 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 shall be returned by the person to the customer upon notification by the 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 taxable or is in excess of the taxable amount, 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 transaction 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 § 9152. Section 9152.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), no refund shall be approved by the board after three years from the last day of the month following the reporting period for which the overpayment was made, or, with respect to determinations made under Article 2 (commencing with Section 8776), Article 3 (commencing with Section 8801), or Article 4 (commencing with Section 8826) of Chapter 4, after six months from the date the determinations became 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 claim relates to a period for which a waiver has been given pursuant to Section 8783. (b) A refund may be approved by the board for any period for which a waiver is given under Section 8783 if a claim therefor is filed with the board before the expiration of the period agreed upon.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 9152.1. Section 9152.1.

(a) The limitation period specified in Section 9152 shall be suspended during any period of a 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 or 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 § 9152.2. Section 9152.2.

Notwithstanding Section 9152, a refund of an overpayment of any tax, 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 § 9152.3. Section 9152.3.

(a) A claim for refund that is otherwise valid under Sections 9152 and 9153 that is made in the case in which the amount of tax 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 tax determined” means an amount of tax, interest, or penalty, with respect to a single determination made under Article 2 (commencing with Section 8776), Article 3 (commencing with Section 8801), or Article 4 (commencing with Section 8826) of Chapter 4. (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 § 9153. Section 9153.

The claim shall be in writing and shall state the specific grounds upon which it is founded.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 9155. Section 9155.

Interest shall be paid upon any overpayment of any amount of tax at the modified adjusted rate per month established pursuant to Section 6591.5 from the first 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 person making the overpayment 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 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 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 tax or amount against which the credit is applied.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 9156. Section 9156.

(a) If the board determines that any overpayment has been made intentionally or by reason 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