ARTICLE 1. Claim for Refund [32401. - 32407.]

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

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 32401. Section 32401.

If the board determines that any amount of tax, penalty, or interest has been paid more than once or has been erroneously or illegally collected or computed, the board 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, and credit the excess amount collected or paid 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. Any determination by the board pursuant to this section with respect to an amount 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 § 32402. Section 32402.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) no refund shall be approved by the board after three years from the 15th day of the calendar month following the close of the period for which the overpayment was made, or, with respect to determinations made under Article 2 (commencing with Section 32271), Article 3 (commencing with Section 32291), or Article 5 (commencing with Section 32311) of Chapter 6 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 32273. (b) A refund may be approved by the board for any period for which a waiver is given under Section 32273, if a claim therefor is filed with the board before the expiration of the period agreed upon. (c) Every claim for refund or credit shall be in writing and shall state the specific grounds upon which the claim is founded.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 32402.1. Section 32402.1.

(a) The limitation period specified in Section 32402 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 existences 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 § 32402.2. Section 32402.2.

Notwithstanding Section 32402, 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 § 32402.3. Section 32402.3.

(a) A claim for refund that is otherwise valid under Section 32402 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 32271), Article 3 (commencing with Section 32291), or Article 5 (commencing with Section 32311) of Chapter 6. (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 § 32404. Section 32404.

Within 30 days after disallowing any claim in whole or in part, the board shall serve written notice of its action on the claimant, such service to be made as provided by Section 32271.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 32405. Section 32405.

Interest shall be computed, allowed, and paid upon any overpayment of any amount of tax at the modified adjusted rate per month established pursuant to Section 6591.5, from the 16th 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 15th 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 tax or amount against which the credit is applied.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 32406. Section 32406.

(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.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 32407. Section 32407.

(a) The State Board of Equalization shall refund without interest to the licensee the amount of the tax imposed under this part with respect to the alcoholic beverages and which has been paid by the licensee as part of his purchase price of the alcoholic beverages, when such beverages were lost, rendered unmarketable, or condemned by a duly authorized official by reason of: (1) Fire, flood, casualty, or other disaster, or (2) Breakage, destruction, or other damage (but not including theft) resulting from vandalism, malicious mischief, or insurrection if such disaster or damage occurred in this state and if such beverages were held and intended for sale at the time of such disaster or other damage. The payments provided for in this section shall be made to the person holding such beverages for sale at the time of such disaster or other damage. (b) The State Board of Equalization may approve claims for refunds without interest under this section upon proof satisfactory to it that the alcoholic beverages were destroyed or damaged so that they could not be sold and that the licensee has not otherwise been compensated for the loss in the amount of the tax included in the purchase price paid for the alcoholic beverages. A claim for refund under this section shall be in such form and accompanied by such proof as the State Board of Equalization may require. (c) No claim shall be allowed under this section unless such claim is filed within six months after the date on which such beverages were lost, rendered unmarketable, or condemned by a duly authorized official. (d) No claim of less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) shall be allowed under this section with respect to any disaster or other damage.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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