ARTICLE 3. Exemptions From Use Tax [6401. - 6414.]

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC 3.

in effect

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6401. Section 6401.

The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of property, the gross receipts from the sale of which the purchaser establishes to the satisfaction of the board were included in the measure of the sales tax, is exempted from the use tax; provided, however, that this exemption does not extend to the possession of, or the exercise of any right or power over, tangible personal property by a lessee under a lease.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6402. Section 6402.

The storage, use or other consumption in this State of property purchased from any unincorporated agency or instrumentality of the United States, except (a) any property reported to the Surplus Property Board of the United States, or to any agency succeeding to the functions of that board, as surplus property by any owning agency and (b) any property included in any contractor inventory, is exempted from the use tax. “Surplus property,” “owning agency,” and “contractor inventory” as used in this section have the meanings ascribed to them in that act of the Congress of the United States known as the “Surplus Property Act of 1944.”

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6403. Section 6403.

The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of property donated by any seller to any organization described in Section 170(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code and located in California, is exempt from the use tax. A museum shall not be a qualifying donee organization under this section unless the museum is a nonprofit museum described in subdivision (c) of Section 6366.4, and uses the donated property exclusively for display purposes within a museum.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6404. Section 6404.

(a) The loan by any retailer of any tangible personal property to any school district for an educational program conducted by the district is exempt from the use tax. (b) The loan by any retailer of any motor vehicle to the University of California or to the California State University for the exclusive use in an approved driver education teacher preparation certification program conducted by the university or the state university is exempt from the use tax. (c) The loan by any retailer of a motor vehicle to be used exclusively for driver training in an accredited private or parochial secondary school in a driver education and training program approved by the State Department of Education as a regularly conducted course of study is exempt from the use tax. (d) The loan by any retailer of any motor vehicle to a veterans hospital or such other nonprofit facility or institution to provide instruction in the operation of specially equipped motor vehicles to disabled veterans is exempt from the use tax. (e) If the retailer makes any other use of the property except retention, demonstration, or display while holding it for sale in the regular course of business, the use is taxable to the retailer under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 6201) as of the time the property is first so used, and the sales price of the property to the retailer is the measure of the tax.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6405. Section 6405.

Notwithstanding Section 6246, the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of the first eight hundred dollars ($800) of tangible personal property purchased in a foreign country by an individual from a retailer and personally hand-carried into this state from the foreign country within any 30-day period is exempt from the use tax. This section shall not apply to property sent or shipped to this state.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6406. Section 6406.

A credit shall be allowed against, but shall not exceed, the taxes imposed on any person by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 6201) of this part, by any ordinance enacted pursuant to Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 7200), by any ordinance enacted pursuant to Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251), and by any ordinance enacted pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 37021) of Part 17 of this division by reason of the storage, use, or other consumption of tangible personal property in this state to the extent that the person has paid a retail sales or use tax, or reimbursement therefor, imposed with respect to that property by any other state, political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia prior to the storage, use, or other consumption of that property in this state. The credit shall be apportioned to the taxes against which it is allowed in proportion to the amounts of those taxes. A credit, otherwise permitted by the foregoing provisions of this section, shall not be allowed against taxes which are measured by periodic payments made under a lease, to the extent that the taxes imposed by any other state, political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia were also measured by periodic payments made under a lease for a period prior to the storage, use, or other consumption of the property in this state.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6407. Section 6407.

The possession of, or the exercise of any right or power over, tangible personal property under a lease of such property is exempt from the use tax for any period of time for which the lessee is obligated to lease the property for an amount fixed by the lease prior to August 1, 1965. The lessee shall be deemed not to be obligated for any period of time for which he has the unconditional right to terminate the lease upon notice, whether or not the right is exercised.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6408. Section 6408.

The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of medical health information literature purchased by any organization formed and operated for charitable purposes which qualifies for the exemption provided by Section 214 (known as the “welfare exemption”), which is engaged in the dissemination of medical health information, is exempted from the use tax; provided, however, that such purchases are made from a national office, or another branch of that national office, of the same organization.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6409. Section 6409.

The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of health and safety educational materials and insignia routinely sold in connection with health and safety and first aid classes, purchased or sold by any national organization formed and operated for charitable purposes which qualifies for the exemption provided by Section 214 (known as the “welfare exemption”), which is engaged in the dissemination of health and safety information, is exempted from the use tax; provided, however, that such purchases are made from a national office or another branch or chapter of such national office of the same organization.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6410. Section 6410.

The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of new or used trailers or semitrailers which involves the moving or operation laden of those trailers or semitrailers in accordance with a one-trip permit issued pursuant to Section 4003.5 of the Vehicle Code is exempted from the use tax.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6411. Section 6411.

(a) The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of tangible personal property becoming a component part of any railroad equipment in the course of repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving that railroad equipment outside of this state, and charges made for labor and services rendered with respect to that repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving, are exempt from the use tax. (b) For purposes of this section, “railroad equipment” includes locomotives, freight and passenger cars, maintenance of way equipment, and any other equipment riding on flanged wheels and owned or used by a common carrier engaged in interstate or foreign commerce, or by any person for the purpose of leasing that equipment to a common carrier engaged in interstate or foreign commerce.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6414. Section 6414.

(a) The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis product shall be exempt from the use tax in either of the following circumstances: (1) The medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis product is donated by a cannabis retailer licensed under Division 10 (commencing with Section 26000) of the Business and Professions Code to a medicinal cannabis patient. (2) The medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis product is donated by a person licensed under Division 10 (commencing with Section 26000) of the Business and Professions Code to a cannabis retailer for subsequent donation to a medicinal cannabis patient. (b) (1) The exemption specified in subdivision (a) shall apply only if the cannabis retailer certifies in writing to the licensee that donates the medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis product, in such a form as the department may prescribe, that the medicinal cannabis and medicinal cannabis product will be used in a manner and for a purpose specified in subdivision (a). The licensee that donates the medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis product shall keep a copy of the certification for no less than seven years. The certification in writing shall relieve the licensee that donates the medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis product of liability for use tax only if it is taken in good faith. (2) If a licensee uses the donated medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis product in some manner or for some purpose other than those specified in subdivision (a), the licensee shall be liable for the payment of use tax, the measure of tax to the licensee shall be deemed that licensee’s purchase price for similar product, and the licensee shall be subject to having their license suspended by the Department of Cannabis Control pursuant to Section 26031 of the Business and Professions Code. (c) “Medicinal cannabis” and “medicinal cannabis product” shall have the same meaning as those terms are defined in Section 26001 of the Business and Professions Code. (d) “Cannabis retailer” shall have the same meaning as that term is defined in Section 34010. (e) “Medicinal cannabis patient” shall mean a qualified patient, as defined in Section 11362.7 of the Health and Safety Code, who possesses a physician’s recommendation that complies with Article 25 (commencing with Section 2525) of Chapter 5 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, or a qualified patient or primary caregiver for a qualified patient issued a valid identification card pursuant to Section 11362.71 of the Health and Safety Code. (f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026