ARTICLE 1. Returns and Payments [46151. - 46159.]

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

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46151. Section 46151.

(a) The fees collected and administered under Sections 46051 and 46052 are due and payable to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration monthly on or before the 25th day of the calendar month following the monthly period for which the fee is due. Each feepayer, on or before the 25th day of the month following each monthly period, shall file a return for the preceding monthly period, using electronic media, showing the information required to be reported by Sections 8670.40 and 8670.48 of the Government Code and any other information that the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration determines to be necessary to carry out this part. Returns shall be authenticated in a form, or pursuant to methods, as may be prescribed by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. (b) The feepayer shall file the return, together with a remittance of the amount of fee due, if any, payable to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration on or before the 25th day of the month following the monthly period for which the fee is due. (c) In addition to the returns due pursuant to subdivision (a), each feepayer shall provide an annual information return, in the form as prescribed by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, which may include, but is not limited to, electronic media showing the information required to be reported by Section 8670.48 of the Government Code and any other information that the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration determines to be necessary to carry out this part. The feepayer shall deliver the return containing the required information for the preceding calendar year to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration on or before February 1 of each year. Returns shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46152. Section 46152.

The board, if it determines it necessary in order to facilitate the administration of this part, may require returns and payments specified under Section 46151 to be made for periods other than monthly.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46153. Section 46153.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the board, for good cause, may extend, for a period not to exceed one month, the time for making any return or paying any amount required to be paid under this part. The extension may be granted at any time if a request for the extension is filed with the board within or prior to the period for which the extension may be granted. (b) (1) In the case of a disaster, the board, for a period not to exceed three months, may extend the time for making any report or return or paying any fee required under this part. The extension may be granted at any time provided a request therefor is filed with the board within or before the period for which the extension may be granted. (2) For purposes of this section, “disaster” means fire, flood, storm, tidal wave, earthquake, or similar public calamity, whether or not resulting from natural causes. (c) Any person to whom an extension is granted shall pay, in addition to the fee, interest at the modified adjusted rate per month, or fraction thereof, established pursuant to Section 6591.5 from the date on which the fee would have been due without the extension until the date of payment.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46153.5. Section 46153.5.

(a) Subject to subdivision (c), if the Governor issues a state of emergency proclamation, the department may extend the time, for a period not to exceed three months, for making any report or return or paying any fee required under this part for any person in an area identified in the state of emergency proclamation. (b) If the department makes an extension pursuant to subdivision (a), any person in an area identified in a state of emergency proclamation shall not be required to file a request for the extension. (c) The department may make the extension in subdivision (a) only during the first 12 months following the issuance of the state of emergency proclamation or the duration of the state of emergency, whichever is less.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46154. Section 46154.

(a) Any person who fails to pay any fee to the state or any amount of fee required to be collected and paid to the state, except amounts of determinations made by the board under Article 2 (commencing with Section 46201) or Article 3 (commencing with Section 46251), within the time required shall pay a penalty of 10 percent of the fee or amount of fee, in addition to the fee or amount of fee, plus interest at the modified adjusted rate per month, or fraction thereof, established pursuant to Section 6591.5, from the date on which the fee or the amount of fee required to be collected became due and payable to the state until the date of payment. (b) Any feepayer who fails to file a return in accordance with the due date set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 46151 or the due date established by the board in accordance with Section 46152, shall pay a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the fee with respect to the period for which the return is required. (c) The penalties imposed by this section shall be limited to a maximum of 10 percent of the fee for which the return is required for any one return.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46154.5. Section 46154.5.

(a) If the department finds, taking into account all facts and circumstances, that it is inequitable to compute interest at the modified adjusted rate per month or fraction thereof, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 6591.5, interest shall be computed at the modified adjusted daily rate from the date on which the fee was due until the date of payment, if all of the following occur: (1) The payment of the fee was made one business day after the date the fee was due. (2) The person was granted relief from all penalties that applied to that fee payment. (3) The person files a request for an adjustment. (b) For purposes of this section, “modified adjusted daily rate” means the modified adjusted rate per annum as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 6591.5 determined on a daily basis by dividing the modified adjusted rate per annum by 365. (c) For purposes of this section, “business day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or any day designated as a state holiday. (d) This section shall not apply to any payment made pursuant to a deficiency determination, a determination where no return has been filed, or a jeopardy determination issued by the department. (e) This section shall only apply to electronic payments of fees.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46156. Section 46156.

(a) If the department finds that a person’s failure to make a timely return or payment is due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the person’s control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect, the person may be relieved of the penalty provided by Sections 46154, 46154.1, 46160, 46251, and 46356. (b) Except as provided in subdivisions (c) and (d), any person seeking to be relieved of the penalty shall file with the department a statement, under penalty of perjury, setting forth the facts upon which the person bases the claim for relief. (c) (1) Subject to paragraph (2), the department may grant relief of the penalty for any person in an area identified in a state of emergency proclamation made by the Governor for the period the state of emergency proclamation is effective, regardless of whether the person has filed a statement with the department pursuant to subdivision (b). (2) The department may grant the relief in paragraph (1) only during the first 12 months following the issuance of the state of emergency proclamation or the duration of the state of emergency, whichever is less. (d) The department shall establish criteria that provide for efficient resolution of requests for relief pursuant to this section.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46157. Section 46157.

(a) If the department finds that a person’s failure to make a timely return or payment was due to a disaster, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect, the person may be relieved of the interest provided by Sections 46153, 46154, 46160, and 46253. (b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), any person seeking to be relieved of the interest shall file with the department a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts upon which the person bases the claim for relief. (c) (1) Subject to paragraph (2), the department may grant relief of the interest for any person in an area identified in a state of emergency proclamation made by the Governor for the period the state of emergency proclamation is effective, regardless of whether the person has filed a statement with the department pursuant to subdivision (b). (2) The department may grant the relief in paragraph (1) only during the first 12 months following the issuance of the state of emergency proclamation or the duration of the state of emergency, whichever is less.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46157.5. Section 46157.5.

(a) The board, in its discretion, may relieve all or any part of the interest imposed on a person by this part where the failure to pay fees is due in whole or in part to an unreasonable error or delay by an employee of the board acting in his or her official capacity. (b) For purposes of this section, an error or delay shall be deemed to have occurred only if no significant aspect of the error or delay is attributable to an act of, or a failure to act by, the feepayer. (c) Any person seeking relief under this section shall file with the board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts on which the claim for relief is based and any other information which the board may require. (d) The board may grant relief only for interest imposed on fee liabilities that arise during fee periods commencing on or after January 1, 2000.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46158. Section 46158.

(a) If the board finds that a person’s failure to make a timely report or payment is due to the person’s reasonable reliance on written advice from the board, the person may be relieved of the fees imposed or administered under this part and any penalty or interest added thereto. (b) For purposes of this section, a person’s failure to make a timely report or payment shall be considered to be due to reasonable reliance on written advice from the board, only if the board finds that all of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The person requested in writing that the board advise him or her whether a particular activity or transaction is subject to the fee under this part. The specific facts and circumstances of the activity or transaction shall be fully described in the request. (2) The board responded in writing to the person regarding the written request for advice, stating whether or not the described activity or transaction is subject to the fee, or stating the conditions under which the activity or transaction is subject to the fee. (3) The liability for fees applied to a particular activity or transaction which occurred before either of the following: (A) Before the board rescinded or modified the advice so given, by sending written notice to the person of the rescinded or modified advice. (B) Before a change in statutory or constitutional law, a change in the board’s regulations, or a final decision of a court, which renders the board’s earlier written advice no longer valid. (c) Any person seeking relief under this section shall file with the board all of the following: (1) A copy of the person’s written request to the board and a copy of the board’s written advice. (2) A statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts on which the claim for relief is based. (3) Any other information which the board may require. (d) Only the person making the written request shall be entitled to rely on the board’s written advice to that person.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 46159. Section 46159.

(a) Under regulations prescribed by the board, if: (1) A fee liability under this part was understated by a failure to file a return required to be filed under this part, by the omission of an amount properly includable therein, or by erroneous deductions or credits claimed on a return, and the understatement of the fee liability is attributable to one spouse; or any amount of the fee reported on a return was unpaid and the nonpayment of the reported fee liability is attributable to one spouse. (2) The other spouse establishes that he or she did not know of, and had no reason to know of, that understatement or nonpayment. (3) Taking into account whether or not the other spouse significantly benefited directly or indirectly from the understatement or the nonpayment and taking into account all other facts and circumstances, it is inequitable to hold the other spouse liable for the deficiency in fee attributable to that understatement or nonpayment, then the other spouse shall be relieved of liability for the fee (including interest, penalties, and other amounts) to the extent that the liability is attributable to that understatement or nonpayment of the fee. (b) For purposes of this section, the determination of the spouse to whom items of understatement or nonpayment are attributable shall be made without regard to community property laws. (c) This section shall apply to all calendar months subject to the provisions of this part, but shall not apply to any calendar month that is more than five years from the final date on the board-issued determination, five years from the return due date for nonpayment on a return, or one year from the first contact with the spouse making a claim under this section; or that has been closed by res judicata, whichever is later. (d) For purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), “reason to know” means whether or not a reasonably prudent person would have had reason to know of the understatement or nonpayment. (e) For purposes of this section, with respect to a failure to file a return or an omission of an item from the return, “attributable to one spouse” may be determined by whether a spouse rendered substantial service as an operator of a marine terminal, a pipeline, or a refinery engaged in activities subject to fees under this part to which the understatement is attributable. If neither spouse rendered substantial services as an operator, then the attribution of applicable items of understatement shall be treated as community property. An erroneous deduction or credit shall be attributable to the spouse who caused that deduction or credit to be entered on the return. (f) Under procedures prescribed by the board, if, taking into account all the facts and circumstances, it is inequitable to hold the other spouse liable for any unpaid fee or any deficiency (or any portion of either) attributable to any item for which relief is not available under subdivision (a), the board may relieve the other spouse of that liability. (g) For purposes of this section, registered domestic partners, as defined in Section 297 of the Family Code, have the same rights, protections, and benefits as provided by this section, and are subject to the same responsibilities, obligations, and duties as imposed by this section, as are granted to and imposed upon spouses. (h) The relief provided by this section shall apply retroactively to liabilities arising prior to the effective date of this section.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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