Cal. Code Regs. tit. 18, § 1703
(a) Statutory Provisions. Interest and penalties are prescribed in various sections of the Sales and Use Tax Law as follows:
Subject
Sections Interest
Penalties
Failure to pay tax within required time (except determinations)
6480.4, 6591
6476, 6477, 6478, 6479.3, 6480.4, 6591, 7051.2
Failure to file a timely return Deficiency determinations
6482
6479.3, 6591 6484 (negligence), 6485 (fraud), 7051.2
Determinations--Sales tax reimbursement or use tax collected but not timely remitted
6597
Determination--failure to make return
6513
6511, 6514 (fraud), 7051.2
Jeopardy determinations
6537
6537, 7051.2
Extensions of time
6459
Determinations--Nonpayment of Offsets
6512
6565, 7051.2 6512
Refunds and credits
6901, 6907, 6908
6901
Suits for refund
6936
Disposition of interest and penalties
7101
7101
Criminal Penalties
6073, 6094.5, 6422.1, 7152, 7153, 7153.5, 7153.6
Failure to make timely application for registration of motor vehicle, mobilehome, aircraft or undocumented vessel
6291-6294
6291-6294
Registration of vehicle, vessel or aircraft out of state
6485.1, 6514.1 (intent to evade)
Advertising that use tax will be absorbed
6207
Any violation of Sales and Use Tax Law
7153, 7153.5
Failure to collect use tax
6207
Failure to display use tax separately
6207
Failure to furnish return or other data
6452, 6455
Improper use of resale certificates
6072
6072, 6094.5
Making false return
7152
Misuse of vehicle use tax exemption certificates
6422.1
Operating as seller without permit
6071, 6077
Failure to obtain valid permit
6077, 7155
Relief from interest or penalty
6593, 6596
6592, 6596
Modified adjusted daily rate
6591.6
Modified adjusted rate
6591.5
Failure to obtain evidence that operator of catering truck holds valid permit
6074
Improper allocation of local tax by direct payment permitholder
7051.2
Managed Audit program
7076.4
Failure to pay tax due to an error or delay by an employee of the Board or Department of Motor Vehicles
6593.5
Erroneous refund
6964
Tax Amnesty Program (Reporting Periods Beginning Before January 1, 2003)
7073, 7074
(b) Interest.
(1) Interest Rates.
(E) Error or Delay by Employee of Board or Department of Motor Vehicles. For tax liabilities that arise during taxable periods commencing on or after July 1, 1999, this subdivision is limited to interest imposed by sections 6480.4, 6513, 6591, and 6592.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. Effective January 1, 2002, this subdivision applies to interest imposed by any provision of the Sales and Use Tax Law. All or any part of such interest imposed may be relieved by the Board, in its discretion, under either of the following circumstances:
2. Where failure to pay use tax on a vehicle or vessel registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles was the direct result of an error by the Department of Motor Vehicles in calculating the use tax.
For the purposes of this subdivision, 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 taxpayer.
Any person seeking relief under this subdivision 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.
(2) Late Payments Generally. Interest applies to the amount of all taxes, except prepayments of amounts of tax due and payable pursuant to section 6471 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, not paid within the time required by law from the date on which the amount of tax became due and payable until the date of payment.
Interest applies to amounts due but not paid by any supplier or wholesaler of motor vehicle fuel, aircraft jet fuel, or diesel fuel who fails to make a timely remittance of the prepayment of tax required pursuant to sections 6480.1 and 6480.3 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(5) Electronic Payments Made One Day Late.
(A) For the period of January 1, 2011, through January 1, 2016, and on or after January 1, 2017, if the Board 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)(1)(A) above, interest shall be computed at the modified adjusted daily rate from the date on which the tax or prepayment was due until the date of payment, if all of the following occur:
(B) For purposes of this paragraph:
(6) Refunds and Credits.
(8) Untimeliness Caused by Disaster. A person may be relieved of the interest imposed by sections 6459, 6480.4, 6513, and 6591 of the Revenue and Taxation Code if the Board finds that the person's failure to make a timely return or payment was occasioned by a disaster and was neither negligent nor willful. Such person shall file with the Board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts upon which the claim for relief is based.
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) Penalties.
(1) Late Payments Generally.
(A) Prepayments.
4. If any part of a deficiency in prepayment is due to negligence or intentional disregard of the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations, a penalty of 10 percent of the deficiency shall be paid.
The penalties provided in subparagraphs 2 and 4 of this subsection shall not apply to amounts subject to the provisions of sections 6484, 6485, 6511, 6514, and 6591 of the Revenue and Taxation Code (subparagraphs (c)(1)(B), (c)(2)(A) and (c)(2)(B) of this regulation).
5. A penalty of 10 percent shall apply to the amount of prepayment due but not paid by any supplier or whoelsaler of motor vehicle fuel, aircraft jet fuel, or diesel fuel who fails to make a timely remittance of the prepayment as required pursuant to sections 6480.1 and 6480.3 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
This penalty shall be 25 percent if the supplier or wholesaler knowingly or intentionally fails to make a timely remittance.
(2) Late Return Forms Generally.
(3) Determinations.
(A) Negligence or Intentional Disregard. A penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the tax specified in the determination shall be added to deficiency determinations if any part of the deficiency for which the determination is imposed is due to negligence or intentional disregard of the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations.
Generally, a penalty for negligence or intentional disregard should not be added to deficiency determinations associated with the first audit of a taxpayer in the absence of evidence establishing that any bookkeeping and reporting errors cannot be attributed to the taxpayer's good faith and reasonable belief that its bookkeeping and reporting practices were in substantial compliance with the requirements of the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations.
(C) Fraud or Intent to Evade. A penalty of 25 percent of the amount of the tax specified in a deficiency determination shall be added thereto if any part of the deficiency for which the determination is made is due to fraud or intent to evade the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations. In the case of a determination for failure to file a return, if such failure is due to fraud or an intent to evade the Sales and Use Tax Law or authorized regulations, a penalty of 25 percent of the amount required to be paid, exclusive of penalties, shall be added thereto in addition to the 10 percent penalty for failure to file a return. Fraud or intent to evade shall be established by clear and convincing evidence.
A penalty of 50 percent applies to the taxes imposed upon any person who, for the purpose of evading the payment of taxes, knowingly fails to obtain a valid permit prior to the date in which the first tax return is due. The 50 percent penalty applies to the taxes determined to be due for the period during which the person engaged in business in this state as a seller without a valid permit and may be added in addition to the 10 percent penalty for failure to file a return. However, the 50 percent penalty shall not apply if the measure of tax liability over the period during which the person was engaged in business without a valid permit averaged one thousand dollars ($1,000) or less per month. Also, the 50 percent penalty shall not apply to the amount of taxes due on the sale or use of a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, if the amount is subject to the penalty imposed by section 6485.1 or 6514.1 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(D) Failure to timely remit collected sales tax reimbursement or use tax. With respect to Board-assessed determinations, except as provided below, for periods beginning on or after January 1, 2007, a person who knowingly collects sales tax reimbursement or use tax, and who fails to timely remit that sales tax reimbursement or use tax to the Board, shall be liable for a penalty of 40 percent of the amount not timely remitted. The penalty shall not apply if:
2. the person's failure to make a timely remittance of sales tax reimbursement or use tax is due to a reasonable cause or circumstances beyond the person's control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect.
f. the person voluntarily corrected errors in remitting sales tax reimbursement or use tax collected that were made in previous reporting periods, and remitted payment of the liability owed as a result of those errors prior to being contacted by the Board regarding possible errors or discrepancies.
For purposes of this penalty, “sales tax reimbursement” is defined in section 1656.1 of the Civil Code, and also includes any sales tax that is advertised, held out, or stated to the public or any customer, directly or indirectly, that the tax or any part thereof will be assumed or absorbed by the retailer.
This penalty applies to determinations made by the Board pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with section 6481), Article 3 (commencing with section 6511), and Article 4 (commencing with section 6536) of Chapter 5, Part 1, Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
For purposes of this penalty, “reasonable cause or circumstances beyond the person's control” includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:
(4) Improper Use of Resale Certificate.
A penalty of 10 percent applies to the taxes imposed upon any person who knowingly issues a resale certificate for personal gain or to evade the payment of taxes while not actively engaged in business as a seller.
The penalty is 10 percent of the amount of tax or five hundred dollars ($500), whichever is greater, if the purchase is made for personal gain or to evade payment of taxes.
(8) Relief from Penalty for Reasonable Cause. If the Board finds that a person's failure to make a timely return, payment, or prepayment, or failure to comply with the provisions of section 6074 of the Revenue and Taxation Code 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 6074, 6476, 6477, 6480.4, 6511, 6565, 6591, and 7051.2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code for such failure.
Any person seeking to be relieved of the penalty shall file with the Board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts upon which the claim for relief is based. Section 6592 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, providing for the relief of certain penalties does not apply to the 10 percent penalty imposed for failure to make a timely prepayment under section 6478 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(9) Tax Amnesty Program (Reporting Periods Beginning Before January 1, 2003).
Note: Authority cited: Section 7051, Revenue and Taxation Code. Reference: Sections 6071, 6072, 6073, 6074, 6077, 6094.5, 6207, 6291-6294, 6422.1, 6452, 6455, 6459, 6476-6478, 6479.3, 6480.4, 6482, 6484, 6485, 6485.1, 6511-6514, 6514.1, 6537, 6565, 6591, 6591.5, 6591.6, 6592, 6593, 6593.5, 6596, 6597, 6901, 6907, 6908, 6936, 6964, 7051.2, 7073, 7074, 7076.4, 7101, 7152-7153, 7153.5, 7153.6 and 7155, Revenue and Taxation Code.
1. Amendment and renumbering of section 2103 filed 11-5-69; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 69, No. 45).
2. Amendment of subsection (b) filed 12-26-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter. Note: Filing designates 1-1-76 as effective date (Register 75, No. 52).
3. Amendment filed 10-2-81; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 81, No. 40).
4. Amendment filed 6-3-83; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 83, No. 23).
5. Amendment filed 1-10-86; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 86, No. 2).
6. Amendment filed 10-16-87; operative 11-15-87 (Register 87, No. 45).
7. Amendment filed 10-12-88; operative 11-11-88 (Register 88, No. 43).
8. Amendment of subsection (a)'s Table, new subsections (b)(1)-(b)(1)(C) and renumbering, amendment of subsections (b)(2), (b)(5)(A), (b)(6) and (c)(1)(A)5., new subsection (c)(1)(A)6., and amendment of subsections (c)(2)(C), (c)(3), (c)(5)-(6) and Note filed 12-21-92; operative 1-20-93 (Register 92, No. 52).
9. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (a), adding new subsection (c)(6), renumbering subsections, and amending Note filed 5-19-97 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 97, No. 21).
10. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (a) table, adding subsections (b)(1)(D) and (c)(2)-(c)(2)(B), renumbering subsections and amending Note filed 9-2-98 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 98, No. 36).
11. Change without regulatory effect amending section and Note filed 3-18-99 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 99, No. 12).
12. Amendment of subsection (b)(5)(B) filed 12-9-99; operative 1-8-2000 (Register 99, No. 50).
13. Amendment of subsection (c)(3)(C) filed 12-10-2002; operative 1-9-2003 (Register 2002, No. 50).
14. Change without regulatory effect amending section and Note filed 4-7-2005 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2005, No. 14).
15. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (a), adopting subsection (c)(3)(D)-(c)(3)(D)2.f., relettering subsections and amending Note filed 5-15-2007 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2007, No. 20).
16. Change without regulatory effect amending subsections (a) and (b)(1)(C), adopting subsections (b)(5)-(b)(5)(C), renumbering subsection, amending subsections (c)(1)(A)1., (c)(1)(A)4., (c)(3)(D)2. and (c)(3)(D)2.f. and amending Note filed 8-28-2013 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2013, No. 35).
17. Editorial correction of subsection (c)(3)(D)2.e. (Register 2015, No. 51).
18. Amendment of subsections (a), (b)(1)(E), (b)(2), (b)(6)(A), (b)(8), (c)(1)(A)5., (c)(1)(A)6., (c)(3)(A), (c)(3)(C), (c)(4)-(6) and (c)(8) and amendment of Note filed 3-17-2017; operative 7-1-2017 (Register 2017, No. 11).
19. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (b)(5)(A) filed 6-19-2017 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2017, No. 25).