Sales Tax Registration

California does not treat every shipping or delivery charge the same way. A charge may be excluded from the taxable amount when goods are shipped directly to the purchaser by U.S. mail, an independent contractor, or a common carrier, the charge is…

California use tax generally matters when a business buys taxable property for use in California and the seller does not collect the full California tax due. In that situation, the business may need to calculate and report use tax instead of paying…

A California business can use CDTFA Online Services to prepare a return, submit it, and pay the related tax electronically. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) administers the system. Existing users log in with a username and password, while…

California sales tax prepayments are not required merely because a business has substantial sales. A person must make prepayments when the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) determines that the person’s estimated measure of tax liability averages $17,000 or more…

To look up a California sales tax rate, start with the exact transaction location rather than relying only on a city name or ZIP code. Use the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) address lookup, confirm that the map point…

California’s statewide sales and use tax rate is 7.25%, but that is not necessarily the rate that applies to a particular transaction. Cities, counties, and other local jurisdictions may impose district taxes on top of the statewide rate, and more than one…