Nonprofit Organizations
| Nonprofit Organizations |
| Preface This publication is a general guide to the Sales and Use Tax Law and Regulations as they apply to sales and purchases by nonprofit organizations, including schools, religious organizations and churches, charitable organizations, and other nonprofit groups. If you cannot find the information you are looking for in this publication, please call our Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711). Customer service representatives are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday, between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Pacific time), except state holidays. This publication complements publication 73, Your California Seller’s Permit, which includes general information about obtaining a permit; using a resale certificate; collecting and reporting sales and use taxes; buying, selling, or discontinuing a business; and keeping records. Also, please refer to our website or the For More Information section of this publication for the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) regulations and publications referenced throughout this publication. We welcome your ideas on improving this or any other CDTFA publication. Please send your suggestions to: Audit and Information Section, MIC:44 California Department of Tax and Fee Administration PO Box 942879 Sacramento, CA 94279-0044 Tips for using this publication Read the introduction No matter what kind of organization you operate, be sure to read the introductory section of this publication. It includes background information that will help you understand the remainder of the publication. Check the organization information While there is no general sales and use tax exclusion for nonprofit organizations, certain types of organizations are eligible for specific tax exemptions and exclusions. Please check the organization-specific sections for information that may apply to your group before you move on to the rest of the publication. Know your income and property tax exemptions As you read this publication, it will help if you know which sections of the Federal and State income tax law and property tax law apply to your organization. For example, you may need to know if your organization is exempt from income tax under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) or (c)(4), and/or California Revenue and Taxation Code section 23701. You may also need to know if your group is exempt from property taxes under Revenue and Taxation Code section 214, commonly known as the “welfare exemption.” For information on the welfare exemption, contact your county assessor or visit the Property Tax section of our website at www.cdtfa.ca.gov. Please note: This publication summarizes the law and applicable regulations in effect when the publication was written, as noted on the back cover. However, changes in the law or regulations may have occurred since that time. If there is a conflict between the text in this publication and the law, decisions will be based on the law and not on this publication. |
| Contents Introduction Sales and Use Tax Basics for Various Types of Nonprofit Organizations 4 Types of Organizations Charitable Organizations That Relieve Poverty and Distress 6 Cultural Organizations: Museums, Government Art Programs, Library Support Organizations, and Zoological Societies 8 Nonprofit Veterans’ Organizations 11 Religious Organizations 13 Social Clubs and Fraternal Organizations 16 Schools, Parent-Teacher Associations, Children’s Organizations, or Youth Organizations, and Children’s Clothing 18 Organizations That Provide Human Services and Goods Related to Medical or Health Information, Disabilities, HIV/AIDS, Nutrition, and Homelessness 22 Volunteer Fire Departments 23 Organizations That Construct Military and Veteran Medical Facilities 24 Specific Sales Activities Food and Meals 25 Vending Machines 30 Newspapers and Periodicals 31 Sales That Involve Fundraiser Companies 34 Promotional Items Sold to Members 34 General Obligations of Sellers and Purchasers Registration Requirements 35 Collecting and Paying Tax 36 Donations to Nonprofit and Religious Organizations Business Donations of Goods and Services 40 For More Information 42 |
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Introduction
Sales and Use Tax Basics for Various Types of Nonprofit Organizations
This section provides introductory information describing California’s sales and use tax and how it generally applies to
sales and purchases by nonprofit organizations. It also provides basic information that can help you determine whether
any of your organization’s sales may qualify for special sales tax exemptions or exclusions. Be sure to read this section
before you move on to the rest of the publication.
Tax applies unless there is a specific exemption or exclusion
In California, sales tax applies to the sale of tangible personal property (referred to as “merchandise” or “goods” in this
publication) unless the sale is covered by a specific legal exemption or exclusion. Individuals, businesses, and groups that
sell taxable merchandise in California must pay sales tax on their taxable sales. Sellers may charge their customers for
sales tax reimbursement (referred to as “sales tax”).
Similarly, use tax applies to the purchase of taxable merchandise that will be used, consumed, stored, or given away in
this state unless the purchase is exempt or excluded from tax. Individuals, business, and groups must pay use tax on their
taxable purchases. The state use tax is complementary to, and mutually exclusive of, the state sales tax.
Tax generally applies regardless of whether the items you sell or purchase are new, used, donated, or homemade.
No general exemption for nonprofit and religious organizations
Although many nonprofit and religious organizations are exempt from federal and state income tax, there is no similar
broad exemption from California sales and use tax. Generally, a nonprofit’s sales and purchases are taxable. In other
words, nonprofit and religious organizations, in general, are treated just like other California sellers and buyers for sales
and use tax purposes.
However, there are special exemptions and exclusions available for certain nonprofit and religious organizations. Some
organizations may not owe tax on their sales, whereas some organizations may owe tax on certain types of sales, but not
all sales. Other organizations may be responsible for tax just like other California sellers. It all depends on what type of
organization you are and what your organization’s practices and activities are. Later sections of this publication provide
information to help you determine which exemptions and exclusions may apply to your organization.
Typical taxable sales by nonprofit organizations
As noted above, a sale of merchandise or goods is generally taxable unless it’s covered by a specific exemption or
exclusion. Before you read the sections on specific organizations or types of sales, you may need to know more about
sales in general.
A sale is an exchange of merchandise or goods for something else of value: money, barter, or trade. The barter or trade
doesn’t have to be a two-way exchange of merchandise. It also includes an exchange of merchandise for services.
For example, if you give meals to your accountant in your museum café in exchange for accounting services, that’s
considered a sale of the meals.
Nonprofits commonly conduct a variety of activities that are considered sales. These include (but are not limited to) the
following:
• Sales of food, meals, beverages, and similar items under a number of different circumstances.
• Sales of tickets that buyers will exchange for food, beverages, or other physical products.
• Sales of booklets, books, pamphlets, etc.
• Sales of tickets for fundraising events when the ticket price includes amounts for food or beverages.
• Sales of items at rummage sales, bazaars, carnival booths, community events, and other fundraisers.
• Sales of merchandise in Internet, live, and silent auctions.
• Sales of tickets for game booths where prizes are guaranteed to each ticket purchaser, even when the prizes have little
value. Examples include white elephant, fish pond, grab bag, and “pitch-’til-you-win” games.
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Typical nontaxable activities by nonprofit organizations
Nonprofits also carry out certain activities that are not considered sales for sales tax purposes. These activities generally
are not subject to sales or use tax. Examples include:
• The gifting of merchandise for a true donation: an amount someone gives your organization without expecting to
receive merchandise of equal value in return. (Example: A member who donates $100 and receives a tote bag worth
$5 generally is not considered a sale.)
• Sales of tickets for concerts, movies, plays, shows, and similar events when food and meals are not included in the
ticket price.
• Sales of tickets for game booths and raffles when prizes are not guaranteed to every ticket purchaser.
• The sale of travel, home rentals, guide services, personal services, tutoring, and other things of value that are not
physical products.
• Sales of gift cards, gift certificates, and coupon books.
• Membership drives and other fundraising activities that do not involve the exchange of merchandise or that include
merchandise premiums of a much lower value than the donation or membership amount.
• Sales of advertising that does not involve exchanges of merchandise or goods.
Most nonprofits that make sales need seller’s permits
Nonprofit organizations generally need a seller’s permit if they make sales of goods or merchandise in California. This is true
even if the sales are not taxable. In limited instances, when the organization makes sales only occasionally, we can issue
a temporary seller’s permit. Permit requirements are explained in more detail in the organization-specific sections of this
publication. Also please see Registration Requirements.
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Types of Organizations
Charitable Organizations That Relieve Poverty and Distress
The Sales and Use Tax Law includes special exemptions for qualifying charitable organizations that relieve poverty and
distress. This section is designed to address those exemptions. For more information, please see Regulation 1570, Charitable
Organizations.
Seller’s permit required
The organizations described in this section are considered retailers and must hold a seller’s permit if they make sales
of goods or merchandise, even if the sales are exempt from tax. Please see Registration Requirements and
Collecting and Paying Tax for more information on seller’s permits and tax reporting requirements.
Sales exempt from tax if charitable organization meets certain qualifications
If your organization meets all of the following qualifications, your sales are not subject to sales or use tax. The
organization must:
• Be formed and operated for charitable purposes.
• Qualify, under Revenue and Taxation Code section 214, for the “welfare exemption” from property taxation on the
retail site where you sell merchandise. Or if the organization does not own the store, the organization must qualify for
the welfare exemption on its personal property located there, such as the store fixtures and equipment (please see
Note for thrift store operators).
• Carry out activities that relieve poverty and distress.
• Sell or donate items principally to assist purchasers or recipients in distressed financial condition.
• Make, prepare, assemble, or manufacture the items it sells or donates. “Preparation” includes cleaning, repairing, or
reconditioning items. “Assembly” includes gathering together items at one or more locations for sale or donation.
Example : Your 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit corporation, which conducts a rehabilitation program, has qualified for
the welfare exemption from property tax. You operate an emergency shelter for homeless families where you cook
inexpensive hot lunches and sell them to families in need at reduced prices. Although sales of hot meals are ordinarily
taxable, your sales are tax exempt because your organization and sales meet all of the conditions listed above.
Some purchases may be tax exempt
If your organization meets the qualifications described earlier, your qualifying organization’s purchases are not subject to
sales or use tax, provided the qualifying organization will donate or sell the items you purchase. In the example above,
purchases of clothing, personal supplies, and other articles donated to the families in the emergency shelter would be tax
exempt. However, tax does apply to purchases of items that the qualifying organization uses rather than donates or sells,
such as office supplies or equipment, tools, displays, and similar items.
Welfare exemption from property tax
For information on the welfare exemption, see the Property Tax section of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE)
website. The welfare exemption is jointly administered by the BOE and each county assessor. The BOE will determine
whether an organization is eligible for the exemption. The county assessor determines whether the organization’s use of
property qualifies the property for the exemption.
Eligibility review
If you believe your organization’s sales or purchases are exempt from sales and use tax as described in this section, you
can write us and ask us to review your eligibility. If we determine you qualify for the exemption, we will send you a letter
that verifies your exempt status. We will also let you know which documents to provide to your suppliers to enable you to
purchase items without tax.
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Send your request to:
BTFD-CTSCPUGroup@cdtfa.ca.gov
or
Compliance Policy Unit, MIC:40
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
PO Box 942879
Sacramento, CA 94279-0040
Please provide all of the following information and documentation with your request:
• A letter describing your organization’s practices and activities, as well as what items will generally be purchased/sold by
the organization.
• A copy of your Organizational Clearance Certificate issued by the BOE showing that the organization qualifies under
Revenue and Taxation Code section 214 for the “welfare exemption.”
Note for thrift store operators: To qualify for the welfare exemption, a thrift store must, among other things, conduct a
rehabilitation program recognized by the California Department of Rehabilitation or operate under a city or county
rehabilitation program. It must also sell goods processed in some manner by people who are being rehabilitated through
the program and are employed in the operation of the store.
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Cultural Organizations: Museums, Government Art Programs,
Library Support Organizations, and Zoological Societies
This section includes information relating to sales and purchases by certain cultural organizations. For more information,
please see regulations noted in the text.
Permit and tax requirements, in general
Permit requirements
Museums, government art programs, library support groups, and zoological societies generally must hold seller’s permits
if they make sales of merchandise or goods. Please see Registration Requirements and Collecting and Paying Tax for more
information on seller’s permits and tax reporting requirements.
General tax requirements
Unless your sales qualify as tax exempt under one of the special exemptions described in this section, your sales of
merchandise are generally taxable. This is true whether you buy the merchandise, make it, or receive it as a donation
from an individual or a business. When you buy merchandise you sell as a retailer in a taxable sale, you can do so without
paying sales tax to the supplier by issuing a resale certificate (see Purchases for resale). If you buy merchandise you will
use rather than sell, you may be required to pay use tax or an amount for the sales tax to your supplier.
Museums and government art programs
For more information, please see Regulation 1586, Works of Art and Museum Pieces for Public Display.
Purchases and leases of artwork and museum pieces
For the exemptions described below, works of art include two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of visual art.
The exemption is not limited to paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and sculptures; it also includes film and crafts.
Operative January 1, 2007, costumes, dresses, clothing, and items of personal adornment (such as jewelry) are also included.
Sale or purchase of works of art on public display
Under certain conditions, the sale or purchase of original works of art for permanent collections on public display is exempt
from sales and use tax. The exemption covers original artworks that are any of the following:
1. Purchased by the state or any California county, city, or other local government entity for free public display.
2. Purchased by a nonprofit organization operating a public museum under contract with a government entity
described in condition 1.
3. Purchased by a nonprofit organization exempt from state income taxes under section 23701d of the Revenue
and Taxation Code for a museum open to the public at least 35 weeks a year for at least 20 hours a week. The
buyer or another qualifying nonprofit organization must operate the museum.
4. Purchased by any buyer from a retailer for donation to a qualifying organization or government entity (see
conditions 1-3). The retailer must deliver the artwork directly to the donee. The donor must transfer ownership
to the recipient in writing.
Leases of works of art
Leases of original works of art are exempt from sales or use tax when both of the following conditions are met:
• Both parties to the lease are nonprofit organizations of the types listed under condition 2 or 3 in the previous section.
• The term of the lease is at least 35 years.
The exemption also includes public art leased by the state or any local government from another entity for display in
public places.
Museum defined
A museum is a place specifically designated for display of artifacts or objects of art that has a significant portion of its
display space open to the public without charge during its normal operating hours; or has its entire display space open to
the public without charge for at least six of its normal operating hours during each month of operation; or has its entire
display space open without charge to a segment of the student or adult population for educational purposes.
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Purchase of replacement museum pieces
Museums and governments sometimes lose items in their permanent collections to fire, flood, earthquake, and other
causes. Sales and use tax does not apply to the purchase of replacement pieces under certain conditions.
The replacement pieces must be all of the following:
• Purchased to replace a museum display piece that was physically destroyed by fire, flood, earthquake, or other calamity.
• Purchased within three years of the calamity.
• Used exclusively for display.
• Valued at the same or a lesser amount as the destroyed item as of its destruction date.
The replacement piece does not have to be similar to the destroyed piece.
To qualify as tax-exempt, the purchase must be made by one of the following:
• A nonprofit museum regularly open to the public and operated by or for a local or state government entity.
• A nonprofit museum regularly open to the public and operated by a nonprofit organization exempt from state
income tax under section 23701d of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
• A state or local government entity for its art collection that is open to the public without charge.
Please note: Display cases, lighting fixtures, shelving, and similar items used in displaying the artwork or operating the
museum do not qualify for this exemption.
Nonprofit organizations assisting museums: rummage sales
Under certain conditions, sales tax does not apply to sales by an authorized nonprofit museum auxiliary association or
equivalent organization that assists a California city or county museum. You are considered a consumer, not a retailer of
the items you sell, and you cannot issue resale certificates on your purchases. As a consumer, you may be required to pay
use tax or sales tax on your purchase. The sales of the items are not taxable if both of the following conditions are met:
• The rummage sale is at least the sixth consecutive annual rummage sale sponsored by the organization.*
• All profits are used exclusively to advance the purpose of the organization.
* For the first five consecutive annual rummage sales, the museum auxiliary is considered to be a retailer of the items it sells. It
must report the sales and pay sales tax on the proceeds.
If your organization’s sales are tax-exempt as shown above, you are considered a consumer, not a retailer of the items you
sell. Although you are not required to pay tax on your sales, you do need a seller’s permit (see Registration Requirements.)
Friends of the Library organizations
Nonprofit associations commonly called “Friends of the Library” and equivalent organizations are considered consumers
of items they sell when they meet both of the following conditions:
• The organization performs auxiliary services to a library district, municipal library, or county library in California as
authorized by the library’s governing authority.
• The organization uses all profits from sales exclusively to advance its purpose.
As a consumer, your sales are not taxable. However, you may be required to pay sales tax or use tax on your purchases.
Example: The Sierraburg Friends of the Library receives a donation of 20 new books. It sells the books in its annual
book sale and uses the profits to buy more books for the library. Because the organization qualifies as a consumer
for sales tax purposes, it does not owe tax on the sale of the books. Since the books were donated, there is no sales
tax due on the purchase.
If Sierraburg had purchased the books from a retailer and then sold them at the annual book sale, sales tax should
be paid to the vendor from whom the books were purchased. Sierraburg must not issue a resale certificate to the
vendor to purchase the books without tax.
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Zoological societies
The sale, purchase, trade, or exchange of certain animals and plants is exempt from sales and use tax when both of the
following conditions are met:
• The animal or plant is a member of a threatened or endangered species listed on one of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Floura (CITES) Appendixes or the federal threatened or
endangered species list. Please see www.cites.org.
• The buyer and the seller are nonprofit zoological societies (private charitable, scientific, or
educational (501)(c)(3) entities or government agencies).
Donations
Generally, items withdrawn from a seller’s inventory that are not resold are subject to use tax. However, items withdrawn
from a seller’s inventory and donated to an organization operated for educational, scientific, or literary purposes, including
nonprofit museums, art galleries, libraries, and performing arts groups, are not subject to use tax.
Merchandise or goods donated by a seller (donor) who paid sales or use tax at time of purchase does not qualify for this
exemption. This is true even if the donated items are resold by the organization and the organization must charge sales
tax when they sell it.
Generally, donations of gift cards, gift certificates, checks, cash, or services are not subject to sales tax since there is not
an exchange of merchandise or goods. Donations of services and gift cards are not considered taxable regardless of the
person donating, buying, or using them.
Leases of artwork
Effective January 1, 2007, Revenue and Taxation Code 6365 expands the exemption for original works of art to include
those leased from one nonprofit organization to another nonprofit organization for 35 years or more. The exemption
includes public art leased by the state or any local government from another entity for display in public places. The
definition of a work of art now includes a costume, dress, clothing, or personal adornment. A permanent collection, as it
applies to leases of original works of art, means a collection with a lease term of 35 years or more.
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Nonprofit Veterans’ Organizations
This section describes specific exemptions that apply to nonprofit veterans’ organizations. If your organization sells food
or meals, be sure to also read Food and Meals.
Permit and tax requirements (in general)
Permit requirements
Nonprofit veterans’ organizations that make sales of merchandise or goods generally must hold a seller’s permit.
Please see Registration Requirements and Collecting and Paying Tax for more information on seller’s permits and tax
reporting requirements.
General tax requirements
Except for transactions where you are considered the consumer of purchases (for example: purchases that will be resold)
but qualify as exempt sales as described in this section, your organization’s sales of merchandise are generally taxable.
This is true whether you buy the merchandise, make it, or receive it as a donation from an individual or a business. When
you buy merchandise to resell as a retailer in a taxable sale, you can do so without paying tax to your vendor by issuing
a resale certificate (see Using a resale certificate). If you buy merchandise you will consume rather than sell, you may be
required to pay sales tax to your supplier.
Sales of flags and symbolic pins
Nonprofit veterans’ organizations are considered the consumers of American flags they sell when the profits from
the sales are used exclusively to advance the organization’s purpose. As explained in Introduction: Sales and Use Tax
Basics for Various Types of Nonprofit Organizations and Collecting and Paying Tax, your sales are not taxable when your
organization is a consumer. However, tax does apply to your purchase of the flags or materials used to make them.
For more information, please see Regulation 1597, Property Transferred or Sold by Certain Nonprofit Organizations.
Sales or use tax does not apply to a veterans’ organization’s sale or purchase of “Buddy Poppies,” and similar symbolic,
temporary lapel pins when both of the following conditions are met:
• The pins are sold or purchased by the Veterans of Foreign Wars or other specified organizations described in Revenue
and Taxation Code section 6360.1.
• The pins memorialize U.S. military veterans killed in foreign wars.
Meals served by nonprofit veterans’ organizations
Meal exemption
Tax does not apply to your nonprofit veterans’ organization’s sales of meals and food products when all of the following
conditions are met:
• You sell the food or meals at a social or other gathering you conduct.
• You furnish the meals or food to raise funds for your organization’s functions and activities.
• You use the proceeds to carry out those functions and activities.
Please note: Sales of carbonated and alcoholic beverages are exempt from sales tax as described above only when
included in the price of a meal. Even though your sales of carbonated and alcoholic beverages may be exempt from
sales tax, if you issue a resale certificate when purchasing these items, you will owe use tax on the purchase price if the
carbonated or alcoholic beverage is included in the price of a meal. You must report the purchase price of the item under
Purchases Subject to Use Tax on your sales and use tax return. Sales of carbonated and alcoholic beverages for a separate
price are taxable.
For additional information on the sale of food and meals, see Food and Meals.
Loans of motor vehicles
Loans by a retailer of motor vehicles to a veterans’ hospital or other nonprofit facility for use in teaching disabled veterans
how to operate specially equipped vehicles are exempt from use tax.
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Veterans who qualify as an itinerant vendor (This law has ended December 31, 2021.)
The itinerant veteran vendor program was authorized by legislation from April 1, 2010, through December 31, 2021.
During this period, veterans who sold goods from temporary locations may have been considered “qualified itinerant
vendors.” Qualified itinerant vendors are the consumer and not the retailer of tangible personal property owned and sold
by the qualified itinerant vendor under specified conditions. When you are considered the consumer of tangible personal
property that you sell, it means that sales to you are retail sales for which either the sales or use tax applies. Resale
certificates may not be issued by you, the consumer, when making purchases. Since businesses generally owe tax on
sales made to consumers, a qualified itinerant vendor should expect to pay tax when purchasing merchandise from their
suppliers. As a consumer, a qualified itinerant vendor is generally not required to hold a seller’s permit.
A person is a “qualified itinerant vendor” when all of the following apply:
• The person was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who received an honorable discharge or a
release from active duty under honorable conditions.
• The person is unable to obtain a livelihood by manual labor due to a service-related disability.
• For the purposes of selling tangible personal property, the person is a sole proprietor with no employees.
• The person has no permanent place of business in this state.
Please note: Itinerant veteran vendors who are engaged in catering or vending machine businesses, sell alcoholic
beverages, or who sell single items for more than $100, are not considered “qualified itinerant vendors” and are generally
required to obtain a seller’s permit and report and pay tax on their sales.
As a qualified itinerant vendor, you are responsible for maintaining documentation to establish that you meet all the
criteria noted above.
For this exemption, a “permanent place of business” means any building or other permanently affixed structure, including
a residence, used for the purpose of making sales or taking orders and arranging property for shipment.
A “permanent place of business” does not include any building or permanently affixed structure, including a residence,
used for the storage of tangible personal property or the cleaning of equipment or other property used in connection
with the manufacture or sale of tangible personal property.
Persons who are generally considered to not have a “permanent place of business” may include: vendors who only sell from
mobile food carts, beverage stands, or lunch wagons, and vendors who only sell at swap meets or other special events.
Starting January 1, 2022, itinerant veteran vendors that qualified for the above exemption are required to obtain a seller’s
permit, file sales and use tax returns, and pay tax on their sales to consumers in California.
If you have any further questions regarding this topic, please visit our website at www.cdtfa.ca.gov or call our Customer
Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711). Customer service representatives are available to answer your questions
Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Pacific time), except state holidays.
Military welfare society thrift stores
Tax does not apply to the sale of, and the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of, tangible personal property
sold by a thrift store located on a military installation and operated by a designated entity that, in partnership with the
United States Department of Defense, provides financial, educational, and other assistance to members of the Armed
Forces of the United States, eligible family members, and survivors that are in need. A “designated entity” means a military
welfare society described in Section 1033 of Chapter 53 of Part II of Subtitle A of Title 10 of the United States Code.
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Religious Organizations
As discussed in Sales and Use Tax Basics for Various Types of Nonprofit Organizations, there is no blanket sales or
use tax exemption available for nonprofit religious organizations or churches, even when the organizations are
exempt from income tax. This section discusses the special exemptions that do exist. You may also want to read
Charitable Organizations That Relieve Poverty and Distress.
Permit and tax requirements (in general)
Permit requirements
Unless all of your sales are exempt from tax, religious organizations and churches that make sales of goods or merchandise
must hold a seller’s permit as described below and file sales and use tax returns. Please see Registration Requirements and
Collecting and Paying Tax for more information on seller’s permits and tax reporting requirements.
General tax requirements
Unless your sales qualify as tax-exempt under the meal exemption described in this section, your sales of merchandise
are generally taxable. This is true whether you buy the merchandise, make it, or receive it as a donation from an individual
or a business.
Sales of items other than food
Religious organizations’ sales and purchases of goods and merchandise other than food are generally taxable. If your
religious organization holds or participates in fundraising events where you sell goods and merchandise, such as
auctions, festivals, bazaars, firework stands, swap meets, or craft shows, your sales of nonfood items are generally taxable.
Tax also applies when you sell from a church bookstore, from tables in your church at events, by Internet, or by mail order.
Donations to religious organizations
Donations vs. sales
You may receive donations at the same time you are selling merchandise. “True donations” are not taxable. A true
donation is an amount someone gives you without expecting merchandise in return.
Example: If one of your members donates $100 and receives a tote bag worth $5, this is generally not a sale. However,
your purchase of the tote bags is subject to sales or use tax when you purchase it. If the tote bag were donated to your
organization by another member, then no sales or use tax is due when the member donates the $100.
If your members make donations and expect merchandise in return, then this is a sale.
Example: Your religious nonprofit organization receives 100 knitted afghans donated by the local knitting guild.
Afghans of this quality usually are sold for $75. Your organization decides to sell the afghans and use the proceeds
to fund one of its community projects. You sell some of the afghans for $100 and toward the end of the sale you
reduce the price to $50. In this example, the sales of the afghans are taxable regardless of the price you charge
for them. You are making a sale of merchandise or goods, since the person purchasing the afghans is expecting
merchandise or goods in exchange for the set price. If you purchase afghans to resell instead of receiving them as a
donation, you may present your vendor with a resale certificate and purchase the afghans without tax.
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Donations of merchandise and goods
Generally, items withdrawn from a seller’s inventory that are not resold are subject to use tax. However, items withdrawn
from a seller’s inventory and donated to qualified religious organizations located in California are not subject to use tax.
Qualified organizations 1are described in section 170(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Merchandise or goods donated by a seller (donor) who paid sales or use tax at the time of purchase does not qualify
for this exemption. This is true even if the donated items are resold by the religious organization and the religious
organization charges sales tax when they sell them.
Donations of gift cards, gift certificates, services, or cash donations are not subject to sales tax since there is not an
exchange of merchandise or goods for a consideration. Gift cards, gift certificates, services, or cash donations are not
considered taxable regardless of the person donating, buying, or using them.
Example: Mr. Bob Smith sells fishing gear at his bait shop and provides guided fishing excursions. Mr. Smith donates
a fishing pole, a fishing excursion, and a gift certificate to his church. Mr. Smith does not owe use tax on any of these
items, since the fishing pole came from his resale inventory and tax does not apply to services or gift certificates. 2
Example : Ms. Jane Jones works for a company that sells wholesale veterinary supplies. Her temple asks for donations
of new or gently used children’s toys to put up for auction at a fundraising event. The company does not sell
children’s toys. Ms. Jones purchases and donates fifty children’s toys on behalf of her company.
Ms. Jones should pay sales tax when she purchases the children’s toys from the toy store. The temple should charge
sales tax on the auction price of the toys for their fundraiser.
Meals furnished or served by religious organizations
Religious organizations are generally considered retailers of meals. Tax applies to your sales of food as described in
Food and Meals.
However, there is a specific exemption for meals served for fundraising purposes, described below. For purposes of the
exemption, “religious organization” means an organization whose property is exempt from property taxation under
article XIII, section 3, subdivision (f) of the state Constitution.
Tax-exempt sales of meals
Tax does not apply to sales of meals and food by your religious organization when all of these conditions are met:
• You sell the food at a social or other gathering you conduct.
• You furnish the meals to raise funds for your organization’s functions and activities.
• You use the proceeds to carry out those functions and activities.
The tax exemption applies regardless of who serves the meals. Your organization can serve the meal or have someone
else serve them.
The person furnishing the meals, such as a restaurant or caterer, is selling the meals for resale to the religious
organizations and the religious organizations may issue resale certificates to the person furnishing the meals and
purchase the meals without tax.
Please note: It is important to note that sales of alcoholic or carbonated beverages sold for a separate price are subject to
sales tax. If such beverages are included in the price of the meal (single price) and the sale meets the requirement of the
exemption, the beverage is regarded as part of the exempt sale of the meal.
1 Includes religious organizations; charitable organizations such as Red Cross, Salvation Army, nonprofit schools and
hospitals, medical assistance and research groups; organizations operated for educational, scientific, or literary purposes
including nonprofit museums, art galleries, and performing arts groups; organizations operated for the protection
of children or animals; fraternal lodges if the property is used for charitable purposes; and U.S., this state or political
subdivisions thereof.
2 Once the gift certificate is redeemed, it will be considered the same as cash; thus, the retail selling price of the goods
must be included in the taxable gross receipts of the bait shop.
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Taxable sales of meals
When your organization serves meals that do not qualify for the exemption described above, sales tax applies as
described in Food and Meals. Examples of sales of meals that do not qualify for the exemption include:
• Serving meals at an event you do not make a profit on the proceeds (meals are free or sold at or below your cost).
These sales do not qualify for the exemption because they are not for fundraising.
• Selling meals at church retreats or church camps, or at year-round cafes that are open to the public. These sales do
not qualify for the exemption because they do not occur at a social or other gathering, nor are the meals served for
the specific purpose of raising revenue.
In addition, the sale of “edible nonfood items” at an event where tax-exempt meals are served may be taxable. For
example, tax would apply to your sales of alcoholic or carbonated beverages for a separate price.
Purchases of meals
Religious organizations are the retailers of meals even when the sale of the meal is tax-exempt. Your organization may
purchase meals without paying sales tax from a restaurant, hotel, caterer, or other supplier by issuing that business a resale
certificate at the time of purchase (see Using a resale certificate). You may use resale certificates to buy meals that you resell.
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Social Clubs and Fraternal Organizations
“Social clubs” and “fraternal organizations” include any corporation, partnership, association, or group acting as a unit, such
as service clubs, lodges, and community, country, or athletic clubs. This section focuses on the limited sales tax exemption
available to these organizations. You may also need to read Food and Meals, for information on food and meal sales that are
not covered by that limited tax exemption. More information on sales of food and meals is found in publication 22, Dining and
Beverage Industry.
Permit and tax requirements (in general)
Permit requirements
Social clubs and fraternal organizations that make sales must hold a seller’s permit and file sales and use tax returns.
Please see Registration Requirements and Collecting and Paying Tax for more information on seller’s permits and tax
reporting requirements.
General tax requirements
Except for sales that qualify as tax-exempt under the meal exemption described in this section, your sales of goods and
merchandise are generally taxable. This is true whether you buy the merchandise, make it, or receive it as a donation
from an individual or a business. Organizations that sell nonfood items at fundraising events, such as auctions, festivals,
firework stands, bazaars, swap meets, or craft shows are considered retailers and their sales are subject to sales tax.
Sales of food and beverages
Meals, food, and beverages furnished by social clubs or fraternal organizations
Tax applies to your group’s sales of meals, food, and drinks in the same way it does to sales by other businesses unless
both of the following conditions apply:
• You sell meals, food, and beverages exclusively to your members. Items paid for by members but consumed by guests
are considered sold to members.
• You make these sales less than once a week.
Example : Your fraternal organization sells meals and drinks only to your members at a monthly dinner. You make
no other food or beverage sales. Tax would not apply to the proceeds from your monthly dinner sales. However, if
nonmembers attend even one of your dinners and pay for their own food or drinks, all of your food and drink income
from all dinners is taxable. The member must pay for the guest(s) meal for the exemption to apply.
Exception: Meals served to your members by a restaurant are generally taxable. See Food served by a restaurant, below.
Food served by a caterer
A caterer is a person in the business of serving meals, food, or drinks on premises owned or supplied by a customer,
including premises leased by the customer from a person other than the caterer.
Sales of meals to social clubs and fraternal organizations are sales for resale if the social club or fraternal organization is
the retailer of the meal. You may issue the caterer a resale certificate and report the sales of meals on your sales and use
tax return. Meals served by a caterer, where the social club or fraternal organization is the retailer, are subject to tax unless
the criteria noted in the previous section are met.
Food served by a restaurant
Tax applies to a restaurant’s sales of meals to social or fraternal organizations in the same way it does to sales to any other
customers. This is true regardless of the frequency of the meals or whether the meals are served to the organization’s
members. However, if the meals are served at a location other than the restaurant, the restaurant is acting as a caterer and
tax applies as explained in the previous section.
Donations of merchandise and goods
Generally, items withdrawn from a seller’s inventory that are not resold are subject to use tax. However, items
withdrawn from a seller’s inventory and donated to fraternal organizations are not subject to use tax if the donated
items are to be used for charitable purposes and not for the benefit of the members. This exemption does not apply to
social organizations unless they are an organization described in section 170(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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Merchandise or goods donated by a donor who paid sales tax or use tax at the time of purchase does not qualify for this
exemption. This is true even if the donated items are resold by the fraternal organization and the fraternal organization
must charge sales tax when they sell it.
Donations of gift cards, gift certificates, checks, cash, or services are not subject to sales tax since there is not an exchange
of merchandise or goods. Donations of services and gift cards are not considered taxable regardless of the person
donating, buying, or using them.
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Schools, Parent-Teacher Associations, Children’s Organizations,
Youth Organizations, and Children’s Clothing
This section provides information on sales and use tax issues for schools, parent cooperative nursery schools, parent-
teacher associations, children’s organizations, and youth organizations.
Permit and tax requirements (in general)
Permit requirements
The organizations described in this section may be consumers of items they sell rather than retailers. If the organization
meets certain requirements, as a consumer, your organization is not required to hold California seller’s permits or
pay tax on their sales. However, some of the organizations are consumers for certain types of sales and retailers for
others. Retailers must hold a seller’s permit and file sales and use tax returns. Please see Registration Requirements and
Collecting and Paying Tax for more information on seller’s permits and tax reporting requirements.
Before you apply for a permit, please read the rest of this section to determine whether any part of your organization is
considered a retailer or a consumer regarding the sales it makes.
General tax requirements
When you are the consumer of items you sell, you should pay tax to your supplier when you buy those items. You cannot
legally buy the items for resale using a resale certificate. When you are a retailer, tax applies to your sales whether the
items you sell are things that you buy, make, or receive as a donation from an individual or a business. You may buy items
without paying tax by issuing a resale certificate if you will resell the goods or merchandise in your normal sales activities
(see Using a resale certificate).
Schools
Meal and food sales
Tax does not generally apply to sales of meals, as defined in subdivision (k)(1)(B) of Regulation 1603, to school students, for
an established single price, when the sales are made at a time set aside for meals, and by public or private schools, school
districts, student organizations, parent-teacher associations, a blind person operating a restaurant, vending machine,
or a vending stand in an educational institution (as specified in Regulation 1603). The term “meal”, as it applies to sales
to school students, includes both food and nonfood products (such as carbonated drinks), which are sold together for
an established single price. A meal does not include nonfood products which are sold to students for a separate price.
Products sold at a time designated as nutrition breaks, recesses, or similar breaks are not considered meals. In addition,
tax does not apply to individual sales of food products that are sold to school students.
The following food sales at schools are taxable:
• Sales of edible nonfood products—such as carbonated beverages—unless the products are sold as part of a meal.
• Sales of food to students and nonstudents in a place where admission is charged—such as an athletic event—even
when the event is held at a school.
• Sales of meals and food products to nonstudents.
Sales made by caterers are subject to tax unless:
• The premises used by the caterer to serve the lunches to the students are used by the school for other purposes such
as sporting events and other activities during the remainder of the day;
• The fixtures and equipment used by the caterer are owned and maintained by the school; and
• The students purchasing the meals cannot distinguish the caterer from the employees of the school.
Yearbooks and catalogs distributed to students
A public or private school, school district, student organization, or county office of education is considered the
consumer of yearbooks and catalogs it sells. The yearbooks or catalogs must be prepared for or by the school, district, or
organization and distributed to students. There is no restriction on how the profits may be used.
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Donations of merchandise and goods
Generally, items withdrawn from a seller’s inventory that are not resold are subject to use tax. However, items withdrawn
from a seller’s inventory and donated to a nonprofit school are not subject to use tax.
Merchandise or goods donated by a donor who paid sales tax or use tax at time of purchase does not qualify for this
exemption. This is true even if the donated items are resold by the organization, and the organization must charge sales
tax when they sell it.
Donations of gift cards, gift certificates, checks, cash, or services are not subject to sales tax since there is not an exchange
of merchandise or goods. Donations of services and gift cards are not considered taxable regardless of the person
donating, buying, or using them.
Loans to schools
Certain loans by retailers are exempt from use tax, including:
• Loans of items to a school district for a district educational program.
• Loans of motor vehicles to be used exclusively in driver training programs by accredited private or parochial
secondary schools. The driver training program must be approved by the State Department of Education as a
regularly conducted course of study.
• Loans of motor vehicles to the California State University or the University of California for exclusive use in an
approved driver education program conducted by the university.
Donations of children’s new clothing
Effective January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2013, if your charitable nonprofit organization distributes new clothing to
individuals under 18 years of age, at no charge, to assist those in financial need, you are not required to pay sales tax or use
tax on the purchase or use of the clothing. To qualify for this exemption, your organization must be organized for charitable
purposes and exempt from state income tax under Revenue and Taxation Code section 23701d or 23701f. Nonprofit
organizations are no longer required to be engaged in relieving poverty or distress to qualify for this exemption.
Prior to January 1, 2008, if your charitable nonprofit organization distributed new clothing to elementary school children at no
charge, to assist those in financial need, you were not required to pay sales tax or use tax on the purchase or use of the clothing.
To qualify for the exemption, your organization must be organized for charitable purposes, engaged in relieving poverty or
distress, and exempt from state income tax under Revenue and Taxation Code section 23701d.
Parent cooperative nursery schools
Nonprofit parent cooperative nursery school associations are considered consumers of property they sell, provided the
resulting profits are used exclusively to advance the organization’s purpose.
Nonprofit parent-teacher associations
Nonprofit Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) chartered by the California Congress of PTAs, incorporated and equivalent
organizations authorized by school authorities to perform the same type of service for public or private schools are
considered to be consumers of products they sell. The profits from the sale must be used exclusively to further the
organization’s purpose.
Important: Connection with a school does not automatically make a group equivalent to a chartered PTA. To be
considered equivalent, your group must meet all of the following conditions:
• It is a nonprofit organization that includes parents.
• The group’s objectives include enhancing the welfare of all of the students in the school and developing better
communication between parents and school authorities. (Groups such as athletic booster clubs, whose efforts are directed
toward a select group of students rather than all students, are not considered PTA-equivalent organizations.)
• The group is authorized to operate in the school by the school’s governing authority.
• The profits from the group’s sales are used exclusively to advance the group’s purpose.
If your group meets these qualifications or is a chartered PTA, you are the consumer of products you sell provided your
group uses the profits from the sales only to advance your organization’s purpose. Your organization is generally not
required to hold a California seller’s permit or file sales and use tax returns.
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Although your organization’s sales may not be taxable, your purchases generally are taxable and you cannot issue resale
certificates to buy merchandise tax-free. Since businesses that sell to your organization generally must pay tax on their
sales to your organization, you can expect to pay an amount for tax when you buy merchandise unless the sale qualifies
for a specific exemption or exclusion. If you work with a fundraiser company or similar supplier, different regulations may
apply—please see Sales That Involve Fundraiser Companies.
Nonprofit youth organizations
Retailers
Youth groups that sell merchandise such as t-shirts, wrapping paper, mugs, and other items, are generally retailers of those
products. Sales of these items are taxable and your group must obtain a seller’s permit and file sales and use tax returns.
Please see Registration Requirements and Collecting and Paying Tax. Your group may need a permanent seller’s permit.
Consumers
Qualifying requirements
Specific types of nonprofit youth organizations may qualify as consumers in certain situations. To qualify as a consumer,
your group must be one of the following:
• A nonprofit organization that qualifies for tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c). Your primary
purpose must be to provide a supervised program of competitive sports for youth or to promote good youth citizenship.
The group must not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, nationality, or religion.
• A youth group or club sponsored by or affiliated with a “qualified educational institution.” This includes, but is not limited to,
student activity groups such as debating teams, swimming teams, bands, and choirs. Most public and private schools are
qualified educational institutions. Qualified educational institutions do not include schools that discriminate on the basis of
race, sex, nationality, or religion. Youth organizations affiliated with them do not qualify for the tax exemption.
If your youth group does not meet the requirements listed above, it is generally considered the retailer of products it sells
and may need a seller’s permit. Please see Registration Requirements.
Qualifying sales
If your group qualifies as described above, you are a consumer when you do all of the following:
• Sell food products, nonalcoholic beverages, or items made by members of your organization.
• Make sales on an irregular or intermittent basis. Sales made in storefront or mobile retail outlets that normally require
local business licenses do not qualify as intermittent or irregular sales.
• Use the profits from your sale only to advance your organization’s purpose.
As a consumer, you do not owe tax on your sales, however, your purchases are generally taxable and you cannot issue
resale certificates to your suppliers (see Taxable purchases). Since your suppliers will generally owe tax when they sell
you merchandise, you can expect them to collect tax on your purchases. If you work with a fundraiser company or similar
supplier, different regulations may apply—please see Sales That Involve Fundraiser Companies for details.
For more information, please see Regulation 1597, Property Transferred or Sold by Certain Nonprofit Organizations.
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Organizations That Provide Human Services and Goods Related
to Medical or Health Information, Disabilities, HIV/AIDS, Nutrition,
and Homelessness
This section focuses on the limited tax exemptions available to certain organizations that provide community health and
human services. If your organization’s sales are not covered by those specific exemptions, be sure to read the other sections
of this publication that may apply to you.
Permit and tax requirements (in general)
Permit requirements
Please see Registration Requirements and Collecting and Paying Tax for more information on seller’s permits and tax
reporting requirements.
General tax requirements
Unless they qualify as tax-exempt under the exemptions described in this section, your sales of merchandise are generally
taxable. This is true whether you buy the merchandise, make it, or receive it as a donation from an individual or a business.
Organizations that sell nonfood items at fundraising events, such as auctions, festivals, firework stands, bazaars, swap meets,
or craft shows, are considered retailers and sales tax is due on their sales. Please see Collecting and Paying Tax for more
information on tax reporting requirements.
Medical health information literature or health and safety materials
Qualifying organizations
If your charitable organization’s local office distributes medical health information literature, you are not required to pay
use tax on the purchase, storage, or other use of that literature, provided you meet all of these conditions:
• You purchase the literature from your organization’s national or branch office.
• Your organization is formed and operated for charitable purposes.
• Your organization qualifies for the welfare exemption from property taxation under Revenue and Taxation Code section 214.
This exemption also applies to your purchase, storage, or distribution of health and safety educational materials you
routinely sell in connection with health and safety and first aid classes. To qualify for the exemption on materials you sell,
your national organization must routinely distribute health and safety information and meet all the conditions listed
above. However, your other sales of medical health information or health and safety materials are generally taxable.
Example : You operate the local office of a national nonprofit charitable organization that distributes health and
safety materials to the public. As part of your activities, you conduct cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes. You
purchase textbooks from your national or branch office and provide them to CPR students. Your textbook purchases
would not be taxable. However, if you also sell health booklets you purchase from other sources, your sales of those
booklets would be taxable.
Medical identification tags
People wear medical identification tags to alert others that they have a medical disability or allergic reaction to certain
treatments. A nonprofit organization’s sale, storage, or other use of those tags is exempt from sales and use tax provided
the organization is exempt from state income taxes under Revenue and Taxation Code section 23701.
Thrift stores benefiting individuals with HIV or AIDS
Legislation has extended the sunset date until January 1, 2029, for the sales tax exemption for thrift stores, the proceeds
of which benefit individuals with HIV or AIDS. Therefore, through December 31, 2028, tax does not apply to certain thrift
stores’ sales of used clothing, household items, or other retail merchandise. A nonprofit organization must operate the
thrift store to raise funds that will be used to provide medical, hospice, or social services for individuals chronically ill with
HIV or AIDS.
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The organization operating the thrift store must:
• Spend at least 75 percent of the store’s net income on providing the medical, hospice, or social services for
individuals with HIV or AIDS, and
• Be exempt from state income tax under section 23701d of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
If you believe that your organization’s sales qualify for this tax exemption, you may ask us to review your eligibility. If you
qualify, we’ll provide your organization with a verification letter. Please send your request to:
Compliance Policy Unit, MIC:40
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
PO Box 942879
Sacramento, CA 94279-0040
Please provide the following information with your request:
• A letter signed by an officer of your organization describing the organization’s activities and certifying that it meets
the requirements for the exemption described above.
• A letter from the California Franchise Tax Board verifying your organization’s exempt status under Revenue and
Taxation Code section 23701d.
• A list of the types of merchandise your organization will sell.
Organizations providing services to people with developmental disabilities or children with
severe emotional disturbances
Under certain circumstances, organizations whose primary purpose is to provide services to individuals with
developmental disabilities or children with severe emotional disturbances are considered consumers of items they sell.
The organization must:
• Be tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3).
• Not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, nationality, or religion.
In addition, all of the following conditions must be met:
• The items sold are handcrafted or artistic and designed, created, or made by individuals with developmental
disabilities or children with severe emotional disturbances. Those individuals must be members of your organization
or receive services from it.
• Each item sells for $20 or less.
• Your organization makes sales on an irregular or intermittent basis.
• You use the profits from your sales exclusively to advance your organization’s purpose.
Tax applies to your organization’s purchases of materials and supplies for use in making the items you sell. You cannot
buy materials and supplies for resale using a resale certificate (see Using a resale certificate).
Example: Your charitable, Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization provides educational
services and skills training for adults with developmental disabilities. Each year, participants in your programs make
holiday decorations you sell at an annual open house for $20 each. The profits are used to buy educational materials
for your classes. Your organization’s sales are not taxable.
Organizations and institutions that serve meals or food
Deliveries to the elderly and people with disabilities
Tax does not apply to the sale or use of meals by a nonprofit volunteer home-delivery organization that delivers meals to
homebound elderly people or people with disabilities.
Meals or food served to low-income elderly people
Sales tax does not apply to meals served to low-income elderly people by a nonprofit organization when both of the
following conditions are met:
• The meals or food are served at or below the organization’s cost.
• The meals are provided under a state-financed or federally-financed program.
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Meals served to patients or residents of institutions
Sales of meals and food products to residents or patients of certain institutions are exempt from sales tax. These facilities
include:
• Qualified health care facilities.
• Qualified community care facilities.
• Qualified residential care facilities for the elderly.
• Qualified alcoholism recovery, drug recovery, or drug treatment facilities.
• Any house or institution financed by state or federal programs that (1) serves as a principal residence exclusively for
people age 62 or older, and (2) supplies room and board for a flat monthly rate.
In addition, sales tax does not apply to those institutions’ purchases of food products, meals, and nonreusable items that
become parts of meals or food products such as straws, paper napkins, and carbonated beverages. The meals or food
products must be furnished or served to patients or residents.
For more information on qualifying institutions, please see Regulation 1503, Hospitals and Other Medical Service Facilities,
Institutions and Homes for the Care of Persons.
Homeless shelters and related organizations
Homeless shelter operators
Nonprofit organizations operating homeless shelters may qualify for an exemption from sales and use tax. See
Charitable Organizations That Relieve Poverty and Distress.
Auctions to benefit homeless shelters
Auction sales made to benefit a homeless shelter are exempt from tax when the auction is conducted by or affiliated with
a nonprofit organization and all three conditions below are met:
• The funds raised in the auction are spent to benefit the homeless shelter and homeless people.
• The organization is exempt from state income tax under Revenue and Taxation Code section 23701d.
• The organization conducts only one such auction during any 12-month period.
Volunteer Fire Departments
General tax requirements
From January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2020, qualified all-volunteer fire departments are no longer required
to report sales tax, have a seller’s permit, or file sales tax returns for the sale of tangible personal property, including
clothing and hot prepared food products, when the profits are used to further the department’s purposes. Instead, your
all-volunteer fire department may be considered the consumer of items sold. As a consumer, you cannot issue a resale
certificate for the purchase of items you will be reselling in your fundraising. You will need to pay sales or use tax on the
purchase of these items.
To qualify, an “all-volunteer fire department” must meet all of the following requirements:
• Not pay members a regular salary, but may pay members hourly or per incident;
• Have as its purpose the protection of lives, property, and environment within a designated geographical area from
fire, disasters, and emergency incidents;
• Be regularly organized for volunteer fire department purposes;
• Qualify as a tax exempt nonprofit organization, and
• Not have gross receipts of more than $100,000 in each of the two prior calendar years.
How do I obtain more information?
For more information, please call our Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711), Monday through Friday from
7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific time), except state holidays.
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Organizations that construct military and veteran medical facilities
Beginning January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2024, Revenue and Taxation Code section 6369.7 provides for a sales
and use tax exemption on the sale and use of building materials and supplies purchased by a qualified person for use by
that qualified person in the construction of a qualified facility.
A qualified person is either or both of the following:
• A “qualified nonprofit organization,” which means an organization exempt from taxation under section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that constructs a “qualified facility” as a gift to the United States Department of
Defense (USDOD), pursuant to section 2601 of Title 10 of the United States Code or the United States Department of
Veterans Affairs (USDVA), pursuant to section 8301 of Title 38 of the United States Code; or
• A contractor, sub-contractor, or builder working under contract with a “qualified nonprofit organization” to construct
a “qualified facility.”
A “qualified facility” is either:
• A medical facility, or a temporary residential facility for families of patients receiving care, including either or both
inpatient and outpatient care, at a medical facility, located on a United States military base in California; or
• A USDVA medical center, or a temporary residential facility for families of patients receiving care at or as part of a
USDVA medical center, located in California.
Building materials and supplies that may be purchased under this exemption include any machinery, equipment,
materials, accessories, appliances, contrivances, furniture, fixtures, and all technical equipment or other tangible personal
property of any other nature or description that meet all of the following:
• Are necessary to construct and equip a qualified facility.
• Become part of the completed qualified facility.
• Are transferred to the USDOD or USDVA as a gift, as specified.
The exemption does not apply to purchases of tools or other construction equipment that are not specified above and
meet the three listed criteria.
This exemption from tax only applies to sales and purchases made after the date the USDOD or USDVA accepts the
qualified nonprofit organization’s offer to construct the qualified facility and on or before the date the USDOD or USDVA
accepts the qualified facility.
If you are a qualified nonprofit organization constructing a qualified facility, you may issue CDTFA-230-C-2, Exemption
Certificate for Property Used in the Construction of a Qualified Facility, to your vendors for your qualifying purchases of
building materials and supplies.
A purchaser who issues an exemption certificate for its purchases made pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code section
6369.7, and who subsequently uses the items purchased in a manner not qualifying for the exemption, will be liable for
the payment of tax (calculated on the sales price of the property), plus any applicable interest.
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Specific Sales Activities
Food and Meals
This section is a general guide for applying tax to sales of food and meals. It is not intended for organizations that are
considered consumers of items they sell and is not a detailed explanation of all circumstances affecting food sales. Be
sure to also read the portions of the prior sections that may apply to your specific kind of organization. If after reading
this publication, you have questions regarding how to apply tax to the sale of food at your particular event, please call
our Customer Service Center 1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711). Customer service representatives are available Monday through
Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific time), except state holidays.
Food sales (in general)
The sale of food can be tax-exempt or taxable, depending on:
• The type of food,
• The circumstances under which the food is sold, and
• Who makes the sale.
However, the source of the food does not affect how tax applies—the same rules apply whether the food is purchased,
donated to you, or homemade.
Special exemptions for the sale or use of meals and food products
Some nonprofit organizations qualify for special exemptions from sales or use tax on meals and food products. For more
information, see the sections referenced in the list below.
Sales or use tax exemptions may be available for meals and/or food that are:
• Served to low-income elderly people. See Organizations and institutions that serve meals or food.
• Delivered to elderly people and people with disabilities. See Organizations and institutions that serve meals or food.
• Sold at schools. See Schools.
• Furnished or served by religious organizations. See Meals furnished or served by religious organizations.
• Furnished by social clubs and fraternal organizations. See Sales of food and beverages.
• Sold by nonprofit veterans’ organizations. See Meals served by nonprofit veterans’ organizations.
• Served to patients or residents of “institutions.” See Organizations and institutions that serve meals or food.
• Sold by nonprofit youth organizations. See Nonprofit youth organizations.
If your organization’s food-related activity isn’t listed above, your sale of food or meals may be taxable. The next section
“Sales of food at fundraising events” discusses how tax generally applies to various event sales. If you have an ongoing
food sales operation, such as a café or restaurant, please refer to publication 22, Dining and Beverage Industry.
Sales of food at fundraising events
The circumstances under which you sell food at fundraising events affect whether your sales are taxable. The chart and
the following sections describe certain general rules for those food sales. They will help you understand how to apply tax
to common fundraising situations such as bake sales, fundraising dinners, and other events. Be sure to read the sections
that apply to your nonprofit organization rather than rely on this table alone.
General rules for applying sales tax to food sold at events
Please note: This table does not apply to nonprofit organizations covered by the exemptions listed previously in this
section, to restaurant sales, or to vending machine sales (see Vending Machines).
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Sales of food “to go”
Type of food Is sale usually taxable? See
Cold food (candy,
No. Exception: Tax applies to the sale of cold food when
snack food, Combination packages
it is part of a hot food combination package.
produce, etc.)
No. Exception : Tax applies to the sale of alcoholic,
Cold beverages carbonated beverages and cold beverages sold in hot Combination packages
food combination packages.
Yes. Exception: Tax does not apply to sales of individual
Hot prepared food Hot prepared foods
hot drinks or bakery goods sold for a separate price.
Combination Yes. Application of tax depends on contents of
Combination packages
packages package.
Sales of food for consumption on-site
Type of sale,
Is sale usually taxable? See
location
Food sold where Yes. Exception: Food sold in a form or size that buyers
admission is would not ordinarily eat on-site. For example, the sale Sales of food for consumption on-site
charged of a whole pie.
Food sold where Yes. Exception: Food sold in a form or size that buyers
dining facilities are would not ordinarily eat on-site. For example, the sale Where dining facilities are provided
provided of a whole pie.
Meals served at
fundraising events Yes. Meals served at fundraising events
Sales of food “to go”
The information in this section does not apply to your organization’s sales of food in places where admission is charged or
where “dining facilities” are provided for your customers. (Dining facilities include tables, chairs, benches, counters, plates
and glasses, etc.) For information on those types of sales, see Sales of food for consumption on-site.
Cold food products
Sales of “cold food products” such as produce, candy, cold sandwiches, baked goods, ice cream, and snack foods are
generally not taxable (for exceptions, see Combination packages). However, certain vending machine sales of candy and
other food products are partially taxable (see Vending Machines for more information on vending machine sales).
Cold beverages
Sales of alcoholic beverages are taxable. Sales of carbonated beverages—including carbonated bottled water—are also
taxable. “To go” sales of noncarbonated and noneffervescent bottled water and juice are not taxable
(see Combination packages). Special rules for hot beverages are discussed under Hot prepared foods, below.
Hot prepared foods
Sales of “hot prepared food products” are taxable. This includes food products, items, components, or beverages heated
for sale and sold at any temperature higher than the air temperature of their sales location. Examples include hot pizza,
hot nuts, hot barbecued chicken, hot sandwiches, and hot soup. Sales of food prepared to be served hot are taxable even
if the food has cooled by the time it is served.
Hot bakery goods, hot coffee, and other hot beverages are considered hot prepared food products. However, the sale
of individual hot bakery items or drinks “to go” for a separate price is tax-exempt unless the items are sold through a
vending machine for more than 15 cents or as part of a combination package.
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Combination packages
Combination packages are two or more items sold together for one price. The application of tax will vary depending on
the type of combination package sold.
Contents of combination packages How tax applies
A. A hot prepared food item or hot drink and any
other food item.
Full price is taxable.
Examples : Hot coffee and a pastry; hot sandwich
and a cold drink.
B. All cold food Not taxable.
C. Carbonated or alcoholic drink and at least one
cold food item. The portion of the selling price that
represents the charge for the carbonated or
Example: Cold sandwich, chips, a cookie, and a alcoholic drink is taxable.
carbonated drink.
Examples:
A. Hot coffee and pastry sold together for $3.50. The full $3.50 price is taxable.
B. Cold sandwich sold with a cookie and chips for $5.75. The sale is not taxable.
C. Cold sandwich package in B. sold with a carbonated soft drink for $6.00, with the soft drink normally priced at
$1.00. Tax applies to $1.00.
Sales of food for consumption on-site
Sales of food for consumption at certain events and locations are generally taxable, even if the sale of the same food
product would be tax-exempt when sold “to go.” This section explains how tax applies to the sale of food intended to
be eaten on-site, but it is not a guide to restaurant sales. For information on restaurant sales, please see publication 22,
Dining and Beverage Industry.
Where admission is charged
Sales of food, meals, or beverages are generally taxable when the food product is sold ready to eat within a place where
admission is charged, such as a concert, a play, a football game, or a similar location.
Example : If you sell juice and sandwiches at a dog show where spectators have paid $5.00 for admission, your food
sales are taxable.
However, sales of food products that would not ordinarily be eaten on the premises—such as jars of pickles, whole
cakes or pies, or a canned ham—are not taxable. If you make sales of this type, be sure to keep good records that clearly
indicate the type of products you sold (see Recordkeeping).
Exceptions: Certain locations are not covered by this general rule:
• National and state parks, marinas, campgrounds, and recreational vehicle parks.
• Places where admission is based on membership dues or use of a student body card, and places where spectators
are admitted free—such as bowling alleys and golf courses—are not considered to be places where admission is
charged.
• Meals served by religious organizations at a social event or other gathering when the purpose of serving or
furnishing the meals is to obtain revenue for the functions of the organization and the proceeds are actually used
in carrying out such functions. A clear separation of charges must be made on the ticket if the admission covers a
taxable event, such as wine tasting.
Where dining facilities are provided
Sales of food, meals, or beverages are generally taxable when sold ready to eat at a location where your organization
provides any of the following:
• Tables, chairs, or counters for dining.
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• Trays, glasses, dishes, or other tableware for your customers’ use.
Example: Your organization sells ice cream sundaes at a free community fair where tables and chairs are available for
use by your customers. Your sales are taxable.
However, if you sell food products that would not ordinarily be eaten on-site— such as jars of jam, whole pies, or
packages of cookie dough—those sales are not taxable. If you make sales of this type, be sure to keep good records that
clearly indicate the type of products you sold (see Recordkeeping).
Special events involving food, meals, or refreshments
Special considerations for ticket pricing
Special events sponsored by your organization may include both taxable and nontaxable activities. Consequently, your
organization should be especially careful when providing food, drinks, prizes, admission to entertainment, etc., for a
single amount designated as a donation. Generally, if you charge a single donation for a fundraising event involving
taxable sales, the entire ticket charge will be taxable unless you do both of the following:
• List the taxable charges separately on the event tickets.
• Keep separate records of taxable and nontaxable charges.
Example: You hold a fundraising dinner, where the $75 ticket price includes dinner and drinks (that are taxable—
see below) and entertainment (that is not taxable). If your tickets list only one price, that full amount is taxable.
However, if the tickets state “Ticket price includes $35 for dinner and drinks” and your event income records reflect
this breakdown, tax would apply only to the $35 charge for dinner and drinks.
Please note: When your organization is not responsible for reporting and paying the tax for sales of meals at a
fundraising dinner or other event (as explained in the next section) you do not need to separate charges in this
manner.
Amounts you receive from tickets sold, but not used, are not taxable. You should keep records that show the difference
between any advance sales you make and the number of tickets actually turned in at your event.
Meals served at fundraising events
When your organization serves the meals
Tax generally applies to charges for drinks, food, and meals included in the ticket price of fundraising dinners or special
events. The business or organization that serves the meals at a fundraising event is responsible for reporting the taxable
sales and paying the tax due. If your organization serves the meals at your event, you are liable for the tax. This is true
whether the meals are furnished by members of your organization, purchased, or donated to you. Tax is due based on the
ticket price for the meal. As noted in the previous section, if the charge for the meal is not separately listed on the event
ticket, the entire ticket price is taxable.
When another business or organization serves the meals
If your organization contracts with someone else to serve the meals at your event, you generally are not responsible for
paying tax on your ticket sales. Instead, the business that serves the meals must report the sale of the meals and pay the
tax due, based on the amount they charge you.
For example, your organization might contract with a restaurant or hotel to provide and serve meals for a certain price.
The food server would be liable for the sales tax, based on the amount the server charged you for the meals.
Example : Your organization holds a fundraising dinner at the ballroom of a hotel with ticket prices of $100 each that
covers a meal, drinks, and entertainment. You contract with the hotel to provide and serve the meals and drinks for
$25 per person. Since the hotel serves the meals, it must pay sales tax based on the amount it charges you for the
meals and drinks ($25 each). Your organization does not owe tax on your ticket sales.
Refreshments served at event but not mentioned on the event tickets
If your tickets do not mention refreshments, and you serve only an insignificant amount of food or drink at your event,
your ticket sales are not taxable. For example, if you hold a Meet-the-Candidates Night and serve only coffee and tea, tax
would not apply to your income from ticket sales.
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It may be difficult to determine whether the amount of food you serve at an event would be considered insignificant or
whether it is a significant enough part of the event to become a taxable sale. If you have questions, you may want to write
us and ask for written tax advice before you hold your event, or you can call our Customer Service Center for assistance at
1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711).
Purchases of supplies and nonfood products
Tax applies to your purchases of items such as disposable plates, napkins, utensils, cups, and nonfood products such
as carbonated or alcoholic beverages. However, if you intend to resell these items, you may purchase them tax-free by
issuing a resale certificate to the seller when making your purchase (see Using a resale certificate).
However, if you do not buy these items for resale and you pay tax to your supplier, you may be able to take a deduction
on your sales and use tax return. The deduction would reduce the amount of your total taxable sales based on the cost
of the tax-paid purchases. You must use the items for one of the taxable activities covered by the sales or ticket proceeds
from your event.
For example, your organization might pay sales tax to a vendor when it buys paper plates on which to serve taxable
meals at a fundraising breakfast. In that case, you could take a deduction for the cost of the tax-paid plates. You would
take the deduction under “Tax-Paid Purchases Resold Prior to Use” on your sales and use tax return. You must claim the
deduction on the same return on which you report the full, taxable gross receipts from the breakfast sales. Taking the
deduction does not change the amount you report as total sales for the event. However, if the meals you provide are
exempt from sales tax, and you are considered the consumer of the meals and not the retailer, then you would owe tax
on the cost of the supply items, and are not entitled to a tax-paid purchases resold deduction.
Recordkeeping
Whenever you sell food for fundraising, your records must indicate the type of food and the location of the sale. If you
make tax-exempt sales of food “to go,” your records should state that you did not provide dining facilities for your customers
or that you were selling products not suitable for consumption on site (see Sales of food for consumption on-site and
Where dining facilities are provided).
If you claim a tax exemption for sales of food products in a form or size not suitable for consumption on site, your
records should:
• Indicate that the food products would ordinarily not be consumed on the premises, and
• If applicable, separately list income for sales of these “to go” food items from income for your sales of food to be eaten
on site. Make the separation in your sales records, cash register tapes, or a similar record that we can verify by audit.
For example, you might sell pie slices and whole pies at a fair that charges admission. While you could use one cash
box for all sales, you should retain sales receipts for all nontaxable whole pie sales.
Your records must provide sufficient detail to back up your claim that any sales are tax-exempt.
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| Vending Machines For information on vending machine sales at schools, see Schools. The information in this section supplements the organization-specific information found in the first section of this publication. If there is information in that section that applies to your specific type of organization, be sure to read that section first. Vending machine sales are generally taxable Sales tax generally applies to vending machine sales, including sales of toys, snack foods, hot food products, and carbonated drinks. However, items considered food (including hot drinks “to go”) when sold in a vending machine are taxed at 33 percent of their selling price. Also, some organizations are consumers for all of their vending machine sales, while other organizations are consumers for only some of their vending machine sales. Operator owes the tax The operator of the vending machine is responsible to report and pay the tax. If your nonprofit organization stocks the machine and collects the money from it, you are the operator and responsible for the sales tax. If an outside company stocks the machine and collects the money, then pays you a portion of the profits, that company must report and pay the tax due. Some organizations are consumers Certain nonprofit organizations are considered to be the consumers of all products they sell through vending machines, regardless of price. If you are a consumer of nonfood products sold through the vending machine, tax applies to your purchases of those items, but not to your sales. The organizations include: • Nonprofit parent-teacher associations and equivalent organizations. • Nonprofit organizations commonly called Friends of the Library and equivalent organizations. • Nonprofit parent cooperative nursery schools. For more information on these organizations, see Nonprofit organizations assisting museums: rummage sales, and Schools, Parent-Teacher Associations, Children’s Organizations, Youth Organizations, and Children’s Clothing. In addition, nonprofit, educational, or charitable organizations other than those listed above are considered consumers of the following items they sell in a vending machine: • Items sold for 15 cents or less. • Unsorted cold food products (other than beverages), sold in bulk and priced at 25 cents or less, such as loose candies. More information Please see Regulation 1574, Vending Machine Operators, or publication 118, Vending Machine Food Sales. For information on seller’s permits and tax reporting requirements, please see Registration Requirements and Collecting and Paying Tax. 30 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS JANUARY|2023 |
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Newspapers and Periodicals
Nonprofit organizations commonly distribute newspapers, newsletters, and periodicals to the public and their members,
and they may sell periodicals, too. This section provides general information on the application of sales and use tax to
these kinds of publications. Please remember that this section addresses the general tax rules that apply. If there is a
section that applies to your specific type of organization, be sure to read that section first.
What is a newspaper or periodical?
For sales and use tax purposes, a publication qualifies as a newspaper or periodical if you publish different issues at least
four times a year. Books, annual reports, journals, special reports, and other publications that are published less than
four times a year do not qualify for the special tax exemptions discussed in this section. The sale of those publications is
taxable unless your organization qualifies for the special exemptions described earlier in this publication.
Specific exemptions from tax
Types of exemption (in general)
An organization’s sale of newspapers and periodicals (including newsletters) is generally taxable. However, tax does not
apply to the sale or use of these publications under the specific conditions explained in this section. The exemptions
apply to:
• Publications distributed at no charge (explained below).
• Certain periodicals sold by subscription (see Periodicals sold by subscription).
• Periodicals published by 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations only for their members or without
commercial advertising (see Periodicals published by nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations).
• Periodicals published by other nonprofit organizations for their members
(see Periodicals published by other nonprofit organizations for their members).
Important : Be sure to read the next sections for the specific requirements for each exemption.
Your periodical may fully or partially qualify for one of the exemptions listed above.
Sale of component parts to periodical publishers
Tax does not apply to the sale of component parts or ingredients of any periodical that will be sold. In addition, tax does
not apply to the sale of component parts or ingredients of certain periodicals that will be given away.
Component parts are the materials that become a physical part of the periodical, such as ink, paper, and binding. Fliers,
circulars, handbills, and similar items that are inserted in or attached to a qualifying publication are also considered
component parts. Businesses that make nontaxable sales of component parts to periodical publishers should obtain an
exemption certificate from the publisher.
Publications distributed without charge
Sales tax does not apply when you distribute periodicals (or any other publication) without charge. In addition, purchases
of component parts for periodicals you distribute without charge are not taxable, provided the publications:
• Are regularly published, and
• Average at least four issues a year.
If you distribute a publication that qualifies for this exemption, your supplier or printer should not charge you tax for
component parts when you provide the supplier or printer with an exemption certificate.
What does “without charge” mean?
Distributing a publication to people or businesses without asking for anything of value in exchange is clearly a
distribution without charge. Other cases may not be as clear-cut. For your publication to be considered distributed
without charge, you:
• May distribute the publication on a voluntary pay basis, meaning that while you request payment, you will give the
publication away for free.
• Must not distribute the publication to recipients in consideration of their membership dues or fees.
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Periodicals sold by subscription
The sale or use of a newspaper or other periodical by subscription is not taxable if both of the conditions listed below
apply. The periodical must be:
• Published from four to 60 times a year.
• Delivered by mail or common carrier.
If your periodical qualifies for this exemption, you do not owe sales tax on your subscription charges. In addition, you can
buy component parts for the periodical without paying an amount for tax to your supplier or printer. You will need to give
the printer or supplier an exemption certificate (see Specific exemptions from tax).
Periodicals published by nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations
If your organization qualifies for tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3), tax does not apply
to the sale or use of a newspaper or other periodical you distribute or to its component parts if either of the following
conditions apply:
• You distribute issues of the publication to your organization’s members in consideration, in whole or part, of their
membership dues.
• The publication does not generate revenue from or accept commercial advertising.
To qualify for the tax exemption, you must regularly publish the newspaper or periodical at average intervals of three
months or less.
Newspapers and periodicals distributed by government entities established and administered for the purposes provided
in Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) may also qualify for this tax exemption.
If your periodical qualifies for this exemption, you do not owe sales tax on the portion of any dues you receive that go
toward the newsletter or income from the sale of publications that do not contain advertising. In addition, you can buy
component parts for the periodical without paying an amount for tax to your supplier or printer. You will need to give the
supplier or printer an exemption certificate (see Specific exemptions from tax).
Periodicals published by other nonprofit organizations for their members
If your tax-exempt nonprofit organization’s publications or newsletters don’t qualify for one of the other tax exemptions
already discussed in this section, another tax exemption may apply. Tax does not apply to your use or distribution of a
publication if both of the following conditions are met:
• The publication is distributed to your organization’s members in whole or in part, in consideration of their
membership dues.
• The cost for printing the publication is less than ten percent of the membership fee for the period in which the
publication is distributed (please see Calculating your printing costs).
Example: Your organization, an Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(4) nonprofit group, prints and distributes a monthly
newsletter for its members. They receive the newsletter in consideration of their $25 annual membership dues. If the
printing cost of the newsletter is less than 20.8 cents per issue ($25 annual membership fee divided by 12 months x 10
percent = $0.208 or 20.8 cents), the publication and its component materials would be exempt from tax.
Common publication situations for nonprofit organizations
You can use the table below to determine how tax may apply to your 501(c)(3) organization’s newspapers, news letters,
and periodicals. Please note that the table assumes that your periodical is published at average intervals of three months
or less.
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Distributed to For a charge or free? Subject to tax?
Periodical without advertising revenue or commercial ads
Any recipient Either No
Periodical with advertising revenue or commercial ads
Members of your Charge included in membership No
organization only dues
Members: Charge included in
No
membership dues
Free No
Both members and
nonmembers Sales to nonmembers are taxable
Nonmembers: unless they qualify for the
For a charge
subscription sales exemption (see
Periodicals sold by subscription)
Yes, unless distributions qualify
for the subscription sales
For a charge
Nonmembers only exemption (see
Periodicals sold by subscription)
Free No
Calculating your printing costs
To determine your printing costs, you must include the cost of materials that become physical components of the
publication—ink and paper, for example— and the cost of printing labor. Printing labor includes printing, collating,
folding, binding, and other finishing work. It does not include prepress work such as camera work, plate preparation, film
or plate output, typography, layout, and electronic file preparation. If you claim this exemption, you must obtain and
keep documentation from your printer that shows the cost for the allowable charges separate from other charges.
If your organization does its own printing, you must include fringe benefits and payroll taxes in your labor cost. In
addition to costs for component materials, you must also include any other costs you incur for the actual printing of the
newspaper or periodical.
Using exemption certificates
If your publication qualifies for one of the exemptions described in this section, you should issue an exemption certificate
to your supplier or printer when you purchase component materials or have the publication printed. The document
should certify that your publication is not subject to sales or use tax. This allows your supplier or printer to charge you
for materials or printing without charging tax. Sample certificates can be found in Regulation 1590, Newspapers and
Periodicals.
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Sales That Involve Fundraiser Companies
Nonprofit organizations and volunteer groups often contract with fundraiser companies to help them raise money.
Whether your organization is responsible to report and pay sales tax depends on how the sales are handled.
Organization as a “sales agent,” permit not required
Generally, your organization’s members or representatives are considered agents of a fundraiser company when they
solicit orders, collect payments, and distribute merchandise for the company. In that situation, your organization is not
required to obtain a seller’s permit for those activities. The fundraiser company is responsible for reporting the sales and
paying any tax due, based on the retail selling price of the merchandise.
Please note: Special tax exemptions that apply to an organization’s sales generally do not extend to sales the organization
makes as the agent of a fundraiser company. The fundraiser company is responsible for the tax due on those sales.
Organization as a retailer must obtain seller’s permit
When working with a fundraiser company, your organization is considered to be a retailer when it buys and sells items for
its own account. You must obtain a seller’s permit and pay any tax due if your organization does all of the following:
• Executes a contract with the supplier clearly stating that your organization will purchase and resell merchandise.
• Solicits orders from the public in its own name.
• Collects the sales price from customers in its own name.
• Is responsible for and pays the supplier for the merchandise or receives merchandise the supplier indicates it is
donating.
Exceptions
Your organization is generally not responsible to obtain a seller’s permit and report tax if the following apply:
• The organization is a qualifying PTA, Friends of the Library group, nonprofit parent cooperative
nursery school, or qualified youth organization (under certain circumstances), as described in
Cultural Organizations: Museums, Government Art Programs, Library Support Organizations, and Zoological Societies,
and Schools, Parent-Teacher Associations, Children’s Organizations, Youth Organizations, and Children’s Clothing.
• The profits from the sales are used exclusively in furtherance of the organization.
We consider the fundraiser company or supplier to be the retailer of the products you sell. In this case, the company
or supplier is responsible for the tax, but they may charge you for tax reimbursement. Such companies often include
multilevel marketing companies that solicit sales through a network of representatives, such as Avon and Tupperware.
For more information
If you’re not sure who is responsible for reporting and paying tax on sales you arrange with a fundraiser company, please
call our Customer Service Center for assistance at 1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711).
Promotional items sold to members
Until January 1, 2015, a qualifying nonprofit organization is a consumer of certain promotional items sold to its members,
if the following requirements are met:
• The promotional item bears a logo or other identifying mark of the organization and is a promotional item or other
item commonly associated with use by a member to demonstrate the member’s association with, or membership in,
the organization.
• The cost to the member of the organization for the acquisition of the promotional item is not more than the cost
to the nonprofit organization to obtain and transfer to the member the promotional item, including any applicable
sales or use tax paid by the nonprofit organization.
• Reasonable steps must be taken by the organization to ensure that no member is allowed to acquire more than 30
identical promotional items or to resell the items to another person.
• The promotional items are not distributed for purposes of organized political campaigning or issue advocacy.
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General Obligations of Sellers and Purchasers
Registration Requirements
As noted in the introduction to this publication, nonprofit organizations generally need seller’s permits if they make sales
in California. This section describes general permit requirements and the two types of permits available.
Obtaining a seller’s permit
In general
As noted in Introduction: Sales and Use Tax Basics for Various Types of Nonprofit Organizations, you generally need a
seller’s permit if you make sales of merchandise or goods in California. It is your responsibility to apply for a permit, report
your sales, file returns, and pay any tax due. Whether you need a regular or temporary permit depends on the frequency
of your sales activities (see Temporary permits vs. regular permits, below).
There is no fee for a seller’s permit. However, we may require a security deposit to cover any unpaid taxes your
organization might owe if it stops operating. The amount of the security, if any, will be determined when you apply for
the seller’s permit, based on your anticipated sales.
Certain types of organizations are not ordinarily required to hold a seller’s permit. For more information, please see the
organization-specific information included in this publication.
Temporary permits vs. regular permits
If your nonprofit organization holds less than three fundraising events with taxable sales each year, you may apply for a
temporary seller’s permit for each event.
If your organization conducts three or more fundraising sales events each year, or if your taxable sales activities occur
continuously, you should apply for a regular seller’s permit.
Even when you are eligible to obtain a temporary permit, you may find it easier to hold a regular permit. It keeps you
from having to remember to apply for a temporary permit before each event. You may also find it easier to have a regular
permit if you hold annual fundraising events.
Register for a permit
You can register on our website at www.cdtfa.ca.gov under Register for a Permit, or you can also register in person at any of
our CDTFA offices. For additional assistance, please contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711).
If you held a fundraising sales event without applying for a permit, you should register with us right away. Registering
promptly may allow you to file and pay any tax due before any penalty and interest are due.
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Collecting and Paying Tax
This section provides general information on charging your customers tax, using resale certificates, paying tax on
purchases, filing sales and use tax returns, and keeping records.
Taxable sales
Taxable amounts
In general, the amount you receive in exchange for merchandise is taxable. This is true whether a person pays you by cash
or another method, or offers you something in barter or trade. In general, the taxable amount is the price you set and
receive for the item. However, in the case of auctions and silent auctions, the full amount you receive is taxable, regardless
of the item’s value.
Examples : You sell books after your church services for a price of $10 each, plus tax. You will owe tax based on the
$10 price ($10 x tax rate = tax amount due).
A member of your church comes by your table and gives you $50. She takes one $10 book and tells you to keep the
entire $50. You will owe tax only on the $10 price of the book. The other $40 is a nontaxable donation and you do
not owe sales tax on it.
You sell a copy of the same book in a silent auction for $50. You will owe tax on the entire $50 amount.
Collecting tax from your customers
You must pay the correct amount of sales tax due on your sales. You are not required to collect tax from your c ustomers,
but the law does allow you to reimburse yourself for the tax from your customer equal to the tax you will owe on each
sale. Usually, sellers add this sales tax amount to the price of merchandise when they make the sale. If you choose to
follow this practice, your receipts should clearly show the price of the item and the amount of tax you applied.
However, to simplify your sales procedures, you may decide not to add tax to the price of each individual item as you
sell it. Instead, you can include the tax in the sales price, provided you display a sign stating: “All prices of taxable items
include sales tax computed to the nearest mill.”
When you include tax in the price of items you sell, you must remember to subtract the tax amount out on your sales tax
return to avoid paying too much tax. There is a line for this on the return.
Example: You sell boxes of decorative note cards at a fair booth. To save your volunteers from having to calculate the
sales tax due and make change with coins, you charge an even $5.00 for the cards and let your customers know that
tax is included in the price by posting the sign described above.
Purchases for resale
In general
If you are a registered seller, you can make purchases for resale without paying an amount for tax to your s upplier, as
described below. Otherwise, your suppliers will collect sales tax on your purchases unless the transaction qualifies for
a specific exemption or exclusion. In some cases, described under Taxable purchases, you may owe use tax on your
purchases.
Organizations that are consumers
If your organization is considered a consumer, you cannot legally issue a resale certificate to make tax-free purchases.
Your suppliers may collect tax reimbursement from you. See Taxable purchases if you are purchasing items from an out-
of-state vendor.
You can calculate the tax that is included in the selling price by use of the following formula. Sales price = total price
divided by 1+ tax rate: for example, $5.00 / 1.0825 = $4.62. Tax included = $5.00 – $4.62 = $0.38.
Please note: A tax rate of 8.25 percent was used for illustration purposes, be sure to use the tax rate applicable to your
sale and include any district taxes that apply. Please select California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates for
current tax rates.
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Making purchases for resale
As a registered seller with a permit, you may make tax-free purchases of merchandise for your resale inventory by issuing
a resale certificate to your supplier. You must intend to sell the item, either as-is or as a physical part of a product you
make and sell. If you plan to use the item for any purpose other than demonstration or display while you hold it for sale,
you should not buy it with a resale certificate.
In addition, you should not use a resale certificate to buy an item if you are not sure whether you’ll use the item before
you sell it. Your seller may require you to pay sales tax. If you end up selling the item before you use it, you can take a
deduction on your sales and use tax return (for example, tax-paid purchase resold prior to use).
Example : Your nonprofit organization sells books to your members and the general public. Since your sales aren’t
covered by any special exemption, they’re taxable. You can use a resale certificate to buy books you will sell.
However, if every year you order 25 special books to give to volunteers who work in your bookstore and other
organization volunteers, you should not use a resale certificate to buy those 25 books since you will give them away
rather than sell them.
Using a resale certificate
To make purchases for resale, you must provide your supplier a resale certificate. The resale certificate may be in any form,
such as a note, letter, or memorandum. Regardless of form, it must contain all of the following information:
• Your organization’s name and address.
• Your seller’s permit number.
• A description of the property you will purchase.
• A statement that the described property is being purchased for resale (the certificate must contain words that state
the property will be resold or is for resale).
• The date of the document.
• The signature of someone authorized to act for your organization.
You can find a sample resale certificate on our website at www.cdtfa.ca.gov.
More information on using a resale certificate can be found in publication 73, Your California Seller’s Permit, and in
publication 103, Sales for Resale.
Taxable purchases
Your organization’s purchases may be subject to sales or use tax, as explained below. Use tax generally applies to
purchases of items you will use, give away, store, or otherwise consume in California. The use tax rate for a given location
is the same as the sales tax rate. The use tax does not apply to transactions subject to California sales tax.
If you purchase an item with a resale certificate, but use it for a purpose other than resale or demonstration and display,
you will owe use tax on the purchase price. You must report the purchase price of the item under “Purchases Subject to
Use Tax” on your sales and use tax return.
Tax also applies to purchases of supplies and equipment your organization will use rather than sell, such as bookkeeping
supplies, office equipment, display equipment, and other similar items. You should not issue a resale certificate to
purchase those items.
If you purchase items like those described in the previous paragraph from an out-of-state, mail order, or Internet seller
who does not collect California tax from you, you must pay use tax on your purchase. Be sure to report the purchase price
of the items on your sales and use tax return under “Purchases Subject to Use Tax.”
For more information on purchases subject to use tax, please see Regulation 1685, Payment of Tax by Purchaser,
publication 103, Sales for Resale, and publication 110, California Use Tax Basics, or call our Customer Service Center at
1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711).
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Filing sales and use tax returns
If you have a temporary permit
When we issue you a temporary seller’s permit, you will use a sales and use tax return to report the tax due from your
fundraising event. The return and payment will be due on the last day of the month following the month in which you
hold the event (for instance, a return for an event held in May would be due by June 30). Please be sure to comply with
the deadline on the return. You may be charged penalty and interest if you do not file the return and payment on time.
If you have a regular permit
If we issue you a regular seller’s permit, you will be instructed to file your tax return on a monthly, quarterly, or annual
reporting basis. (Your filing frequency is determined by your estimated taxable sales.) You must file your completed
return and any tax you owe to our Sacramento Headquarters Office on or before the due date printed on the return. Or,
you may file your return at one of our CDTFA offices. Generally, the due date is the last day of the month following the
end of the reporting period. Please be sure to comply with the due date. You may be charged penalty and interest if you
do not file the return and payment on time.
You can easily file your return on our website at www.cdtfa.ca.gov, under File a Return & Pay Taxes. This free electronic filing
system lets you file a California sales and use tax return or prepayment and make payment for amounts due. You can file a
return whenever it is most convenient for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Several filing options are available to fit your
needs including three convenient payment methods. You will receive immediate confirmation from us when your return
is accepted. Most sales and use tax accounts are eligible to file online.
Reporting your sales and purchases
You must report allof your sales on your sales and use tax return, not only your taxable sales. You will be able to take deductions
on the return for sales that qualify for specific exemptions and exclusions, including those described in this publication.
The instructions that come with your tax return explain how to complete the return and take the deductions that may
apply in your case. Information on common deductions is also found in the Sales and Use Tax section of our website.
You are also required to report your taxable purchases (purchases made without tax and used, stored, or consumed—not
resold) on your sales and use tax return.
Recordkeeping
In general
Because you are required to report and pay the correct amount of tax on your sales and purchases, be sure to keep
adequate records. Your records must show:
• Gross receipts from all sales of physical products, including sales that you think aren’t taxable.
• All deductions claimed on your sales and use tax returns.
• The total purchase price of all items you purchased without tax, used, or gave away (supplies, equipment, fixed
assets, etc.), or leased to a person, organization, or business.
You should keep separate records for each fundraising or sales event. They should show the total amount you received,
clearly distinguishing between taxable and nontaxable sales.
Example: Your organization has a booth at a free community fair selling both t-shirts (taxable) and brownies
(nontaxable, in this instance). You must itemize your sales records to clearly distinguish between proceeds from
taxable sales of t-shirts and proceeds from nontaxable sales of brownies.
If you use a simple cash box to track your sales at events, you may find it easier to account for your sales if you sell taxable
and nontaxable items at separate booths.
Our representatives may examine your books, papers, records, and other documents to verify the accuracy of any sales and
use tax return you file. Whether or not you file returns, your records may be reviewed to determine if you owe tax. If you have
not paid the correct amount of tax, you may be required to pay penalties and interest in addition to any tax you owe.
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How long should I keep my business records?
You should keep required records for at least four years unless we give you specific, written authorization to destroy them
sooner. Exception: Records that cover reporting periods before January 1, 2003, may be covered by an extended statute
of limitations if you did not participate in the 2005 tax amnesty program, or if fraud or intent to evade tax is discovered
during an audit. You must keep those records for at least ten years. If you are being audited, you should retain all records
that cover the audit period until the audit is complete, even if that means you keep them longer than four years. In
addition, if you have a dispute with us about how much tax you owe, you should retain the related records until that
dispute is resolved. For instance, if you appeal the results of an audit or another determination (billing), or you file a claim
for refund, you should keep your records while that matter is pending.
For more information, please see Regulation 1698, Records, and publication 116, Sales and Use Tax Records.
Special requirements: operators of flea markets, swap meets, and similar events
If you conduct a flea market or swap meet where sellers rent or lease space under your control, you must obtain certain
information from those sellers and provide it to us. Our publication 111, Operators of Swap Meets, Flea Markets, and Special
Events, describes your responsibilities, the information you must obtain from sellers, and the significant penalties that
apply if you do not collect that information and provide it to us.
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Donations to Nonprofits and Religious Organizations
Business Donations of Goods and Services
This section provides basic information for businesses on the sales and use tax consequences of donations made to
nonprofit and religious organizations.
Donations of merchandise and goods
Items withdrawn from business inventory
In general, your business owes use tax when you remove items from your resale inventory and use them for a
purpose other than to sell or for demonstration and display. However, you will not owe use tax if you donate those items
to certain nonprofit or governmental organizations without first making any other use of the items. The organization
must be operated for educational, scientific, or literary purposes, or is a religious or other organization described in
Internal Revenue Code section 170(b)(1)(A).
The use tax exemption for donation includes, but is not limited to goods you donate to the following:
• Churches and religious organizations.
• Charitable organizations such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, nonprofit schools and hospitals, and medical
assistance and research groups.
• Nonprofit educational organizations and schools.
• Organizations operated for educational, scientific, or literary purposes including nonprofit museums, art galleries,
and performing arts groups.
• Organizations operated for the protection of children or animals.
• Fraternal lodges (if the donated item is used for charitable purposes).
• The United States, State of California, and political subdivisions of the state (counties, cities, and certain special
districts).
Example: ABC Tires withdraws eight new truck tires valued at $800 from its resale inventory and donates them
to Home Meals Express, a charitable nonprofit senior meals organization. If ABC Tires had used the tires on its
own trucks, it would owe use tax based on their $800 value. But since it donated the tires to a qualified nonprofit
organization from its resale inventory, before any use by ABC Tires, it does not owe use tax.
Items purchased for donation
Your business’s purchase of items specifically for donation to a nonprofit, government, or religious organization is not
eligible for any exemption from sales or use tax. You should pay an amount for tax to the seller rather than make the
purchase with a resale certificate.
Example : The owner of California Pets Unlimited, Ms. Jones, is asked to donate new or gently used children’s toys to
her temple. Since Ms. Jones doesn’t sell children’s toys, she buys three stuffed animals from a toy store and donates
them on behalf of her company. Ms. Jones may not buy the toys for resale since her intent is to donate them rather
than sell them in her business. Her business is not eligible for any sales or use tax deduction or exemption related to
the purchase and donation.
For recipients: sales of donated goods
If your organization receives a donation of merchandise from a business, please note that tax usually applies if you
sell the donated item. But tax would not apply if you qualify as a consumer or if your sale is otherwise tax exempt, as
explained earlier in this publication.
Example: The Smalltown Friends of the Library receives a donation of 20 new books from Smalltown Books and
Espresso. The group sells the books in its annual book sale and uses the profits to buy more books for the library.
Because the organization qualifies as a consumer for sales tax purposes, it does not owe tax on the sale of the books
(see Friends of the Library organizations).
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Donations and sales of gift cards, gift certificates, and services
Your business may donate gift cards, gift certificates, or services to nonprofit and religious organizations. When no
merchandise changes hands in the donation, the donation has no effect on your sales or use tax liability and the donation
does not entitle you to any sales or use tax deduction. Similarly, when the recipient organization sells the items, the sale is
not taxable.
Example: Joe’s Fishing Shop sells fly fishing gear and provides guided fishing trips. The owner donates a fly fishing
rod, fishing trip, and gift certificate to a California nonprofit fish conservation organization for its annual fundraiser.
The shop does not owe use tax on the fly fishing rod withdrawn from its inventory. The donation of the trip and gift
certificate have no effect on the business’s sales and use tax liability.
The fish conservation organization sells the entire package to a California buyer in an online auction. The organization
owes sales tax based on the fair market value of the fly rod. Its sale of the fishing trip and gift certificate are not taxable
since those items are not physical merchandise.3
Loans for educational purposes
Certain loans by retailers to schools are exempt from use tax, including:
• Loans of items to a school district for a district educational program.
• Loans of motor vehicles to be used exclusively in driver training programs by accredited private or parochial
secondary schools. The driver training program must be approved by the State Department of Education as a
regularly conducted course of study.
• Loans of motor vehicles to the State Universities in California CSUS or the University of California for exclusive use in
an approved driver education program conducted by the university.
• Loans of motor vehicles used in teaching disabled veterans, including loans to a veterans’ hospital or other nonprofit
facility for use in teaching disabled veterans how to operate specially equipped vehicles.
The retailer may not make an earlier use of the loaned property other than retention, demonstration, or display in order
for these exemptions to apply.
3 Once the gift certificate is redeemed, it will be considered the same as cash; thus the retail selling price of the goods
must be included in the taxable gross receipts of the seller. In this case, that’s Joe’s Fishing Shop.
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For More Information
For additional information or assistance, please take advantage of the resources listed below.
CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER OFFICES
1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711) Please visit our website at
Customer service representatives are available www.cdtfa.ca.gov/office-locations.htm
Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for a complete listing of our office locations.
(Pacific time), except state holidays. In addition to If you cannot access this page, please contact our
English, assistance is available in other languages. Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711).
INTERNET
www.cdtfa.ca.gov
You can visit our website for additional information—such as laws, regulations, forms, publications, industry guides,
and policy manuals—that will help you understand how the law applies to your business.
You can also verify seller’s permit numbers on our website (see Verify a Permit, License, or Account).
Multilingual versions of publications are available on our website at www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/pubs.htm.
Another good resource—especially for starting businesses—is the California Tax Service Center at www.taxes.ca.gov.
TAX INFORMATION BULLETIN
The quarterly Tax Information Bulletin (TIB) includes articles on the application of law to specific types of
transactions, announcements about new and revised publications, and other articles of interest. You can find
current TIBs on our website at www.cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/tax-bulletins.htm. Sign up for our CDTFA updates
email list and receive notification when the latest issue of the TIB has been posted to our website.
FREE CLASSES AND SEMINARS
We offer free online basic sales and use tax classes including a tutorial on how to file your tax returns. Some
classes are offered in multiple languages. If you would like further information on specific classes, please call your
local office.
WRITTEN TAX ADVICE
For your protection, it is best to get tax advice in writing. You may be relieved of tax, penalty, or interest charges that
are due on a transaction if we determine that we gave you incorrect written advice regarding the transaction and
that you reasonably relied on that advice in failing to pay the proper amount of tax. For this relief to apply, a request
for advice must be in writing, identify the taxpayer to whom the advice applies, and fully describe the facts and
circumstances of the transaction.
Please visit our website at www.cdtfa.ca.gov/email to email your request. You may also send your request in a
letter to: Audit and Information S ection, MIC:44, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, P.O. Box
942879, Sacramento, CA 94279-0044.
TAXPAYERS’ RIGHTS ADVOCATE
If you would like to know more about your rights as a taxpayer or if you have not been able to resolve a problem
through normal channels (for example, by speaking to a supervisor), please see publication 70, Understanding Your
Rights as a California Taxpayer, or contact the Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate Office for help at 1-888-324-2798. Their fax
number is 1-916-323-3319.
If you prefer, you can write to: Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate, MIC:70, California Department of Tax and Fee
Administration, P.O. Box 942879, Sacramento, CA 94279-0070.
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Regulations, forms, and publications
Lists vary by publication
Selected regulations,forms , and publications that may interest you are listed below. Spanish versions of our publications
are also available online.
Publications
17 Appeals Procedures: Sales and Use Taxes and Special Taxes and Fees
22 Dining and Beverage Industry
44 District Taxes (Sales and Use Taxes)
51 Resource Guide to Tax Products and Services for Small Businesses
61 Sales and Use Taxes: Exemptions and Exclusions
70 Understanding Your Rights as a California Taxpayer
73 Your California Seller’s Permit
74 Closing Out Your Account
75 Interest, Penalties, and Collection Cost Recovery Fee
76 Audits
100 Shipping and Delivery Charges
101 Sales Delivered Outside California
103 Sales for Resale
105 District Taxes and Delivered Sales
106 Combination Packages and Gift-Wrapping
109 Internet Sales
110 California Use Tax Basics
111 Operators of Swap Meets, Flea Markets, or Special Events
114 Consignment Sales
116 Sales and Use Tax Records
118 Vending Machine Food Sales
439 Online Services
Regulations
1503 Hospitals and Other Medical Service Facilities, Institutions and Homes for the Care of Persons
1570 Charitable Organizations
1574 Vending Machine Operators
1586 Works of Art and Museum Pieces for Public Display
1590 Newspapers and Periodicals
1597 Property Transferred or Sold by Certain Nonprofit Organizations
1603 Taxable Sales of Food Products
1668 Sales for Resale
1669 Demonstration, Display and Use of Property Held for Resale—General
1669.5 Demonstration, Display and Use of Property Held for Resale—Vehicles
1670 Gifts, Marketing Aids, Premiums and Prizes
1685 Payment of Tax by Purchasers
1698 Records
1699 Permits
1700 Reimbursement for Sales Tax
1701 Tax-Paid Purchases Resold
1821 Foreword
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