Section 19280.
Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 19280.
in effect(a)
(1)
(A)
Fines, monetary sanctions, state or local penalties, bail, forfeitures, restitution fines, restitution orders, or any other amounts imposed by a juvenile or superior court of the State of California or the Supreme Court of the State of California upon a person or any other entity, or any payment from the State Bar of California’s Client Security Fund that is part of a final determination from the Client Security Fund, that are due and payable in an amount totaling no less than one hundred dollars ($100), in the aggregate, for criminal offenses, including all offenses involving a violation of the Vehicle Code, any amounts due pursuant to Section 903.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and any amounts due pursuant to Section 6086.10, 6086.13, or 6140.5 of the Business and
Professions Code may, no sooner than 90 days after payment of that amount becomes delinquent, be referred by the juvenile or superior court, the county, the state, or the State Bar to the Franchise Tax Board for collection under guidelines prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board. Except as specified in subparagraph (B), the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or county may refer a restitution order to the Franchise Tax Board, in accordance with subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2), for any person subject to the restitution order who is or has been under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the county.
(B)
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the county shall not refer a restitution order to the Franchise Tax Board if a county agency has been designated by the county board of supervisors to collect restitution from individuals who (i) are serving a sentence in a county jail pursuant to
subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, (ii) are on mandatory supervision pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or (iii) are on postrelease community supervision pursuant to Title 2.05 (commencing with Section 3450) of Part 3 of the Penal Code, the designated county agency has an existing collection system and objects to collection by the Franchise Tax Board, and the designated county agency informs the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the county that it will collect the restitution order.
(C)
If the crime victim entitled to restitution in the order notifies either the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the designated county agency with regard to their preference of a collecting agency, that preference shall be honored and the collection shall be performed in accordance with the preference of the victim.
(2)
For purposes of this subdivision:
(A)
The amounts referred by the juvenile or superior court, the county, the state, or the State Bar under this section may include an administrative fee and any amounts that a government entity may add to the court-imposed obligation as a result of the underlying offense, trial, or conviction. For purposes of this article, those amounts shall be deemed to be imposed by the court.
(B)
Restitution orders may be referred to the Franchise Tax Board only by a government entity, as agreed upon by the Franchise Tax Board, provided that all of the following apply:
(i)
The government entity has the authority to collect on behalf of the state or the victim.
(ii)
The government entity shall be responsible for
distributing the restitution order collections, as appropriate.
(iii)
The government entity shall ensure, in making the referrals and distributions, that it coordinates with any other related collection activities that may occur by superior courts, counties, or other state agencies.
(iv)
The government entity shall ensure compliance with laws relating to the reimbursement of the Restitution Fund.
(C)
The Franchise Tax Board shall establish criteria for referral that shall include setting forth a minimum dollar amount subject to referral and collection.
(b)
The Franchise Tax Board, in conjunction with the Judicial Council, shall seek whatever additional resources are needed to accept referrals from all 58 counties or superior courts.
(c)
Upon written notice to the debtor from the Franchise Tax Board, any amount referred to the Franchise Tax Board under subdivision (a) and any interest thereon, including any interest on the amount referred under subdivision (a) that accrued prior to the date of referral, shall be treated as final and due and payable to the State of California, and shall be collected from the debtor by the Franchise Tax Board in any manner authorized under the law for collection of a delinquent personal income tax liability, including, but not limited to, issuance of an order and levy under Article 4 (commencing with Section 706.070) of Chapter 5 of Division 2 of Title 9 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure in the manner provided for earnings withholding orders for taxes.
(d)
(1)
Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), this part, Part 10.7 (commencing with Section 21001),
and Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001) shall apply to amounts referred under this article in the same manner and with the same force and effect and to the full extent as if the language of those laws had been incorporated in full into this article, except to the extent that any provision is either inconsistent with this article or is not relevant to this article.
(2)
Any information, information sources, or enforcement remedies and capabilities available to the court or the state referring to the amount due described in subdivision (a) shall be available to the Franchise Tax Board to be used in conjunction with, or independent of, the information, information sources, or remedies and capabilities available to the Franchise Tax Board for purposes of administering Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), this part, Part 10.7 (commencing with Section 21001), or Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001).
(e)
The activities required to implement and administer this part shall not interfere with the primary mission of the Franchise Tax Board to administer Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) and Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001).
(f)
For amounts referred for collection under subdivision (a), interest shall accrue at the greater of the rate applicable to the amount due being collected or the rate provided under Section 19521. When notice of the amount due includes interest and is mailed to the debtor and the amount is paid within 15 days after the date of notice, interest shall not be imposed for the period after the date of notice.
(g)
A collection under this article is not a payment of income taxes imposed under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) or Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001).
(h)
(1)
Both of the following shall apply to any levy or order issued on or after January 1, 2022, under subdivision (c):
(A)
The maximum amount of disposable earnings of a debtor for any workweek that is subject to collection shall not exceed the amount specified in Section 706.050 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(B)
The minimum basic standard of care amount specified in subdivision (a) of Section 704.220 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall not be subject to collection.
(2)
This subdivision shall not apply to restitution orders or restitution fines.
References
referencesCal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 903.1.
referencesCal. Penal Code - PEN § 1170.
referencesCal. Penal Code - PEN § 3450.
referencesCal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6086.10.
referencesCal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 706.070.
referencesCal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 17001.
referencesCal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 21001.
referencesCal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 23001.
referencesCal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 19521.
referencesCal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 706.050.
referencesCal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 704.220.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026