ARTICLE 3. Presumptions and Resale Certificates [6241. - 6249.]

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC 3.

in effect

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6241. Section 6241.

For the purpose of the proper administration of this part and to prevent evasion of the use tax and the duty to collect the use tax, it shall be presumed that tangible personal property sold by any person for delivery in this State is sold for storage, use, or other consumption in this State until the contrary is established. The burden of proving the contrary is upon the person who makes the sale unless he takes from the purchaser a certificate to the effect that the property is purchased for resale.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6242. Section 6242.

The certificate relieves the person selling the property from the duty of collecting the use tax only if taken in good faith from a person who is engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property and who holds the permit provided for by Article 2 (commencing with Section 6066) of Chapter 2 of this part.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6243. Section 6243.

The certificate shall be signed by and bear the name and address of the purchaser, shall indicate the number of the permit issued to the purchaser, and shall indicate the general character of the tangible personal property sold by the purchaser in the regular course of business. The certificate shall be substantially in such form as the board may prescribe.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6243.1. Section 6243.1.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person, other than a person exempt from payment of use tax in accordance with Section 6352, who leases mobile transportation equipment and who cannot otherwise properly issue a resale certificate may issue such a certificate for the limited purpose of reporting his use tax liability based on fair rental value as provided in subdivision (d) of Section 6094 and subdivision (d) of Section 6244. With respect to matters arising out of mergers or acquisitions, the provisions of this section shall apply to any matters pending before the board on the effective date of this section.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6244. Section 6244.

(a) If a purchaser who gives a resale certificate or purchases property for the purpose of reselling it makes any storage or use of the property other than retention, demonstration, or display while holding it for sale in the regular course of business, the storage or use is taxable as of the time the property is first so stored or used. (b) If such use is limited to the loan of the property to customers as an accommodation while awaiting delivery of property purchased or leased from the lender or while property is being repaired for customers by the lender, the measure of the tax is the fair rental value of the property for the duration of each loan so made. (c) If the property is used frequently for purposes of demonstration or display while holding it for sale in the regular course of business and is used partly for other purposes, the measure of the tax is the fair rental value of the property for the period of such other use or uses. (d) If the property is mobile transportation equipment as defined in Section 6023, and the use is limited to leasing the equipment, the purchaser may elect to pay his use tax measured by the fair rental value, if the election is made on or before the due date of a return for the period in which the equipment is first leased. The election must be made by reporting tax measured by the fair rental value on the return for that period, or in such other manner as the board may prescribe. Tax must thereafter be paid with the return for each reporting period, measured by the fair rental value, whether the equipment is within or without the state. The election may not be revoked with respect to the equipment as to which it is made. (e) As used in subdivision (d), the term “fair rental value” means the rentals required by the purchaser under the lease except where the board determines that such rentals are nominal. The term shall not include any reimbursement payments made by the lessee to the purchaser for such use tax.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6245. Section 6245.

If a purchaser gives a certificate with respect to the purchase of fungible goods, or purchases those goods for resale in the regular course of business, and thereafter commingles these goods with other fungible goods not so purchased but of such similarity that the identity of the constituent goods in the commingled mass can not be determined, sales from the mass of commingled goods shall be deemed to be sales of the goods so purchased until a quantity of commingled goods equal to the quantity of purchased goods so commingled has been sold. Goods removed from the commingled mass for consumption shall be deemed to be consumption of goods not so purchased until a quantity of commingled goods equal to the quantity of goods not so purchased has been consumed.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6245.5. Section 6245.5.

(a) A person qualified under subdivision (b) may issue a certificate to a retailer with respect to the amount of manufacturers’ or importers’ excise tax imposed pursuant to Section 4081 or 4091 of the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 6011 or subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 6012 when purchasing fuel from the retailer. (b) A person is qualified for purposes of this section if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The person was entitled to either a direct refund or credit against his or her income tax for the manufacturers’ or importers’ excise tax imposed pursuant to Section 4081 or 4091 of the Internal Revenue Code for more than 50 percent of the person’s purchases of fuel during the prior calendar year. (2) The person’s business remains substantially the same as during the prior calendar year whereby the person expects to be entitled to either a direct refund or credit against his or her income tax for the manufacturers’ or importers’ excise tax imposed pursuant to Section 4081 or 4091 of the Internal Revenue Code for more than 50 percent of the person’s purchases of fuel. (3) The person holds a valid California seller’s permit. (c) A person issuing a certificate for purposes of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 6011 or subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 6012 is liable for use tax on the amount of the manufacturers’ or importers’ excise tax imposed pursuant to Section 4081 or 4091 of the Internal Revenue Code if the person used fuel purchased under the certificate in a manner whereby the person is not entitled to a direct refund or credit against his or her income tax of the federal excise tax. (d) A person liable for the use tax under subdivision (c) of this section shall report and pay that use tax with the return for the reporting period in which the person uses the fuel in such a manner that the person is not entitled to a direct refund or credit against his or her income tax of the federal excise tax.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6246. Section 6246.

It shall be further presumed that tangible personal property shipped or brought to this State by the purchaser was purchased from a retailer on or after July 1, 1935, for storage, use, or other consumption in this State.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6247. Section 6247.

On and after the effective date of this section, it shall be further presumed that tangible personal property delivered outside this State to a purchaser known by the retailer to be a resident of this State was purchased from a retailer for storage, use or other consumption in this State and stored, used or otherwise consumed in this State. This presumption may be controverted by a statement in writing, signed by the purchaser or his authorized representative, and retained by the vendor, that the property was purchased for use at a designated point or points outside this State. This presumption may also be controverted by other evidence satisfactory to the board that the property was not purchased for storage, use, or other consumption in this State.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6248. Section 6248.

(a) There shall be a rebuttable presumption that any vehicle, vessel, or aircraft bought outside of this state on or after the effective date of this section, and which is brought into California within 12 months from the date of its purchase, was acquired for storage, use, or other consumption in this state and is subject to use tax if any of the following occurs: (1) The vehicle, vessel, or aircraft was purchased by a California resident as defined in Section 516 of the Vehicle Code. For purposes of this section, a closely held corporation or limited liability company shall also be considered a California resident if 50 percent or more of the shares or membership interests are held by shareholders or members who are residents of California as defined in Section 516 of the Vehicle Code. (2) In the case of a vehicle, the vehicle was subject to registration under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 4000) of Division 3 of the Vehicle Code during the first 12 months of ownership. (3) In the case of a vessel or aircraft, that vessel or aircraft was subject to property tax in this state during the first 12 months of ownership. (4) If purchased by a nonresident of California, the vehicle, vessel, or aircraft is used or stored in this state more than one-half of the time during the first 12 months of ownership. (b) This presumption may be controverted by documentary evidence that the vehicle, vessel, or aircraft was purchased for use outside of this state during the first 12 months of ownership. This evidence may include, but is not limited to, evidence of registration of that vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, with the proper authority, outside of this state. (c) This section shall not apply to any vehicle, vessel, or aircraft used in interstate or foreign commerce pursuant to regulations prescribed by the board. (d) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall not apply to any vehicle, vessel, or aircraft that is either purchased, or is the subject of a binding purchase contract that is entered into, on or before the operative date of this subdivision. (e) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), any aircraft or vessel brought into this state exclusively for the purpose of repair, retrofit, or modification shall not be deemed to be acquired for storage, use, or other consumption in this state if the repair, retrofit, or modification is, in the case of a vessel, performed by a repair facility that holds an appropriate permit issued by the board and is licensed to do business by the city, county, or city and county in which it is located if the city, county, or city and county so requires, or, in the case of an aircraft, performed by a repair station certified by the Federal Aviation Administration or a manufacturer’s maintenance facility. (f) The presumption set forth in subdivision (a) may be controverted by documentary evidence that the vehicle was brought into this state for the exclusive purpose of warranty or repair service and was used or stored in this state for that purpose for 30 days or less. The 30-day period begins when the vehicle enters this state, includes any time of travel to and from the warranty or repair facility, and ends when the vehicle is returned to a point outside the state. The documentary evidence shall include a work order stating the dates that the vehicle is in the possession of the warranty or repair facility and a statement by the owner of the vehicle specifying dates of travel to and from the warranty or repair facility.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 6249. Section 6249.

A member of the armed services on active duty who purchases a vehicle prior to the effective date of his discharge shall not be subject to the presumption established by Section 6248. He shall not be deemed to have purchased the vehicle for storage, use or other consumption in this State unless at the time of purchase he intended to use it in this State, such intent resulting from his own determination, rather than from official orders received as a member of the armed services transferring him to this State.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026