Article 1. Administration of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 1.

The board shall enforce the provisions of this part and may prescribe, adopt, and enforce rules and regulations relating to the administration and enforcement of this part. The board may prescribe the extent to which any ruling or regulation shall be applied without retroactive effect.

The board may employ accountants, auditors, investigators, assistants, and clerks necessary for the efficient administration of this part.

Every user and every person dealing in, transporting, or storing fuel in this State shall keep such records, receipts, invoices, and other pertinent papers with respect thereto in such form as the board may require.

The board or its authorized representative may examine the books, papers, records, and equipment of any user or person dealing in, transporting, or storing fuel and may investigate the character of the disposition which the user or person makes of the fuel in order to ascertain whether all excise taxes due under this part are being properly reported and paid.

It is unlawful for the board or any person having an administrative duty under this part to make known in any manner whatever the business affairs, operations, or information obtained by an investigation of records and equipment of any user visited or examined in the discharge of official duty, or the amount or source of income, profits, losses, expenditures, or any particular thereof set forth or disclosed in any return, or to permit any return or copy thereof or any book containing any abstract or particulars thereof to be seen or examined by any person except to another government, state agency or federal agency as specified in Section 9255.1. Information respecting the tax due from a user may be furnished, however, to any person owning or having an interest in a motor vehicle subject to the lien of the tax. The Governor may, by general or special order, authorize examination by other state officers, by tax officers of another state, by the federal government, if a reciprocal arrangement exists, or by any other person of the records maintained by the board under this part. The information so obtained pursuant to the order of the Governor shall not be made public except to the extent and in the manner that the order may authorize that it be made public. Successors, receivers, trustees, executors, administrators, assignees, and guarantors, if directly interested, may be given information as to the items included in the measure and amounts of any unpaid tax or amounts of tax required to be collected, interest and penalties. Any violation of this section is a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.

(a) Upon request from the officials to whom is entrusted the enforcement of the motor fuel tax laws of another government, the board may furnish to those officials any information in the possession of the board that is deemed essential to the enforcement of the motor fuel tax laws. Any information so furnished shall not be used for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished.
  (b) The board may furnish to any state or federal agency investigating violations of or enforcing any state or federal law related to motor fuels any motor fuel information in the possession of the board that is deemed necessary for the enforcement of those laws.
  (c) The board may furnish any interstate user information obtained by the board under this part to any state or federal agency for use by that agency in the enforcement of interstate user registration or licensing laws, or interstate vehicle registration or licensing laws.

(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, any person who is engaged in the business of preparing, or providing services in connection with the preparation of, returns under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 8751), or any person who for compensation prepares any such return for any other person, and who knowingly or recklessly does either of the following, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisoned no more than one year, or both, together with the costs of prosecution:
  (1) Discloses any information furnished to him or her for, or in connection with, the preparation of the return.
  (2) Uses that information for any purpose other than to prepare, or assist in preparing, the return.
  (b) Subdivision (a) shall not apply to disclosure of information if that disclosure is made pursuant to the person's consent or pursuant to a subpoena, court order, or other compulsory legal process.

Before registering any motor vehicle, the Department of Motor Vehicles shall ascertain from the applicant for registration whether or not the motor vehicle sought to be registered is propelled by a fuel the use of which is subject to the excise tax imposed under this part. If the motor vehicle is propelled by the use of such a fuel, the department shall notify the board.

A certificate by the board or an employee of the board stating that a notice required by this part was given by mailing or personal service shall be prima facie evidence in any administrative or judicial proceeding of the fact and regularity of the mailing or personal service in accordance with any requirement of this part for the giving of a notice. Unless otherwise specifically required, any notice provided by this part to be mailed or served may be given either by mailing or by personal service in the manner provided for giving notice of a deficiency determination.

On or after January 1, 1976, any person who equips a vehicle with a system using liquefied petroleum gas, compressed natural gas or liquid natural gas to propel the vehicle, or who transfers any vehicle so equipped shall notify the board within 10 days after so equipping or transferring the vehicle.

(a) The board shall determine which taxpayer's accounts are eligible for the managed audit program in a manner that is consistent with the efficient use of its auditing resources and the maximum effectiveness of the program.
  (b) A taxpayer is not required to participate in the managed audit program.

A taxpayer's account is eligible for the managed audit program only if the taxpayer meets all of the following criteria:
  (a) The taxpayer's business involves few or no statutory exemptions.
  (b) The taxpayer's business involves a single or a small number of clearly defined taxability issues.
  (c) The taxpayer is taxed pursuant to this part and agrees to participate in the managed audit program.
  (d) The taxpayer has the resources to comply with the managed audit instructions provided by the board.

(a) If the board selects a taxpayer's account for a managed audit, all of the following apply:
  (1) The board shall identify all of the following:
  (A) The audit period covered by the managed audit.
  (B) The types of transactions covered by the managed audit.
  (C) The specific procedures that the taxpayer is to follow in determining any liability.
  (D) The records to be reviewed by the taxpayer.
  (E) The manner in which the types of transactions are to be scheduled for review.
  (F) The time period for completion of the managed audit.
  (G) The time period for the payment of the liability and interest.
  (H) Any other criteria that the board may require for completion of the managed audit.
  (2) The taxpayer shall:
  (A) Examine its books, papers, records, and equipment to determine if it has any unreported tax liability for the audit period.
  (B) Make available to the board for verification all computations and books, papers, records, and equipment examined pursuant to subparagraph (A).
  (b) The information provided by the taxpayer pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) is the same information that is required for the completion of any other audit that the board may conduct.

Nothing in this article limits the board's authority to examine the books, papers, records, and equipment of a taxpayer under Section 9254.

Upon completion of the managed audit and verification by the board, interest on any unpaid liability shall be computed at one-half the rate that would otherwise be imposed for liabilities covered by the audit period. Payment of the liabilities and interest shall be made within the time period specified by the board. If the requirements for the managed audit are not satisfied, the board may proceed to examine the records of the taxpayer in a manner to be determined by the board under law.