Article 7. Payment On Termination Of Business And Successor’s Liability of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 18.5. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 7.

If any person liable for any amount under this part sells out his or her business or quits the business, the person's successors or assigns shall withhold sufficient of the purchase price to cover the amount until the former owner produces a receipt from the board showing that it has been paid or a certificate stating that no amount is due.

If the purchaser of a business fails to withhold from the purchase price as required, the purchaser becomes personally liable for the payment of the amount required to be withheld by him or her to the extent of the purchase price, valued in money. Within 60 days after receiving a written request from the purchaser for a certificate, or within 60 days from the date the former owner's records are made available for audit, whichever period expires the later, but in any event not later than 90 days after receiving the request, or 90 days from the date of the sale of the business, whichever period expires later, the board shall either issue the certificate or mail notice to the purchaser, at his or her address as it appears on the records of the board, of the amount that must be paid as a condition of issuing the certificate. Failure of the board to mail the notice will release the purchaser from any further obligation to withhold from the purchase price as above provided. The last date upon which the obligation of the successor may be enforced shall be not later than three years after the date the board is notified of the purchase of the business.

The certificate may be issued after the payment of all amounts due under this part, according to the records of the board as of the date of this certificate, or after the payment of the amounts is secured to the satisfaction of the board. This security is not subject to the limitations contained in Section 38501.

The obligation of the successor shall be enforced by serving a notice of successor liability on the person. The notice shall be served in the manner prescribed for service of a notice of a deficiency determination, not later than three years after the date the board is notified of the purchase of the business. The successor may petition for reconsideration in the manner provided in Article 5 (commencing with Section 38441) of Chapter 5. The notice shall become final and the amount due and payable in the manner provided in that article except that no additional penalty shall apply if not paid when due and payable. The provisions of this chapter with respect to the collection of any amount required to be paid under this part shall apply when the notice becomes final.

If at the time a business is discontinued the board holds security pursuant to Section 38501 in the form of cash, government bonds, or insured deposits in banks or savings and loan institutions, this security when applied to the account of the taxpayer shall be deemed to be a payment on account of any liability of the taxpayer to the board on the date the business is discontinued.