Chapter 3. Exemptions of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 31. >> Chapter 3.
(a) The provisions of this part requiring the payment of
taxes do not apply to any of the following:
(1) The removal from a terminal or refinery of, or the entry or
sale of, any diesel fuel if all of the following apply:
(A) The person otherwise liable for tax is a diesel fuel
registrant.
(B) In the case of a removal from a terminal, the terminal is an
approved terminal.
(C) The diesel fuel satisfies the dyeing and marking requirements
of Section 60101.
(2) Any entry or removal from a terminal or refinery of taxable
diesel fuel transferred in bulk to a refinery or terminal if the
persons involved (including the terminal operator) are registered.
(3) The removal of diesel fuel if all of the following apply:
(A) The diesel fuel is removed by railroad car from an approved
refinery and is received at an approved terminal.
(B) The refinery and the terminal are operated by the same diesel
fuel registrant.
(C) The refinery is not served by pipeline (other than a pipeline
for the receipt of crude oil) or vessel.
(4) Diesel fuel which, pursuant to the contract of sale, is
required to be shipped and is shipped to a point outside of this
state by a supplier by means of any of the following:
(A) Facilities operated by the supplier.
(B) Delivery by the supplier to a carrier, customs broker, or
forwarding agent, whether hired by the purchaser or not, for shipment
to the out-of-state point.
(C) Delivery by the supplier to any vessel clearing from a port of
this state for a port outside of this state and actually exported
from this state in the vessel.
(5) Backup tax does not apply to delivery of diesel fuel into the
fuel tank of a diesel-powered highway vehicle as provided in Section
60058 for any of the following:
(A) Use on a farm for farming purposes.
(B) Use in an exempt bus operation.
(C) Use in a diesel-powered highway vehicle that is operated off
the highway.
(D) Use in a diesel-powered highway vehicle that is owned and
operated by a government entity.
(E) Use by the United States and its agencies and
instrumentalities.
(6) Diesel fuel sold by credit card certified by the United States
Department of State to any consulate officer or consulate employee
of a foreign government who is not engaged in any private occupation
for gain within this state, who uses the diesel fuel in a motor
vehicle which is registered with the United States Department of
State, and whose government has done either of the following:
(A) Entered into a treaty with the United States providing for the
exemption of its representatives from national, state, and municipal
taxes.
(B) Granted a similar exemption to representatives of the United
States.
(7) Diesel fuel sold by a supplier to a train operator for use in
a diesel-powered train or for other off-highway use and the supplier
has on hand an exemption certificate from the train operator.
(8) Diesel fuel sold by a supplier to the United States and its
agencies and instrumentalities.
(b) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Carrier" means a person or firm engaged in the business of
transporting for compensation property owned by other persons, and
includes both common and contract carriers.
(2) "Forwarding agent" means a person or firm engaged in the
business of preparing property for shipment or arranging for its
shipment.
(a) Diesel fuel that is required to be dyed satisfies the
dyeing requirement of this part if it meets the dyeing requirements
of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Internal
Revenue Service, including, but not limited to, requirements
respecting type, dosage, and timing.
(b) Marking shall meet the marking requirements of the Internal
Revenue Service.
(c) No person shall operate or maintain a motor vehicle on any
public highway in this state with dyed diesel fuel in the fuel supply
tank. This subdivision does not apply to uses of dyed diesel fuel on
the highway that are lawful under the Internal Revenue Code or
regulations promulgated thereunder, if the person is registered as a
qualified highway vehicle operator, exempt bus operator, or
government entity.
Notice is required with respect to dyed diesel fuel. In
general, a notice stating: "DYED DIESEL FUEL, NONTAXABLE USE ONLY,
PENALTY FOR TAXABLE USE" shall be:
(a) Provided by the terminal operator to any person that receives
dyed diesel fuel at a terminal rack of that terminal operator.
(b) Provided by any seller of dyed diesel fuel to its buyer if the
diesel fuel is located outside the bulk transfer/terminal system and
is not sold from a retail pump posted in accordance with the
requirements of subdivision (c).
(c) Posted by a seller on any retail pump where it sells dyed
diesel fuel for use by its buyer.
The form of notice required under subdivisions (a) and (b)
of Section 60102, shall be provided by the time of the removal or
sale and shall appear on shipping papers, bills of lading, and
invoices accompanying the sale or removal of the dyed diesel fuel.
(a) A penalty applies to any person who does any of the
following:
(1) Sells or holds for sale dyed diesel fuel for any use that the
person knows or has reason to know is a taxable use of the diesel
fuel.
(2) Holds for use or uses dyed diesel fuel for a use other than a
nontaxable use and that person knew, or had reason to know, that the
diesel fuel was so dyed.
(3) Knowingly alters, or attempts to alter, the strength or
composition of any dye or marker in any dyed diesel fuel.
(4) Fails to provide or post the required notice with respect to
any dyed diesel fuel. The failure to provide or post the required
notice creates a presumption that the person so failing knows the
diesel fuel will be used for a taxable use.
(b) The amount of the penalty for each violation specified in
subdivision (a) is the greater of:
(1) Ten dollars ($10) for every gallon of diesel fuel involved, or
(2) The product of one thousand dollars ($1,000), and the total
number of penalties, including the penalty currently being
determined, imposed by this section on the person (or a related
person or any predecessor of that person or related person).
(c) If a penalty is imposed under this section on any business
entity, each officer, employee, or agent of the entity, who
participated in any act giving rise to the penalty shall be jointly
and severally liable with the entity for the penalty.
Any sale of diesel fuel to a train operator claimed as
exempt from taxes under paragraph (7) of subdivision (a) of Section
60100 shall be supported by an exemption certificate executed by the
purchaser in a form as prescribed by the board. The supplier shall
retain the certificate in his or her records in support of the
exemption.
In order to issue an exemption certificate as provided in
Section 60106, the train operator shall obtain a permit from the
board. Every application for a permit shall be made upon a form
prescribed by the board and shall set forth the name under which the
applicant transacts or intends to transact business, the location of
his or her place or places of business, and such other information as
the board may require. The application shall be signed by the owner
if a natural person; in the case of an association or partnership, by
a member or partner; in the case of a corporation, by an executive
officer or some person specifically authorized by the corporation to
sign the application.
If a purchaser gives a Section 60106 exemption certificate
to a supplier that the diesel fuel purchased will be used in a
manner or for a purpose entitling the supplier to regard the removal
as exempt from the taxes as provided in paragraph (7) of subdivision
(a) of Section 60100 and sells the diesel fuel or uses the diesel
fuel in some other manner or for some other purpose, the purchaser
shall be liable for payment of the tax under Chapter 2 (commencing
with Section 60050) of this part. The tax, applicable penalties, and
interest shall become due and payable and shall be ascertained and
determined in the same manner as the backup tax under Section
60361.5.
(a) Any person, including any officer or employee of a
corporation, who gives a Section 60106 exemption certificate for
diesel fuel that he or she knows at the time of purchase is not to be
used by him or her or the corporation in the manner or for the
purpose entitling the exemption for the purpose of evading payment to
the supplier of the amount of the tax applicable to the transaction
is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as provided in Section 60706 or
a felony punishable as provided in Section 60707.
(b) Any person, including any officer or employee of a
corporation, who gives a certificate for diesel fuel pursuant to
Section 60106 that he or she knows at the time of purchase is not to
be used by him or her or the corporation in the manner or for the
purpose entitling the exemption is liable to the state for the amount
of tax that would be due if he or she had not given that
certificate. In addition to the tax, the person shall be liable to
the state for a penalty of 25 percent of the tax or one thousand
dollars ($1,000), whichever is greater, for each certificate issued
for personal gain or to evade the payment of taxes.
(a) For the privilege of purchasing diesel fuel exempt from
taxes under paragraph (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 60100, each
train operator must make a report to the board showing:
(1) The name and permit number of the supplier from whom it
purchased undyed diesel fuel and the number of gallons of undyed
diesel fuel purchased that is exempt from the tax.
(2) Any other information required by the board.
(b) Each train operator shall prepare and file with the board a
report in the form as prescribed by the board, which may include, but
not be limited to, electronic media showing the information in
subdivision (a) during each quarterly reporting period. The report
shall be filed with the board on or before the last day of the
calendar month following the close of the quarterly period to which
it relates. To facilitate the administration of this part, the board
may require the filing of these reports for other than quarterly
periods. Reports shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to
methods as may be prescribed by the board.
(c) The board may revoke the train operator's permit provided for
in Section 60106.1 due to the filing of inaccurate or improper
reports.
(d) All of the administrative provisions of this part relating to
a supplier shall be applicable to a train operator.
Notwithstanding the exemption provided for in subparagraph
(D) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 60100, any
government entity using diesel fuel exempt from tax under
subparagraph (D) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 60100
shall, for the privilege of operating diesel-powered highway
vehicles on highways in this state, make a payment equal to the tax
specified in Section 60050 for each gallon of exempt diesel fuel
used. The payments required by this subdivision shall be paid to the
State Board of Equalization in the manner prescribed by the board,
and the payments shall be treated as a tax for all purposes of this
part.