Article 1. Refunds On Certain Sales And Uses of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 31. >> Chapter 8. >> Article 1.

Persons who have paid a tax for diesel fuel lost, sold, or removed as provided in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a), or used in a nontaxable use, other than on a farm for farming purposes or in an exempt bus operation, shall, except as otherwise provided in this part, be reimbursed and repaid the amount of the tax.
  (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), a claim for refund with respect to diesel fuel is allowed under this section only if all of the following apply:
  (1) Tax was imposed on the diesel fuel to which the claim relates.
  (2) The claimant bought or produced the diesel fuel and did not sell or resell it in this state except as provided in paragraph (4).
  (3) The claimant has filed a timely claim for refund that contains the information required under subdivision (b) and the claim is supported by the original invoice or original invoice facsimile retained in an alternative storage media showing the purchase. If no original invoice was created, electronic invoicing shall be accepted as reflected by a computerized facsimile when accompanied by an original copy of the bill of lading or fuel manifest that can be directly tied to the electronic invoice.
  (4) The diesel fuel was any of the following:
  (A) Used for purposes other than operating motor vehicles upon the public highways of the state.
  (B) Exported for use outside of this state. Diesel fuel carried from this state in the fuel tank of a motor vehicle is not deemed to be exported from this state unless the diesel fuel becomes subject to tax as an import under the laws of the destination state.
  (C) Used in any construction equipment that is exempt from vehicle registration pursuant to the Vehicle Code, while operated within the confines and limits of a construction project.
  (D) Used in the operation of a motor vehicle on any highway that is under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Agriculture and with respect to the use of the highway the claimant pays, or contributes to, the cost of construction or maintenance thereof pursuant to an agreement with, or permission of, the United States Department of Agriculture.
  (E) Used in any motor vehicle owned by any county, city and county, city, district, or other political subdivision or public agency when operated by it over any highway constructed and maintained by the United States or any department or agency thereof within a military reservation in this state. If the motor vehicle is operated both over the highway and over a public highway outside the military reservation in a continuous trip the tax shall not be refunded as to that portion of the diesel fuel used to operate the vehicle over the public highway outside the military reservation. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as a refund of the tax for the use of diesel fuel in any motor vehicle operated upon a public highway within a military reservation, which highway is constructed or maintained by this state or any political subdivision thereof. As used in this section, "military reservation" includes any establishment of the United States Government or any agency thereof used by the Armed Forces of the United States for military, air, or naval operations, including research projects.
  (F) Sold by a supplier and which was sold to any consulate officer or consulate employee under circumstances which would have entitled the supplier to an exemption under paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 60100 if the supplier had sold the diesel fuel directly to the consulate officer or consulate employee.
  (G) Lost in the ordinary course of handling, transportation, or storage.
  (H) (i) Sold by a person to the United States and its agencies and instrumentalities under circumstances that would have entitled that person to an exemption from the payment of diesel fuel tax under Section 60100 had that person been the supplier of this diesel fuel.
  (ii) Sold by a supplier and which was sold by credit card to the United States and its agencies and instrumentalities under circumstances which would have entitled the supplier to an exemption under Section 60100 if the supplier had sold the diesel fuel directly to the United States and its agencies and instrumentalities.
  (I) Sold by a person to a train operator for use in a diesel-powered train or for other off-highway use under circumstances that would have entitled that person to an exemption from the payment of diesel fuel tax under Section 60100 had that person been the supplier of this diesel fuel.
  (J) Removed from an approved terminal at the terminal rack, but only to the extent that the supplier can show that the tax on the same amount of diesel fuel has been paid more than one time by the same supplier.
  (b) Where tax is not imposed on dyed blended biodiesel fuel upon removal from an approved terminal at the terminal rack, if tax was previously imposed on the biodiesel fuel portion of the dyed blended biodiesel fuel, then, pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), a claim for refund is allowed for the tax that was paid on that biodiesel fuel, but only to the extent a supplier can show that the tax on that biodiesel fuel has been paid by the same supplier.
  (c) Each claim for refund under this section shall contain the following information with respect to all of the diesel fuel covered by the claim:
  (1) The name, address, telephone number, and permit number of the person that sold the diesel fuel to the claimant and the date of the purchase.
  (2) A statement by the claimant that the diesel fuel covered by the claim did not contain visible evidence of dye.
  (3) A statement, which may appear on the invoice, original invoice facsimile, or similar document, by the person that sold the diesel fuel to the claimant that the diesel fuel sold did not contain visible evidence of dye.
  (4) The total amount of diesel fuel covered by the claim.
  (5) The use made of the diesel fuel covered by the claim described by reference to specific categories listed in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a).
  (6) If the diesel fuel covered by the claim was exported, a statement that the claimant has the proof of exportation.
  (d) Each claim for refund under this section shall be made on a form prescribed by the board and shall be filed for a calendar year. If, at the close of any of the first three quarters of the calendar year, more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) is refundable under this section with respect to diesel fuel used or exported during that quarter or any prior quarter during the calendar year, and for which no other claim has been filed, a claim may be filed for the quarterly period. To facilitate the administration of this section, the board may require the filing of claims for refund for other than yearly periods.

(a) Any ultimate vendor who has paid a tax on diesel fuel sold to an ultimate purchaser for use on a farm for farming purposes or use in an exempt bus operation shall, except as otherwise provided in this part, be reimbursed and repaid the amount of the tax.
  (b) A claim for refund with respect to diesel fuel is allowed under this section only if all of the following apply:
  (1) Tax was imposed on the diesel fuel to which the claim relates.
  (2) The claimant sold the diesel fuel to the ultimate purchaser for use on a farm for farming purposes or for use in an exempt bus operation.
  (3) The claimant is a registered ultimate vendor.
  (4) The claimant has filed a timely claim for refund that contains the information required under subdivision (c) and the claim is supported by the original invoice showing the purchase. If no original invoice was created, electronic invoicing shall be accepted as reflected by a computerized facsimile when accompanied by an original copy of the bill of lading or fuel manifest that can be directly tied to the electronic invoice.
  (c) Each claim for refund under this section shall contain the following information with respect to all the diesel fuel covered by the claim:
  (1) The claimant's permit number.
  (2) The name, address, telephone number, and permit number of each person that sold the diesel fuel to the claimant and the date of the purchase.
  (3) The name, address, telephone number, and federal taxpayer identification number of each farmer or the permit number of each exempt bus operator that bought the diesel fuel from the claimant and the number of gallons that the claimant sold to each.
  (4) A statement that the diesel fuel covered by the claim did not contain visible evidence of dye.
  (5) The total amount of diesel fuel covered by the claim.
  (6) A statement that the claimant has not included the amount of the tax in its sales price of the diesel fuel and has not collected the amount of tax from its buyer.
  (7) A statement that the claimant has in its possession an unexpired exemption certificate described in Section 60503 and the claimant has no reason to believe any information in the certificate is false.
  (8) A statement that the amounts claimed have not been previously refunded to the claimant and that there are no other claims outstanding for the amounts included in the current claim.
  (d) Each claim for refund under this section shall be made on a form prescribed by the board and shall be for an amount of not less than two hundred dollars ($200) and for a period of not less than one week.

No tax shall be included in the sales price or on the sales invoice by the ultimate vendor on diesel fuel sold to an ultimate purchaser.

Notwithstanding the refund provided for by Section 60502 and the exemption provided for by subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 60100, any exempt bus operation using diesel fuel on which the tax has been refunded under Section 60502 or exempt from tax under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 60100 shall, for the privilege of operating buses on state highways and freeways, make a payment equal to one cent ($0.01) for each gallon of the refunded or 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.

(a) The certificate to be provided to the ultimate vendor consists of a statement that is signed under penalty of perjury by a person with authority to bind the buyer. A new certificate shall be given if any information in the current certificate changes. The certificate may be included as part of any business records normally used to document a sale. The certificate expires on the earliest of the following dates:
  (1) The date one year after the effective date of the certificate.
  (2) The date a new certificate is provided to the seller.
  (b) An exemption certificate for diesel fuel used on a farm for farming purposes or for diesel fuel used in an exempt bus operation shall contain that information and be in the form as the board may prescribe.

If a purchaser gives a Section 60503 exemption certificate to an ultimate vendor to the effect that the diesel fuel purchased will be used on a farm for farming purposes or in an exempt bus operation, and sells the diesel fuel or uses the diesel fuel in some other manner or for some other purpose, the purchaser will 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 60503 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 on a farm for farming purposes or in an exempt bus operation, for the purpose of evading payment to the ultimate vendor of the amount of the tax applicable to the transaction, is guilty of either 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 an exemption certificate for diesel fuel pursuant to Section 60503 that he or she knows at the time of purchase is not to be used by him or her or the corporation on a farm for farming purposes or in an exempt bus operation, 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.

For the purpose of refund claims filed pursuant to this article, diesel fuel containing a de minimis quantity of dye shall not be considered diesel fuel containing visible evidence of dye.

The board, upon the presentation of the claim and the invoice, shall cause to be paid to the claimant from the taxes collected under this part an amount equal to the taxes collected on the diesel fuel with respect to which the refund is claimed under this article. If no original invoice was created, electronic invoicing shall be accepted as reflected by a computerized facsimile when accompanied by an original copy of the bill of lading or fuel manifest that can be directly tied to the electronic invoice.

The claim for refund forms prescribed in subdivision (d) of Section 60501 and subdivision (d) of Section 60502 may include, but not be limited to, electronic media. The claim for refund forms shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board.

In order to establish the validity of any claim, the board may, upon demand, examine the books and records of the claimant for that purpose. The failure of the claimant to accede to that demand constitutes a waiver of any right to the refund claimed on account of the transactions questioned.

All applications for refund provided under this article shall be filed within three years from the date of the purchase of the diesel fuel or, if the tax was not invoiced at the time of the purchase of the diesel fuel, the application for refund shall be filed within six months after the receipt of an invoice for the tax, whichever period expires later. Any application filed after the time prescribed shall not be considered for any purpose by the board, the Treasurer, or the state.

In lieu of the collection and refund of the tax on tax-paid diesel fuel exported, removed, sold, or used by a supplier in a manner that would entitle the supplier to claim a refund under this article, credit may be given the supplier upon the supplier's tax return and the determination of the amount of the supplier's tax shall be in accordance with any rules and regulations the board may prescribe.

In lieu of the refund of tax on diesel fuel used by a government entity in the manner as would entitle a government entity to claim a refund under this article, credit may be given to the government entity upon the government entity's tax return and the demonstration of the amount of the government entity's tax.

Interest shall be paid upon any refund of tax at the modified adjusted rate per month established pursuant to Section 6591.5 from the first day of the calendar month following the day a properly completed claim for refund was received by the board on any claim that has not been paid within 20 calendar days of the receipt of a properly completed claim form by the board. The interest shall be paid to the last day of the month following the date upon which the claim is approved by the board. No interest shall be granted on credits taken on tax returns.

(a) A refund filed pursuant to Section 60502 shall be paid to the claimant within 20 calendar days of the receipt of a claim for refund by the board.
  (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the claim for refund must be submitted on a properly completed form or in a substantially similar format, as prescribed by the board.