Article 3. Exemptions From Use Tax of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 3.

The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of property, the gross receipts from the sale of which the purchaser establishes to the satisfaction of the board were included in the measure of the sales tax, is exempted from the use tax; provided, however, that this exemption does not extend to the possession of, or the exercise of any right or power over, tangible personal property by a lessee under a lease.

The storage, use or other consumption in this State of property purchased from any unincorporated agency or instrumentality of the United States, except (a) any property reported to the Surplus Property Board of the United States, or to any agency succeeding to the functions of that board, as surplus property by any owning agency and (b) any property included in any contractor inventory, is exempted from the use tax. "Surplus property," "owning agency," and "contractor inventory" as used in this section have the meanings ascribed to them in that act of the Congress of the United States known as the "Surplus Property Act of 1944."

The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of property donated by any seller to any organization described in Section 170(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code and located in California, is exempt from the use tax. A museum shall not be a qualifying donee organization under this section unless the museum is a nonprofit museum described in subdivision (c) of Section 6366.4, and uses the donated property exclusively for display purposes within a museum.

(a) The loan by any retailer of any tangible personal property to any school district for an educational program conducted by the district is exempt from the use tax.
  (b) The loan by any retailer of any motor vehicle to the University of California or to the California State University for the exclusive use in an approved driver education teacher preparation certification program conducted by the university or the state university is exempt from the use tax.
  (c) The loan by any retailer of a motor vehicle to be used exclusively for driver training in an accredited private or parochial secondary school in a driver education and training program approved by the State Department of Education as a regularly conducted course of study is exempt from the use tax.
  (d) The loan by any retailer of any motor vehicle to a veterans hospital or such other nonprofit facility or institution to provide instruction in the operation of specially equipped motor vehicles to disabled veterans is exempt from the use tax.
  (e) If the retailer makes any other use of the property except retention, demonstration, or display while holding it for sale in the regular course of business, the use is taxable to the retailer under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 6201) as of the time the property is first so used, and the sales price of the property to the retailer is the measure of the tax.

Notwithstanding Section 6246, the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of the first eight hundred dollars ($800) of tangible personal property purchased in a foreign country by an individual from a retailer and personally hand-carried into this state from the foreign country within any 30-day period is exempt from the use tax. This section shall not apply to property sent or shipped to this state.

A credit shall be allowed against, but shall not exceed, the taxes imposed on any person by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 6201) of this part, by any ordinance enacted pursuant to Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 7200), by any ordinance enacted pursuant to Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251), and by any ordinance enacted pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 37021) of Part 17 of this division by reason of the storage, use, or other consumption of tangible personal property in this state to the extent that the person has paid a retail sales or use tax, or reimbursement therefor, imposed with respect to that property by any other state, political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia prior to the storage, use, or other consumption of that property in this state. The credit shall be apportioned to the taxes against which it is allowed in proportion to the amounts of those taxes. A credit, otherwise permitted by the foregoing provisions of this section, shall not be allowed against taxes which are measured by periodic payments made under a lease, to the extent that the taxes imposed by any other state, political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia were also measured by periodic payments made under a lease for a period prior to the storage, use, or other consumption of the property in this state.

The possession of, or the exercise of any right or power over, tangible personal property under a lease of such property is exempt from the use tax for any period of time for which the lessee is obligated to lease the property for an amount fixed by the lease prior to August 1, 1965. The lessee shall be deemed not to be obligated for any period of time for which he has the unconditional right to terminate the lease upon notice, whether or not the right is exercised.

The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of medical health information literature purchased by any organization formed and operated for charitable purposes which qualifies for the exemption provided by Section 214 (known as the "welfare exemption"), which is engaged in the dissemination of medical health information, is exempted from the use tax; provided, however, that such purchases are made from a national office, or another branch of that national office, of the same organization.

The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of health and safety educational materials and insignia routinely sold in connection with health and safety and first aid classes, purchased or sold by any national organization formed and operated for charitable purposes which qualifies for the exemption provided by Section 214 (known as the "welfare exemption"), which is engaged in the dissemination of health and safety information, is exempted from the use tax; provided, however, that such purchases are made from a national office or another branch or chapter of such national office of the same organization.

The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of new or used trailers or semitrailers which involves the moving or operation laden of those trailers or semitrailers in accordance with a one-trip permit issued pursuant to Section 4003.5 of the Vehicle Code is exempted from the use tax.

(a) The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of tangible personal property becoming a component part of any railroad equipment in the course of repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving that railroad equipment outside of this state, and charges made for labor and services rendered with respect to that repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving, are exempt from the use tax.
  (b) For purposes of this section, "railroad equipment" includes locomotives, freight and passenger cars, maintenance of way equipment, and any other equipment riding on flanged wheels and owned or used by a common carrier engaged in interstate or foreign commerce, or by any person for the purpose of leasing that equipment to a common carrier engaged in interstate or foreign commerce.

(a) The storage, use, or other consumption in this state of qualified tangible personal property purchased by a qualified service member or a qualified service member's spouse or registered domestic partner while outside the state and prior to the report date on official orders transferring the qualified service member to this state is exempt from use tax.
  (b) For purposes of this section, all of the following shall apply:
  (1) "Qualified service member" means a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, a member of reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, or a member of the National Guard on active duty.
  (2) "Qualified tangible personal property" means tangible personal property other than a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft.
  (3) "Registered domestic partner" means a person that meets the requirements of Section 297 of the Family Code, and includes a person in a union recognized as a valid domestic partnership as provided in Section 299.2 of the Family Code.
  (c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2019, and as of that date is repealed.