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Business Taxes Law Guide—Revision 2024
Sales And Use Tax Law
Revenue and Taxation Code
Division 2. Other Taxes
Part 1. Sales and Use Taxes
Chapter 3. The Use Tax
Article 3. Presumptions and Resale Certificates
Section 6248
6248. Presumption of purchase for use; vehicles, vessels, and aircraft. (a) On and after the effective date of this section there shall be a rebuttable presumption that any vehicle, vessel, or aircraft bought outside of this state, and which is brought into California within 12 months from the date of its purchase, was acquired for storage, use, or other consumption in this state and is subject to use tax if any of the following occur:
(1) The vehicle, vessel, or aircraft was purchased by a California resident as defined in Section 516 of the Vehicle Code.
(2) In the case of a vehicle, the vehicle was subject to registration under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 4000) of Division 3 of the Vehicle Code during the first 12 months of ownership.
(3) In the case of a vessel or aircraft, that vessel or aircraft was subject to property tax in this state during the first 12 months of ownership.
(4) The vehicle, vessel, or aircraft is used or stored in this state more than one-half of the time during the first 12 months of ownership.
(b) This presumption may be controverted by documentary evidence that the vehicle, vessel, or aircraft was purchased for use outside of this state during the first 12 months of ownership. This evidence may include, but is not limited to, evidence of registration of that vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, with the proper authority, outside of this state.
(c) This section does not apply to any vehicle, vessel, or aircraft used in interstate or foreign commerce pursuant to regulations prescribed by the board.
(d) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision do not apply to any vehicle, vessel, or aircraft that is either purchased, or is the subject of a binding purchase contract that is entered into, on or before the operative date of this subdivision.
(e) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), aircraft or vessels brought into this state for the purpose of repair, retrofit, or modification shall not be deemed to be acquired for storage, use, or other consumption in this state.
(2) This subdivision does not apply if, during the period following the time the aircraft or vessel is brought into this state and ending when the repair, retrofit, or modification of the aircraft or vessel is complete, more than 25 hours of airtime in the case of an airplane or 25 hours of sailing time in the case of a vessel are logged on the aircraft or vessel by the registered owner of that aircraft or vessel or by an authorized agent operating the aircraft or vessel on behalf of the registered owner of the aircraft or vessel. The calculation of airtime or sailing time logged on the aircraft or vessel does not include airtime or sailing time following the completion of the repair, retrofit, or modification of the aircraft or vessel that is logged for the sole purpose of returning or delivering the aircraft or vessel to a point outside of this state.
(3) This subdivision applies to aircraft or vessels brought into this state for the purpose of repair, retrofit, or modification on or after the operative date of this subdivision.
(f) The presumption set forth in subdivision (a) may be controverted by documentary evidence that the vehicle was brought into this state for the exclusive purpose of warranty or repair service and was used or stored in this state for that purpose for 30 days or less. The 30-day period begins when the vehicle enters this state, includes any time of travel to and from the warranty or repair facility, and ends when the vehicle is returned to a point outside the state. The documentary evidence shall include a work order stating the dates that the vehicle is in the possession of the warranty or repair facility and a statement by the owner of the vehicle specifying dates of travel to and from the warranty or repair facility.
(g) The amendments made by Section 2 of Chapter 226 of the Statutes of 2004 adding this subdivision shall become operative on October 1, 2004.
(h) The Legislative Analyst's office shall conduct a study of the economic impacts of the amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision, and shall report its findings to the Legislature on or before June 30, 2006.
(i) This section shall remain in effect only until and including June 30, 2007, and as of July 1, 2007, is repealed.
History—Added by Stats. 1963, p. 3834, operative October 1, 1963. Stats. 2004, Ch. 226 (SB 1100), in effect August 16, 2004, revised entire statute which read, "On and after the effective date of this section there shall be a rebuttable presumption that any vehicle bought outside of this State which is brought into California within 90 days from the date of its purchase, and which is subject to registration under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 4000) of Division 3 of the Vehicle Code, was acquired for storage, use, or other consumption in this State." Stats. 2006, Ch. 49 (AB 1809), in effect June 30, 2006, substituted "state, and" for "State" after "outside of this" in subdivision (a); substituted "Section 2 of Chapter 226 of the Statutes of 2004" for "the act" after "The amendments made by" in subdivision (f); substituted "and including June 30, 2007" for "July 1, 2006" after "effect only until" and substituted "July 1, 2007," for "that date" after "and as of" in subdivision (h). Stats. 2006, Ch. 352 (AB 2239), in effect September 20, 2006, added subdivision (f), and relettered former subdivisions (f), (g), and (h) as (g), (h), and (i), respectively.
6248. Presumption of purchase for use; vehicles, vessels, and aircraft. (a) There shall be a rebuttable presumption that any vehicle, vessel, or aircraft bought outside of this state on or after the effective date of this section, and which is brought into California within 12 months from the date of its purchase, was acquired for storage, use, or other consumption in this state and is subject to use tax if any of the following occurs:
(1) The vehicle, vessel, or aircraft was purchased by a California resident as defined in Section 516 of the Vehicle Code. For purposes of this section, a closely held corporation or limited liability company shall also be considered a California resident if 50 percent or more of the shares or membership interests are held by shareholders or members who are residents of California as defined in Section 516 of the Vehicle Code.
(2) In the case of a vehicle, the vehicle was subject to registration under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 4000) of Division 3 of the Vehicle Code during the first 12 months of ownership.
(3) In the case of a vessel or aircraft, that vessel or aircraft was subject to property tax in this state during the first 12 months of ownership.
(4) If purchased by a nonresident of California, the vehicle, vessel, or aircraft is used or stored in this state more than one-half of the time during the first 12 months of ownership.
(b) This presumption may be controverted by documentary evidence that the vehicle, vessel, or aircraft was purchased for use outside of this state during the first 12 months of ownership. This evidence may include, but is not limited to, evidence of registration of that vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, with the proper authority, outside of this state.
(c) This section shall not apply to any vehicle, vessel, or aircraft used in interstate or foreign commerce pursuant to regulations prescribed by the board.
(d) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall not apply to any vehicle, vessel, or aircraft that is either purchased, or is the subject of a binding purchase contract that is entered into, on or before the operative date of this subdivision.
(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), any aircraft or vessel brought into this state exclusively for the purpose of repair, retrofit, or modification shall not be deemed to be acquired for storage, use, or other consumption in this state if the repair, retrofit, or modification is, in the case of a vessel, performed by a repair facility that holds an appropriate permit issued by the board and is licensed to do business by the city, county, or city and county in which it is located if the city, county, or city and county so requires, or, in the case of an aircraft, performed by a repair station certified by the Federal Aviation Administration or a manufacturer's maintenance facility.
(f) The presumption set forth in subdivision (a) may be controverted by documentary evidence that the vehicle was brought into this state for the exclusive purpose of warranty or repair service and was used or stored in this state for that purpose for 30 days or less. The 30-day period begins when the vehicle enters this state, includes any time of travel to and from the warranty or repair facility, and ends when the vehicle is returned to a point outside the state. The documentary evidence shall include a work order stating the dates that the vehicle is in the possession of the warranty or repair facility and a statement by the owner of the vehicle specifying dates of travel to and from the warranty or repair facility.
History—Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 226 (SB 1100), in effect August 16, 2004. Stats. 2006, Ch. 49 (AB 1809), in effect June 30, 2006, substituted "2007" for "2006" after "July 1," in subdivisions (a) and (b), and substituted "state" for "State" after "in this" twice in subdivision (a). Stats. 2008, Ch. 763 (AB 1452), in effect September 30, 2008, revised entire statute which read, "(a) On and after July 1, 2007, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that any vehicle bought outside of this state which is brought into California within 90 days from the date of its purchase, and which is subject to registration under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 4000) of Division 3 of the Vehicle Code, was acquired for storage, use, or other consumption in this state. (b) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2007."; and added new subdivisions (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f). Stats. 2009, Ch. 545 (AB 1547), in effect January 1, 2010, substituted "There" for "On and after the effective date of this section, there" and added "on or after the effective date of this section" after "of this state" in subdivision (a), added second sentence in subdivision (1) and substituted "If purchased by … the" before "vehicle, vessel" in subdivision (4) of subdivision (a); deleted subdivision number designation (1) in subdivision (e) and added "exclusively" after "into this state" and "if the repair … maintenance facility" after "in this state" therein; deleted former subdivisions (2) and (3) of subdivision (e), which provided the following: "(2) This subdivision shall not apply if, during the period following the time the aircraft or vessel is brought into this state and ending when the repair, retrofit, or modification of the aircraft or vessel is complete, more than 25 hours of airtime in the case of an airplane or 25 hours of sailing time in the case of a vessel is logged on the aircraft or vessel by the registered owner of that aircraft or vessel or by an authorized agent operating the aircraft or vessel on behalf of the registered owner of the aircraft or vessel. The calculation of airtime or sailing time logged on the aircraft or vessel shall not include airtime or sailing time following the completion of the repair, retrofit, or modification of the aircraft or vessel that is logged for the sole purpose of returning or delivering the aircraft or vessel to a point outside of this state. (3) This subdivision shall apply to aircraft or vessels brought into this state for the purpose of repair, retrofit, or modification on or after the operative date of this subdivision." Stats. 2010, Ch. 328 (SB 1330), in effect January 1, 2011, substituted "company" for "corporation" after "limited liability" in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). Stats. 2011, Ch. 727 (AB 242), in effect January 1, 2012, added "city," after "business by the", added ", or city and county" after "county", and added "if the city, county, or city and county so requires" after "in which it is located" in subdivision (e).