Online Services

We offer a variety of online services that make completing your CDTFA business easy and efficient. Using our online services, you can file a return, make a payment, submit a claim for refund, file an appeal and much more.

If you have an online services profile, log in with your username and password to our secure website to get started.

Log In

If you do not have an online services profile, see the “Register for an Online Services Profile” section below for instructions on how to get started.

Note: We will be phasing out Limited Access Codes beginning in 2022. If you use a Limited Access Code to file returns or make payments in our online services system, and do not currently have an online services profile, please Sign Up Now.

Register for an Online Services Profile

Sign Up Now to begin the enrollment process. You will be prompted to create a username and password. Once your profile is created, depending on your account type and access level, you will have the ability to:

  • File or view a return
  • Make or view a payment
  • Update account information
  • File an appeal
  • Make a request for relief or request an extension
  • Track and obtain correspondence with CDTFA
  • Access and manage multiple accounts under one login
  • Register a new location

Cigarette Tax Stamp Program

Licensed cigarette distributors can order and check on the status of their orders online. You must be a registered stamp purchaser and have a valid email account, username, and password to use the system. For more information, please see publication 63, Cigarette Distributor Licensing and Tax Stamp Guide.

If you are already a registered stamp purchaser and have a username and password, you may log in to order cigarette stamps.

Order Cigarette Stamps Online Now

Permit, License, or Account Verification

The Permit, License, or Account Verification system is available to help you determine the status of a permit, license, or account.

Note: We are not able to disclose all permits, licenses, or accounts.

Verify a Permit, License, or Account Now

Other Online Services

Where can I find more information?

For more information about our online services, please see our Resources page and Tutorial videos.

What is online registration? (Español)

Online registration is a convenient, fast, and free way to register online for a permit, license, or account with the CDTFA.

Get Started

Register for a Permit, License, or Account

You can register online for a permit, license, or account for Sales and Use Tax and most of the Special Tax and Fee programs. See below for additional information.

You will answer questions regarding your business activities and the registration system will identify the permits and licenses required.

The registration process will automatically save the information at each step, allow you to quit at any time and continue at a later time.

Note: Partially completed applications will be deleted after 30 days.

You can also use the registration system to:

Programs Registered by Other Agencies

Registration information for the following programs administered by the CDTFA is provided by the following agencies:

Programs with No Online Registration

  • Marine Invasive Species Fee
  • No online registration as CDTFA registers vessel owner or operators based on information from the California Marine Exchanges

Renew a License or Request Additional Decals

You can also use our online registration system to renew your license for Cigarette and Tobacco Products, International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) or request additional Flat rate decals for IFTA or Alternative Use Fuel.

Information Needed to Register for a Permit, License, or Account

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  • A valid form of Identification (Driver License, City ID Card, Employment Authorization Card, Matricula Consular ID, Military ID, Non Immigrant Visa, Non-U.S. Driver's License, Non-U.S. Passport, Permanent Resident Alien Card, State Identification Card, Tribal Issue Photo ID, U.S. Passport Card, U.S. Passport, or U.S. Visa)
  • Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer ID (ITIN)
  • Email Address
  • Supplier Name/Address
  • Personal References
  • Bookkeeper/Accountant Address and Phone Number (if applicable)
  • FEIN (Partnership, Association, Organization, Trust, Estate, Joint Venture, Receivership/Fiduciary, Unincorporated Business Organization, Corporation, Limited Liability Partnership, Limited Partnership, Limited Liability Corporation)
  • California Secretary of State Entity Number (Corporation, Limited Liability Partnership, Limited Partnership, Limited Liability Corporation)
  • Officer, Member, or Partner Information (date of birth, SSN, or driver license and address)
  • Agency Name (Federal, State, and Local Government)
  • Contact information of the person(s) who maintains the books and records (name, address and phone number)

Additional Information You May Need for the Following Programs

Beer Manufacturer, Wine Grower/Direct Wine Shipper, Beer and Wine Importer, Distilled Spirits Importer/Manufacturer, Customs Broker

  • Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) License

  • U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Number

  • ABC Certificate of Compliance

  • Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC), Distributor License Number (not required)

  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) number
  • California Employment Development Department (EDD) number (payroll number)

  • Public Utilities Commission (PUC) number

Underground Storage Tanks Maintenance Fee

  • Real Property Parcel Number
  • Underground Storage Tank Ownership Document

Fuel Suppliers

  • Terminal Control Number (TCN)
  • Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 637 Letter of Registration

IFTA/Interstate User Diesel Fuel Tax

  • Department of Transportation (DOT) number
  • Certificate of Registration for Motor Carriers (MX) number
  • California International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) number
  • Interstate User Diesel Fuel Tax License number
  • Vehicle Information

  • Projected monthly sales
  • Projected monthly taxable sales
  • Products to be sold

  • Operation Number

  • Serial Number of a mobile/manufactured home or aircraft
  • Decal Number of a mobile/manufactured home
  • Make of a mobile/manufactured home, vehicle, vessel, or aircraft
  • Year of a mobile/manufactured home, vehicle, vessel, or aircraft
  • Purchase date of the mobile/manufactured home, vehicle, vessel, or aircraft
  • Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of vehicle
  • License plate number of vehicle or undocumented (DMV registered) vessel
  • Location address of mobile/manufactured home, vehicle, vessel, or aircraft
  • Documentation number of US Coast Guard registered vessel
  • Hull identification number of the vessel
  • Tail number of the aircraft
  • Model of the aircraft

If you have any questions, you may contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711), Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Pacific time, excluding state holidays.

Begin Registration

What are the benefits?

  • One click starts the process for the permits, licenses, and accounts
  • You can easily apply for new licenses or add business locations
  • The system is free to use; however, some permits, licenses, or accounts may require a fee or deposit
  • View the status of your application(s) online
  • Get emails with updates on the status of your application(s)
  • Online help and live assistance during business hours
  • Get links to reference materials related to your business activities

File online by logging in to our secure site using your username and password

File your return now

Who can file online?

We offer convenient online filing services for eligible accounts. The following programs do not have a return filing obligation with us:

  • Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Fee
  • Fire Prevention Fee
  • Hazardous Substances Tax – Transportable Treatment Unit
  • Marine Invasive Species Fee
  • Tax on Insurers
  • Water Rights Fee
File your return now

What do I need to get started?

  • CDTFA account number
  • Sales, purchases, transactions, and deductions or other reportable information for the filing period
  • Payment information

Online Filing Excel Templates and Resources

When do I file?

You are required to file on or before the due date, which is based on your filing frequency (monthly, quarterly, quarterly prepay, fiscal yearly, or yearly). Your due date can be found in the links below.

Filing Due Dates

Sales and Use Tax (includes Prepaid Mobile Telephony Services (MTS) Surcharge and Lumber Products Assessment)

Special Taxes and Fees

Email Filing Reminders

To receive reminders to file, please update your email address with us by logging into your online profile with your username and password.

How to Amend a Return

Amend A Return

Taxpayers ready to make a payment or prepayment may log in here on our secure site.

Make a Payment or Prepayment

Make a Payment

We offer convenient payment methods for those with current and past due liabilities. If you are filing a return, you can pay any taxes or fees due at the same time. Payments can be made directly from your bank account, credit card, check, or by money order. Some of our taxpayers are required to make payments by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

Who can pay online?

You can pay online unless you are paying one of the following special taxes and fees accounts:

What are my online payment options?

Pay Directly from Your Bank Account

This option allows funds to be electronically withdrawn from your bank account using your bank routing number and your bank account number. There is no fee to use this service.

To make a payment online, visit CDTFA's Online Services Login Page. You can find more information in our Online Payments – Frequently Asked Questions.

Pay by Credit Card

Please note that a service fee of 2.3% of the transaction amount will be charged by the credit card processing vendor. This service fee is retained by the vendor and is not revenue to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). The minimum service fee is $1.00.

Pay by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Payment

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is a method for financial institutions to transfer funds from one account to another, eliminating the use of paper checks. Some tax and fee payers are required to pay by EFT.

Are there other payment options?

Pay by Check or Money Order

  1. If you prefer to pay by sending us a check or money order instead of paying through our online system, there is an option to print a payment voucher after you file your return. We recommend all checks and money orders be mailed with a payment voucher. All billing notices and Statement of Account notices include a payment voucher. Prepayment vouchers can also be printed through our online services system by clicking the “Make a Payment” button on our Online Services Login Page, then choosing “Print a Prepayment Voucher.” We will process your check the same day it is received. This means the funds will be withdrawn from your account the day we receive your check.
  2. Make your check or money order payable to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.
  3. Write your CDTFA account number on your check or money order.
  4. Deliver via one of the following methods:
    1. Mail your payment and payment voucher to:
      California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
      PO Box 942879
      Sacramento CA 94279-7072
    2. Send your payment and payment voucher via private courier (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mon-Fri) or overnight delivery service to:
      California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
      450 N. Street
      Mic 13
      Sacramento CA 95814
    3. Hand delivery of a check or money order is acceptable at any public field office during normal business hours.

Our offices do not accept cash as a method of payment. You may contact your local CDTFA office to request an exemption if you must pay your taxes in cash.

NOTE: If you are a mandatory EFT participant and you use another means of payment (cash, check, credit card, etc.), your payment will be subject to a penalty.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes. If you cannot pay your total past due amount now, you can request a payment plan, and pay down your balance over time. This could potentially keep you from incurring additional penalties and interest. For more information visit our Payment Plan page.

How do I claim a refund while making payments?

If you are making payments towards a Notice of Determination (billing) and believe you do not owe the amount due or believe you have been overcharged, you may now file a claim for refund using the CDTFA's Online Services Login page. To submit your claim for refund, login with your username and password and click on the account for which you want to request a refund. Then under the I Want To section click the More link. Then select the Submit a Claim for Refund link and follow the prompts. You may file one single timely claim for refund (CDTFA-101, Claim for Refund) to cover any prior payments within the applicable statute of limitations (see publications below for limitation periods), any current payments, and any subsequent payments applied to that billing. If you are disputing more than one billing, you must file a timely claim for refund for each separate billing.

For more information, see publication 17, Appeals Procedures and publication 117, Filing a Claim for Refund.

Customers must have a CDTFA Online Services username and password to request relief online. For help with creating a username and password, please see our video tutorials on logging in.

Log In

What Relief May Be Requested? (español) (Chinese) (Vietnamese) (Korean)

You may now request relief from penalty and/or interest, relief from collection cost recovery fees, submit a declaration of timely mailing, and request a return extension using our online services, as described below:

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The CDTFA may grant relief from penalty charges if it is determined that you failed to timely file or pay, or failed to pay using the correct payment method, due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond your control. Your request may not be processed until the tax/fee has been paid in full. If you are relieved of the penalty charges, you must still pay the interest due on late return payments and prepayments.

The CDTFA may grant relief of interest only for the reasons shown below. If we approve your request, all or part of the interest may be relieved.

  • An unreasonable error or delay by a CDTFA employee acting in their official capacity and no significant aspect of the error or delay is attributable to your actions or your failure to act; or
  • An error by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in calculating the amount of sales or use tax due on your DMV registered vehicle or vessel.

If you are a disaster victim, the CDTFA may grant relief from penalty and interest charges if it determines that you failed to timely file or pay due to a disaster, or failed to pay using the correct payment method, due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond your control. (State of Emergency Tax Relief guide)

A Collection Cost Recovery Fee (CRF) is applied to most past due liabilities that remain unpaid for more than 90 days. The CDTFA may grant relief from the CRF if it determines that failure to pay a past due liability was due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond your control. Your request cannot be processed until the liability (tax/fee, interest, and penalty) for which the CRF was assessed has been paid in full.

A Declaration of Timely Mailing (DTM) may be submitted when a penalty and interest on a liability were assessed for a document that was mailed timely but postmarked after the due date.

You may request an extension if additional time is needed to file your tax or fee return/prepayment and/or payment. The due date may be extended by one month and the late filing and/or late payment penalties may be waived.

While each type of request has different requirements, any taxpayer, or their representative, with the appropriate security level, can use the system to make their requests. Please see our frequently asked questions (FAQ) for more details. Property Railroad Car Taxpayers should contact the State-Assessed Properties Division at 1-916-274-3270.

Note: Relief requests cannot be submitted for Surplus Line Broker Tax accounts.

What do I need to get started?

You will need your account number. You can log in with your username and password. You can log in here to begin.

How do I apply?

To submit a request for relief, log in with your username and password and select the account you want to request relief for. The Submit a Relief Request option is located under the I Want To section, More subsection. Simply select the Submit a Relief Request link and follow the prompts.

To submit an Extension of Time in Which to File a Tax/Fee Return, log in with your username and password and select the account you want to request an extension for. The Request a Filing Extension option is located under the I Want To section, select Request a Filing Extension link and follow the prompts.

To review your submitted request, log in in with your username and password, select your account, then select the Submissions tab.

If you do not have a username and password, you can start your request with a CDTFA-735, Request for Relief from Penalty, Collection Cost Recovery Fee, and/or Interest form.

How can I get help?

If you have questions, please see our FAQ below, or contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711). Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific time, except state holidays.

What other online services are available?

We continue to expand our online resources to better assist taxpayers succeed by offering helpful and convenient online services. For more information, visit our Online Services overview page.

If you have a username and password and you wish to request a payment plan, log in here on our secure site. If you do not have a username and password, you can Sign Up Now to register for an Online Services Profile.

Log In

If you cannot pay your total past due amount now, you can request a payment plan. With a payment plan, you can pay down your balance over time, potentially saving yourself additional penalties and interest.

What are the benefits?

  • No cost, convenient, and secure.
  • Receive instant feedback and in some cases, instant approval.
  • Automatically scheduled payments based on dates you choose.
  • Payments can be made monthly, biweekly, or weekly.
  • Under most circumstances with our approval, you can skip and reschedule one payment in a 12-month period.

Who can apply?

Almost any taxpayer with a past due amount can apply. You can propose payments of any amount greater than $10.

Taxpayers with accounts with any of these conditions are not eligible to apply online:

  • Your account is in bankruptcy, probate, or receivership,
  • You have a pending or existing approved payment plan, or
  • Your seller's permit or license has been revoked.

What happens after I apply?

We immediately review your request. We approve many requests instantly, but some require more evaluation.

What do I need to get started?

Before you apply you will need to:

  • Have a billed amount due that is past due,
  • File all required tax/fee returns,
  • Have your checking or savings account number ready,
  • Have your most recent Statement of Account or Payment Voucher,
  • Know your username and password.

How do I apply?

To submit your request, log in with your username and password and under the I Want To section, select Request a Payment Plan to begin your request. If you do not have a username and password, you can Sign Up Now to register for an Online Services Profile. If you need help logging in, please watch our video tutorials or call our Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (CRS: 711).

You can also request a payment plan using the most recent Statement of Account or Payment Voucher you received. To submit your request, on the Online Services Login page, under the Payments section, select Request a Payment Plan to begin your request. You will be prompted to enter the 10-digit Letter ID and the amount due shown on the Statement of Account or Payment Voucher.

Visit our online services log in page to get started.

What actions may be taken if I don’t pay?

If you have an outstanding liability with us that you do not pay, we may take collection actions, such as filing a lien against your property or placing a levy against your wages, bank account, or other personal property.

For more information, see publication 54, Tax Collection Procedures and publication 54A, Behind on Your Payment?

How do I claim a refund while making payments?

If you are making payments towards a Notice of Determination (billing) and believe you do not owe the amount due or believe you have been overcharged, you may now file a claim for refund using our Online Services Login page. To submit your claim for refund, log in with your username and password and click on the account for which you want to request a refund. Then under the I Want To section click the More link. Next, select the Submit a Claim for Refund link and follow the prompts. You may file one single timely claim for refund (CDTFA-101, Claim for Refund) to cover any prior payments within the applicable statute of limitations (see publications below for limitation periods), any current payments, and any subsequent payments applied to that billing. If you are disputing more than one billing, you must file a timely claim for refund for each separate billing.

For more information, see publication 17, Appeals Procedures and publication 117, Filing a Claim for Refund.

For more information on the New Online Services, please see the resources below.

If you have any questions, please call our Customer Service Center at 1-800-400-7115 (CRS:711). Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific time), except state holidays.

To see and learn more about the new system, please visit our Resources page.

Video Tutorials

Videos Tutoriales