2005 California Revenue and Taxation Code Sections 38451-38455 Article 6. Interest and Penalties

38451.  Any person who fails to pay any tax to the state or any
amount of tax required to be collected and paid to the state, except
amounts of determinations made by the board under Articles 2 or 3 of
this chapter, within the time required shall pay a penalty of 10
percent of the tax or amount of the tax, in addition to the tax or
the amount of tax, plus interest at the adjusted annual rate
established pursuant to Section 19521 from the date on which the tax
or the amount of tax required to be collected became due and payable
to the state until the date of payment.
38452.  (a) If the board finds that a person's failure to make a
timely return or payment is due to reasonable cause and circumstances
beyond the person's control, and occurred notwithstanding the
exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect, the
person may be relieved of the penalty provided by Sections 38421 and
38451.
   (b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), any person seeking to
be relieved of the penalty shall file with the board a statement
under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts upon which he or she
bases his or her claim for relief.
   (c) The board shall establish criteria that provides for efficient
resolution of requests for relief pursuant to this section.
38453.  If the board finds that a person's failure to make a timely
return or payment was due to a disaster, and occurred notwithstanding
the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect,
the person may be relieved of the interest provided by Sections
38405, 38423, and 38451.
   Any person seeking to be relieved of the interest shall file with
the board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the
facts upon which he bases his claim for relief.
38454.  (a) If the board finds that a person's failure to make a
timely return or payment is due to the person's reasonable reliance
on written advice from the board, the person may be relieved of the
taxes imposed by this part and any penalty or interest added thereto.
   (b) For purposes of this section, a person's failure to make a
timely return or payment shall be considered to be due to reasonable
reliance on written advice from the board, only if the board finds
that all of the following conditions are satisfied:
   (1) The person requested in writing that the board advise him or
her whether a particular activity or transaction is subject to tax
under this part.  The specific facts and circumstances of the
activity or transaction shall be fully described in the request.
   (2) The board responded in writing to the person regarding the
written request for advice, stating whether or not the described
activity or transaction is subject to tax, or stating the conditions
under which the activity or transaction  is subject to tax.
   (3) The liability for taxes applied to a particular activity or
transaction which occurred before either of the following:
   (A) Before the board rescinded or modified the advice so given, by
sending written notice to the person of the rescinded or modified
advice.
   (B) Before a change in statutory or constitutional law, a change
in the board's regulations, or a final decision of a court, which
renders the board's earlier written advice no longer valid.
   (c) Any person seeking relief under this section shall file with
the board all of the following:
   (1) A copy of the person's written request to the board and a copy
of the board's written advice.
   (2) A statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts
on which the  claim for relief is based.
   (3) Any other information which the board may require.
   (d) Only the person making the written request shall be entitled
to rely on  the board's written advice to that person.
38455.  (a) The board, in its discretion, may relieve all or any
part of the interest imposed on a person by this part where the
failure to pay tax is due in whole or in part to an unreasonable
error or delay by an employee of the board acting in his or her
official capacity.
   (b) For purposes of this section, an error or delay shall be
deemed to have occurred only if the person filed a timely report and
no significant aspect of the error or delay is attributable to an act
of, or a failure to act by, the taxpayer.
   (c) Any person seeking relief under this section shall file with
the board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the
facts on which the claim for relief is based and any other
information which the board may require.
   (d) The board may grant relief only for interest imposed on tax
liabilities that arise during taxable periods commencing on or after
January 1, 2000.