How to file a California sales tax return on CDTFA
Reports your sales and pays the sales tax you collected. CDTFA assigns your filing frequency when you get your seller's permit.
- Agency
- CA Dept. of Tax and Fee Administration
- Who has to do it
- Anyone with a California seller's permit, even if you had zero sales.
- If it's late
- 10% penalty on the tax due plus interest. Filing late with zero sales can still trigger a penalty.
Step by step
Sign in to CDTFA
Log in with your CDTFA username and password. No username yet? Click Sign Up Now on the login page and follow CDTFA's steps.
Open the return for the period you're filing
Click Sales and Use Tax, then File and/or View a Return/Report, then click the return for the period you're filing.
Enter your sales
Enter your sales numbers into the matching boxes. If you use Dulybook's totals, check them against your sales records and bank deposits first.
Confirm where you sold
On Schedule A, your business's location is already listed. Enter your taxable sales there, and add a row for each other area where you made taxable sales. Not sure? Use CDTFA's Online Filing Instructions or ask a tax professional.
Pay the tax
Check the summary, add your name and phone, and click Submit. Then pay what you owe from your account page with Make a Payment. Bank payments are free. Copy the confirmation number when you finish.
Dulybook is a tracking and guidance tool, not tax or legal advice. Rules, fees, and websites change, so always confirm on the official agency page before you file or pay. Dulybook doesn't file anything for you. Terms of Service