California Sales Tax Module

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Angkorthom

Hmmm...I hear a lot of different things about CA sale collection. But you sound convincing so when you say "BOE correspondence"
is it from a BOE publication. If yes can you give me a number. I just want to be sure.

Also for those who use zip code for CA sale tax rate, on Application 17 it stated that it maybe incorrect to use address (zip code) to determine a sale tax.

---

There is a TON of confusion which is why I contacted the BOE and got something in writing.

If you are a small business with one business location you have to charge the District sales tax rate (example: San Diego 8.75%) when shipping to customers in your District/county (San Diego).

When shipping to customers in California that are outside of your District (example: outside San Diego county) you only have to charge the State Wide rate of 8.25%.

What a mess! No wonder California had budget problems.

...Or.... you can do like some folks and just charge 8.75% to everyone in California and hand it all over to the BOE to keep things simple.

mtmnet, thank you so much for the clearification. I tried to call BOE brand in San Jose this morning and was put on hold for about an hour. I hanged up! I agreed with you about the mess in CA and I agree with somone said in a diferent thread that if CA cares about collecting sales why they don't provide API.

For my shop, I'll just use 8.25% for everybody in CA. If someone in my location, I'll pay the difference to make thing simple for now.

So Angkorthom, if you charge one rate to everybody, how are you justify charging more sales tax to the customer than what he/she should pay?

I am in the same boat and want to avoid this mess of cities and counties.

I know there was no way till 2009 but recently is there any automated way of populating the sales tax districts, counties and cities in Zen Cart DB?

I hope that everyone is not OVERCHARGING tax (and making your sales and use tax returns more complex).

BOE Publication 105 states that district tax only needs to be paid if you are ENGAGED IN BUSINESS IN THAT DISTRICT. Otherwise, you may use the statewide rate of 7.25.

So, if you are engaged in business in San Diego County, which has a district tax, and you ship something to somewhere outside of San Diego County (but in California), you can charge the statewide rate of 7.25. The purchase is responsible for the district use tax. However, if the retailer collects the district tax, they must report and remit it to the state.

If I sell images (jpg/psd/png etc) that are not shipped, I think I need to charge tax to the customers who live in CA, is that correct? If so, how do I charge just those customers and not everyone?

ahhh california.. not sure why anyone still live there.. but i digress.. does this module work for companies outside california that would need to collect CA taxes?