Revenue and Taxation Code section 19701

Any person who does any of the following is liable for a penalty of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000):

(a)

With or without intent to evade any requirement of Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001), or this part or any lawful requirement of the Franchise Tax Board, repeatedly over a period of two years or more, fails to file any return or to supply any information required, or who, with or without that intent, makes, renders, signs, or verifies any false or fraudulent return or statement, or supplies any false or fraudulent information, resulting in an estimated delinquent tax liability of at least fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).

(b)

Aids, abets, advises, encourages, or counsels any person to evade the tax imposed by Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) or Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001) by not filing any return or supplying any information required under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001), or this part, or, by making, rendering, signing, or verifying any false or fraudulent return or statement, or by supplying false or fraudulent information.

(c)

Under this part, is required to pay any estimated tax or tax, who willfully fails to pay that estimated tax or tax, at the time or times required by law or regulations.
The penalty shall be recovered in the name of the people in any court of competent jurisdiction. Counsel for the Franchise Tax Board may, upon request of the district attorney or other prosecuting attorney, assist the prosecuting attorney in presenting the law or facts to recover the penalty at the trial of a criminal proceeding for violation of this section.
That person is also guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction be fined not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) or be imprisoned not to exceed one year, or both, at the discretion of the court, together with costs of investigation and prosecution. The preceding sentence shall not apply to any person who is mentally incompetent, or suffers from dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or similar condition.

(d)

For purposes of subdivision (a), the president of a corporation, or the chief operating officer, is the person presumed to be responsible for filing any return or supplying information required from that corporation.

Source: Section 19701, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=RTC§ionNum=19701.­ (accessed May 10, 2025).

Last Updated

May 10, 2025

§ 19701’s source at ca​.gov