State Postpones Tax Deadlines Until July 15 Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

For Immediate Release

03/18/2020

Sacramento – The Franchise Tax Board (FTB) today announced updated special tax relief for all California taxpayers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FTB is postponing until July 15 the filing and payment deadlines for all individuals and business entities for:

• 2019 tax returns
• 2019 tax return payments
• 2020 1st and 2nd quarter estimate payments
• 2020 LLC taxes and fees
• 2020 Non-wage withholding payments

“The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting life for people and businesses statewide,” said State Controller Betty T. Yee, who serves as chair of FTB. “We are further extending tax filing deadlines for all Californians to July 15. Hopefully, this small measure of relief will help allow people to focus on their health and safety during these challenging times.”

To give taxpayers a deadline consistent with that of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) without the federal dollar limitations, FTB is following the federal relief described in Notice 2020-17. Since California conforms to the underlying code sections that grant tax postponements for emergencies, FTB is extending the relief to all California taxpayers. Taxpayers do not need to claim any special treatment or call FTB to qualify for this relief.

In line with Governor Newsom’s March 12 Executive Order, FTB previously extended the due dates for filing and payment last week for affected taxpayers until June 15, with the qualification that the deadlines may be extended further if the IRS grants a longer relief period, as it did yesterday. This announcement supersedes last week’s announcement.

For more details regarding FTB COVID-19 tax relief, please see our website at ftb.ca.gov and search COVID-19.

If possible, taxpayers should continue to file tax returns on time to get their refunds timely, including claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit and Young Child Tax Credit. During this public health emergency, FTB continues to process tax returns, issue refunds, and provide phone and live chat service to taxpayers needing assistance.

FTB administers two of California’s major tax programs: Personal Income Tax and the Corporation Tax. FTB also administers other non tax programs and delinquent debt collection functions, including delinquent vehicle registration debt collections on behalf of the Department of Motor Vehicles, and court–ordered debt. Annually, FTB’s tax programs collect more than 70 percent of the state’s general fund. For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit: taxes.ca.gov.