Retailers engaged in business in California must register with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) and pay the state's sales tax, which applies to all retail sales of goods and merchandise except those sales specifically exempted by law. The use tax generally applies to the storage, use, or other consumption in California of goods purchased from retailers in transactions not subject to the sales tax. Learn the basics of California's Sales and Use Tax rules, plus four costly mistakes to avoid, and a simple tracking method using QuickBooks. The general procedures described can be applied using any accounting software.

The California Sales and Use Tax Answer Book is the key reference source for which practitioners have been searching. Not only is it comprehensive and clear; it also provides extensive citation to important case and statutory law. The varying rates, the changing jurisdictional boundaries, the different tax bases, and the often inconsistent and contradictory interpretations of similarly worded statutes are all covered. The book also includes a chapter on sales tax reforms, particularly the Streamlined Sales Tax Project.