Are you a California-Based Nonprofit Organization?
Regretfully, the State of California does not provide a general tax exemption on goods and services sold to nonprofits within the state and we are required by the State Board of Equalization (BoE) to charge all appropriate state and municipal taxes on purchases made from us. The BoE Publication 18, Nonprofit Organizations, states:
"In California, sales tax applies to the sale of tangible personal property (referred to as “merchandise” or “goods” in
this publication) unless the sale is covered by a specific legal exemption or exclusion. Individuals, businesses, and
groups that sell taxable merchandise in California must pay sales tax on their taxable sales...
Although many nonprofit and religious organizations are exempt from federal and state income tax, there is no
similar broad exemption from California sales and use tax. Generally, a nonprofit’s sales and purchases are taxable.
In other words, nonprofit and religious organizations, in general, are treated just like other California sellers and
buyers for sales and use tax purposes."
Are You a Nonprofit Organization Based Outside of California?
Symbols performs all of its business from its California operations center and is not required to collect sales tax for out-of-state transactions. No action on your part is necessary; you will not be asked to pay a sales tax upon check-out.
