California · Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC

RTC §43603: Any person who knowingly or willfully files a false tax return with the board, and any person who refuses to permit the board or any of its representatives to make any inspection or examination for wh

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

Filing a false tax return, refusing board inspections, failing to keep records, or falsifying records is a misdemeanor punishable by fines, jail time up to six months, or both.

Read the full statutory text

Any person who knowingly or willfully files a false tax return with the board, and any person who refuses to permit the board or any of its representatives to make any inspection or examination for which provision is made in this part, or who fails to keep records as prescribed by the board, or who fails to preserve such records for the inspection of the board for such time as the board deems necessary, or who alters, cancels, or obliterates entries in such records for the purpose of falsifying the records is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail for not less than one month nor more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.