What Constitutes Doing Business in California?

Even if your business is not based in California, you may be held to certain California filing obligations and tax liabilities if your business meets the legal definition of “doing business” in California.

There are two definitions for doing business in California. One is from the Franchise Tax Board, and determines whether an individual or business will have tax liabilities in California. The other is established by the California Corporations Code, and it determines what corporate filing obligations an out-of-state business will have with the California Secretary of State.

Doing Business in California According to the Franchise Tax Board

According to the Franchise Tax Board, doing business in California consists of “actively engaging in any transaction for the purpose of financial or pecuniary gain or profit.” An out-of-state entity is treated as “doing business” in California if:

• The entity is commercially domiciled in California (meaning the entity is controlled in California, like a headquarters);
• Sales in California exceed the lesser of $500,000 or 25% of the entity’s total sales;
• The entity has real or tangible property in California exceeding the lesser of $50,000 or 25% of the entity’s total real and tangible property; or
• The amount paid in California by the entity for compensation exceeds the lesser of $50,000 or 25% of the total compensation paid.

If none of those situations apply, an entity organized in a jurisdiction outside of California could still be considered to be doing business in California if it is a member or general partner of an entity that does business in California, or if any of the entity’s members, managers, or other agents conduct business in California on behalf of the entity.

Doing Business in California According to the California Corporations Code

Under the California Corporations Code, “doing business” is referred to as “transact[ing] intrastate business,” which is defined as “entering into repeated and successive transactions of its business in [California], other than interstate or foreign commerce.” An entity might need to register with the California Secretary of State if it meets this definition. However, the application and meaning of this definition differs from entity to entity. Because of this varied application, it is best to consult with an experienced business attorney to determine your precise tax liabilities  and filing obligations.