California sales tax due dates for 2026
Every date below comes from the state's published deadline rule (dataset 2026.07.0) and is already moved to the next business day when it lands on a weekend or federal holiday. Your account's assigned filing frequency decides which table applies.
Monthly California sales tax due dates
Rule: Last day of the month following the period.
| Period | Period ends | Return due |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Jan 31, 2026 | Mar 2, 2026 (moved: 2026-02-28 falls on a Saturday) |
| February 2026 | Feb 28, 2026 | Mar 31, 2026 |
| March 2026 | Mar 31, 2026 | Apr 30, 2026 |
| April 2026 | Apr 30, 2026 | Jun 1, 2026 (moved: 2026-05-31 falls on a Sunday) |
| May 2026 | May 31, 2026 | Jun 30, 2026 |
| June 2026 | Jun 30, 2026 | Jul 31, 2026 |
| July 2026 | Jul 31, 2026 | Aug 31, 2026 |
| August 2026 | Aug 31, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 |
| September 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | Nov 2, 2026 (moved: 2026-10-31 falls on a Saturday) |
| October 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 |
| November 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 |
| December 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Feb 1, 2027 (moved: 2027-01-31 falls on a Sunday) |
Quarterly California sales tax due dates
Rule: Last day of the month following the period (Apr 30 / Jul 31 / Oct 31 / Jan 31).
| Period | Period ends | Return due |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 | Mar 31, 2026 | Apr 30, 2026 |
| Q2 2026 | Jun 30, 2026 | Jul 31, 2026 |
| Q3 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | Nov 2, 2026 (moved: 2026-10-31 falls on a Saturday) |
| Q4 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Feb 1, 2027 (moved: 2027-01-31 falls on a Sunday) |
Annual California sales tax due dates
Rule: January 31 following the calendar year.
| Period | Period ends | Return due |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar year 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Feb 1, 2027 (moved: 2027-01-31 falls on a Sunday) |
- CDTFA fiscal-yearly accounts (Jul–Jun year, due Jul 31) differ — verify the assigned basis.
California filing notes
- EFT (ACH) payments have a 3:00 p.m. Pacific deadline; other online payments must complete by midnight Pacific on the due date.
- Quarterly-prepay accounts (avg $17,000+/month tax) owe two prepayments per quarter on the 24th (Q2: May 24 and Jun 24 covering May 1–Jun 15) (info only).
Return and form
The principal repository-tracked return is CDTFA-401-A. Paper eligibility is taxpayer-specific; electronic filing or a waiver may control.
Tracked form version: REV. 126 (1-26)
Paper filing posture: taxpayer specific
Official California filing resources
File California sales tax from reviewed data, not spreadsheets
Prophit.ai tracks every California due date above inside the return workspace, builds the period from your transaction data, and produces worksheet for portal entry that a reviewer approves before anything is submitted.
Need every state at once? Download the 2026 sales tax filing calendar (CSV + ICS, all states, weekend/holiday-adjusted).
Workflow support does not by itself establish registration, filing authority, credentials, agency acceptance, or tax advice. Confirm your assigned filing frequency with the state.
California sales tax filing questions
01When is California sales tax due?
Monthly California sales tax returns are due the last day of the month following the period. Quarterly returns are due the last day of the month following the period (Apr 30 / Jul 31 / Oct 31 / Jan 31). When a due date lands on a weekend or federal holiday it moves to the next business day; the 2026 calendar on this page already applies that adjustment.
02How often do you file sales tax in California?
California assigns a filing frequency to each account. The published cadences are monthly, quarterly and annual filing; the state assigns the frequency based on tax volume and notifies the account, so confirm the assigned basis before relying on a calendar.
03What form is used to file California sales tax?
The California return tracked here is CDTFA-401-A. The principal repository-tracked return is CDTFA-401-A. Paper eligibility is taxpayer-specific; electronic filing or a waiver may control.
04What happens if a California due date falls on a weekend or holiday?
The due date moves to the next business day. In 2026, 7 of the California due dates listed on this page are adjusted for a weekend or federal holiday; each adjusted date is marked in the calendar.
05Can California sales tax be filed on paper?
Paper filing posture tracked for California: taxpayer specific. The principal repository-tracked return is CDTFA-401-A. Paper eligibility is taxpayer-specific; electronic filing or a waiver may control.
Reviewed and current as of August 22, 2026. Read the full California sales tax guide for rates, sourcing, products, exemptions, and marketplace rules.