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Home > California Sales and Use Tax Information > Common Tax-exempt and Taxable Purchases

Common Tax-exempt and Taxable Purchases

Common Sales and Use Tax-exempt Purchases

Types of purchases that are exempt from sales and use tax at point-of-purchase include, but are not limited to:

  • Data analysis/tests
  • Endo mechanical staples
  • Food for human consumption
  • Hazardous waste disposal fee (for hardware)
  • Heart valves
  • Implants (plates, screws, stents)
  • IV Solutions
  • Mailing lists/labels for one-time use
  • Maintenance agreements (without supplies)
  • Memberships
  • Online subscriptions
  • Pacemakers
  • Page charges
  • Postage
  • Printed media delivered to a direct-mail house (printed material delivered to campus is taxable)
  • Registration fees
  • Resale items
  • Shipping charges
  • Downloaded software and internet services (media kits and printed manuals are taxable)
  • Subscriptions between 4 to 59 issues per year
  • Sutures
Common Purchases Subject to Sales and Use Tax

Types of purchases that are not exempt from sales and use tax include, but are not limited to:

  • Animals for research (dead and alive)
  • Carbonated beverages
  • Containers
  • Dry ice
  • Equipment leases
  • Furniture
  • Handling charges
  • Gift wrapping
  • Lab supplies
  • Office supplies
  • Packaging
  • Reprints
  • Software delivered to campus (e.g. CD)
  • Software maintained or serviced on campus and when the supplier provides department with material (e.g. user manuals, CDs, etc.).
  • Subscriptions with 1 to 3 issues and over 60 issues per year