Double-entry bookkeeping works the same everywhere. What changes state to state is everything around it: whether you owe sales tax and on what, how often you file, where you register as an employer, and which agency you answer to when something is wrong.
In California, sales tax is administered by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) at a 7.25% statewide base rate, with local rates stacking on top. Economic nexus for remote sellers sits at $500,000 in sales, and filing frequency is assigned by liability — quarterly by default, with prepayments at higher volumes. Employer registration runs through the California Employment Development Department (EDD), and the entity itself is registered with the California Secretary of State.
White Glove Accounting is a bookkeeping firm — not a licensed CPA firm, public accountancy firm, or registered tax preparer. We keep your books clean so your CPA or tax preparer can do their job.
Sales tax authority
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) — 7.25% statewide base rate
Economic nexus
$500,000 in sales
Filing cadence
Quarterly by default, with prepayments at higher volumes
Employer registration
California Employment Development Department (EDD)
What trips businesses up in California
Highest statewide base rate in the country, and district taxes stack on top. LLCs also owe the $800 annual franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board regardless of income.
What we handle for California businesses
- Monthly categorization, reconciliation, and close
- Cleanup and catch-up, quoted at a fixed price
- Profit and loss statement and balance sheet, prepared from your records
- AR/AP, payroll coordination, and 1099 preparation and e-filing
- California sales tax tracked, reconciled, and filed on your assigned cadence
- QuickBooks setup, cleanup, and migration — by QuickBooks ProAdvisors
Do you have to be in California to work with us?
No — we work remotely with businesses in all 50 states and DC, and most of our clients never meet us in person. What matters is that someone is tracking California’s rules against your actual activity, which is what these pages are for.
We keep the books. You run the business.
Categorization, reconciliation, month-end close, and clean financial statements — with nothing left for you to chase.
View pricingHow It Works
Free review
We look at where your books stand and what California requires of you.
Scope and quote
A fixed price for cleanup, or a monthly tier recommendation.
Get current
Anything behind is brought up to date, oldest period first.
Close monthly
Reconciled books with California deadlines tracked on their cadence.
California Guides
California Sales Tax Filing
Tracked, reconciled, and filed on the cadence California assigns you.
Open guideCalifornia Tax Agency Directory
Who administers what, with rates and thresholds as of August 2026.
Open guideAll Bookkeeping Services
Monthly close, cleanup, AR/AP, payroll, job costing, and more.
Open guideCalifornia Bookkeeping by Industry
These industries have bookkeeping that genuinely differs in California — sales tax treatment, licensing, payroll, or filing cadence.
California — Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to collect sales tax in California?
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If you have physical presence, generally yes. For remote sellers, California sets economic nexus at $500,000 in sales. We track your activity against that threshold and flag it as you approach — whether to register, and how to handle any prior period, is a decision to make with your CPA or a tax professional.
How often would I file in California?
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California assigns filing frequency by liability: quarterly by default, with prepayments at higher volumes. We work the monthly close backward from your due dates so everything is reconciled before it is filed.
Do you prepare my income tax return?
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No. We are a bookkeeping firm, not a licensed CPA firm or a registered tax preparer, and we do not prepare or file income tax returns. We prepare and file sales and city tax returns and 1099 information returns, which are bookkeeping functions, and we hand off clean reconciled books to your CPA or tax preparer for anything income-tax related.
Bookkeeping for your California business
Book a free consultation. We will look at where your books stand and tell you what it takes to get them current.
- Done-for-you
- Solo or group
- Nationwide
Book Online
Share your details and preferred availability.