California’s tax deadline is fast approaching: Most Californians will have to file state and federal 2022 income returns by Oct. 16, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
Most of the country is used to filing taxes in April, but a slew of severe winter storms, flooding, mudslides and other natural disasters at the end of 2022 and into this year prompted the state and IRS to postpone filing deadlines in California.
The disaster declaration—and extended tax-payment timeline—applies to nearly every county in the state. The IRS says residents in affected areas do not have to prove they were impacted by winter storms.
The postponement excludes Imperial, Kern, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas and Sierra counties, according to the California Franchise Tax Board.
The IRS also announced that storm disaster relief workers—including those who live outside of California—are entitled to the postponement. The tax deadline extensions, designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, also apply to disaster areas in Alabama and Georgia.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in January that business owners in California would not have to pay penalties if they missed their tax deadlines due to winter storms. It was one of a number of relief efforts the state implemented after historic December and January rainfall damaged homes and businesses across the state.
For more information on California’s tax deadline and the disaster declaration, you can review the IRS notice here.