(a) A corporation that has in effect for federal income tax purposes a valid election under Section 1362(a) of the Internal Revenue Code shall be an “S” corporation for purposes of Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 10.2 (commencing with Section 18401), and this part.

(b) A corporation that is an “S corporation” for federal income tax purposes, shall be an “S corporation” for purposes of Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 10.2 (commencing with Section 18401), and this part, and its shareholders shall be shareholders of an “S corporation” without regard to whether the corporation is qualified to do business or is incorporated in this state.

(c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), a corporation that is an “S corporation” for purposes of this part may not be included in a combined report pursuant to Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 25101).

(d) (1) In cases where the Franchise Tax Board determines that the reported income or loss of a group of commonly owned or controlled corporations (within the meaning of Section 25105), that includes one or more corporations treated as an “S corporation” under Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 23800), does not clearly reflect income (or loss) of a member of that group or represents an evasion of tax by one or more members of that group, and the Franchise Tax Board determines that the comparable uncontrolled price method prescribed by regulations pursuant to Section 482 of the Internal Revenue Code cannot practically be applied, the Franchise Tax Board may, in lieu of other methods prescribed by regulations pursuant to Section 482 of the Internal Revenue Code, apply methods of unitary combination, pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 25101) of Chapter 17, to properly reflect the income or loss of the members of the group.

(2) The application of the provisions of this subdivision shall not affect the treatment of any corporation as an “S corporation.”

(e) (1) A termination of a federal election pursuant to Section 1362(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, that is not an inadvertent termination pursuant to Section 1362(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, shall simultaneously terminate the “S corporation” election for purposes of Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 10.2 (commencing with Section 18401), and this part.

(2) A federal termination by revocation shall be effective for purposes of this part and shall be reported to the Franchise Tax Board in the form and manner prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board no later than the last date allowed for filing federal termination for that year under Section 1362(d) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(f) The tax for a “C corporation” for a short year shall be determined in accordance with Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 24631), in lieu of Section 1362(e)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(g) Section 1362(d)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to circumstances where passive investment income exceeds 25 percent of gross receipts for three consecutive taxable years and the corporation has accumulated earnings and profits, does not apply unless the “S” election is terminated for federal income tax purposes.

(h) (1) The provisions of Section 1362(b)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to authority to treat late elections, etc., as timely, shall apply only for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1997, with respect to elections under Section 1362(a) of the Internal Revenue Code for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1997.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1), if for any taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2003, a corporation fails to qualify as an “S corporation” for federal income tax purposes solely because the federal Form 2553 (Election by a Small Business Corporation) was not filed timely, the corporation shall be treated for purposes of this part as an “S corporation” for the taxable year the “S corporation” election should have been made, and for each subsequent year until terminated, if the corporation and its shareholders have filed with the Internal Revenue Service a federal Form 2553 requesting automatic relief with respect to the late “S corporation” election, in full compliance with the federal Revenue Procedure 1997-48, I.R.B. 1997-43, and have received notification of the acceptance of the untimely filed “S corporation” election from the Internal Revenue Service. A copy of the notification shall be provided to the Franchise Tax Board upon request.

(i) The provisions of Section 1362(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to inadvertent invalid elections or terminations, shall apply only for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1997, with respect to elections under Section 1362(a) of the Internal Revenue Code for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1997.

(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 268, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2004.)