“FRANCHISE TAX BO PAYMENTS” on a bank statement means money went from your account to the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB), the state agency that collects California income tax. Most of the time it’s a payment that you, your tax software or your tax preparer set up.
The “BO” isn’t a code. It’s the word “BOARD” cut short. Electronic bank transfers only have room for 16 characters in the company name, and “FRANCHISE TAX BO” is exactly 16.
Updated September 25, 2026 · Checked against the FTB’s own published guidance
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FRANCHISE TAX BO PAYMENTS
A payment to California’s Franchise Tax Board
- Who got the money
- The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB), the state income tax agency.
- Why “BO”
- “Franchise Tax Board” is 19 characters. The company name on an electronic bank debit holds 16.
- Usually
- A payment someone authorized: a Web Pay payment, an e-filed return with a balance due, an estimated tax payment, or a payment plan installment.
- Check it
- Log in to MyFTB and view your payments, or call the FTB at 800-852-5711 (weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
- Didn’t authorize it?
- Call your bank and the FTB right away.
Common reasons you’d see it
| Reason | What to check |
|---|---|
| Web Pay | The FTB’s free online payment tool. Payments can be scheduled ahead, so the charge can land days or weeks after you set it up. |
| An e-filed return with a balance due | Tax software lets you pay a California balance straight from your bank account when you e-file. Check the payment date you chose. |
| Estimated tax payments | If you or your preparer scheduled quarterly estimates, each one shows up as its own debit. |
| Payment plan installments | FTB payment plans requested online require automatic monthly payments from your bank account, so you’ll see this every month. |
| Business payments | LLCs, corporations and other entities pay the FTB too, including the $800 annual tax most California LLCs owe. |
How to figure out what it was for
- Match the date and amount to your California return, your tax software, or your preparer’s instructions.
- Log in to MyFTB. You can see your payments there and cancel scheduled ones.
- Still not sure? Call the FTB at 800-852-5711. If you’re dealing with an unpaid balance, the collections line is 800-689-4776.
If you didn’t authorize it
- Call your bank quickly. Under federal rules, if you wait more than 60 days after the statement is sent to report an unauthorized electronic transfer, you can be on the hook for later ones (Regulation E, 12 CFR 1005.6).
- Call the FTB and ask which account and tax year the payment was applied to.
- Cancel anything scheduled. The FTB says you can cancel a Web Pay payment up to 2 business days before its scheduled date (FTB, Help with bank account payments).
Could it be a levy?
Possibly, if you owe the FTB and haven’t responded to its notices. The FTB can send your bank an Order to Withhold and take up to 100% of the available funds, up to what you owe (FTB, Withholding orders). Levies usually come after a string of notices, including the Final Notice Before Levy and Lien (FTB 4966).
A levy often looks different on a statement. Many banks label it as a legal order or a levy rather than a payment. Either way, if the FTB is taking money you didn’t send, call the collections line at 800-689-4776 and read our guide to California tax levies.
Payment bounced or got held?
If your bank blocks or returns an FTB debit, for example because of an ACH debit block or a low balance, the FTB charges a dishonored payment penalty: 2% of the payment if it was $1,250 or more, or $25 (or the payment amount, if that’s less) for smaller payments (FTB, Common penalties and fees). On a payment plan, a returned payment can also get the plan canceled (FTB payment plan terms).
Owe the Franchise Tax Board?
We’ll sort it out with the FTB
We help Californians set up FTB payment plans, release levies and fix balances that don’t look right. With your authorization, we can call the FTB for you. See our state tax relief service.
FRANCHISE TAX BO PAYMENTS FAQs
What does FRANCHISE TAX BO PAYMENTS mean on my bank statement?
It's an electronic payment from your bank account to the California Franchise Tax Board, the state agency that collects California income tax. BO is BOARD cut off to fit the 16-character company name on electronic transfers.
Is FRANCHISE TAX BO PAYMENTS a scam?
The charge itself is normally a real payment to the FTB, usually one you, your tax software or your preparer set up. If you don't recognize it, check your payments in MyFTB, then call your bank and the FTB.
Why do I see FRANCHISE TAX BO PAYMENTS every month?
Most likely a payment plan. FTB payment plans requested online require automatic monthly payments from your bank account.
Can I cancel a scheduled FTB payment?
For Web Pay, the FTB says you can cancel up to 2 business days before the scheduled payment date. You can manage payments in MyFTB.
What happens if an FTB payment bounces?
The FTB charges a dishonored payment penalty of 2% for payments of $1,250 or more, or the lesser of $25 or the payment amount for smaller ones. A returned payment can also lead the FTB to cancel a payment plan.
“Lulu was my case manager and she did an amazing job setting up a tax payment plan with great terms. She was kind, professional and very thorough. I could not have asked for a better case manager.”
Other numbers from IRS and state tax notices
Sources
- FTB, Help with bank account payments (Web Pay).
- FTB, Personal payment plan terms and conditions.
- FTB, Common penalties and fees.
- FTB, Withholding orders.
- FTB, Phone / fax.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Regulation E § 1005.6.
Choice Tax Relief is a private tax resolution firm. We are not the California Franchise Tax Board or any government agency. You can contact the FTB yourself at no charge. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice for your situation.