California Code, Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 8171

(a) The Controller may recover any refund or part thereof that is erroneously made, and any credit or part thereof that is erroneously allowed, in an action brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the County of Sacramento in the name of the people of the State of California.

(b) As an alternative to subdivision (a), the board may recover any refund or part thereof that is erroneously made, and any credit or part thereof that is erroneously allowed. In recovering any erroneous refund or credit, the board may, in its discretion, issue a deficiency determination in accordance with Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 7670) or Article 3 (commencing with Section 7698) of Chapter 5. Except in the case of fraud, the deficiency determination shall be made by the board within three years from the date of the Controller's warrant or date of credit.