Report on easy / happy resolution of California "failed to file" notice

Two main points:  

First, both the website and the phone line robot automatically give you at least an automatic 30-day extension (from the day you request it, not the original respond by date, I think).

Second, the help line was very nice and super helpful and not at all stressful and said You're absolutely right; I'll cancel that notice.

Long story short:  I have a CA mailing address, but have expat-filed for decades, and haven't even been in the US for six or eight years.  Some 1099s are reported to, or shared by the IRS with, the CA FTB apparently.

First year this bothered CA was last year, for 2019.   In the phone interview, none, zero, zip of the things I was concerned about even came up:  CA driver's license, voting, library card, bank account, etc.   I just explained that I did no work in CA, and that none of the CA sources received any kind of work product from me (there was none of that economic nexus stuff, if you're versed in the lingo).  

First time it took a bit of time and a callback message to verify.  Second time (this year, for 2020 tax year) just 10 minutes -- the first operator had taken copious notes, and I just told them that nothing had changed.   

Imho easier than a non-resident filing or written response to the notice (which require a lot of those fact and figures things).   And my impression is that even a short letter or fax of explanation would have worked as well, even without documentation. 

-- Retiree