Why the city on the registration matters
California use tax on a vehicle generally follows the place the vehicle is registered for use — not the dealership’s ZIP if that ZIP is in another district. A Cupertino buyer does not get Anaheim’s 7.75% just because the lot is in Orange County. San Jose is 10%. Santa Clara County’s unincorporated/county rate is 9.75%. If you live in San Jose rather than in unincorporated Santa Clara County, the gap is 0.25%, or $87.50 on a $35,000 car.
Los Angeles city and Los Angeles County currently both show 9.75% and 9.75% in these official rates. That match is not a law of nature. Culver City is 10.75%; Burbank and many other LA County cities sit on different rungs. Always pair the city name with the live combined rate.
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) — California City & County Sales & Use Tax Rates
- Revenue and Taxation Code § 6051 et seq. — sales tax; statewide 7.25 percent components
- CDTFA — District Taxes (Transactions and Use Tax)
- California DMV — vehicle registration and use-tax collection on private-party transfers
Statewide 7.25 percent plus district add-ons
The 7.25 percent floor is statewide. Everything above that is local district tax. In this article the full_rate live rates is the combined rate, and district is the add-on above 7.25 percent. Alpine County is 7.25%, so its district add-on is 0%. Lancaster is 11.25%, with a district add-on of 4%. If you live in Lancaster rather than in Alpine County, you pay 4% more combined — $1,200.00 on a $30,000 vehicle.
Example 1: Santa Monica versus Anaheim on a $40,000 car
Scenario: Same taxable price, Los Angeles County city versus Orange County city.
Santa Monica combined (10.75%): $4,300.00
Anaheim combined (7.75%): $3,100.00
If you live in Santa Monica: $1,200.00 more.
Example 2: Los Angeles city versus Santa Monica, same county
Scenario: $28,000 used car, two LA County addresses.
Santa Monica (10.75%): $3,010.00
If you live in Santa Monica: $280.00 more than in the City of Los Angeles.
Highest and lowest combined rates right now
The current high combined rate is 11.25% in Lancaster / Palmdale. The current low is 7.25% (shared by several 7.25 percent counties and cities). If you live at the high end, tax on a $25,000 car is $2,812.50. At the statewide floor it is $1,812.50. The named high locations will change if a district tax expires or a city adds a measure — that is why the sentence uses which=”max”.
Los Angeles, Orange, and the Inland Empire
Los Angeles County’s county-level combined rate is 9.75%. The City of Los Angeles is 9.75%. Lancaster and Palmdale currently sit at the top of these rates at 11.25%. Santa Fe Springs is 11%. Culver City, Compton, Glendora, Pico Rivera, South Gate, and Santa Monica cluster at 10.75%. If you live in Lancaster rather than in the City of Los Angeles, the gap is 1.5%, or $570.00 on a $38,000 SUV.
Orange County’s county rate is 7.75%. Anaheim, Irvine-area peers in these official rates, and many Orange cities sit at 7.75% — matching the county line in this extract. That is a different world from Santa Monica’s 10.75%. Riverside County is 7.75%. San Bernardino County is 7.75%. Ventura County is 7.25%. If you live in unincorporated Los Angeles County rather than in Ventura County, the combined gap is 2.5%. On $28,000 that is $700.00.
Example 1: Lancaster versus Ventura County
Scenario: $33,000 truck, Antelope Valley versus a 7.25 percent county.
Ventura County (7.25%): $2,392.50
If you live in Lancaster: $1,320.00 more.
Example 2: San Bernardino County versus Riverside County
Scenario: $21,000 compact, two Inland Empire county rates.
Riverside County (7.75%): $1,627.50
Gap: $0.00
When two county rows match, moving the garage across that line does not change combined tax. Confirm current official rates — city rows inside those counties can still differ.
San Diego, Imperial, and the border
San Diego city is 7.75%. San Diego County is 7.75%. Imperial County is 7.75%. If you live in the City of San Diego rather than in Imperial County, the gap is 0% — currently a wash in these official rates if those two combined rates match, or a real dollar difference if they do not. Compare either with Los Angeles city at 9.75%: if you live in LA rather than San Diego, you pay $800.00 more on a $40,000 car.
Example 1: San Diego versus Los Angeles (cities)
Scenario: $45,000 new crossover.
San Diego (7.75%): $3,487.50
If you live in Los Angeles: $900.00 more.
Example 2: Imperial County versus San Diego County
Scenario: $16,400 sedan.
San Diego County (7.75%): $1,271.00
Gap: $0.00
Bay Area and the Central Coast
San Francisco (city and county) is 8.625%. Oakland is 10.75%. Alameda city is 10.75%. Alameda County’s county rate is 10.25%. If you live in Oakland rather than in San Francisco, the gap is 2.125%, or $765.00 on a $36,000 car. Hayward, San Leandro, Newark, Union City, and Albany sit with Oakland at 10.75% in these official rates.
San Mateo County is 9.375%. Santa Clara County is 9.75%. San Jose is 10%. Contra Costa County is 8.75%. Marin County is 8.25%. Solano County is 7.375%. Napa County is 7.75%. Sonoma County is 9.25%. If you live in Sonoma County rather than in Napa County, the combined gap is 1.5%.
Santa Cruz County’s unincorporated rate is 9.5% if that label is in the official rate data; otherwise use the appendix search. San Benito County is 8.25%. Monterey County unincorporated is 8.75%. San Luis Obispo County is 7.25%. Santa Barbara County is 7.75%. If you live in unincorporated Monterey rather than in San Luis Obispo County, you pay $420.00 more on $28,000.
Example 1: Oakland versus San Francisco
Scenario: $29,000 hatchback, East Bay versus the city.
San Francisco (8.625%): $2,501.25
If you live in Oakland: $616.25 more.
Example 2: San Jose versus San Luis Obispo County
Scenario: $31,200 sedan, South Bay versus a 7.25 percent Central Coast county.
San Luis Obispo County (7.25%): $2,262.00
If you live in San Jose: $858.00 more.
Central Valley and Sacramento
Sacramento County is 7.75%. Yolo County is 7.25%. Sutter County is 7.25%. Yuba County unincorporated is 8.25%. San Joaquin County is 7.75%. Stanislaus County is 7.875%. Merced County is 7.75%. Madera County is 7.75%. Fresno County is 7.975%. Kings County is 7.25%. Tulare County is 7.75%. Kern County unincorporated is 8.25%.
If you live in Fresno County rather than in Kings County, the combined gap is 0.725%. On a $27,000 pickup that is $195.75. Kern’s unincorporated rate of 8.25% versus Kings at 7.25% is the same kind of valley-to-valley contrast: if you live in unincorporated Kern, you pay $270.00 more on that truck than in Kings County.
Example 1: Sacramento County versus Yolo County
Scenario: $24,800 sedan on either side of the Sacramento River.
Yolo County (7.25%): $1,798.00
If you live in Sacramento County: $124.00 more.
Example 2: Fresno County versus Kings County
Scenario: $19,900 used truck.
Kings County (7.25%): $1,442.75
If you live in Fresno County: $144.28 more.
North state, Sierra, and the desert east
These counties are where the 7.25 percent floor still shows up as the combined rate in many rows: Alpine County 7.25%, El Dorado County 7.25%, Glenn County 7.25%, Lake County 7.25%, Lassen County 7.25%, Modoc County 7.25%, Mono County 7.25%, Placer County 7.25%, Plumas County 7.25%, Shasta County 7.25%, Sierra County 7.25%, Siskiyou County 7.25%, Tehama County 7.25%, Trinity County 7.25%, Tuolumne County 7.25%. Several of those match the statewide floor today; a city inside them can still be higher (Auburn in Placer is 7.25%).
Counties with a visible add-on in this band include Amador County 7.75%, Butte County 8.25%, Calaveras County 8.25%, Colusa County 7.75%, Del Norte County unincorporated 8.25%, Humboldt County 8.75%, Inyo County 7.75%, Mariposa County 8.25%, Mendocino County 7.875%, Nevada County 7.5%. If you live in Humboldt County rather than in Trinity County, the gap is 1.5%, or $330.00 on a $22,000 car.
Example 1: Humboldt County versus Trinity County
Scenario: $18,500 SUV on the North Coast versus the Trinity Alps.
Trinity County (7.25%): $1,341.25
If you live in Humboldt: $277.50 more.
Example 2: Placer County versus San Mateo County
Scenario: $42,000 sedan, Sierra foothills versus the Peninsula.
San Mateo County (9.375%): $3,937.50
If you live in San Mateo County: $892.50 more.
Two complete purchase examples
Complete example 1: $28,000 used sedan registered in the City of Los Angeles
Scenario: Private-party sale, no trade-in, LA city address.
Statewide floor (7.25% × $28,000): $2,030.00
LA city combined (9.75%): $2,730.00
District add-on above 7.25% (2.5%): $700.00
The same car in Alpine County would be $2,030.00. Living in Los Angeles costs $700.00 more in sales/use tax on this purchase. DMV registration and vehicle license fee still apply on top.
Complete example 2: $41,500 new crossover in Santa Monica versus Anaheim
Scenario: Dealer sale, two Southern California cities.
Santa Monica (10.75%): $4,461.25
Anaheim (7.75%): $3,216.25
If you live in Santa Monica: $1,245.00 more.
The current statewide high, Lancaster / Palmdale at 11.25%, would be $4,668.75 on this same price.
VLF, registration, and what this guide is not
California’s Vehicle License Fee is a separate annual charge based on purchase price and depreciation, not the CDTFA district sales-tax rate. CHP, transportation improvement, and other DMV line items are also outside this guide. Inyo County’s 7.75% combined sales tax does not tell you the VLF on a three-year-old truck. Use this article for the purchase/use-tax district rate; use DMV fee calculators for the annual sticker.
- California DMV — Vehicle License Fee (VLF) and registration fees
- Revenue and Taxation Code — VLF provisions; CDTFA district tax guides
Common questions
Does a cheaper dealership city lower my tax? Usually no. California looks to where the vehicle is registered for use. Anaheim’s 7.75% does not follow a car home to Oakland at 10.75%.
Why not list every city in the paragraphs? There are 541 location rows. Naming all 58 counties in regional sections covers the map; city-vs-city pairs carry the argument; the appendix is searchable.
Which 58 counties are covered? Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Plumas, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo, and Yuba.
Is 7.25 percent ever the whole bill? Yes, in locations whose combined rate is 7.25%. Many mountain and north-state county rows sit there today. A city inside a 7.25 percent county can still be higher.
Private party versus dealer? Dealers collect at sale. Private-party buyers typically pay use tax through DMV. The district rate should still match the registration address.
How these rates stay current
Every rate and dollar amount in this article is pulled live from current official data used by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) and DMV. When an official levy changes, the figures on this page update in real time. Highest and lowest locality names also update automatically.
This is an educational estimator, not a clerk’s receipt. Effective dates, exemptions, trade-in rules, and assessment fractions can be more precise than a single combined rate. When you title, the state’s collecting office is the authority.
Appendix: live city and county table
Search by city or county. Do not replace the comparisons above with this table; use it when you need a city that was not a featured pair.
| Location | County | Combined rate |
|---|---|---|
| Adelanto | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Agoura Hills | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Alameda | Alameda | 10.75% |
| Alameda County | Alameda | 10.25% |
| Albany | Alameda | 10.75% |
| Alhambra | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Aliso Viejo | Orange | 7.75% |
| Alpine County | Alpine | 7.25% |
| Alturas | Modoc | 7.25% |
| Amador City | Amador | 8% |
| Amador County | Amador | 7.75% |
| American Canyon | Napa | 7.75% |
| Anaheim | Orange | 7.75% |
| Anderson | Shasta | 7.75% |
| Angels Camp | Calaveras | 8.75% |
| Antioch | Contra Costa | 9.75% |
| Apple Valley | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
| Arcadia | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Arcata | Humboldt | 10.25% |
| Arroyo Grande | San Luis Obispo | 8.75% |
| Artesia | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Arvin | Kern | 8.25% |
| Atascadero | San Luis Obispo | 8.75% |
| Atherton | San Mateo | 9.375% |
| Atwater | Merced | 8.75% |
| Auburn | Placer | 7.25% |
| Avalon | Los Angeles | 10.25% |
| Avenal | Kings | 8.25% |
| Azusa | Los Angeles | 10.75% |
| Bakersfield | Kern | 8.25% |
| Baldwin Park | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Banning | Riverside | 7.75% |
| Barstow | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
| Beaumont | Riverside | 7.75% |
| Bell | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Bell Gardens | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Bellflower | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Belmont | San Mateo | 9.875% |
| Belvedere | Marin | 8.25% |
| Benicia | Solano | 9.625% |
| Berkeley | Alameda | 10.25% |
| Beverly Hills | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Big Bear Lake | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Biggs | Butte | 8.25% |
| Bishop | Inyo | 8.75% |
| Blue Lake | Humboldt | 9.75% |
| Blythe | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Bradbury | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Brawley | Imperial | 8.75% |
| Brea | Orange | 7.75% |
| Brentwood | Contra Costa | 8.75% |
| Brisbane | San Mateo | 9.875% |
| Buellton | Santa Barbara | 7.75% |
| Buena Park | Orange | 8.75% |
| Burbank | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Burlingame | San Mateo | 9.625% |
| Butte County | Butte | 8.25% |
| Calabasas | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Calaveras County | Calaveras | 8.25% |
| Calexico | Imperial | 8.25% |
| California City | Kern | 8.25% |
| Calimesa | Riverside | 7.75% |
| Calipatria | Imperial | 7.75% |
| Calistoga | Napa | 7.75% |
| Camarillo | Ventura | 7.25% |
| Campbell | Santa Clara | 10.5% |
| Canyon Lake | Riverside | 7.75% |
| Capitola | Santa Cruz | 9.25% |
| Carlsbad | San Diego | 7.75% |
| Carmel-by-the-Sea | Monterey | 9.25% |
| Carpinteria | Santa Barbara | 9% |
| Carson | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Cathedral City | Riverside | 9.25% |
| Ceres | Stanislaus | 8.375% |
| Cerritos | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Chico | Butte | 9.25% |
| Chino | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
| Chino Hills | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Chowchilla | Madera | 8.75% |
| Chula Vista | San Diego | 8.75% |
| Citrus Heights | Sacramento | 7.75% |
| City of Commerce | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| City of Industry | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Claremont | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Clayton | Contra Costa | 8.75% |
| Clearlake | Lake | 8.75% |
| Cloverdale | Sonoma | 10% |
| Clovis | Fresno | 8.975% |
| Coachella | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Coalinga | Fresno | 8.975% |
| Colfax | Placer | 7.25% |
| Colma | San Mateo | 9.875% |
| Colton | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
| Colusa | Colusa | 8.75% |
| Colusa County | Colusa | 7.75% |
| Compton | Los Angeles | 10.75% |
| Concord | Contra Costa | 9.75% |
| Contra Costa County | Contra Costa | 8.75% |
| Corcoran | Kings | 8.25% |
| Corning | Tehama | 7.75% |
| Corona | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Coronado | San Diego | 7.75% |
| Corte Madera | Marin | 9% |
| Costa Mesa | Orange | 7.75% |
| Cotati | Sonoma | 10.25% |
| Covina | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Crescent City | Del Norte | 8.25% |
| Cudahy | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Culver City | Los Angeles | 10.75% |
| Cupertino | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Cypress | Orange | 7.75% |
| Daly City | San Mateo | 9.875% |
| Dana Point | Orange | 7.75% |
| Danville | Contra Costa | 8.75% |
| Davis | Yolo | 9.25% |
| Del Mar | San Diego | 8.75% |
| Del Norte County Unincorporated Area | Del Norte | 8.25% |
| Del Rey Oaks | Monterey | 9.25% |
| Delano | Kern | 8.25% |
| Desert Hot Springs | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Diamond Bar | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Dinuba | Tulare | 8.5% |
| Dixon | Solano | 8.375% |
| Dorris | Siskiyou | 7.25% |
| Dos Palos | Merced | 8.25% |
| Downey | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Duarte | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Dublin | Alameda | 10.25% |
| Dunsmuir | Siskiyou | 8.25% |
| East Palo Alto | San Mateo | 9.875% |
| Eastvale | Riverside | 7.75% |
| El Cajon | San Diego | 8.25% |
| El Centro | Imperial | 8.25% |
| El Cerrito | Contra Costa | 10.25% |
| El Dorado County | El Dorado | 7.25% |
| El Monte | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| El Segundo | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Elk Grove | Sacramento | 8.75% |
| Emeryville | Alameda | 10.5% |
| Encinitas | San Diego | 7.75% |
| Escalon | San Joaquin | 8.75% |
| Escondido | San Diego | 8.75% |
| Etna | Siskiyou | 7.25% |
| Eureka | Humboldt | 10.25% |
| Exeter | Tulare | 8.75% |
| Fairfax | Marin | 9% |
| Fairfield | Solano | 8.375% |
| Farmersville | Tulare | 8.75% |
| Ferndale | Humboldt | 9.5% |
| Fillmore | Ventura | 7.25% |
| Firebaugh | Fresno | 7.975% |
| Folsom | Sacramento | 7.75% |
| Fontana | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
| Fort Bragg | Mendocino | 9.25% |
| Fort Jones | Siskiyou | 7.25% |
| Fortuna | Humboldt | 9.5% |
| Foster City | San Mateo | 9.375% |
| Fountain Valley | Orange | 8.75% |
| Fowler | Fresno | 8.975% |
| Fremont | Alameda | 10.25% |
| Fresno | Fresno | 8.35% |
| Fresno County | Fresno | 7.975% |
| Fullerton | Orange | 7.75% |
| Galt | Sacramento | 9.25% |
| Garden Grove | Orange | 8.75% |
| Gardena | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Gilroy | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Glendale | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Glendora | Los Angeles | 10.75% |
| Glenn County | Glenn | 7.25% |
| Goleta | Santa Barbara | 8.75% |
| Gonzales | Monterey | 8.75% |
| Grand Terrace | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Grass Valley | Nevada | 8.875% |
| Greenfield | Monterey | 9.5% |
| Gridley | Butte | 8.25% |
| Grover Beach | San Luis Obispo | 8.75% |
| Guadalupe | Santa Barbara | 8.75% |
| Gustine | Merced | 8.25% |
| Half Moon Bay | San Mateo | 9.875% |
| Hanford | Kings | 8.25% |
| Hawaiian Gardens | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Hawthorne | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Hayward | Alameda | 10.75% |
| Healdsburg | Sonoma | 9.75% |
| Hemet | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Hercules | Contra Costa | 9.25% |
| Hermosa Beach | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Hesperia | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Hidden Hills | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Highland | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Hillsborough | San Mateo | 9.375% |
| Hollister | San Benito | 9.25% |
| Holtville | Imperial | 7.75% |
| Hughson | Stanislaus | 7.875% |
| Humboldt County | Humboldt | 8.75% |
| Huntington Beach | Orange | 7.75% |
| Huntington Park | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Huron | Fresno | 8.975% |
| Imperial | Imperial | 7.75% |
| Imperial Beach | San Diego | 8.75% |
| Imperial County | Imperial | 7.75% |
| Indian Wells | Riverside | 7.75% |
| Indio | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Inglewood | Los Angeles | 10.25% |
| Inyo County | Inyo | 7.75% |
| Ione | Amador | 7.75% |
| Irvine | Orange | 7.75% |
| Irwindale | Los Angeles | 10.75% |
| Isleton | Sacramento | 8.75% |
| Jackson | Amador | 7.75% |
| Jurupa Valley | Riverside | 7.75% |
| Kerman | Fresno | 8.975% |
| Kern County Unincorporated Area | Kern | 8.25% |
| King City | Monterey | 8.75% |
| Kings County | Kings | 7.25% |
| Kingsburg | Fresno | 8.975% |
| La Cañada Flintridge | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| La Habra | Orange | 8.75% |
| La Habra Heights | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| La Mesa | San Diego | 8.5% |
| La Mirada | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| La Palma | Orange | 8.75% |
| La Puente | Los Angeles | 10.25% |
| La Quinta | Riverside | 8.75% |
| La Verne | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Lafayette | Contra Costa | 9.25% |
| Laguna Beach | Orange | 7.75% |
| Laguna Hills | Orange | 7.75% |
| Laguna Niguel | Orange | 7.75% |
| Laguna Woods | Orange | 7.75% |
| Lake County | Lake | 7.25% |
| Lake Elsinore | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Lake Forest | Orange | 7.75% |
| Lakeport | Lake | 8.75% |
| Lakewood | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Lancaster | Los Angeles | 11.25% |
| Larkspur | Marin | 9.25% |
| Lassen County | Lassen | 7.25% |
| Lathrop | San Joaquin | 8.75% |
| Lawndale | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Lemon Grove | San Diego | 8.75% |
| Lemoore | Kings | 8.25% |
| Lincoln | Placer | 7.25% |
| Lindsay | Tulare | 8.75% |
| Live Oak | Sutter | 7.25% |
| Livermore | Alameda | 10.25% |
| Livingston | Merced | 8.75% |
| Lodi | San Joaquin | 8.25% |
| Loma Linda | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Lomita | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Lompoc | Santa Barbara | 8.75% |
| Long Beach | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Loomis | Placer | 7.5% |
| Los Alamitos | Orange | 9.25% |
| Los Altos | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Los Altos Hills | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Los Angeles | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Los Angeles County | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Los Banos | Merced | 8.75% |
| Los Gatos | Santa Clara | 9.875% |
| Loyalton | Sierra | 7.25% |
| Lynwood | Los Angeles | 10.75% |
| Madera | Madera | 8.25% |
| Madera County | Madera | 7.75% |
| Malibu | Los Angeles | 10.25% |
| Mammoth Lakes | Mono | 7.75% |
| Manhattan Beach | Los Angeles | 10.25% |
| Manteca | San Joaquin | 9% |
| Maricopa | Kern | 8.25% |
| Marin County | Marin | 8.25% |
| Marina | Monterey | 9.25% |
| Mariposa County | Mariposa | 8.25% |
| Martinez | Contra Costa | 9.75% |
| Marysville | Yuba | 8.25% |
| Maywood | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| McFarland | Kern | 9.25% |
| Mendocino County | Mendocino | 7.875% |
| Mendota | Fresno | 9.225% |
| Menifee | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Menlo Park | San Mateo | 9.375% |
| Merced | Merced | 8.25% |
| Merced County | Merced | 7.75% |
| Mill Valley | Marin | 9.25% |
| Millbrae | San Mateo | 9.375% |
| Milpitas | Santa Clara | 10% |
| Mission Viejo | Orange | 7.75% |
| Modesto | Stanislaus | 8.875% |
| Modoc County | Modoc | 7.25% |
| Mono County | Mono | 7.25% |
| Monrovia | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Montague | Siskiyou | 7.25% |
| Montclair | San Bernardino | 9% |
| Monte Sereno | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Montebello | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Monterey | Monterey | 9.25% |
| Monterey County Unincorporated Area | Monterey | 8.75% |
| Monterey Park | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Moorpark | Ventura | 7.25% |
| Moraga | Contra Costa | 9.75% |
| Moreno Valley | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Morgan Hill | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Morro Bay | San Luis Obispo | 8.75% |
| Mount Shasta | Siskiyou | 7.5% |
| Mountain House | San Joaquin | 7.75% |
| Mountain View | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Murrieta | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Napa | Napa | 8.75% |
| Napa County | Napa | 7.75% |
| National City | San Diego | 8.75% |
| Needles | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Nevada City | Nevada | 8.875% |
| Nevada County | Nevada | 7.5% |
| Newark | Alameda | 10.75% |
| Newman | Stanislaus | 7.875% |
| Newport Beach | Orange | 7.75% |
| Norco | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Norwalk | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Novato | Marin | 9.25% |
| Oakdale | Stanislaus | 8.375% |
| Oakland | Alameda | 10.75% |
| Oakley | Contra Costa | 8.75% |
| Oceanside | San Diego | 8.25% |
| Ojai | Ventura | 7.25% |
| Ontario | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
| Orange | Orange | 7.75% |
| Orange County | Orange | 7.75% |
| Orange Cove | Fresno | 7.975% |
| Orinda | Contra Costa | 9.75% |
| Orland | Glenn | 8.25% |
| Oroville | Butte | 9.25% |
| Oxnard | Ventura | 9.25% |
| Pacific Grove | Monterey | 9.25% |
| Pacifica | San Mateo | 9.875% |
| Palm Desert | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Palm Springs | Riverside | 9.25% |
| Palmdale | Los Angeles | 11.25% |
| Palo Alto | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Palos Verdes Estates | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Paradise | Butte | 8.75% |
| Paramount | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Parlier | Fresno | 8.975% |
| Pasadena | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Paso Robles | San Luis Obispo | 8.75% |
| Patterson | Stanislaus | 7.875% |
| Perris | Riverside | 7.75% |
| Petaluma | Sonoma | 10.25% |
| Pico Rivera | Los Angeles | 10.75% |
| Piedmont | Alameda | 10.25% |
| Pinole | Contra Costa | 10.25% |
| Pismo Beach | San Luis Obispo | 8.25% |
| Pittsburg | Contra Costa | 9.25% |
| Placentia | Orange | 8.75% |
| Placer County | Placer | 7.25% |
| Placerville | El Dorado | 8.25% |
| Pleasant Hill | Contra Costa | 9.25% |
| Pleasanton | Alameda | 10.25% |
| Plumas County | Plumas | 7.25% |
| Plymouth | Amador | 7.75% |
| Point Arena | Mendocino | 9.25% |
| Pomona | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Port Hueneme | Ventura | 8.75% |
| Porterville | Tulare | 9.25% |
| Portola | Plumas | 7.25% |
| Portola Valley | San Mateo | 9.375% |
| Poway | San Diego | 7.75% |
| Rancho Cordova | Sacramento | 8.75% |
| Rancho Cucamonga | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Rancho Mirage | Riverside | 7.75% |
| Rancho Palos Verdes | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Rancho Santa Margarita | Orange | 7.75% |
| Red Bluff | Tehama | 7.5% |
| Redding | Shasta | 7.25% |
| Redlands | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
| Redondo Beach | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Redwood City | San Mateo | 9.875% |
| Reedley | Fresno | 9.225% |
| Rialto | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Richmond | Contra Costa | 9.75% |
| Ridgecrest | Kern | 9.25% |
| Rio Dell | Humboldt | 9.5% |
| Rio Vista | Solano | 9.125% |
| Ripon | San Joaquin | 7.75% |
| Riverbank | Stanislaus | 7.875% |
| Riverside | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Riverside County | Riverside | 7.75% |
| Rocklin | Placer | 7.25% |
| Rohnert Park | Sonoma | 9.75% |
| Rolling Hills | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Rolling Hills Estates | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Rosemead | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Roseville | Placer | 7.75% |
| Ross | Marin | 8.25% |
| Sacramento | Sacramento | 8.75% |
| Sacramento County | Sacramento | 7.75% |
| Salinas | Monterey | 9.25% |
| San Anselmo | Marin | 9.25% |
| San Benito County | San Benito | 8.25% |
| San Bernardino | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
| San Bernardino County | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| San Bruno | San Mateo | 9.875% |
| San Carlos | San Mateo | 9.375% |
| San Clemente | Orange | 7.75% |
| San Diego | San Diego | 7.75% |
| San Diego County | San Diego | 7.75% |
| San Dimas | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| San Fernando | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| San Francisco | San Francisco | 8.625% |
| San Francisco County | San Francisco | 8.625% |
| San Gabriel | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| San Jacinto | Riverside | 8.75% |
| San Joaquin | Fresno | 7.975% |
| San Joaquin County | San Joaquin | 7.75% |
| San Jose | Santa Clara | 10% |
| San Juan Bautista | San Benito | 9% |
| San Juan Capistrano | Orange | 7.75% |
| San Leandro | Alameda | 10.75% |
| San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | 8.75% |
| San Luis Obispo County | San Luis Obispo | 7.25% |
| San Marcos | San Diego | 8.75% |
| San Marino | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| San Mateo | San Mateo | 9.625% |
| San Mateo County | San Mateo | 9.375% |
| San Pablo | Contra Costa | 9.5% |
| San Rafael | Marin | 9.25% |
| San Ramon | Contra Costa | 9.75% |
| Sand City | Monterey | 9.25% |
| Sanger | Fresno | 8.725% |
| Santa Ana | Orange | 9.25% |
| Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | 9.25% |
| Santa Barbara County | Santa Barbara | 7.75% |
| Santa Clara | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Santa Clara County | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Santa Clarita | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | 9.75% |
| Santa Cruz County Unincorporated Area | Santa Cruz | 9.5% |
| Santa Fe Springs | Los Angeles | 11% |
| Santa Maria | Santa Barbara | 8.75% |
| Santa Monica | Los Angeles | 10.75% |
| Santa Paula | Ventura | 9.25% |
| Santa Rosa | Sonoma | 10% |
| Santee | San Diego | 7.75% |
| Saratoga | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Sausalito | Marin | 9.25% |
| Scotts Valley | Santa Cruz | 9.75% |
| Seal Beach | Orange | 9.25% |
| Seaside | Monterey | 9.25% |
| Sebastopol | Sonoma | 10.5% |
| Selma | Fresno | 8.475% |
| Shafter | Kern | 7.25% |
| Shasta County | Shasta | 7.25% |
| Shasta Lake | Shasta | 7.25% |
| Sierra County | Sierra | 7.25% |
| Sierra Madre | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Signal Hill | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Simi Valley | Ventura | 7.25% |
| Siskiyou County | Siskiyou | 7.25% |
| Solana Beach | San Diego | 8.75% |
| Solano County | Solano | 7.375% |
| Soledad | Monterey | 9.25% |
| Solvang | Santa Barbara | 8.75% |
| Sonoma | Sonoma | 10.25% |
| Sonoma County | Sonoma | 9.25% |
| Sonora | Tuolumne | 8.75% |
| South El Monte | Los Angeles | 10.75% |
| South Gate | Los Angeles | 10.75% |
| South Lake Tahoe | El Dorado | 8.75% |
| South Pasadena | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| South San Francisco | San Mateo | 9.875% |
| St. Helena | Napa | 8.25% |
| Stanislaus County | Stanislaus | 7.875% |
| Stanton | Orange | 8.75% |
| Stockton | San Joaquin | 9% |
| Suisun City | Solano | 9.125% |
| Sunnyvale | Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Susanville | Lassen | 8.25% |
| Sutter County | Sutter | 7.25% |
| Sutter Creek | Amador | 8.75% |
| Taft | Kern | 8.25% |
| Tehachapi | Kern | 8.25% |
| Tehama | Tehama | 7.25% |
| Tehama County | Tehama | 7.25% |
| Temecula | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Temple City | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Thousand Oaks | Ventura | 7.25% |
| Tiburon | Marin | 8.25% |
| Torrance | Los Angeles | 10.25% |
| Tracy | San Joaquin | 8.25% |
| Trinidad | Humboldt | 9.5% |
| Trinity County | Trinity | 7.25% |
| Truckee | Nevada | 9% |
| Tulare | Tulare | 8.25% |
| Tulare County | Tulare | 7.75% |
| Tulelake | Siskiyou | 7.25% |
| Tuolumne County | Tuolumne | 7.25% |
| Turlock | Stanislaus | 8.625% |
| Tustin | Orange | 7.75% |
| Twentynine Palms | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Ukiah | Mendocino | 8.875% |
| Union City | Alameda | 10.75% |
| Upland | San Bernardino | 7.75% |
| Vacaville | Solano | 8.125% |
| Vallejo | Solano | 9.25% |
| Ventura | Ventura | 7.75% |
| Ventura County | Ventura | 7.25% |
| Vernon | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Victorville | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
| Villa Park | Orange | 7.75% |
| Visalia | Tulare | 8.5% |
| Vista | San Diego | 8.25% |
| Walnut | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Walnut Creek | Contra Costa | 9.25% |
| Wasco | Kern | 8.25% |
| Waterford | Stanislaus | 7.875% |
| Watsonville | Santa Cruz | 9.75% |
| Weed | Siskiyou | 7.5% |
| West Covina | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| West Hollywood | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| West Sacramento | Yolo | 9.25% |
| Westlake Village | Los Angeles | 9.75% |
| Westminster | Orange | 9.25% |
| Westmorland | Imperial | 7.75% |
| Wheatland | Yuba | 7.75% |
| Whittier | Los Angeles | 10.5% |
| Wildomar | Riverside | 8.75% |
| Williams | Colusa | 8.25% |
| Willits | Mendocino | 9.125% |
| Willows | Glenn | 8.75% |
| Windsor | Sonoma | 9.25% |
| Winters | Yolo | 8.25% |
| Woodlake | Tulare | 8.75% |
| Woodland | Yolo | 8% |
| Woodside | San Mateo | 9.375% |
| Yolo County | Yolo | 7.25% |
| Yorba Linda | Orange | 7.75% |
| Yountville | Napa | 7.75% |
| Yreka | Siskiyou | 8.75% |
| Yuba City | Sutter | 7.25% |
| Yuba County Unincorporated Area | Yuba | 8.25% |
| Yucaipa | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
| Yucca Valley | San Bernardino | 8.75% |
Conclusion
California vehicle sales tax is the statewide 7.25 percent plus whatever district taxes apply at the registration address. Santa Monica at 10.75% is not Anaheim at 7.75%. Oakland at 10.75% is not San Francisco at 8.625%. The current high is Lancaster / Palmdale at 11.25%; the floor is 7.25%. If you live in a high district, the extra percentage applies to the full taxable price — there is no Florida-style $5,000 cap. Look up your city in the live table, then compare it with a neighboring city in the same sentence before you sign.
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration — City & County Sales and Use Tax Rates
- Revenue and Taxation Code § 6051 et seq. — sales and use tax
- CDTFA — Transactions and Use Tax (district tax) resources
- California DMV — use tax on vehicle transfers; Vehicle License Fee
This guide is an educational estimator. It is not legal, tax, or DMV advice. Figures shown inline are sourced from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) and DMV and related official rate data, update in real time, and can change when a locality’s levy changes. Confirm amounts with the collecting agency cited above before you pay.