Albany · Buying & selling

Buying or selling a home in Albany

Albany has its own transfer tax on property sales, set as a share of the price, and the seller and buyer are both liable for it. Seller disclosures and property tax after a purchase follow state law.

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Key points

Transfer tax: Albany taxes transfers at 150/100 of 1% of the consideration ($15 per $1,000); seller and buyer are jointly and severally liable.
Seller disclosures: State law requires sellers of single-family homes to give buyers a Transfer Disclosure Statement; court-ordered, foreclosure and some other sales are exempt.
Property tax: State law caps the general property tax at 1% of full cash value, plus voter-approved debt; base year value rises at most 2% yearly.

Each rule below is marked Albany code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Transfer tax

Albany code What Albany's code adds
City transfer tax	Yes. The city taxes property transfers. § 4-5.2 · code text There is hereby imposed a tax levied at the rate of 150/100 of 1% of the value of consideration, effective January 1, 2021, on the following:
Rate	150/100 of 1% of the value of the consideration (the price paid). § 4-5.2 · code text There is hereby imposed a tax levied at the rate of 150/100 of 1% of the value of consideration, effective January 1, 2021, on the following:
Rate per $1,000	$15 for each thousand dollars of value. § 4-5.2 · code text There is hereby imposed a tax levied at the rate of 150/100 of 1% of the value of consideration, effective January 1, 2021, on the following:
Who pays	The people making the transfer and the people receiving it are each fully responsible for the whole tax. § 4-5.3 · code text Any persons who make a transfer which is subject to tax imposed under this section, and any persons to whom such transfer is made, shall be jointly and severally liable for payment of tax imposed under this section;

CA state law Underneath, California law still applies. County documentary transfer tax: A county may tax a sale over $100 at $0.55 for each $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000), not counting liens that remain on the property (Rev. & Tax. Code § 11911(a)). City share of the tax: A city may impose half the county rate ($0.55 per $1,000); the county then credits the city tax against its own, so the combined standard rate stays $1.10 per $1,000 (Rev. & Tax. Code § 11931). California rules for buying and selling — the full state rule →

Seller disclosures

CA state law California law sets this statewide. Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) — who must give it: Sellers of single-family residential property must give the buyer a Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement (sale, exchange, installment contract, lease-option or ground lease with improvements) (Civ. Code §§ 1102(a), 1102.2). Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement (NHD): Sellers must disclose if the property is in a special flood hazard area, dam inundation area, very high fire hazard severity zone, earthquake fault zone, seismic hazard zone, or wildland fire area (Civ. Code § 1103(c)). California seller disclosure rules — the full state rule →

Property tax after you buy

CA state law California law sets this statewide. 1% property tax limit (Prop 13): The general property tax on real property may not exceed 1% of its full cash value; voter-approved bond debt is levied on top (Cal. Const. art. XIII A, § 1(a), (b)). 2% annual cap on assessed value: The base year value rises each year by the California CPI change, but never more than 2% (Rev. & Tax. Code § 51(a)(1)(D)). California property tax rules — the full state rule →

Sewer lateral inspection

Albany code What Albany's code adds
Fee or permit	The property owner pays any fees set by the City and any fees set by EBMUD. Applies: Applies to fees set by the City or EBMUD. § 15-1.22 · code text The Property Owner shall be responsible for paying any fees established by the City in addition to any fees established by EBMUD.
When an inspection is required	Before a title transfer, get a Compliance Certificate from EBMUD, unless a Time Extension Certificate is obtained. Applies: Applies to a title transfer of a parcel with any structure. § 15-1.22 · code text Before completing a Title Transfer associated with a parcel containing any Structure, either the transferor or transferee, as negotiated between them, shall obtain a Compliance Certificate from EBMUD, unless a Time Extension Certificate is obtained. Get a Compliance Certificate from EBMUD before the final permit. Applies: Applies to new construction or remodeling when the cost of the permitted work is more than the Regional Ordinance dollar amount. § 15-1.22 · code text Whenever a Property Owner submits an application for any permit or other approval needed for new construction upon a parcel, or for Remodeling of an existing or previously existing Structure, the Property Owner shall obtain a Compliance Certificate from EBMUD before obtaining a final permit. Get a Compliance Certificate from EBMUD before the final permit or approval. Applies: Applies when the owner's water meter size is increased or decreased. § 15-1.22 · code text Whenever a Property Owner applies for any permit or other approval from EBMUD for an increase or decrease in size of the Property Owner's water meter, the Property Owner shall obtain a Compliance Certificate from EBMUD before obtaining a final permit or approval. Owners must get a Compliance Certificate from EBMUD. Applies: Applies to owners in common interest developments. § 15-1.22 · code text Property Owners within Common Interest Developments must obtain Compliance Certificates from EBMUD as described in the Regional Ordinance.
Owner's responsibility	The property owner is responsible for all required maintenance, repair and replacement of the upper sewer lateral. § 15-1.22 · code text It shall be the responsibility of the Property Owner to perform all required maintenance, Repair and Replacement of the Upper Sewer Lateral in accordance with this chapter and the Regional Ordinance. After the title transfer, only the buyer is responsible for getting a Compliance Certificate. Applies: Applies after a title transfer is complete. § 15-1.22 · code text After the Title Transfer is complete, the transferee is solely responsible for obtaining a Compliance Certificate.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

What is the transfer tax when you sell a home in Albany?

Albany taxes transfers at 150/100 of 1% of the consideration ($15 per $1,000); seller and buyer are jointly and severally liable.

Does Albany require a sewer lateral inspection when you sell a home?

Albany's code: The property owner pays any fees set by the City and any fees set by EBMUD. (Applies to fees set by the City or EBMUD.) (§ 15-1.22); Before a title transfer, get a Compliance Certificate from EBMUD, unless a Time Extension Certificate is obtained. (Applies to a title transfer of a parcel with any structure.) (§ 15-1.22).

General information, not legal advice.

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