Beaumont · Buying & selling

Buying or selling a home in Beaumont

Beaumont charges its own documentary transfer tax when property changes hands. Seller disclosures and property tax follow state law.

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Key points

Transfer tax: Beaumont taxes property transfers over $100 at $0.55 per $1,000; whoever signs or issues the deed, or benefits from it, pays.
Seller disclosures: State law: single-family sellers must give a Transfer Disclosure Statement unless exempt, and written smoke alarm and water heater bracing statements.
Property tax: State law caps general property tax at 1% of value; property is reassessed on sale, and its base value rises at most 2% yearly.

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

Transfer tax

Beaumont code What Beaumont's code adds
City transfer tax	Yes. The city taxes each deed or document that transfers real property sold in the city. § 3.20.020 · code text There is imposed on each deed, instrument or writing by which any lands, tenements, or other realty sold within the City shall be granted, assigned, transferred or otherwise conveyed
Rate	Twenty-seven and one-half cents for each $500 of value, or fraction of $500. § 3.20.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents for each $500.00 or fractional part thereof.
Rate per $1,000	$0.55 for each thousand dollars of value. § 3.20.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents for each $500.00 or fractional part thereof.
Price threshold	$100 Applies: The tax applies only when the value conveyed, not counting liens or encumbrances that remain, is more than $100. § 3.20.020 · code text when the consideration or value of the interest or property conveyed, exclusive of the value of any lien or encumbrances remaining thereon at the time of sale, exceeds $100.00
Rate depends on price	No. One rate applies: twenty-seven and one-half cents for each $500 or fraction of $500. § 3.20.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents for each $500.00 or fractional part thereof.
Who pays	Any person who makes, signs or issues the taxed document, or for whose use or benefit it is made. § 3.20.030 · code text Any tax imposed pursuant to Section 3.20.020 shall be paid by any person who makes, signs or issues any document or instrument subject to the tax, or for whose use or benefit the same is made, signed or issued.

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

Beaumont code What Beaumont's code adds
Owner's responsibility	The owner maintains and repairs the lateral from the building up to and including the City main connection. § 13.08.110 · code text The owner shall be responsible for maintenance and/or repair of the service lateral. The service lateral is the owners responsibility from the house/building/apartment etc. … up to and including the connection to the City main line. The owner must tell the City about a lateral failure that rodding tools cannot fix. Applies: Applies to a lateral failure that rodding tools cannot clear. § 13.08.110 · code text If there is a failure of a service lateral not remediable by use of rodding tools, it shall be the responsibility of the owner to call this to the attention of the City. The owner must repair; if not, the utilities general manager may do it and the cost becomes a property lien. Applies: Applies if the owner fails to make needed repairs. § 13.08.110 · code text If the owner fails to make the necessary repairs the general manager of utilities may perform such work. The cost of same shall be a lien on the property upon which such service line was repaired.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

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

Beaumont taxes property transfers over $100 at $0.55 per $1,000; whoever signs or issues the deed, or benefits from it, pays.

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

Beaumont's code: The owner maintains and repairs the lateral from the building up to and including the City main connection. (§ 13.08.110); The owner must tell the City about a lateral failure that rodding tools cannot fix. (Applies to a lateral failure that rodding tools cannot clear.) (§ 13.08.110).

General information, not legal advice.

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