El Cajon · Buying & selling

Buying or selling a home in El Cajon

El Cajon has its own documentary transfer tax, owed by any person who makes, signs or issues the taxed document or for whose benefit it is made. Seller disclosures and property tax follow state law.

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Key points

Transfer tax: El Cajon transfer tax: $0.55 per $1,000, only on transfers over $100, not counting liens that remain.
Seller disclosures: State law: sellers of single-family homes must give buyers a Transfer Disclosure Statement, with exemptions such as foreclosure and court-ordered sales.
Property tax: State law: general property tax is at most 1% of full cash value plus voter-approved debt; the base value rises at most 2% a year.

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

Transfer tax

El Cajon code What El Cajon's code adds
City transfer tax	The city charges a transfer tax on deeds that transfer real property sold in the city. § 3.36.020 · 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	$0.275 for each $500 of value, or part of $500. § 3.36.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents for each five hundred dollars or fractional part thereof.
Rate per $1,000	$0.55 per thousand dollars of value. § 3.36.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents for each five hundred dollars or fractional part thereof.
Price threshold	Applies only when the value is over $100. Applies: Value of the property conveyed, not counting liens or encumbrances that remain at the time of sale. § 3.36.020 · 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 one hundred dollars
Rate depends on price	No. One flat rate applies to every taxed sale. § 3.36.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents for each five hundred dollars or fractional part thereof.
Who pays	Anyone who makes, signs or issues the taxed document, or for whose benefit it is made, pays the tax. § 3.36.030 · code text Any tax imposed pursuant to Section 3.36.020 hereof 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

El Cajon code What El Cajon's code adds
Deadline to comply	Repairs must be done by the deadline set in the notice to repair or replace. Applies: Applies after the director finds deficiencies in the inspection report. § 13.37.060 · code text The notice to repair or replace shall specifically identify the deficiencies to be corrected and shall establish a deadline within which the owner(s) shall complete the required corrective actions.
Fee or permit	A review fee is required, in addition to any other fee in the chapter. Applies: Applies when the sewer inspection report is submitted to the city. § 13.37.050 · code text The inspection report shall be submitted to the city for review and analysis accompanied with a review fee in addition to any other fee required by this chapter. Repairs need a building permit when applicable, followed by a final permit inspection and approval. Applies: Applies if the repairs require a building permit. § 13.37.060 · code text The owner shall repair his building sewer lateral to the satisfaction of the director of public works, and, if a building permit is required for the repairs, the owner shall obtain a final permit inspection and approval of the city building official.
Owner's responsibility	The owner must repair the sewer lateral to the satisfaction of the director of public works. § 13.37.060 · code text The owner shall repair his building sewer lateral to the satisfaction of the director of public works, and, if a building permit is required for the repairs, the owner shall obtain a final permit inspection and approval of the city building official. The owner is responsible only for the part on their property and the part in the public right-of-way. Applies: Applies when the lateral crosses another person's private property without easements. § 13.37.060 · code text If a building sewer lateral traverses private property, without easements, other than the owner's property, the owner shall only be responsible for the repairs to that portion of the building sewer lateral that are upon the owner's property and also to that portion of the building sewer within a public right-of-way.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

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

El Cajon transfer tax: $0.55 per $1,000, only on transfers over $100, not counting liens that remain.

Does El Cajon require a sewer lateral inspection when you sell a home?

El Cajon's code: Repairs must be done by the deadline set in the notice to repair or replace. (Applies after the director finds deficiencies in the inspection report.) (§ 13.37.060); A review fee is required, in addition to any other fee in the chapter. (Applies when the sewer inspection report is submitted to the city.) (§ 13.37.050).

General information, not legal advice.

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