Buying or selling a home in National City

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

Transfer tax

National City code What National City's code adds
City transfer tax	Yes. The city charges a tax on documents that transfer real property. § 4.28.030 · code text The tax imposed by this chapter shall be paid by the 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.
Rate	27.5 cents for each $500 of the price or value conveyed, or part of $500. § 4.28.020 · code text The rate of tax shall be twenty-seven and one half cents for each five hundred dollars or fractional part thereof of the consideration or value given for the interest on property conveyed.
Rate per $1,000	$0.55 per $1,000 of value. § 4.28.020 · code text The rate of tax shall be twenty-seven and one half cents for each five hundred dollars or fractional part thereof of the consideration or value given for the interest on property conveyed.
Who pays	The person who makes, signs or issues the taxed document, or for whose use or benefit it is made. § 4.28.030 · code text The tax imposed by this chapter shall be paid by the 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 →

Who this affects

BuyersSellersReal estate agents

Frequently asked questions

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

National City taxes transfers at $0.55 per $1,000 of the consideration or value of the property conveyed.

General information, not legal advice.