Buying or selling a home in Orinda

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

Transfer tax

Orinda code What Orinda's code adds
City transfer tax	The city charges a transfer tax on documents that transfer real property sold in the city. § 3.08.020 · code text There is imposed on each instrument or writing by which land, tenement or other realty sold within the city is transferred or conveyed to the purchaser or other grantee
Rate	$0.275 for each $500 of value, or part of $500. § 3.08.020 · code text a tax at the rate of $0.275 of each five hundred dollars ($500.00) or fractional part of five hundred dollars ($500.00).
Rate per $1,000	$0.55 per $1,000 of value. § 3.08.020 · code text a tax at the rate of $0.275 of each five hundred dollars ($500.00) or fractional part of five hundred dollars ($500.00).
Price threshold	Applies only when the value is over $100. Applies: Value conveyed, not counting any encumbrance that remains at the time of sale, must be more than $100. § 3.08.020 · code text when the consideration or value of the interest conveyed (exclusive of the value of an encumbrance remaining at the time of sale) exceeds one hundred dollars ($100.00)
Rate depends on price	No. One flat rate applies to every taxed sale. § 3.08.020 · code text a tax at the rate of $0.275 of each five hundred dollars ($500.00) or fractional part of five hundred dollars ($500.00).
Who pays	The person who makes, signs or issues the document, or for whose benefit it is made, pays the tax. § 3.08.030 · code text The tax imposed under Section 3.08.020 shall be paid by the person who makes, signs or issues the instrument subject to the tax, or for whose use or benefit the instrument 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 Orinda?

The city tax is $0.55 per $1,000 on sales over $100, owed by whoever signs the transfer document or benefits from it.

General information, not legal advice.