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California real estate law

Transfer tax by city

When you sell a home in California, the county charges a documentary transfer tax. Many cities add or share one. This page lists 387 cities and 47 counties whose code has a transfer tax chapter, and links each row to the section it comes from.

Values were read from each city's municipal code and checked against the text (read October 2026). A rate is shown only when it is one of the two figures the state law uses. Cities with price tiers or another structure link to the code instead. General information, not tax advice.

The state rule behind the numbers

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

Applies: Applies when the city's tax conforms to the state documentary transfer tax law

Rev. & Tax. Code § 11931

Cities with higher rates on more expensive sales

These cities raise the rate in steps as the price goes up. The steps and thresholds differ by city, so read the section before you estimate a tax.

Cities at the standard rate (264)

Rate per $1,000 of value, as the city's code states it.

CityRate per $1,000Code section
Agoura Hills$0.55§ 6201
Alhambra$0.55§ 3.10.020
Alturas$0.55§ 24-22
Anderson$0.55§ 3.32.020
Antioch$0.55§ 3-6.02
Apple Valley$0.55§ 3.22.020
Arcadia$0.55§ 2691.2
Artesia$0.55§ 3-5.103
Arvin$0.55§ 3.12.020
Atascadero$0.55§ 3-2.02
Avalon$0.55§ 3-3.502
Barstow$0.55§ 3.08.020
Beaumont$0.55§ 3.20.020
Bell$0.55§ 3.16.020
Belmont$0.55§ 23-43
Benicia$0.55§ 3.16.020
Beverly Hills$0.55§ 3-1-402
Big Bear Lake$0.55§ 3.12.020
Biggs$0.55§ 3.20.020
Blue Lake$0.55§ 3.08.020
Blythe$0.55§ 3.16.020
Bradbury$0.55§ 13.04.020
Brawley$0.55§ 24.70
Brea$0.55§ 3.20.020
Buellton$0.55§ 3.20.020
Burlingame$0.55§ 4.24.020
Calabasas$0.55§ 3.12.020
Calexico$0.55§ 3.16.040
Calimesa$0.55§ 3.40.020
Calistoga$0.55§ 3.12.020
Campbell$0.55§ 3.36.020
Carmel-by-the-Sea$0.55§ 3.24.020
Carpinteria$0.55§ 3.12.030
Ceres$0.55§ 3.07.020
Cerritos$0.55§ 3.08.020
Chico$0.55§ 3.44.020
Chino$0.55§ 3.12.020
Chowchilla$0.55§ 3.08.030
Clayton$0.55§ 3.20.020
Cloverdale$0.55§ 3.32.030
Clovis$0.55§ 3.3.502
Coachella$0.55§ 4.20.020
Colton$0.55§ 3.20.020
Colusa$0.55§ 8-16
Commerce$0.55§ 3.12.020
Corte Madera$0.55§ 3.12.020
Covina$0.55§ 3.20.020
Daly City$0.55§ 3.24.020
Dana Point$0.55§ 3.22.020
Davis$0.55§ 15.04.010
Del Mar$0.55§ 3.20.010
Del Rey Oaks$0.55§ 3.12.020
Delano$0.55§ 3.24.020
Desert Hot Springs$0.55§ 3.24.010
Diamond Bar$0.55§ 3.20.020
Dinuba$0.55§ 3.08.020
Dixon$0.55§ 4.05.020
Downey$0.55§ 6161
Duarte$0.55§ 3.12.020
Dunsmuir$0.55§ 3.16.020
Eastvale$0.55§ 4.22.020
El Cajon$0.55§ 3.36.020
El Centro$0.55§ 25-82
El Monte$0.55§ 3.08.020
El Segundo$0.55§ 3-5-2
Elk Grove$0.55§ 3.12.020
Encinitas$0.55§ 3.20.010
Escalon$0.55§ 3.08.020
Etna$0.55§ 3.12.020
Exeter$0.55§ 3.16.020
Fairfield$0.55§ 18.26
Farmersville$0.55§ 3.28.020
Fillmore$0.55§ 3.16.020
Fontana$0.55§ 10-257
Fortuna$0.55§ 3.16.020
Fountain Valley$0.55§ 3.12.010
Fowler$0.55§ 3-4.02
Fullerton$0.55§ 21.08.020
Galt$0.55§ 3.28.020
Garden Grove$0.55§ 3.16.020
Gardena$0.55§ 3.08.020
Glendora$0.55§ 3.24.020
Gonzales$0.55§ 3.24.020
Grand Terrace$0.55§ 3.04.020
Greenfield$0.55§ 3.20.020
Guadalupe$0.55§ 3.08.020
Gustine$0.55§ 9-3-1
Half Moon Bay$0.55§ 3.16.020
Hanford$0.55§ 3.16.020
Hawaiian Gardens$0.55§ 3.24.020
Healdsburg$0.55§ 3.16.020
Hesperia$0.55§ 3.12.020
Hidden Hills$0.55§ 2-5-2
Highland$0.55§ 3.12.020
Hillsborough$0.55§ 3.20.020
Hollister$0.55§ 3.24.020
Holtville$0.55§ 3.04.020
Hughson$0.55§ 3.16.010
Huntington Beach$0.55§ 3.20.020
Huron$0.55§ 3.08.020
Imperial Beach$0.55§ 3.16.010
Inglewood$0.55§ 9-42
Irwindale$0.55§ 3.08.030
Isleton$0.55§ 3.32.020
Kerman$0.55§ 3.12.020
King City$0.55§ 3.08.020
Kingsburg$0.55§ 3.08.020
La Cañada Flintridge$0.55§ 3.04.020
La Habra$0.55§ 4.16.020
La Mesa$0.55§ 5.24.020
La Mirada$0.55§ 3.08.020
La Puente$0.55§ 2.26.030
La Quinta$0.55§ 3.22.020
La Verne$0.55§ 3.12.020
Lafayette$0.55§ 9-402
Laguna Beach$0.55§ 5.06.020
Laguna Hills$0.55§ 3-20.020
Lake Elsinore$0.55§ 3.24.020
Lake Forest$0.55§ 3.22.020
Lakeport$0.55§ 3.12.020
Lakewood$0.55§ 2802
Lancaster$0.55§ 3.08.020
Lawndale$0.55§ 3.16.030
Lemon Grove$0.55§ 3.12.020
Lemoore$0.55code
Livermore$0.55§ 3.16.030
Lodi$0.55§ 3.16.020
Loma Linda$0.55§ 3.04.020
Lomita$0.55§ 7-3.02
Lompoc$0.55§ 3.16.020
Long Beach$0.55§ 3.56.020
Loomis$0.55§ 3.08.020
Los Alamitos$0.55§ 3.08.020
Los Altos Hills$0.55§ 3-5.02
Los Banos$0.55§ 3-11.02
Los Gatos$0.55§ 25.40.015
Madera$0.55§ 8-5.02
Manhattan Beach$0.55§ 8.28.020
Manteca$1.10§ 3.12.020
Martinez$0.55§ 3.12.020
Marysville$0.55§ 3.08.020
Menifee$0.55§ 3.22.020
Menlo Park$0.55§ 3.20.020
Merced$0.55§ 3.20.020
Mill Valley$0.55§ 5.10.020
Millbrae$1.10§ 3.20.020
Mission Viejo$0.55§ 3.22.020
Monte Sereno$0.55§ 3.02.020
Montebello$0.55§ 3.32.030
Monterey Park$0.55§ 3.32.020
Moorpark$0.55§ 3.40.020
Moreno Valley$0.55§ 3.22.020
Morro Bay$0.55§ 3.16.020
Mountain House$0.55§ 3-2-201
Murrieta$0.55§ 3.16.020
Napa$0.55§ 3.16.010
National City$0.55§ 4.28.020
Nevada City$0.55§ 3.16.020
Newark$0.55§ 3.08.020
Newport Beach$0.55§ 3.22.020
Norco$0.55§ 3.16.020
Norwalk$0.55§ 3.24.020
Oakdale$0.55§ 11-26
Oakley$0.55§ 3.3.006
Oceanside$0.55§ 34.31
Orinda$0.55§ 3.08.020
Orland$0.55§ 3.04.020
Pacific Grove$0.55§ 7.30.020
Pacifica$0.55§ 3-5.02
Palmdale$0.55§ 3.16.020
Palos Verdes Estates$0.55§ 3.12.020
Paradise$0.55§ 3.16.020
Paramount$0.55§ 3.20.010
Parlier$0.55§ 3.24.020
Pasadena$0.55§ 4.36.020
Paso Robles$0.55§ 3.20.020
Patterson$1.10§ 3.24.030
Pinole$0.55§ 3.16.020
Pismo Beach$0.55§ 3.16.020
Placentia$0.55§ 3.24.020
Port Hueneme$0.55§ 2731
Portola$0.55§ 3.12.020
Portola Valley$0.55§ 3.12.020
Poway$0.55§ 3.08.020
Rancho Cordova$0.55§ 3.12.030
Rancho Cucamonga$0.55§ 3.16.020
Rancho Palos Verdes$0.55§ 3.12.020
Rancho Santa Margarita$0.55§ 3.05.020
Red Bluff$0.55§ 21.33
Redding$0.55§ 4.16.020
Redwood City$0.55§ 32.41
Rialto$1.10§ 3.12.020
Ridgecrest$0.55§ 9-21
Riverside$1.10§ 3.12.020
Rohnert Park$0.55§ 3.16.020
Rolling Hills$0.55§ 3.12.020
Rolling Hills Estates$0.55§ 3.12.020
Rosemead$0.55§ 3.12.020
Roseville$0.55§ 4.28.020
Salinas$0.55§ 32-35
San Anselmo$0.55§ 8-4.02
San Bruno$0.55§ 3.36.020
San Clemente$0.55§ 3.16.020
San Diego$0.55§ 37.0102
San Jacinto$0.55§ 3.12.020
San Juan Bautista$0.55§ 3-6-100
San Marcos$0.55§ 3.12.030
San Marino$0.55§ 26.02.02
Sand City$0.55code
Sanger$0.55§ 66-57
Santa Ana$0.55§ 35-100
Santa Barbara$0.55§ 4.20.020
Santa Clara$0.55§ 3.35.020
Santa Fe Springs$0.55§ 35.056
Santa Maria$0.55§ 3-6.02
Santee$0.55§ 3.12.020
Saratoga$0.55§ 5-15.020
Scotts Valley$0.55§ 3.12.020
Seal Beach$0.55§ 4.40.010
Shafter$0.55§ 3.08.020
Shasta Lake$1.10§ 3.12.020
Sierra Madre$0.55§ 3.28.030
Signal Hill$0.55§ 3.08.020
Simi Valley$0.55§ 3-5.103
Soledad$0.55§ 3.12.010
Sonora$0.55§ 3.12.020
South Gate$0.55§ 2.22.020
South Lake Tahoe$1.10§ 3.15.020
South San Francisco$0.55§ 4.24.020
Stanton$0.55§ 3.08.020
Stockton$0.55§ 3.20.020
Suisun City$0.55§ 3.08.020
Sutter Creek$0.55§ 4.08.020
Temecula$0.55§ 3.12.020
Tiburon$0.55§ 8-2
Tracy$0.55§ 8.08.460
Truckee$0.55§ 3.22.020
Turlock$0.55§ 3-7-02
Tustin$0.55§ 2402
Twentynine Palms$0.55§ 3.12.020
Upland$0.55§ 3.16.020
Vacaville$0.55§ 3.08.020
Vallejo$0.55§ 3.08.020
Vernon$0.55§ 3.12.020
Victorville$0.55§ 3.08.020
Villa Park$0.55§ 4-7.2
Visalia$0.55§ 3.20.020
Walnut$0.55§ 7.12.010
Walnut Creek$0.55§ 8-4.02
Waterford$0.55§ 3.16.010
Weed$0.55§ 3.20.020
West Covina$0.55§ 21-68
West Sacramento$0.55§ 3.20.020
Westminster$0.55§ 3.08.020
Wildomar$0.55§ 3.16.020
Williams$0.55§ 3.12.020
Willits$0.55§ 3.20.020
Woodland$0.55§ 3.16.020
Woodside$0.55§ 35.27
Yountville$1.10§ 3.20.020
Yreka$0.55§ 3.08.020
Yuba City$0.55§ 3-6.302
Yucaipa$0.55§ 3.12.020
Yucca Valley$0.55§ 3.22.020

Other cities with a transfer tax (116)

The code has a transfer tax chapter, but the rate is written another way or has conditions, so no single figure is shown here. Open the section for the rate.

Counties (47)

County codes that state the tax. 32 of them state the standard $1.10 per $1,000 or $0.55 per $1,000. 15 state it another way; open the section.

More on selling a home: the state guide to buying and selling.