Whittier · Buying & selling

Buying or selling a home in Whittier

Whittier has no transfer tax rule of its own, but a sale can require a city sewer lateral inspection before escrow closes. Seller disclosures and property tax limits come from state law.

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Key points

Transfer tax: Whittier has no city transfer tax rule; state law lets the county tax sales over $100 at $0.55 per $500 of value.
Sale inspection: City rule: a sewer lateral inspection is required before close of escrow when no inspection or permitted repair occurred in the prior 20 years.
Repairs: City rule: repairs found by a non-probate sale inspection are due before close of escrow; the property owner pays for inspection and repairs.
Disclosure statement: State law: single-family sellers must give a Transfer Disclosure Statement; a buyer getting it after the offer may cancel within 3 or 5 days.
Property tax: State law: the general property tax is at most 1% of full cash value plus voter-approved debt; base value rises at most 2% yearly.
Homeowner exemption: State law: $7,000 of assessed value is exempt when the home is the owner's principal residence.

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

Transfer tax

CA state law Whittier has no rule of its own on this, so California law 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

Whittier code What Whittier's code adds
How long a certificate lasts	A video inspection recording is valid for 6 months. Applies: If written approval is not obtained within 6 months, the city may require a new inspection. § 13.34.030 · code text A video inspection recording shall be valid for a period of six months from the date of the inspection. 20 years. Applies: After the city's written approval; a new test is needed sooner after a listed trigger (other than a sale) or a suspected defect. § 13.34.040 · code text Once written approval is issued, the sewer lateral for which the written approval is issued shall not require testing for a period of twenty years from the date of issuance of the written approval unless one of the events stated in Section 13.34.030(A)(1) through (7) occurs, or the city engineer otherwise has reason to believe the private sewer lateral is in a defective condition.
Deadline to comply	Within 90 days. Applies: When the city engineer or building official finds the sewer lateral defective. § 13.34.030 · code text the property owner shall obtain any necessary permits required under this code and shall cause all repairs necessary to bring the building sewer lateral into compliance with the provisions of Article 13 within ninety days. Before escrow closes, or if there is no escrow, before the deed or title transfer is recorded. Applies: Repairs found by testing required for a sale or non-probate transfer. § 13.34.030 · code text Any required repairs or replacement of a sewer lateral that result from the testing required as a result of the sale or transfer of property in a non-probate transaction shall be completed prior to the close of escrow of the sale or, if there is no escrow, prior to recording the deed or other document transferring title. Within 180 days after the probate sale or other transfer. Applies: Transfers through probate, a living trust or similar document, or the end of a joint tenancy. § 13.34.030 · code text For properties sold or transferred in a probate or other testamentary proceeding, pursuant to the terms of a revocable living trust or similar instrument, or pursuant to the termination of a joint tenancy or similar proceeding, any repair or replacement of a sewer lateral shall be completed within one hundred eighty days after the probate sale or other transfer.
When an inspection is required	An inspection is required. Applies: 2 or more private lateral sewage discharges within 2 years. § 13.34.030 · code text The occurrence of two or more PLSDs within a two-year period; An inspection is required. Applies: A change of use that raises flow 50% above the current use. § 13.34.030 · code text A change of the use of the structure served to a use that will result in a fifty percent higher flow than the current use; An inspection is required. Applies: Repairing or replacing any part of the private sewer lateral. § 13.34.030 · code text Repair or replacement of any portion of the private sewer lateral; An inspection is required. Applies: Replacing or adding a bathroom. § 13.34.030 · code text Replacement of or addition of a bathroom; An inspection is required. Applies: The city engineer or building official finds cleaning, testing, repair or replacement is needed for public health and safety. § 13.34.030 · code text Determination by the city engineer and/or building official that the cleaning, testing, repair or replacement is required for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare; An inspection is required. Applies: A building permit valued at $100,000 or more. § 13.34.030 · code text Issuance of a building permit with a valuation of one hundred thousand dollars or more; An inspection is required. Applies: An increase of 50% or more in the number of bedrooms. § 13.34.030 · code text a fifty percent or more increase in the number of bedrooms over the prior total number of bedrooms; An inspection is required. Applies: Major repair or replacement of the main sewer line the lateral connects to, as the city decides. § 13.34.030 · code text Significant repair or replacement of the main sewer line to which the lateral is attached as determined by the city engineer and/or building official; An inspection is required. Applies: Before escrow closes on a sale or transfer, or before recording title, if no inspection or permitted repair occurred in the past 20 years. § 13.34.030 · code text Prior to the close of escrow upon a sale or other transfer of the house, building, property or other structure served or, if there is no escrow, prior to recording a deed or other document transferring title to the house, building, property or other structure served, if no inspection or permitted repair occurred within twenty years preceding the transfer. No inspection is required. Applies: Transfers between family members when the Los Angeles County Assessor does not reassess the property. § 13.34.030 · code text A transfer of ownership between family members does not require testing if reassessment of property value is not required by the Los Angeles County Tax Assessor.
Owner's responsibility	The owner pays the full cost of the inspection. Applies: Inspecting an existing private sewer lateral after a listed trigger event. § 13.34.030 · code text All existing private sewer laterals, including but not limited to those serving residential, multiple residential, commercial and industrial properties, connected to the city's public sewer shall be inspected at the property owner's sole expense when any of the following events occur: The owner pays all costs of repair or replacement. Applies: Repairing or replacing a defective sewer lateral. § 13.34.030 · code text All costs of repair or replacement of the building sewer lateral shall be borne by the property owner.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

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

Whittier has no city transfer tax rule; state law lets the county tax sales over $100 at $0.55 per $500 of value.

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

City rule: a sewer lateral inspection is required before close of escrow when no inspection or permitted repair occurred in the prior 20 years. City rule: repairs found by a non-probate sale inspection are due before close of escrow; the property owner pays for inspection and repairs.

General information, not legal advice.

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