California Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate California sales tax by city — Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento — with combined state + local rates.
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How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter the item price and select your city — rates vary significantly (7.25% minimum statewide, up to 10.75% in some cities).
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To find the pre-tax price from a receipt total, switch to "Remove tax from total".
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Actual rates can differ by block or zip code — this calculator uses the most common rate for each major city.
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Most groceries, prescription drugs, and utilities are exempt from California sales tax.
Frequently asked questions
Why does California's sales tax vary so much by city?
California's base state rate is 7.25% (itself the highest state-only rate in the US). On top of that, counties can add up to 1.25%, cities can add up to 1.5% (through voter-approved measures), and special districts can add more. Los Angeles County's combined rate reaches 10.25% — and some cities within LA County are even higher.
Are groceries taxed in California?
Generally no — most grocery items (unprepared food) are exempt from California sales tax. However, candy, bottled water, alcoholic beverages, dietary supplements, and prepared foods (hot foods, restaurant meals) are taxable. Ordering at a counter where food is prepared to your specifications is typically taxable even at a grocery store.
What is California's use tax?
If you buy something online or out-of-state without paying California sales tax, you technically owe California "use tax" at the same rate. This applies to purchases from retailers that don't collect CA tax. Use tax is reported on your CA income tax return — CA FTB offers a use tax lookup table for those who don't keep detailed records.
Which city in California has the highest sales tax?
Several California cities have rates of 10.75% or higher — including Alameda, Albany, Hayward, San Leandro (10.75%) in the East Bay, and some cities in South LA County. These high rates result from multiple overlapping voter-approved district taxes stacked on top of the state and county base.
California Sales Tax Calculator by City 2024 — LA, SF, San Diego rates
How to use the california sales tax
Use this california sales tax to calculate how much sales tax you owe on any purchase in California. California charges a statewide base rate of 4% — local cities and counties add their own levies on top, so the rate you pay depends on where you shop.
California sales tax by city
Enter your purchase amount and select your city or area. The tool instantly shows the tax amount, pre-tax price, and total. Select 'Remove tax from total' on a receipt to extract how much was tax. Prescription drugs are typically exempt in most states; grocery exemptions vary by state.
When California sales tax applies
Sales tax in California affects everyday shopping, big-ticket purchases, and e-commerce orders. Online sellers shipping to California must collect sales tax (since the South Dakota v. Wayfair ruling). Local rates can change — check the California Department of Revenue for the latest rates. This california sales tax uses 2026 rates.
California sales tax on major purchases
A $30,000 car purchase in Los Angeles at 10.25% adds $3,075 in sales tax. The same car in San Diego at 7.75% adds $2,325 — a $750 difference. For large purchases, the city of purchase matters. Note: California vehicle sales tax is collected at the DMV and cannot be avoided by registering in a lower-tax county.
Sales tax on services in California
California generally does not tax services — only tangible personal property and specific digital goods. This includes professional services (lawyers, accountants, doctors), haircuts, repairs on real property, and most labor. However, if a service comes bundled with tangible goods (e.g., software installation with a disk), the taxability depends on what's considered the primary purpose.
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Results are estimates for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional financial, medical, legal, or technical advice. Read full disclaimer →