California Car Sales Tax Calculator
Our California car tax estimator provides quick and reliable data on state taxes, local fees, and total vehicle purchase costs.
Nearby State Tax Calculators
Compare vehicle sales tax rates in neighboring regions.
What is the California Car Sales Tax Calculator?
The California car sales tax calculator is a specialized digital tool designed to help vehicle buyers estimate the total tax burden of their purchase. By combining current state-wide rates with local county or municipal surcharges, it provides a precise calculation of the sales tax, title, and registration fees you can expect to pay at the point of sale.
How to Use the California Car Sales Tax Calculator
- Select Your Location: Start by entering or selecting your specific county, city, or region within California to apply the correct local tax rates.
- Enter Purchase Price: Input the agreed-upon sale price of the vehicle before any taxes or trade-ins.
- Factor in Trade-ins: If you are trading in a vehicle, enter its value to see if California allows for a tax deduction on the trade-in amount.
- Include Documentation & Fees: Toggle the optional fees section to include estimated title, registration, and documentation costs for a total "out-the-door" price.
- Review Results: Click calculate to receive a comprehensive breakdown of your estimated tax liability and total vehicle cost.
Example Car Tax Calculation in California
To understand how vehicle tax is applied, let's look at a typical example for a new car purchase in California with a sale price of $30,000:
Vehicle Sale Price: $30,000
California Base Tax (6%): $1,800
Total Estimated Cost: $31,800
*Note: This example uses the state base rate. Total tax may be higher depending on your specific county or city surcharges.
How the California Vehicle Sales Tax Calculator Works
The logic behind our California vehicle tax calculator is based on the aggregate tax rate applicable to your specific location. The calculation follows this standard formula:
Total Tax = (Purchase Price - Trade-In Value*) × (State Rate + Local Rate)
In California, standard sales tax applies. Our system automatically pulls the most recent local surcharges for your selected city or county, ensuring that your estimate accounts for any regional variations that might differ from the state base rate.
Minimum and Maximum Car Tax Rates in California
Lowest Available Rate
6%
This is the minimum combined sales tax rate applicable to vehicle purchases in California, typically found in areas with no local surcharges.
Highest Available Rate
15.5%
The highest possible sales tax rate for California car buyers, usually found in major metropolitan areas or tourist-heavy zones.
Major Cities and Tax Rates in California
rincon reservation 15.5%
lancaster tourism business improvement district 11.25%
palmdale 11.25%
santa fe springs 11%
lynwood 10.75%
culver city 10.75%
santa monica 10.75%
south gate 10.75%
California Car Sales Tax Rates by County/City
| County / City | Total Tax Rate |
|---|---|
| adelanto | 7.75% |
| agoura hills | 9.75% |
| alameda | 10.75% |
| albany | 10.75% |
| alhambra | 10.5% |
| aliso viejo | 7.75% |
| alpine | 7.25% |
| alturas | 7.25% |
| amador | 8% |
| anaheim | 7.75% |
| anaheim tourism improvement district | 7.75% |
| anderson | 7.75% |
| angels camp | 8.75% |
| antioch | 9.75% |
| apple valley | 8.75% |
| arcadia | 10.5% |
| arcata | 10.25% |
| arroyo grande tourism business improvement district | 8.75% |
| artesia | 10.5% |
| atascadero tourism business improvement district | 8.75% |
| atwater | 8.75% |
| auburn | 7.25% |
| avalon | 10.25% |
| avenal | 8.25% |
| azusa | 10.75% |
| bakersfield | 8.25% |
| baldwin park | 10.5% |
| barstow | 8.75% |
| bayfront project special tax financing district | 8.75% |
| beaumont | 7.75% |
| bell gardens | 10.5% |
| bellflower | 10.5% |
| belmont | 9.88% |
| benicia | 9.62% |
| berkeley tourism business improvement district | 10.25% |
| beverly hills | 9.75% |
| big bear lake | 7.75% |
| biggs | 8.25% |
| bishop tourism improvement district | 8.75% |
| blue lake | 9.75% |
| blythe | 8.75% |
| brawley | 8.75% |
| brea | 7.75% |
| brisbane | 9.88% |
| buellton | 7.75% |
| buena park | 8.75% |
| burbank | 10.5% |
| burlingame | 9.62% |
| butte county tourism business improvement district | 8.25% |
| calabasas | 9.75% |
| calaveras | 8.25% |
| calexico | 8.25% |
| california city | 8.25% |
| calipatria | 7.75% |
| camarillo | 7.25% |
| campbell | 10.5% |
| carlsbad | 7.75% |
| carmel by the sea | 9.25% |
| carpinteria | 9% |
| carson | 10.5% |
| cathedral city | 9.25% |
| ceres | 8.38% |
| cerritos | 9.75% |
| chico | 9.25% |
| chino | 8.75% |
| chowchilla | 8.75% |
| chula vista | 8.75% |
| citrus heights | 7.75% |
| claremont tourism business improvement district | 9.75% |
| clearlake | 8.75% |
| cloverdale | 10% |
| clovis | 8.97% |
| coachella | 8.75% |
| coalinga | 8.97% |
| colfax | 7.25% |
| colorado river indian reservation | 9.75% |
| colton | 8.75% |
| colusa | 8.75% |
| colusa co local tax sl | 7.75% |
| commerce | 10.5% |
| compton | 10.75% |
| concord | 9.75% |
| contra costa | 8.75% |
| corcoran | 8.25% |
| corning | 7.75% |
| corona | 8.75% |
| coronado | 7.75% |
| corte madera | 9% |
| costa mesa business improvement area | 7.75% |
| cotati | 10.25% |
| covina | 10.5% |
| coyote valley reservation | 7.88% |
| crescent city | 8.25% |
| culver city | 10.75% |
| cupertino | 9.75% |
| daly city | 9.88% |
| dana point | 7.75% |
| danville | 8.75% |
| davis | 9.25% |
| del norte county district tax sp | 8.25% |
| delano | 8.25% |
| desert hot springs | 8.75% |
| dinuba | 8.5% |
| dixon | 8.38% |
| downey | 10.5% |
| duarte | 10.5% |
| dublin | 10.25% |
| dunsmuir | 8.25% |
| east palo alto | 9.88% |
| el cajon | 8.25% |
| el centro | 8.25% |
| el cerrito | 10.25% |
| el dorado co local tax sl | 7.25% |
| el monte | 10.5% |
| elk grove | 8.75% |
| emeryville | 10.5% |
| encinitas | 7.75% |
| escalon | 8.75% |
| escondido | 8.75% |
| eureka | 10.25% |
| exeter | 8.75% |
| fairfax | 9% |
| fairfield | 8.38% |
| farmersville | 8.75% |
| ferndale | 9.5% |
| fillmore | 7.25% |
| firebaugh | 7.98% |
| folsom tourism business improvement district | 7.75% |
| fontana | 8.75% |
| fort bragg | 9.25% |
| fort mojave off-reservation trust land | 7.75% |
| fort yuma indian reservation | 7.75% |
| fortuna | 9.5% |
| fountain valley | 8.75% |
| fowler | 8.97% |
| fremont | 10.25% |
| fresno | 8.35% |
| fresno co local tax sl | 7.98% |
| fullerton | 7.75% |
| galt | 9.25% |
| garden grove | 8.75% |
| garden grove tourism improvement district (tier 2) | 8.75% |
| gardena | 10.5% |
| gilroy tourism business improvement district | 9.75% |
| glendale | 10.5% |
| glendora | 10.75% |
| glenn | 7.25% |
| goleta | 8.75% |
| grass valley | 8.88% |
| greenfield | 9.5% |
| gridley | 8.25% |
| grover beach | 8.75% |
| guadalupe | 8.75% |
| gustine | 8.25% |
| half moon bay | 9.88% |
| half moon bay hotel business improvement district | 9.38% |
| hanford | 8.25% |
| hawaiian gardens | 10.5% |
| hawthorne | 10.5% |
| hayward | 10.75% |
| healdsburg | 9.75% |
| hemet | 8.75% |
| hercules | 9.25% |
| hesperia ca | 7.75% |
| hollister | 9.25% |
| holtville | 7.75% |
| humboldt county tourism business improvement district | 8.75% |
| huntington beach | 7.75% |
| huntington park | 10.5% |
| huron | 8.97% |
| imperial | 7.75% |
| imperial beach | 8.75% |
| imperial co local tax sl | 7.75% |
| indio | 8.75% |
| industry | 9.75% |
| inglewood | 10.25% |
| inyo county district tax sp | 7.75% |
| irvine | 7.75% |
| irwindale | 10.75% |
| isleton | 8.75% |
| jurupa valley | 7.75% |
| kerman | 8.97% |
| kern | 8.25% |
| kings | 7.25% |
| kingsburg | 8.97% |
| la canada flintridge | 10.5% |
| la habra | 8.75% |
| la mesa | 8.5% |
| la mirada | 9.75% |
| la puente | 10.25% |
| la quinta | 8.75% |
| la verne | 10.5% |
| laguna beach | 7.75% |
| laguna hills | 7.75% |
| laguna niguel | 7.75% |
| lake | 7.25% |
| lake elsinore | 8.75% |
| lake forest | 7.75% |
| lakeport | 8.75% |
| lakewood | 10.5% |
| lancaster tourism business improvement district | 11.25% |
| larkspur | 9.25% |
| lassen co local tax sl | 7.25% |
| lathrop | 8.75% |
| lawndale | 10.5% |
| lemon grove | 8.75% |
| lemoore | 8.25% |
| lindsay | 8.75% |
| livingston | 8.75% |
| lodi | 8.25% |
| loma linda | 7.75% |
| lomita | 10.5% |
| lompoc tourism improvement district | 8.75% |
| long beach | 10.5% |
| long beach tourism bia | 10.5% |
| loomis | 7.5% |
| los alamitos | 9.25% |
| los altos | 9.75% |
| los altos hills | 9.75% |
| los angeles | 9.75% |
| los banos | 8.75% |
| los gatos | 9.88% |
| loyalton | 7.25% |
| lynwood | 10.75% |
| madera | 8.25% |
| madera county tourism business improvement district | 7.75% |
| malibu | 10.25% |
| mammoth lakes tourism business improvement district | 7.75% |
| manhattan beach | 10.25% |
| manteca | 9% |
| marin county tourism business improvement district | 8.25% |
| marina | 9.25% |
| mariposa | 8.25% |
| martinez | 9.75% |
| mcfarland | 9.25% |
| mendocino county lodging business improvement district | 7.88% |
| mendota | 9.22% |
| menifee | 8.75% |
| merced | 8.25% |
| mill valley | 9.25% |
| milpitas | 10% |
| mission viejo | 7.75% |
| modesto | 8.88% |
| modoc | 7.25% |
| mono | 7.25% |
| monrovia | 10.5% |
| montclair | 9% |
| montebello | 10.5% |
| monterey | 9.25% |
| monterey county tourism improvement district | 8.75% |
| monterey park | 10.5% |
| moorpark | 7.25% |
| moraga | 9.75% |
| moreno valley | 8.75% |
| morgan hill | 9.75% |
| morro bay tourism business improvement district | 8.75% |
| moscone expansion district zone 2 | 8.62% |
| mountain view | 9.75% |
| mt. shasta | 7.5% |
| murrieta | 8.75% |
| napa | 8.75% |
| napa co local tax sl | 7.75% |
| national city | 8.75% |
| nevada co local tax sl | 7.5% |
| newark | 10.75% |
| newman | 7.88% |
| newport beach | 7.75% |
| norco | 8.75% |
| norwalk | 10.5% |
| novato | 9.25% |
| oakdale | 8.38% |
| oakland | 10.75% |
| oakley | 8.75% |
| oceanside tourism marketing district | 8.25% |
| ojai | 7.25% |
| ojai tourism improvement district | 7.25% |
| olympic valley alpine meadows microtransit district | 7.25% |
| ontario | 8.75% |
| orange | 7.75% |
| orange county district tax sp | 7.75% |
| orange cove | 7.98% |
| orland | 8.25% |
| oroville | 9.25% |
| oxnard | 9.25% |
| pacific grove hospitality improvement district | 9.25% |
| palm desert | 8.75% |
| palm springs small hotel tourism business improvement district | 9.25% |
| palmdale | 11.25% |
| palo alto | 9.75% |
| paradise | 8.75% |
| parlier | 8.97% |
| pasadena | 10.5% |
| paso robles tourism business improvement district | 8.75% |
| patterson | 7.88% |
| perris | 7.75% |
| petaluma | 10.25% |
| pico rivera | 10.75% |
| pinole | 10.25% |
| pismo beach lodging business improvement district | 8.25% |
| placentia | 8.75% |
| placer county north tahoe area | 7.25% |
| placer county western slope | 7.25% |
| placerville | 8.25% |
| pleasant hill | 9.25% |
| pleasanton | 10.25% |
| plumas co local tax sl | 7.25% |
| plymouth | 7.75% |
| point arena | 9.25% |
| pomona | 10.5% |
| port hueneme | 8.75% |
| porterville | 9.25% |
| portola | 7.25% |
| poway | 7.75% |
| rancho cordova tourism business improvement district | 8.75% |
| rancho cucamonga | 7.75% |
| red bluff | 7.5% |
| redding | 7.25% |
| redlands | 8.75% |
| redwood city | 9.88% |
| reedley | 9.22% |
| rialto | 7.75% |
| richmond | 9.75% |
| ridgecrest | 9.25% |
| rincon reservation | 15.5% |
| rio dell | 9.5% |
| rio vista | 9.12% |
| riverbank | 7.88% |
| riverside | 8.75% |
| riverside county district tax sp | 7.75% |
| rohnert park | 9.75% |
| rosemead | 9.75% |
| roseville | 7.75% |
| sacramento | 8.75% |
| sacramento tmd zone 1 | 8.75% |
| sacramento tmd zone 2 | 8.75% |
| sacramento tmd zone 3 | 8.75% |
| sacramento tmd zone 4 | 7.75% |
| salinas | 9.25% |
| san anselmo | 9.25% |
| san benito county district tax sp | 8.25% |
| san bernardino | 7.75% |
| san bruno | 9.88% |
| san buenaventura | 7.75% |
| san clemente | 7.75% |
| san diego co local tax sl | 7.75% |
| san diego international airport | 7.75% |
| san diego tot zone 1 | 7.75% |
| san diego tot zone 2 | 7.75% |
| san diego tot zone 3 | 7.75% |
| san fernando | 10.5% |
| san francisco international airport | 9.38% |
| san francisco peninsula tmd | 9.38% |
| san francisco tourism improvement district | 8.62% |
| san gabriel | 10.5% |
| san jacinto | 8.75% |
| san joaquin | 7.98% |
| san jose convention center facility district zone 1 | 10% |
| san jose convention center facility district zone 2 | 10% |
| san jose hotel business improvement district (zone a) | 10% |
| san jose hotel business improvement district (zone b) | 10% |
| san juan capistrano | 7.75% |
| san leandro | 10.75% |
| san luis obispo | 8.75% |
| san luis obispo county tourism business improvement district | 7.25% |
| san marcos | 8.75% |
| san marino | 9.75% |
| san mateo | 9.38% |
| san rafael | 9.25% |
| san ramon | 9.75% |
| santa ana | 9.25% |
| santa barbara | 9.25% |
| santa barbara county district tax sp | 7.75% |
| santa barbara south coast tourism business improvement area | 7.75% |
| santa clara | 9.75% |
| santa clara co local tax sl | 9.75% |
| santa clara community facilities district stj | 9.75% |
| santa clarita | 9.75% |
| santa cruz | 9.5% |
| santa fe springs | 11% |
| santa maria | 8.75% |
| santa monica | 10.75% |
| santa paula | 9.25% |
| santa rosa | 10% |
| santee | 7.75% |
| saratoga | 9.75% |
| sausalito | 9.25% |
| scotts valley | 9.75% |
| seal beach | 9.25% |
| sebastopol | 10.5% |
| shasta | 7.25% |
| shasta lake | 7.25% |
| sierra | 7.25% |
| sierra madre | 10.5% |
| signal hill | 10.5% |
| simi valley | 7.25% |
| siskiyou | 7.25% |
| solana beach | 8.75% |
| solano co local tax sl | 7.38% |
| soledad | 9.25% |
| solvang | 8.75% |
| sonoma | 10.25% |
| sonoma county tourism business improvement area | 9.25% |
| sonora | 8.75% |
| south el monte | 10.75% |
| south gate | 10.75% |
| south lake tahoe non redevelopment area | 8.75% |
| south pasadena | 10.5% |
| south san francisco | 9.88% |
| stanislaus | 7.88% |
| stockton | 9% |
| suisun city | 9.12% |
| sunnyvale | 9.75% |
| susanville | 8.25% |
| sutter co local tax sl | 7.25% |
| sutter creek | 8.75% |
| taft | 8.25% |
| tehachapi | 8.25% |
| tehama | 7.25% |
| tehama co local tax sl | 7.25% |
| temecula | 8.75% |
| temecula wine country tourism marketing district | 7.75% |
| the sea ranch | 9.25% |
| thousand oaks | 7.25% |
| tiburon | 8.25% |
| torrance tourism business improvement district | 10.25% |
| tracy | 8.25% |
| tri valley tourism marketing district | 10.25% |
| trinidad | 9.5% |
| trinity co local tax sl | 7.25% |
| truckee tourism business improvement district | 9% |
| tulare | 8.25% |
| tulare co local tax sl | 7.75% |
| tuolumne co local tax sl | 7.25% |
| turlock | 8.62% |
| tustin | 7.75% |
| twentynine palms tourism business improvement district | 7.75% |
| ukiah | 8.88% |
| union city | 10.75% |
| upland | 7.75% |
| vacaville | 8.12% |
| vallejo hotel business improvement district | 9.25% |
| ventura co local tax sl | 7.25% |
| vernon | 10.5% |
| victorville | 8.75% |
| visalia | 8.5% |
| vista | 8.25% |
| walnut | 9.75% |
| walnut creek | 9.25% |
| wasco | 8.25% |
| waterford | 7.88% |
| watsonville | 9.75% |
| weed | 7.5% |
| west covina | 9.75% |
| west hollywood tourism improvement district | 10.5% |
| west marin county transient occupancy tax | 8.25% |
| west sacramento | 9.25% |
| westlake village | 9.75% |
| westminster | 9.25% |
| westmorland | 7.75% |
| whittier | 10.5% |
| williams | 8.25% |
| willits | 9.12% |
| willows | 8.75% |
| windsor | 9.25% |
| winters | 8.25% |
| woodlake | 8.75% |
| woodland | 8% |
| yolo county tourism business improvement district | 7.25% |
| yorba linda | 7.75% |
| yreka | 8.75% |
| yuba | 8.25% |
| yuba city | 7.25% |
| yucaipa | 8.75% |
| yucca valley | 8.75% |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is car sales tax in California?
The base car sales tax rate in California is 6%. However, depending on your city or county, local surcharges may apply, which can bring the total rate up.
Do I pay tax on a used car in California?
Yes, in California, both new and used vehicle purchases from dealers or private parties are typically subject to sales tax at the prevailing local rate.
Does trade-in value reduce sales tax in California?
Yes! California allows you to deduct the value of your trade-in vehicle from the taxable purchase price of your new car, which can significantly lower your total tax owed.
Are there additional fees when buying a car in California?
Beyond sales tax, buyers in California are usually responsible for title fees, license plate registration, and dealer documentation (doc) fees. Use our calculator's "optional fees" toggle to estimate these costs.
When do I pay the car sales tax in California?
If you buy from a dealer, they will typically collect the tax at the time of sale. If you buy from a private seller, you usually pay the tax when you register the vehicle at your local DMV or tag office.