California Sales Tax Calculator

If you've been wondering how much sales tax is in California, look no further. Our California sales tax calculator will help you quickly determine the amount of sales tax based on the purchase price and the ZIP code of the location of the purchase/delivery. All different sales tax rates for various cities and municipalities are considered!

If you want to learn more about sales taxes in the U.S., check our sales tax calculator.

And with our tax bracket calculator, you can discover how the Federal income tax works.

In the U.S., there are three levels (jurisdictions) on which sales tax are applied:

• State;
• County; and
• City/municipality.

In some states, California included, there is also a so-called special rate (a special district tax applied on a county level).

The state sales tax in California is 6%, and the county rate is 0.25%. City/municipality rates vary between 0% and 2%, and the special rates vary between 1% and 3.25%.

California's average combined sales tax rate in 2022 was 8.61%.

To find more information about sales taxes in California, visit the dedicated website of the California state.

Let's discuss how to calculate sales tax in California with our tool:

1. Provide us with the following two inputs:

   • Purchase amount; and

   • Purchase location ZIP Code.

2. The results appear immediately at the bottom of our California sales tax calculator.

For instance, imagine you've purchased a bike in Moorpark, which cost $100. You must enter 93020 as the ZIP Code and $100 as the purchase price. You will get the result of $7.25.

As you can see, our tool shows you the sales tax breakdown so that you better understand how tax sales in California work. In our example, the $7.25 sales tax breaks down into the following parts:

6% of California state tax:
$100 × 0.06 = $6.00

0.25% of Ventura County tax:
$100 × 0.0025 = $0.25

1% of special tax:
$100 × 0.01 = $1.00

Hence, the total sales tax rate, in this case, is 7.25%.

To determine the sales tax in California, you need to:

1. Know the purchase amount (add shipping cost, if any).

2. Determine the state sales tax rate and the county sales tax rate that apply in your case.

3. Multiply the purchase amount by the sum of applicable rates.

Yes. California sales tax is 6% state sales tax plus 0.25% county sales tax plus municipality and special taxes that range between 0% and 2% and 0%-3.25%, respectively. As of October 2022, the average combined sales tax rate is 8.82%.

There are quite a few types of items that are exempt from sales tax in California, including:

• Certain food items (e.g., groceries);
• Certain medical devices (e.g., prosthetics); and
• Certain digital items (software products).

The minimal rate of car sales tax in California is 7.25%. However, in some cities, special rates apply, and the final tax rate is higher.

This calculator uses state tax rates applicable in California in August 2024.

Use this tool for instructional purposes only and consider the results it returns as an estimation. If you experience any significant inaccuracy, let us know: we are always happy to receive helpful feedback and improve our tools.