California Sales Tax Rate 2026

California runs the highest statewide base rate in the country, but the number on a receipt is almost never the base rate alone. Voter-approved district taxes stack on top by city, county, and transit district, and they can overlap, so two addresses a few miles apart can charge visibly different amounts on the same item.

State rate

7.25%

Local add-on

0.1%–2%

Combined

7.35%–9.25%

District taxes are voter-approved add-ons imposed by cities, counties, and transit districts. CDTFA puts individual district taxes between 0.10% and 2.00%, and notes that some areas have more than one district tax in effect — which is why a single city can sit well above the statewide figure.

Work out the tax on a purchase

The calculator applies the state rate. Where local tax applies, add your local rate to get the figure that will appear on the receipt — the official lookup below gives the exact rate for an address.

01 —INPUTS

Sales Tax Calculator

Purchase Amount ($)

State

Is this a grocery purchase?

On a $100.00 purchase in California, the sales tax is $7.25 at a rate of 7.250%, bringing the total to $107.25.

Want to compare state income taxes too?State Income Tax Calculator

Tax Results

Total Cost

$107.25

Detail	Amount
Purchase Price	$100.00
State Tax Rate	7.250%
Sales Tax	$7.25
Total	$107.25

Groceries are exempt from sales tax in California.

03 —BREAKDOWN

Sales Tax

$7.25

Tax Rate

7.250%

Total Cost

$107.25

State-level base rates only. Many states allow cities and counties to add local sales taxes which are not included here. Check your local rate for exact calculations.

Edit inputs ↑

What California taxes, and what it doesn't

Groceries

Food products for human consumption are exempt, which is why a supermarket receipt shows tax on only part of the basket. Hot prepared food and restaurant meals fall outside that exemption and are taxed at the full local rate.

Where the rate actually comes from

California sources most in-state retail sales to the seller, but district taxes generally follow the buyer — so an item shipped to a different district can carry a different rate than the same item bought over the counter.

Get the exact rate for an address

A statewide figure is a starting point, not a receipt. For the rate that actually applies to a specific address, use the state's own lookup — third-party rate tables disagree with each other and go stale between rate changes.

CDTFA address-level rate lookup

Prefer to browse instead? See California sales tax rates by city & county — every jurisdiction's combined rate from the same official source, on one page.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my receipt show more than the statewide rate?

Because district taxes are added on top of the statewide base. CDTFA states that district taxes run from 0.10% to 2.00% each and that some areas have more than one in effect, so the combined figure at a given address is the base plus every district covering that address. Use the CDTFA address lookup to get the exact rate for a specific street address rather than assuming a city-wide number.

Is there a single California sales tax rate I can use for a whole order?

Not reliably. For a business shipping across California, the rate follows the destination district, so a statewide average will over-collect in some places and under-collect in others. The statewide base rate is only the floor.

Sources

California CDTFA — Sales and Use Tax Rates