California City Transfer Tax Guide: Local Rates, Mansion Taxes, and Boundary Checks
California county documentary transfer tax is only the starting point. City boundaries, local high-value thresholds, and recorder workflow can change the final closing cost.
Quick facts
- LA County special cities: Culver City, Los Angeles, Pomona, Redondo Beach, Santa Monica
- Santa Monica high-value tier: $56 per $1,000 at $8M+
- San Jose Measure E: over $2.3M effective July 1, 2025
- Mountain View Measure G: $15 per $1,000 over $6M
What to verify
- Los Angeles County says documentary transfer tax applies when taxable consideration or value exceeds $100, and the recorder collects city tax when the document is recorded.
- The county table says Los Angeles Measure ULA thresholds are $5.3M/$10.6M effective July 1, 2025, and $5.4M/$10.9M effective July 1, 2026.
- Use local pages for Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Culver City, Pomona, Redondo Beach, Glendale, Long Beach, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, Mountain View, and Palo Alto.
- Ask title or escrow to confirm recorder city code, taxable value, exemption language, rate tier, and settlement allocation before recording.
California city transfer tax matrix
| City | Key modeled charge | Primary review point |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Transfer Tax and Measure ULA Calculator | County DTT: $0.55 per $500; City base tax: $2.25 per $500; Measure ULA: 4% / 5.5% | The calculator layers LA County DTT, the City of Los Angeles base transfer tax, and Measure ULA when the price crosses the adjusted high-value thresholds. |
| Santa Monica Documentary Transfer Tax Calculator | County DTT: $0.55 per $500; City under $5M: $3 per $1,000; City $8M+: $56 per $1,000 | The calculator adds Los Angeles County DTT and the Santa Monica city documentary transfer tax. |
| Culver City Real Property Transfer Tax Calculator | County DTT: $0.55 per $500; City brackets: 0.45%-4.0%; Threshold updates: every 5 years | The calculator adds Los Angeles County DTT and Culver City Measure RE city tax. |
| Pomona Documentary Transfer Tax Calculator | County DTT: $0.55 per $500; Pomona city rate: $2.20 per $1,000; Modeled total: $3.30 per $1,000 | The calculator adds Los Angeles County DTT and the Pomona city documentary transfer tax listed by the county recorder. |
| Redondo Beach Documentary Transfer Tax Calculator | County DTT: $0.55 per $500; City rate: $2.20 per $1,000; Modeled total: $3.30 per $1,000 | The calculator adds Los Angeles County DTT and the Redondo Beach city documentary transfer tax listed by the county recorder. |
| Glendale Documentary Transfer Tax Calculator | Planning estimate: $0.55 per $500; City code rate: $0.275 per $500; Special city surtax: not listed | The calculator uses the standard Los Angeles County documentary transfer tax planning estimate for Glendale transactions. |
| Long Beach Documentary Transfer Tax Calculator | Planning estimate: $0.55 per $500; Special city surtax: not listed; Tax trigger: over $100 | The calculator uses the standard Los Angeles County documentary transfer tax planning estimate for Long Beach transactions. |
| San Francisco Transfer Tax Calculator | Under $1M: $2.50-$3.40 per $500; $1M-$5M: $3.75 per $500; High-value bands: up to $30 per $500 | The calculator applies one San Francisco rate band to the full value, using per-$500 rounding. |
| Oakland Real Estate Transfer Tax Calculator | County DTT: $0.55 per $500; Oakland bands: 1.0%-2.5%; Liability: joint/several | The calculator adds Alameda County DTT and the Oakland city transfer tax band. |
| Berkeley Property Transfer Tax Calculator | County DTT: $0.55 per $500; Berkeley city tax: 1.5%; High-value city tax: 2.5% | The calculator adds Alameda County DTT and Berkeley city property transfer tax. |
| San Jose Transfer Tax and Measure E Calculator | County DTT: $0.55 per $500; Base conveyance estimate: $1.65 per $500; Measure E: 0.75%-1.5% | The calculator separates county DTT, San Jose base conveyance tax estimate, and Measure E high-value tax. |
| Mountain View Transfer Tax and Measure G Calculator | County DTT: $0.55 per $500; City at $6M or less: $1.65 per $500; City over $6M: $15 per $1,000 | The calculator adds California county DTT and Mountain View city transfer tax. |
| Palo Alto Real Property Transfer Tax Calculator | County DTT: $0.55 per $500; City transfer tax: $1.65 per $500; Tax trigger: over $100 | The calculator adds California county DTT and Palo Alto city real property transfer tax. |
Official sources
- Los Angeles County documentary transfer tax and special city rates
- City of Santa Monica documentary transfer tax
- Culver City real property transfer tax overview
- Santa Clara County Measure E collection guidance
- City of Mountain View real property transfer tax
- City of Berkeley property transfer tax
- Palo Alto transfer tax imposition code
Related calculators and guides
Next step
The city boundary can matter more than the county baseline.
Common questions
What should I verify for California City Transfer Tax Guide: Local Rates, Mansion Taxes, and Boundary Checks?
California county documentary transfer tax is only the starting point. City boundaries, local high-value thresholds, and recorder workflow can change the final closing cost. Key items include Los Angeles County says documentary transfer tax applies when taxable consideration or value exceeds $100, and the recorder collects city tax when the document is recorded and The county table says Los Angeles Measure ULA thresholds are $5.3M/$10.6M effective July 1, 2025, and $5.4M/$10.9M effective July 1, 2026.
What is the next step after using California City Transfer Tax Guide: Local Rates, Mansion Taxes, and Boundary Checks?
The city boundary can matter more than the county baseline. Use the calculator result as a planning estimate, then verify final costs with the official authority and the professional handling closing.
Which official source supports California City Transfer Tax Guide: Local Rates, Mansion Taxes, and Boundary Checks?
Start with Los Angeles County documentary transfer tax and special city rates, then confirm the final treatment with the official authority and the professional handling the transaction.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-25. Estimates are educational and should be verified with the official authority and the professional handling closing.