California’s Revenue and Taxation Codes calls for the payment of a County Documentary Transfer Tax on the value of all real property of which ownership is being transferred. All counties have the same tax amount, which is 0.11% of the value. The value is rounded up to the nearest $500 and then the percentage applied. For instance, for a property whose value is $123,456, the roundup will be to $123,500, and then multiplied by .11%. The County tax would be $135.85.
Listed below are cities with their own City Transfer Tax and their rate. That tax amount will paid together with the County Documentary Transfer Tax when the transfer of ownership deed is recorded. Some cities’ Transfer Tax are calculated on a tiered level.
The City of Los Angeles deserves special mention as the city proper encompasses a very large area that stretches, with the exception of a few cities in between, from San Fernando Valley area to San Pedro and east to Boyle Heights. Please utilize the map link below.
City Transfer Taxes can change from year to year due to government decisions. We do our best to keep the rates below up to date. If in doubt, please call the City in question or call us at (626) 584-9999 regarding any up to date rate information.
For exemptions to the payment of Documentary Transfer Tax, please visit the following links on our site:
https://www.vivaescrow.com/documentary-transfer-tax-exemptions/
For FAQs, please visit: https://www.vivaescrow.com/california-documentary-transfer-tax/