California transfer tax calculator

Every California county charges a documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 of the sale price. Some cities add their own tax on top, and in Los Angeles and San Francisco the city tax is far larger than the county one.

Sale price

State

City

Mortgage payoff (what you still owe)

Agent commission

Other closing costs

Other closing costs cover title, escrow or attorney fees and recording. One percent is a common planning figure.

Estimated net proceedsCalifornia · Rates verified November 2026

Pay to the order ofYou, the seller$373,560

Three hundred seventy-three thousand five hundred sixty and 00/100 dollars

$400,000 sale, less $26,440 in costs and payoff

Itemised estimate
Sale price	$400,000
Agent commission	-$22,000
Transfer taxRate: $1.10 per $1,000 (0.11%) county tax, plus city taxes. Usually paid by the seller.	-$440
Other closing costs	-$4,000
Mortgage payoff	$0
You keep	$373,560

How transfer tax works in California

Rate: $1.10 per $1,000 (0.11%) county tax, plus city taxes
Who usually pays: The seller in most of the state. Custom varies by county, and in some Bay Area cities the city tax is split with the buyer.
Local taxes: Yes. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose and several other cities add a city transfer tax to the county tax.
Official source: San Francisco transfer tax (sf.gov) and Revenue and Taxation Code 11911
Last verified: November 2026

Los Angeles: $4.50 per $1,000 city tax, plus Measure ULA on high-value sales. ULA is 4% of the whole price above $5,400,000 and 5.5% from $10,900,000, for closings after June 30, 2026. The thresholds change every July 1.
San Francisco replaces the county rate with its own scale, from 0.5% up to 6% on sales of $25 million or more.
Other cities with their own tax include Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose and Santa Monica. They are not in the calculator, so ask your escrow officer.

California transfer tax at common sale prices

Sale price	Total transfer tax	Seller's usual share	Seller keeps before mortgage payoff
$150,000	$165	$165	$140,085
$250,000	$275	$275	$233,475
$400,000	$440	$440	$373,560
$600,000	$660	$660	$560,340
$1,000,000	$1,100	$1,100	$933,900

Assumes a 5.5% agent commission and 1% in other closing costs, at the "County tax only (most of California)" rate. Change any figure in the calculator above.

Local rates in California

City	Total tax on a $400,000 sale	Seller's usual share
County tax only (most of California)	$440	$440
Los Angeles (city)	$2,240	$2,240
San Francisco	$2,720	$2,720

Questions California sellers ask

How much is transfer tax in California?

California charges $1.10 per $1,000 (0.11%) county tax, plus city taxes. On a $400,000 sale the total comes to $440, and the seller's usual share is $440.

Who pays the transfer tax in California, the buyer or the seller?

The seller in most of the state. Custom varies by county, and in some Bay Area cities the city tax is split with the buyer.

Are there local transfer taxes in California?

Yes. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose and several other cities add a city transfer tax to the county tax.

How do I estimate my net proceeds in California?

Start with the sale price, then subtract the agent commission, your share of the transfer tax, title and closing fees, and the balance left on your mortgage. On a $400,000 sale with a 5.5% commission and 1% in other costs, a California seller keeps about $373,560 before paying off the mortgage.

Buying in California instead? See taxes when buying a house in California.

More on the basics: What closing costs does a seller pay?, Who pays the transfer tax, the buyer or the seller?, How to calculate net proceeds from a home sale.