The current sales tax rate in Los Angeles County

The sales tax rate in Los Angeles County is 9.5% as of 2024. This rate applies to most retail purchases within the county. However, the exact rate you pay depends on which city or district you are in, because Los Angeles County includes multiple cities and special tax zones, each of which can add their own local tax on top of the state base rate.

California's state sales tax is 7.25%. Los Angeles County adds 2.25% on top of that, which brings the total to 9.5% in most unincorporated areas. But if you shop in a city within the county—such as Los Angeles, Long Beach, Pasadena, or Santa Monica—that city may add an additional local tax, pushing your total higher.

The rate you see on a receipt is the combined state, county, and city tax all together. You do not pay them separately; the cashier or checkout system calculates the total and shows it as one line item.

Key Takeaways

  • Los Angeles County's base sales tax is 9.5%, made up of California's 7.25% state rate plus the county's 2.25% addition.
  • Cities within the county can add their own local sales tax, so your actual rate may be higher than 9.5% depending on where you shop.
  • The City of Los Angeles itself adds 1.25% on top of the county rate, bringing the total to 10.75% in most of the city.
  • Some cities have different rates—Long Beach is 10.25%, and Pasadena is 10.25%—so the rate varies by location.
  • You can find your exact local rate by entering your address on the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration website or asking a local business.

How the county and city rates stack together

The 9.5% rate in Los Angeles County breaks down this way: California contributes 7.25% statewide, and Los Angeles County adds 2.25% on top of that. If you live or shop in an unincorporated area of the county—land that does not belong to any city—you pay exactly 9.5%.

But most people in Los Angeles County live in a city. The City of Los Angeles, which covers much of the county's population, adds another 1.25% local tax. That brings the total to 10.75% for shoppers in most of Los Angeles proper. Other cities in the county have their own rates: Long Beach adds 1.75% (total 10.25%), Pasadena adds 1.75% (total 10.25%), and Santa Monica adds 1.5% (total 10.75%).

The reason for these different rates is that cities use sales tax revenue for local services—police, fire, parks, libraries—and each city sets its own rate based on its budget needs. A city may raise its rate if it needs more money for schools or infrastructure, or lower it to attract retail businesses.

What items are taxed and what are not

Most items you buy in a store are subject to sales tax in California, including clothing, electronics, furniture, and toys. However, some categories are exempt. Groceries—fresh produce, meat, dairy, and bread—are not taxed. Prepared food from a restaurant or deli counter is taxed, but raw ingredients you buy to cook at home are not.

Prescription medications are not taxed, but over-the-counter drugs and vitamins are. Services like haircuts, car repairs, and medical visits are generally not taxed, though some services bundled with products may be. For example, if you buy a shirt and pay for alterations, the alteration service itself is not taxed, but the shirt is.

Digital products—ebooks, streaming subscriptions, software downloads—are taxed in California. If you are unsure whether a specific item is taxed, ask the cashier or check your receipt; the tax line will show what was taxed and what was not.

Finding your exact local rate

To find the exact sales tax rate for your specific address in Los Angeles County, visit the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration website at cdtfa.ca.gov. Use their "Sales Tax Rate Lookup" tool—enter your street address, city, and zip code, and it will show you the combined state, county, and city rate for that location.

You can also call your city's tax assessor's office or finance department and ask them directly. Most cities post their sales tax rate on their official website as well. If you are shopping in a different city than where you live, remember that you pay the tax rate of the location where the purchase happens, not where you live.

Online purchases are more complicated. California requires online retailers to collect sales tax based on the address where the item is being shipped. So if you order something online and have it sent to an address in Long Beach, you pay Long Beach's rate (10.25%), even if you live elsewhere.

Why sales tax rates change

Sales tax rates in Los Angeles County have increased over the past two decades as cities and the county have added local taxes to fund specific projects or services. In 2012, Los Angeles County voters approved Measure J, which added 0.5% to the county rate to fund transit and transportation projects. The City of Los Angeles has also raised its local rate at different times to fund homelessness initiatives and other services.

When a city or the county wants to raise the sales tax rate, it usually requires a vote by local residents or the city council, depending on the type of tax increase. These votes are public and announced in advance, so you can see when a rate change is coming. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration maintains a record of all rate changes and the dates they took effect.

How to read a sales tax receipt

On a receipt, the sales tax appears as a separate line near the total. It shows the tax amount in dollars and cents, not as a percentage. To verify the math, multiply your subtotal (the amount before tax) by the tax rate for your location and round to the nearest cent. For example, if you spend $100 in Los Angeles and the rate is 10.75%, the tax should be $10.75, making your total $110.75.

Some receipts show the tax rate as a percentage, and some do not. If your receipt does not show the rate, you can calculate it by dividing the tax amount by the subtotal. If you paid $10.75 in tax on a $100 purchase, that is a 10.75% rate. If the number does not match your city's known rate, the item may have been partially exempt (like a mixed purchase of groceries and non-groceries), or there may be an error.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sales tax the same everywhere in Los Angeles County?

No. The base county rate is 9.5%, but each city adds its own local tax on top of that. The City of Los Angeles charges 10.75%, Long Beach charges 10.25%, and other cities vary. Use the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration lookup tool to find your exact rate.

Do I pay sales tax on groceries?

Fresh groceries like produce, meat, dairy, and bread are not taxed. But prepared food from a deli, bakery, or restaurant counter is taxed. If you are unsure whether an item counts as a grocery, ask the cashier before checkout.

Why is my receipt's tax different from what I calculated?

The most common reason is that part of your purchase was exempt from tax—for example, if you bought both groceries and a magazine, only the magazine is taxed. Another reason is rounding; tax is rounded to the nearest cent, so very small purchases may show a slightly different rate than expected.

Do online purchases have sales tax?

Yes. California requires online retailers to collect sales tax based on the shipping address. If you order something online and have it sent to Los Angeles, you pay Los Angeles's rate (10.75%), regardless of where the retailer is located or where you live.

Can a city lower its sales tax rate?

Technically yes, but it is rare. Cities depend on sales tax revenue for services, so lowering the rate means cutting the budget. A city would need to vote to reduce the rate, and most cities do not do this unless they have a budget surplus or find another funding source.