California Sales Tax Calculator
Calculate the sales tax and total price for a purchase in California, using the statewide base rate plus any applicable local district taxes.
How to use this tool
- Enter purchase price and total sales tax rate in the fields above.
- Results update instantly as you type — or click Calculate.
- Read your sales tax amount and the full breakdown beneath it.
Formula
Sales Tax = Price × (Rate / 100)
Total Price = Price + Sales Tax
How it works
California imposes a statewide base sales tax rate of 7.25% (comprised of 6% state tax and 1.25% mandatory local tax). Individual cities and counties may add district taxes on top of this base, resulting in combined rates that vary from 7.25% up to approximately 10.75% depending on location.
Enter the combined total rate for your purchase location. If you are unsure of the local rate, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) provides a rate lookup tool by address.
Worked example
Electronics purchase in Los Angeles (10.25% rate)
- Purchase price = $100.00
- Los Angeles combined rate = 10.25%
- Sales tax = $100.00 × 0.1025 = $10.25
- Total price = $100.00 + $10.25 = $110.25
You pay $10.25 in sales tax, for a total of $110.25.
Key terms
- Base rate
- The California statewide minimum sales tax of 7.25%, applied uniformly across the state.
- District tax
- Additional local taxes levied by cities or counties on top of the base rate, ranging from 0% to approximately 3.5%.
- Combined rate
- The total sales tax rate in a given jurisdiction, equal to the base rate plus all applicable district taxes.