Los Angeles sales tax guide
Shopping in Los Angeles means paying one of the higher combined sales tax rates in California: 9.5%, against a statewide average combined rate of 8.85%. Among the 30 major US cities we track, Los Angeles ranks 3 by combined rate. This guide shows how the rate is built and what it adds to real purchases.
How the Los Angeles rate is built
District taxes in Los Angeles County vary block by block — parts of LA County reach 10.25% or more, and some 2026 tables list central LA at 9.75%. Groceries are exempt statewide in California; prepared food is taxed.
No single government sets the 9.5% figure. The state of California sets the base rate of 7.25%, and county, city and special-district taxes stack on top of it. That stacking is why the rate can change across a city boundary — and why the address of the sale, not the seller's home address, decides the tax on most transactions.
What the rate does to real purchases
| Purchase | Tax at 9.5% | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $25 purchase | $2.38 | $27.38 |
| $100 purchase | $9.5 | $109.5 |
| $500 purchase | $47.5 | $547.5 |
| $1,000 purchase | $95 | $1,095 |
| $10,000 purchase | $950 | $10,950 |
| $35,000 car (where vehicles are taxed at sale) | $3,325 | $38,325 |
Groceries: Groceries are generally exempt from the state sales tax; local rules can differ. Prepared food and restaurant meals are taxed at the full rate in most jurisdictions, even where groceries for home consumption are exempt or reduced.
Los Angeles vs other California cities
Every city below shares the same 7.25% California base rate — the differences are local layers. Los Angeles sits 0.65 points above the statewide average combined rate of 8.85%.
| City | Combined rate | Tax on $1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (this guide) | 9.5% | $95 |
| San Jose | 9.375% | $93.75 |
| San Francisco | 8.625% | $86.25 |
| San Diego | 7.75% | $77.5 |
What this means in Los Angeles
On planned purchases the rate is a line item, not a rounding error: $950 on $10,000, which is $65 more than the same purchase at the California average rate. Households near a lower-rate city boundary sometimes route vehicles, appliances and furniture purchases accordingly; on weekly spending, the difference is a few dollars a month and rarely worth a trip.
Selling in Los Angeles
If your business delivers into Los Angeles, the rate your customer pays is generally the combined rate at their address. Once your California sales pass the state's economic-nexus threshold you must register, collect and remit — the threshold and filing basics are covered on the Los Angeles sales tax page, and the statewide picture is in the California tax guide.
Sales tax · combined rate
Property tax · average effective
Chart: DailyFinance.tools · Rates are reviewed averages from our state tax dataset — your exact local rate may differ.
Los Angeles sales tax FAQs
What is the sales tax rate in Los Angeles?
The combined sales tax rate in Los Angeles is approximately 9.5%, made up of the California state rate plus county, city and district taxes. District taxes in Los Angeles County vary block by block — parts of LA County reach 10.25% or more, and some 2026 tables list central LA at 9.75%. Groceries are exempt statewide in California; prepared food is taxed.
How much tax do I pay on a $100 purchase in Los Angeles?
At 9.5%, a $100 taxable purchase in Los Angeles carries about $9.5 in sales tax, for a total of $109.5. On $1,000 the tax is $95; on $10,000 it is $950.
Why is the Los Angeles rate different from the rest of California?
Sales tax is stacked: the state sets a base rate and local governments add their own. Los Angeles adds local layers that bring the combined rate to 9.5%, compared with a statewide average combined rate of about 8.85% — a gap of 0.65 points.
How does Los Angeles compare with other US cities?
Los Angeles ranks 3 of the 30 major cities in our dataset by combined rate (dataset average 7.93%). The highest is Seattle at 10.35% and the lowest is Portland at 0%. Against the all-state average combined rate of 6.61%, Los Angeles is 2.89 points higher.
Are groceries taxed in Los Angeles?
Groceries are generally exempt from the state sales tax; local rules can differ.
Where can I verify the exact rate for a Los Angeles address?
The 9.5% figure is the typical combined rate inside city limits; district taxes can shift it block by block. Verify the rate for a specific address with the California Department of Revenue before a major purchase or a filing.
Reviewed by Tahir Shehzad, ACMA · State tax data reviewed November 2026 against official sources — see our Methodology and Editorial Policy. Figures are educational estimates, not tax or financial advice. For a filing decision, confirm with the California Department of Revenue.