LA County Transfer Tax Calculator
Estimate the documentary transfer tax on a home sale anywhere in Los Angeles County: the county charges $1.10 per $1,000 of the price, and a handful of cities — Los Angeles (base rate plus Measure ULA), Culver City, Santa Monica, Pomona, and Redondo Beach — add their own city tax on top. Free bilingual seller tool from Home Central Realty (DRE #01717478); an estimate for planning, not tax advice.
Common questions
How much is transfer tax in Los Angeles County?
The county documentary transfer tax is $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price everywhere in LA County — about $770 on a $700,000 home. Most cities charge nothing extra, but a few add their own tax: the City of Los Angeles adds $4.50 per $1,000 plus Measure ULA on higher-priced sales, and Culver City, Santa Monica, Pomona, and Redondo Beach each have their own rates.
What is Measure ULA (the LA 'mansion tax')?
Measure ULA is an extra City of Los Angeles transfer tax on higher-priced sales: 4% of the entire price above one threshold and 5.5% above a second, on top of the regular county and city rates. The thresholds adjust every year for inflation, so check the current figures before you list — for a property near the line, timing and price strategy matter.
Who pays the transfer tax — buyer or seller?
It's negotiable, but in Southern California custom the seller usually pays the county and city documentary transfer tax. It's collected through escrow at closing and shows up as a line on the seller's settlement statement.