LA transfer tax calculator (including Measure ULA)
Every LA sale pays a transfer tax. In the City of Los Angeles, the bigger sales pay a lot more. Enter a price and a city to see the county, city and Measure ULA layers in seconds.
What the transfer tax could be.
How LA transfer tax works
A transfer tax is charged when real property changes hands, and it is collected when the deed records. In LA County it can come in up to three layers, depending on where the property sits.
Layer one: the county
The LA County Registrar-Recorder computes the documentary transfer tax at $0.55 for each $500 of value or fraction of $500, which works out to $1.10 per $1,000. The value is rounded up to the next $500 first. The Recorder collects it on behalf of the cities at recording. In the five cities with their own special rate, the county portion is still the full $1.10 per $1,000, and the city tax is added on top (LA County Registrar-Recorder).
Layer two: the city
Five cities in the county have their own rate on the county's schedule: Culver City, Los Angeles, Pomona, Redondo Beach and Santa Monica. The City of Los Angeles base tax is $2.25 per $500 of value, or 0.45%, and like the county it rounds the value up to the nearest $500. Culver City uses marginal brackets, so each rate applies only to the slice of value inside its bracket. Santa Monica's rate is set by price tier and applies to the whole amount. Pomona and Redondo Beach charge $2.20 per $1,000.
Layer three: Measure ULA
Measure ULA is a City of LA tax on top of the base tax, in effect since April 1, 2023. For transactions closing after June 30, 2026, it is 4% on sales above $5,400,000 and below $10,900,000, and 5.5% at $10,900,000 or more (LA Office of Finance). Two details matter. First, ULA is a percentage of the whole price, not just the part above the threshold. Second, the City adjusts the thresholds every year on July 1, based on the Chained Consumer Price Index, so a sale that closes in a later fiscal year may face different numbers.
City of LA examples
Computed with the same formulas the calculator uses, for City of Los Angeles sales closing July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with no assumed loans or exemptions.
| Sale price | County | City base | Measure ULA | Total | Share of price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000,000 | $1,100 | $4,500 | $0 | $5,600 | 0.56% |
| $3,000,000 | $3,300 | $13,500 | $0 | $16,800 | 0.56% |
| $5,500,000 | $6,050 | $24,750 | $220,000 | $250,800 | 4.56% |
| $11,000,000 | $12,100 | $49,500 | $605,000 | $666,600 | 6.06% |
Notice the jump between $3,000,000 and $5,500,000. That is the ULA threshold at work: once a sale crosses $5,400,000, 4% applies to the entire price.
Other LA County cities
| City | City rate (on top of the county's $1.10 per $1,000) |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $2.25 per $500 (0.45%), plus Measure ULA above $5,400,000 |
| Culver City | Marginal: 0.45% up to $1,499,999; 1.5% from $1,500,000; 3% from $3,000,000; 4% from $10,000,000 (City of Culver City; thresholds adjust every five years with CPI) |
| Santa Monica | $3.00 per $1,000 up to $4,999,999; $6.00 per $1,000 from $5,000,000 to $7,999,999; $56.00 per $1,000 at $8,000,000 and above |
| Pomona | $2.20 per $1,000 |
| Redondo Beach | $2.20 per $1,000 |
| Other cities and unincorporated areas | No special city rate on the county's schedule. Check with the city to confirm for a specific property. |
Source: LA County Registrar-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Tax, checked October 14, 2026. Property that crosses a city boundary is taxed in proportion to the value inside each city, per the LA Office of Finance.
Who pays, and when
Who pays the transfer tax is set by the purchase contract. In LA the seller commonly pays the county and city transfer tax, but it is negotiable. The tax is paid through escrow and collected when the deed records, so it shows up on the settlement statement at closing rather than as a separate bill. To see transfer tax next to commission, escrow and payoff, run the cost to sell and net proceeds calculator. For the bigger picture, read selling your LA home and moving out of state or see prices and timing by LA zip code.
Sources
- LA County Registrar-Recorder: Documentary Transfer Tax
- City of LA Office of Finance: Real Property Transfer Tax and Measure ULA FAQ
- City of Culver City: Real Property Transfer Tax
Rates and rules checked October 14, 2026. They change, so confirm with the source before relying on them.
Common questions
How much is the transfer tax in the City of Los Angeles?
For sales closing after June 30, 2026, the City of LA charges a base tax of $2.25 per $500 of value (0.45%), plus Measure ULA of 4% on sales above $5,400,000 and below $10,900,000, or 5.5% at $10,900,000 or more, according to the LA Office of Finance. LA County adds $1.10 per $1,000. On a $1,000,000 sale that is about $5,600 combined, as an example.
Does Measure ULA apply to the whole sale price?
Yes. Per the LA Office of Finance, the ULA rate is a percentage of the full consideration once a sale crosses the threshold, not only the amount above it. In this calculator, a $5,400,001 sale shows about $216,003 more in total transfer tax than a $5,400,000 sale.
Does Measure ULA apply in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills or Pasadena?
No. Measure ULA is a City of Los Angeles tax and applies only to property inside City of LA boundaries. Separate cities set their own rules. The LA County Registrar-Recorder lists special city rates for Culver City, Los Angeles, Pomona, Redondo Beach and Santa Monica; other cities in the county pay the county rate on its schedule. Confirm with the city for any specific property.
Who pays the transfer tax when selling in LA?
It is negotiable and set in the purchase contract. In LA the seller commonly pays the county and city transfer tax, but custom is not law, so read the contract and ask your escrow officer.
