RATE BREAKDOWN
Costa Mesa Sales Tax Rate, Broken Down
| Component | Rate |
|---|---|
| California statewide base rate | 7.25% |
| District taxes in Costa Mesa | 0.5% |
| Total Costa Mesa sales tax | 7.75% |
2026 COSTA MESA SALES TAX
Costa Mesa Sales Tax 2026
Costa Mesa sales tax is 7.750% — the Orange County baseline, with no city district tax added. For a city built around one of the largest retail centres in the United States, that matters: the same handbag costs 1.500% less in tax here than three miles away in Santa Ana.
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Sales tax due
Costa Mesa, CA · 7.75%
TOTAL WITH TAX$107.75$7.75 of sales tax
Price 92.8%Sales tax 7.2%
Price before tax$100.00
Sales tax at 7.75%+$7.75
Total$107.75
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Sales tax is charged on the delivery address, not the billing address, and some goods are exempt or taxed differently. See the methodology and source list.
The calculator is pre-filled at 7.750%, the rate across the whole city including its retail district. Costa Mesa borders cities at three different rates, so confirm the delivery city before relying on the figure.
CDTFA ratesEffective July 1, 2026Free to Use
CA SALES TAX
A Retail City at the County Baseline
Costa Mesa's 7.750% is California's 7.250% base plus the 0.500% Orange County district tax. The city has never added a district tax of its own, so it sits at the county floor.
South Coast Plaza and the surrounding retail corridor are inside the Costa Mesa city limits, which means they are taxed at 7.750% rather than at any of the higher Orange County rates. On a $3,000 purchase, the difference against Santa Ana's 9.250% is $45 — not decisive, but not nothing either.
CA SALES TAX
Costa Mesa's Neighbours Span Three Rates
Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine and Tustin all share Costa Mesa's 7.750%. Fountain Valley is at 8.750%. Santa Ana, immediately to the north-east, is at 9.250%.
Three different rates within a few miles is unusual even by California standards, and it is entirely a product of which cities' voters approved district taxes. Nothing about the goods or the seller changes — only the delivery address.
NEARBY RATES
How Costa Mesa Compares Nearby
Costa Mesa's immediate neighbours span a 1.500% range. The published rates:
| City | Sales tax rate | vs Costa Mesa |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Mesa | 7.75% | — |
| Newport Beach | 7.75% | same |
| Huntington Beach | 7.75% | same |
| Irvine | 7.75% | same |
| Santa Ana | 9.25% | +1.5% |
| Fountain Valley | 8.75% | +1% |
| Tustin | 7.75% | same |
| Fullerton | 7.75% | same |
| Westminster | 9.25% | +1.5% |
TAXABLE OR NOT
What Costa Mesa Sales Tax Applies To
Clothing is fully taxable in California — there is no apparel exemption of the kind some other states have. The exemptions that do apply:
- Clothing, shoes and accessories are fully taxable at 7.750%
- Unprepared groceries are exempt
- Restaurant meals and hot prepared food are taxable
- Prescription medicines are exempt; most over-the-counter medicines are taxable
- Alterations and repair labour billed separately are generally not taxable
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Costa Mesa Sales Tax Questions
What is the sales tax rate in Costa Mesa?+
Costa Mesa charges 7.750%: California's 7.250% statewide base plus the 0.500% Orange County district tax. There is no Costa Mesa city district tax.
What is the sales tax at South Coast Plaza?+
South Coast Plaza is inside the Costa Mesa city limits, so purchases there are taxed at 7.750%. That is the Orange County baseline and lower than several nearby cities.
How much is sales tax on $100 in Costa Mesa?+
$7.75, for a total of $107.75. On a $1,000 purchase the tax is $77.50.
Is clothing taxed in Costa Mesa?+
Yes. California has no clothing exemption, so apparel, shoes and accessories are taxed at the full 7.750% rate. Some other states exempt clothing; California is not one of them.
Why is Santa Ana more expensive than Costa Mesa?+
Santa Ana's voters approved city district taxes that bring it to 9.250%; Costa Mesa has none and stays at the 7.750% county baseline. The 1.500% gap applies to identical goods bought a few miles apart.
What rate applies to an order shipped to Costa Mesa?+
7.750%, since California taxes at the delivery address. The seller's location does not affect it.
RATE SOURCE
Where These Rates Come From
Costa Mesa's 7.750% is the CDTFA's published city rate. Because Costa Mesa levies no district tax of its own, its rate only changes if the countywide district tax changes — but the neighbouring city rates in the table above move on their own schedule. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates, effective July 1, 2026.
Disclaimer: A planning estimate, not a filing figure. Costa Mesa's neighbours span a 1.5-point range, so confirm the delivery city with the CDTFA before filing a return.
Reviewed by: Paycheck Calculator Editorial Team
Rate table effective: July 1, 2026
OTHER RATES