RATE BREAKDOWN
Long Beach Sales Tax Rate, Broken Down
| Component | Rate |
|---|---|
| California statewide base rate | 7.25% |
| District taxes in Long Beach | 3.25% |
| Total Long Beach sales tax | 10.5% |
2026 LONG BEACH SALES TAX
Long Beach Sales Tax 2026
Long Beach sales tax is 10.500% — one of the highest rates in California. What makes it worth knowing is the border: Seal Beach, a few minutes away across the Orange County line, charges 9.250%, and the county line is the only thing separating them.
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Sales tax due
Long Beach, CA · 10.5%
TOTAL WITH TAX$110.50$10.50 of sales tax
Price 90.5%Sales tax 9.5%
Price before tax$100.00
Sales tax at 10.5%+$10.50
Total$110.50
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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 starts at 10.500%, which covers the whole City of Long Beach including the port and downtown. Cross into Orange County and the rate drops sharply, so check which side of the line a delivery address sits on.
CDTFA ratesEffective July 1, 2026Free to Use
CA SALES TAX
The County Line Is Worth 1.25 Points
Long Beach sits at the southern edge of Los Angeles County. Its 10.500% is the 7.250% California base, plus the Los Angeles County district taxes that bring the county to 9.750%, plus 0.750% of Long Beach city tax.
Seal Beach, immediately across the line in Orange County, charges 9.250% — and Orange County's baseline is only 7.750%, against Los Angeles County's 9.750%. The two counties have made very different choices about district taxes, and Long Beach happens to sit right on the seam.
On a $5,000 purchase that is $62.50. Not life-changing, but it is one of the sharpest rate cliffs in Southern California.
CA SALES TAX
Inside Los Angeles County, Long Beach Is Typical
Look north instead of south and Long Beach stops being remarkable. Signal Hill, Lakewood, Bellflower and Carson all charge 10.500% too. Compton is higher at 10.750%. Cerritos, at 9.750%, sits at the county baseline with no city tax of its own.
So the story is not that Long Beach is expensive for Los Angeles County — it is that Los Angeles County is expensive, and Long Beach is where that becomes visible against a cheaper neighbour.
NEARBY RATES
How Long Beach Compares Nearby
Long Beach's neighbours split by county. The Los Angeles County ones match it; Seal Beach does not:
| City | Sales tax rate | vs Long Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach | 10.5% | — |
| Signal Hill | 10.5% | same |
| Lakewood | 10.5% | same |
| Bellflower | 10.5% | same |
| Cerritos | 9.75% | −0.75% |
| Seal Beach | 9.25% | −1.25% |
| Carson | 10.5% | same |
| Compton | 10.75% | +0.25% |
TAXABLE OR NOT
What Long Beach Sales Tax Applies To
California decides what is taxable. The categories that come up most around the port and downtown:
- Unprepared groceries are exempt
- Restaurant meals and prepared food are taxable at 10.500%
- Prescription medicines are exempt; over-the-counter medicines generally are not
- Services, including repair labour billed separately, are not taxable
- Boats and vehicles are taxed at the buyer's registration address
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Long Beach Sales Tax Questions
What is the sales tax rate in Long Beach?+
Long Beach charges 10.500%: the 7.250% California base, Los Angeles County district taxes bringing it to 9.750%, and a 0.750% Long Beach city district tax.
Why is Seal Beach so much cheaper than Long Beach?+
Seal Beach is in Orange County, whose baseline is 7.750%, against Los Angeles County's 9.750%. Seal Beach's own district taxes bring it to 9.250% — still 1.250% below Long Beach despite being minutes away.
How much is sales tax on $100 in Long Beach?+
$10.50, for a total of $110.50. The same purchase in Seal Beach carries $9.25.
Is Long Beach the most expensive city nearby?+
Not quite. Compton, at 10.750%, is higher. Signal Hill, Lakewood, Bellflower and Carson match Long Beach at 10.500%, and Cerritos is lower at the 9.750% county baseline.
Does the Long Beach rate cover the port area?+
Yes. The port, downtown and the whole area inside the city limits use the same 10.500% rate. There is no separate port or harbour district rate on retail sales.
What rate applies to something shipped to Long Beach?+
10.500%, since California taxes at the delivery address. An order shipped to Seal Beach instead is taxed at 9.250%.
RATE SOURCE
Where These Rates Come From
Long Beach's 10.500% is the CDTFA's published city rate. The Seal Beach comparison uses the same table — both counties revise their district taxes quarterly and can move independently of each other. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates, effective July 1, 2026.
Disclaimer: A planning estimate. Long Beach sits on a county line where the rate changes sharply, so confirm which jurisdiction a delivery address falls in before relying on this figure.
Reviewed by: Paycheck Calculator Editorial Team
Rate table effective: July 1, 2026
OTHER RATES