RATE BREAKDOWN
Santa Clara County Sales Tax Rate, Broken Down
| Component | Rate |
|---|---|
| California statewide base rate | 7.25% |
| District taxes in Santa Clara County | 2.5% |
| Total Santa Clara County sales tax | 9.75% |
2026 SANTA CLARA COUNTY SALES TAX
Santa Clara County Sales Tax 2026
Santa Clara County sales tax is 9.750%, and most cities in the county charge exactly that. The two that do not are San Jose and Milpitas, both at 10.000% — which is why the county figure and the San Jose figure are different numbers.
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Sales tax due
Santa Clara County, CA · 9.75%
TOTAL WITH TAX$109.75$9.75 of sales tax
Price 91.1%Sales tax 8.9%
Price before tax$100.00
Sales tax at 9.75%+$9.75
Total$109.75
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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 the 9.750% county rate. If the delivery address is in San Jose or Milpitas, change it to 10.000%; everywhere else in the county the county figure is the right one.
CDTFA ratesEffective July 1, 2026Free to Use
CA SALES TAX
One County, Two Rates
Santa Clara County's 9.750% is California's 7.250% base plus 2.500% of countywide district taxes. It applies in unincorporated areas and in the large majority of the county's cities — Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Cupertino and Gilroy all sit on it.
San Jose and Milpitas each add a further 0.250% of city district tax, reaching a round 10.000%. That quarter point is the only variation in the whole county.
It is a simpler picture than Los Angeles County, where rates scatter across a full point, but the exception matters: San Jose is where most of the county's retail happens.
CA SALES TAX
Santa Clara the City vs Santa Clara the County
The City of Santa Clara charges 9.750% — the same as the county that shares its name. This trips people up constantly, because in most California counties the central city is higher than the county baseline.
Here it is San Jose, not Santa Clara, that carries the premium. A rate quoted for "Santa Clara" is ambiguous unless you know whether the city or the county is meant — and in this one case it does not matter, because both are 9.750%.
CITY BY CITY
Santa Clara County Sales Tax by City
| City | Sales tax rate |
|---|---|
| Campbell | 10.5% |
| Milpitas | 10% |
| San Jose | 10% |
| Los Gatos | 9.875% |
| Cupertino | 9.75% |
| Gilroy | 9.75% |
| Los Altos | 9.75% |
| Los Altos Hills | 9.75% |
| Monte Sereno | 9.75% |
| Morgan Hill | 9.75% |
| Mountain View | 9.75% |
| Palo Alto | 9.75% |
| Santa Clara | 9.75% |
| Saratoga | 9.75% |
| Sunnyvale | 9.75% |
TAXABLE OR NOT
What Santa Clara County Sales Tax Applies To
California sets the exemptions, so they are identical across the county. In a county built on electronics retail, one category is worth stating plainly:
- Computers, phones and consumer electronics are fully taxable — there is no technology exemption
- Unprepared groceries are exempt
- Restaurant meals and hot prepared food are taxable
- Prescription medicines are exempt; most over-the-counter medicines are taxable
- Vehicles are taxed at the buyer's registration address, which may be the 9.750% rate even when bought in San Jose
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Santa Clara County Sales Tax Questions
What is the sales tax rate in Santa Clara County?+
The Santa Clara County rate is 9.750%: California's 7.250% statewide base plus 2.500% of countywide district taxes. It applies in unincorporated areas and in most of the county's cities.
Is Santa Clara County the same rate as San Jose?+
No. San Jose adds a 0.250% city district tax and charges 10.000%. Milpitas does the same. Every other sizeable city in the county sits at the 9.750% county rate.
Is the City of Santa Clara different from Santa Clara County?+
Not on rate — both are 9.750%. The City of Santa Clara has no district tax of its own, so it matches the county exactly, which is unusual for a central California city.
How much is sales tax on $100 in Santa Clara County?+
$9.75, for a total of $109.75. In San Jose the same purchase carries $10.00.
Are electronics taxed differently in Silicon Valley?+
No. California has no exemption for computers, phones or other consumer electronics — they are taxed at the full combined rate like any other tangible goods.
What rate applies to an order shipped into Santa Clara County?+
The rate for the delivery city: 10.000% for San Jose and Milpitas addresses, 9.750% for the rest of the county. California taxes at the delivery point.
RATE SOURCE
Where These Rates Come From
Every figure in the table above is the CDTFA's published rate for that city. The county piece and the San Jose and Milpitas city pieces revise independently on the quarterly cycle, so the quarter-point gap is not guaranteed to persist. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates, effective July 1, 2026.
Disclaimer: A planning estimate. San Jose and Milpitas sit above the county rate shown here, so confirm the delivery city with the CDTFA before relying on the figure.
Reviewed by: Paycheck Calculator Editorial Team
Rate table effective: July 1, 2026
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