2026 California sales tax update: changes across 7 cities, Santa Clara County, and Delano
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration has published its quarterly rate update for April 1, 2026. Santa Clara County is the biggest story this quarter — the county-wide rate increases alongside four cities within it, including San Jose. If you sell or deliver taxable goods to any of the affected jurisdictions, you’ll need to be collecting the new rate from April 1.
Written by Ryan Pinkham
VP of GTM
Published
We previously published a detailed update on the Santa Clara County sales tax increase taking effect on April 1, 2026. That change is part of a broader set of updates across California, with multiple cities and districts adjusting their rates at the same time. Below are the key changes taking effect on April 1, 2026 and what sellers need to know.
Key takeaways
- Seven cities and Santa Clara County are increasing their sales tax rates on April 1, 2026 — sellers delivering to these addresses must collect the new combined rate from that date
- San Jose, Milpitas, and Campbell are among the affected cities, making this a significant update for sellers with high volumes of Northern California orders
- The City of Delano’s existing 8.25% district tax has been extended with no expiration date — no rate change, but sellers should note it remains in effect
What changed
District tax rate increases — effective April 1, 2026
| City | County | Current Rate | New Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Campbell | Santa Clara | 9.875% | 10.500% |
| City of Dunsmuir | Siskiyou | 7.750% | 8.250% |
| City of Los Gatos | Santa Clara | 9.250% | 9.875% |
| City of McFarland | Kern | 8.250% | 9.250% |
| City of Milpitas | Santa Clara | 9.375% | 10.000% |
| City of Santa Fe Springs | Los Angeles | 10.750% | 11.000% |
| City of San Jose | Santa Clara | 9.375% | 10.000% |
County rate increase — effective April 1, 2026
| County | Current Rate | New Rate | Applies To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County | 9.125% | 9.750% | Unincorporated areas and cities within the county that do not impose their own district tax |
District tax extended — effective April 1, 2026
| City | County | Rate | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Delano | Kern | 8.250% | None (previously set to expire) |
Who this affects
- Ecommerce sellers shipping to Santa Clara County addresses — this is the highest-impact change this quarter. The county-wide rate increases, and four cities within the county — San Jose, Milpitas, Campbell, and Los Gatos — all have simultaneous rate changes. San Jose alone is a high-volume destination for Northern California orders
- Sellers shipping to Los Angeles County — Santa Fe Springs reaches 11.00%, one of the highest combined rates in the state. If you have any volume delivering to this city, verify your rate logic
- Remote sellers using address-based rate calculation — California taxes are destination-based and applied at the city and district level. ZIP code alone is not sufficient for accuracy in California; address-level verification is essential
- Ecommerce sellers shipping to Kern County — both McFarland and Delano have updates this quarter; confirm your rates for both cities
Next steps for sellers
- Verify that your sales tax engine is applying the correct April 1, 2026 rates for all affected California jurisdictions
- For Santa Clara County orders, confirm whether the delivery address falls within one of the four cities with individual rate changes or within the unincorporated county area — the applicable rate differs
- Use the CDTFA’s address-based rate lookup tool at cdtfa.ca.gov to verify the exact combined rate for specific delivery addresses if you have any uncertainty
- For Delano, note that the 8.25% rate is now permanent — no future expiration to track
If you use TaxCloud
TaxCloud’s sales tax engine automatically updates California city and district rates each quarter — including all April 1, 2026 changes — so your calculations reflect the correct rate at the address level without manual intervention.
Official sources:
-
1.
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration New Sales and Use Tax Rates Effective April 1, 2026. Source link
-
2.
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration California City & County Sales & Use Tax Rate Information. Source link
Disclaimer
TaxCloud provides sales tax compliance solutions. We do not provide legal or tax advice. For questions about your specific tax situation or filing requirements, we recommend consulting a qualified sales tax accountant.
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