Sales tax in Palo Alto, CA
The combined sales tax rate in Palo Alto, CA is 9.75%, effective 2026-07-01.
Last verified
- ZIP codes
- 9 on file · 1 wholly inside the city limits
- County
- Santa Clara County
- Levied by
- California and Palo Alto
How the combined rate in Palo Alto, CA is made up
Each government below levies its own share. A seller collects them together at the till and passes each share to the authority that levied it.
| Jurisdiction | Type | Rate | Effective | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | state | 7.25% | Jan 1, 2017 | California sales and use tax rates by jurisdiction |
| Palo Alto | city | 2.5% | Jul 1, 2026 | California sales and use tax rates by jurisdiction |
| Combined rate | 9.75% | |||
ZIP codes in Palo Alto
9 on file — 1 wholly inside the city limits and 8 crossing them. Each has its own page.
1 ZIP code wholly inside Palo Alto
Every address in these is inside the city limits, so all of them pay Palo Alto's rate.
| ZIP code | Combined rate | Also reaches |
|---|---|---|
| 94301 | 9.75% | no other city |
8 ZIP codes crossing the city line
Part of each of these lies outside Palo Alto. An address in one may be taxed at a neighbour's rate instead, and the figure shown is the most likely one across the whole ZIP code.
| ZIP code | Combined rate | Also reaches |
|---|---|---|
| 94022 | 9.75% | Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Unincorporated Santa Clara County |
| 94028 | 9.375% | Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Unincorporated San Mateo County and Unincorporated Santa Clara County |
| 94043 | 9.75% | Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Unincorporated Santa Clara County |
| 94303 | 9.75% | East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Unincorporated San Mateo County and Unincorporated Santa Clara County |
| 94304 | 9.75% | Los Altos Hills and Unincorporated Santa Clara County |
| 94305 | 9.75% | Unincorporated Santa Clara County |
| 94306 | 9.75% | Los Altos, Mountain View and Unincorporated Santa Clara County |
| 95033 | 9.5% | Los Gatos, Unincorporated Santa Clara County and Unincorporated Santa Cruz County |
What can change the tax you pay in Palo Alto, CA
- ZIP codes shared with a neighbour. 8 of Palo Alto's 9 ZIP codes are also reached by Unincorporated Santa Clara County, Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills and 7 other places, so an address in one of them can owe a neighbour's rate instead of Palo Alto's.
- What you are buying. Categories are not taxed alike. The calculator switches between general merchandise, prepared food and lodging, which are the categories we hold rates for here.
How Palo Alto compares with the rest of California
Palo Alto's 9.75% is above what most ZIP codes carry in California. Of the state's 2,584 ZIP codes with a figure, 346 land on the same one, 1,825 carry a lower figure and 413 a higher one. Across California the combined rate runs from 7.25% to 11.25%. See every city in California.
| Combined rate | ZIP codes | Which is this city |
|---|---|---|
| ~7.75% | 535 | |
| ~8.75% | 373 | |
| ~9.75% | 346 | Palo Alto |
| ~7.25% | 282 | |
| ~8.25% | 189 |
Counted from ZIP-code figures. A tilde marks a band where some ZIP codes cross a tax boundary and are counted at their most likely rate.
How sales tax is collected
The seller generally collects the tax from the buyer at the point of sale and passes it to the authorities that levied it. In most states it is added at the till rather than included in the advertised price. Read how sales tax works, including sourcing rules, online purchases and who is required to collect.
Rates last verified: Sep 4, 2026. This is when the source was last read, not when this page was last edited.
TaxAndTips provides informational estimates from published tax-rate data. Actual tax treatment can depend on the product or service, the exact address, the transaction, exemption status and applicable law. For official obligations, consult the taxing authority or a qualified tax professional.
Why you can rely on these figures
- Published rates
- State and local rates compiled from the tax authorities that levy them.
- Every figure sourced
- See the jurisdiction breakdown and the document each rate came from.
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- Missing means missing
- Where a rate is not verified we say so instead of showing a short total.