Sales tax in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County, CA
The combined sales tax rate in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County, CA is 9.5%, effective 2026-07-01.
Last verified
- ZIP codes
- 15 on file · 6 wholly inside the city limits
- Levied by
- California and Unincorporated Santa Cruz County
How the combined rate in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County, 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 |
| Unincorporated Santa Cruz County | city | 2.25% | Jul 1, 2026 | California sales and use tax rates by jurisdiction |
| Combined rate | 9.5% | |||
ZIP codes in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County
15 on file — 6 wholly inside the city limits and 9 crossing them. Each has its own page.
6 ZIP codes wholly inside Unincorporated Santa Cruz County
Every address in these is inside the city limits, so all of them pay Unincorporated Santa Cruz County's rate.
9 ZIP codes crossing the city line
Part of each of these lies outside Unincorporated Santa Cruz County. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 95003 | 9.5% | Capitola |
| 95019 | 9.75% | Watsonville |
| 95033 | 9.5% | Los Gatos, Palo Alto and Unincorporated Santa Clara County |
| 95060 | 9.5% | Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley |
| 95062 | 9.75% | Capitola and Santa Cruz |
| 95065 | 9.5% | Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley |
| 95066 | 9.75% | Scotts Valley |
| 95073 | 9.5% | Capitola |
| 95076 | 9.5% | Unincorporated Monterey County, Unincorporated Santa Clara County and Watsonville |
What can change the tax you pay in Unincorporated Santa Cruz County, CA
- ZIP codes shared with a neighbour. 9 of Unincorporated Santa Cruz County's 15 ZIP codes are also reached by Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Unincorporated Santa Clara County and 4 other places, so an address in one of them can owe a neighbour's rate instead of Unincorporated Santa Cruz County'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 Unincorporated Santa Cruz County compares with the rest of California
Unincorporated Santa Cruz County's 9.5% is above what most ZIP codes carry in California. Of the state's 2,584 ZIP codes with a figure, 21 land on the same one, 1,799 carry a lower figure and 764 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 | |
| ~7.25% | 282 | |
| ~8.25% | 189 | |
| ~9.5% | 21 | Unincorporated Santa Cruz County |
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.
- No signup
- Use the calculator immediately. Nothing to create, nothing to install.
- Missing means missing
- Where a rate is not verified we say so instead of showing a short total.