San Diego sales tax rate
Gaslamp and Mission Valley retailers, inside City of San Diego limits, charge the San Diego sales tax rate of 7.75%. Shops in areas outside any city, such as Ramona and Alpine, charge the same 7.75% San Diego County sales tax rate.
A Gaslamp boutique opening a second shop in Escondido sets that register to the Escondido sales tax rate.
San Diego sales tax rate by city
Rates as of October 1, 2026, from the rates page of the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA).
7.75%
San Diego, Carlsbad, Coronado, Encinitas, Poway and Santee add no city district tax, so the Carlsbad sales tax rate is the same as the county's.
8.25%
El Cajon adds 0.50% above the county rate to set the El Cajon sales tax rate. Oceanside and Vista add the same 0.50%, so the Oceanside sales tax rate is also 8.25%.
8.50%
La Mesa adds 0.75% above the county rate to set the La Mesa sales tax rate.
8.75%
Chula Vista, Del Mar, Escondido, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, National City, San Marcos and Solana Beach add 1.00% above the county rate.
Sales tax on a $2,000 purchase in San Diego County
A shopper buying a $2,000 item over the counter pays this sales tax at stores in three cities, at rates as of October 1, 2026:
| Store | Sales tax rate | Tax on $2,000 |
|---|---|---|
| City of San Diego | 7.75% | $155 |
| El Cajon | 8.25% | $165 |
| Chula Vista | 8.75% | $175 |
A shopper pays $20 more in tax on the same $2,000 purchase in Chula Vista than in Mission Valley.
San Diego seller's permit and other seller rules
Sellers of taxable goods need a San Diego seller's permit from CDTFA, which issues it free but may require a security deposit.
San Diego County sellers, all inside a district, report district taxes on Schedule A, the district section of the CDTFA return.
Retailers with over $500,000 of California sales in the current or prior year collect district use tax on taxable deliveries into any district.
Smaller retailers collect it on deliveries into districts where they have a physical presence, such as a store or warehouse. City of San Diego sellers also need the City Treasurer's Business Tax Certificate, the San Diego business license.
Guests at City of San Diego hotels and rentals pay the San Diego hotel tax, a transient occupancy tax, on stays under a month.
