Retail purchases in the 91766 zip code are taxed at a combined rate of 10.50%, effective January 1, 2026.1California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates The zip code covers the city of Pomona in Los Angeles County. On a $500 purchase, that works out to $52.50 added at the register.
One caveat on zip codes: they don’t line up perfectly with tax jurisdictions, and a single zip can straddle a city or county boundary. Almost all of 91766 sits inside Pomona city limits and pays the 10.50% rate, but if you want to confirm a specific address, the CDTFA has an address-level lookup tool.2California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Find a Sales and Use Tax Rate
How the 10.50% Breaks Down
California’s statewide base rate is 7.25% and applies everywhere in the state.3California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates That number already bundles the state’s share with the 1% Bradley-Burns allocation that returns to the local government where the sale happens. The gap between 7.25% and Pomona’s 10.50% comes from voter-approved district taxes layered on top:
- Los Angeles County Measure A, a half-cent (0.50%) sales tax approved in November 2024 for affordable housing, mental health treatment, and homelessness services. It replaced the older quarter-cent Measure H that had been in place since 2017.1California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates
- LA Metro Measure M, a half-cent transportation tax funding transit expansion, street repairs, and fare subsidies.4LA Metro. Measure M
- Older county transportation measures (Propositions A and C) that each add fractions of a percent.
- Pomona’s own city transactions and use tax, which funds general services like police, fire, and parks.
These add up and shift when voters approve new measures, so the total can change. The CDTFA publishes updated rate tables when a change takes effect.
What You Pay Tax On and What’s Exempt
California’s sales tax applies to retail sales of tangible personal property: physical goods like electronics, furniture, clothing, and appliances.5California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California Revenue and Taxation Code 6051 – Imposition and Rate of Sales Tax Most services are not taxed. A haircut, a plumber’s labor, or an accountant’s fee carries no sales tax. Labor that goes into creating or manufacturing a new physical product can be taxable, which is the main exception.6California Tax Service Center. What Is Taxable?
Groceries
Most grocery staples bought for home consumption are exempt. Produce, meat, dairy, bread, cereal, canned goods, and bottled water all come home untaxed.7California Legislative Information. California Code Revenue and Taxation Code 6359 The exemption disappears when food is sold hot, served as a meal, or eaten on the premises. A rotisserie chicken from the deli, a taqueria burrito, or a slice of pizza eaten at the shop all get taxed at the full 10.50%.8California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Common Sales and Use Tax Nontaxable Sales and Partial Exemptions Carbonated beverages and alcoholic drinks are taxable even when bought cold at the grocery store.
Prescription Medicine
Prescription medications dispensed by a pharmacist or furnished directly by a licensed physician are exempt.9California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California Code of Regulations Title 18 Section 1602 – Food Products Over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements don’t qualify and are taxed like any other retail item.
Buying a Vehicle in Pomona
Cars, trucks, and motorcycles purchased in Pomona are taxed at the full 10.50% on the purchase price. On a $30,000 vehicle, that’s $3,150 in tax. In a private-party sale, you don’t pay sales tax at the point of purchase; instead, use tax at the same rate is collected when you register the vehicle at the DMV. The same applies to vessels and trailers that require DMV registration.
If you buy a vehicle out of state and bring it into California, you owe California use tax at registration. The state gives you credit for any sales tax already paid elsewhere, so you only owe the difference. If the other state’s rate was higher, nothing more is due.
Tax on Out-of-State and Online Purchases
When an out-of-state seller doesn’t collect California tax, you owe use tax on the purchase at the same 10.50% rate.10California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Revenue and Taxation Code 6201 – Imposition and Rate of Use Tax For most online shopping this is a non-issue. Any out-of-state retailer with more than $500,000 in annual sales into California has to register and collect tax at checkout.11California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Use Tax Collection Requirements Based on Sales into California Marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are treated as the retailer themselves and must collect tax on third-party sales, even when the individual seller is well below that threshold.12California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Sales and Use Tax Law – Chapter 1.7 So a handmade jewelry order from a small Montana Etsy shop still gets California tax at the Pomona rate.
Where use tax still catches people is with smaller direct sellers, private transactions, or overseas retailers who don’t comply with California collection rules. Those get reported on your state income tax return, either using the CDTFA’s estimated use tax lookup table (for purchases under $1,000 each) or the use tax worksheet for exact amounts. Vehicles, vessels, trailers, aircraft, and mobile homes don’t go on your income tax return; they’re reported directly to the CDTFA.13Franchise Tax Board. Use Tax
If You Sell Goods in 91766
Anyone selling or leasing physical goods in Pomona needs a California seller’s permit before making a first sale. It applies to retailers, wholesalers, individuals, corporations, and LLCs. The permit itself is free through the CDTFA, though the agency can require a security deposit based on your estimated sales volume.14California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Obtaining a Seller’s Permit Even a temporary setup counts: a craft fair booth operating for 90 days or less at one location needs a temporary seller’s permit.
Filing late carries a 10% penalty on the return and another 10% on a late payment, capped at a combined 10% of the tax due for a single reporting period. Interest accrues monthly starting the day after the due date.15California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Interest, Penalties, and Collection Cost Recovery Fee Collecting tax from customers and failing to remit it, or operating without a required permit, triggers much steeper penalties (40% and 50% respectively) on top of the tax owed.