The sales tax rate in Altadena is 9.75 percent on most retail purchases.1California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates Altadena is unincorporated, so it has no city tax of its own; the rate is California’s statewide base combined with Los Angeles County district taxes, the most recent of which took effect on April 1, 2025.
How the 9.75 Percent Breaks Down
Every sale starts with California’s statewide base of 7.25 percent.2California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rate Information That base funds the state general fund, a local allocation under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law, and a county transportation fund. The remaining 2.50 percent comes from district taxes approved by Los Angeles County voters.
Three county measures do most of the work. Measure R, a half-cent tax approved in 2008, funds rail construction and highway improvements.3LA Metro. Measure R Measure M, another half-cent approved in 2016, extends that transportation funding with no sunset date and adds local street repairs and subsidized transit fares.4LA Metro. Measure M Measure A, the newest half-cent, replaced the earlier quarter-cent Measure H on April 1, 2025 and doubled dedicated funding for homelessness services and housing across the county.5Los Angeles County Homeless Services. Measure A That swap from a quarter-cent to a half-cent is what pushed Altadena’s rate from 9.50 to 9.75 percent.
Why Nearby Cities Charge More
Incorporated cities inside Los Angeles County often add their own district taxes on top of the state and county layers, which is why Pasadena, Los Angeles, and other neighbors post higher rates than Altadena. If you shop in one of those cities, you pay that city’s rate, not Altadena’s. The 9.75 percent figure applies to sales made within the unincorporated Altadena area.
What Purchases Are Taxed
California sales tax applies to retail sales of tangible personal property: physical items you can hold, wear, or use. Furniture, electronics, clothing, tools, appliances, and vehicles are all taxed at 9.75 percent at an Altadena register.
Online and Out-of-State Purchases
When you buy something online from a retailer that does not collect California sales tax, you owe an equivalent amount called use tax on items brought into the state for storage or personal use.6California Legislative Information. California Code Revenue and Taxation Code 6201 – Imposition of Tax Most large online retailers now collect the tax at checkout because California requires any remote seller with more than $500,000 in annual California sales to register and collect.7California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Use Tax Collection Requirements Based on Sales into California Use tax still matters for purchases from smaller out-of-state vendors, private-party sales, and items brought back from travel. You report what you owe on your California income tax return.
Shipping Charges
Whether tax applies to a shipping charge depends on how the seller labels and documents it. Charges described as shipping, delivery, freight, or postage are generally not taxable, provided the seller keeps records of the actual delivery cost. Charges described as “handling” are always taxable. If a seller combines shipping and handling into one line without documenting the delivery cost, the full charge becomes taxable.8California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Shipping and Delivery Charges
Digital Products
California generally does not tax products delivered electronically. Software, e-books, music, and apps transmitted over the internet are non-taxable, and the same goes for streaming subscriptions and cloud-based software accessed through a browser. If the seller also provides a physical backup copy on a flash drive or similar storage medium, the entire sale becomes taxable.9California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Internet Sales (Publication 109) Nontaxable Sales
What Is Exempt
Groceries
Most food purchased for home consumption is exempt. Produce, dairy, meat, bread, canned goods, and similar staples are not taxed. Hot prepared meals are taxable regardless of where you buy them, so a hot rotisserie chicken at the deli counter is taxed, while a cold package of chicken breasts is not.10California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Revenue and Taxation Code 6359 – Food Products
Prescription Medicines and Medical Devices
Prescription medicines dispensed by a pharmacist or furnished directly by a physician are exempt, as are medicines sold to health facilities for patient treatment. Over-the-counter drugs bought without a prescription remain taxable. Certain medical devices worn on or in the body, such as prosthetic devices and ostomy supplies, are also exempt when furnished under a prescription or physician’s order.11California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. 18 CCR 1591.1 – Specific Medical Devices, Appliances, and Related Supplies
Diapers and Menstrual Products
California permanently exempted diapers from sales tax beginning in July 2021 through the state’s Budget Act. Menstrual products, including tampons and sanitary pads, received a similar exemption. Both apply statewide and are reflected at Altadena retailers.
If You Sell Goods in Altadena
Any business that sells or leases physical goods in California needs a seller’s permit from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration before making its first sale. The requirement covers brick-and-mortar stores, online sellers, and temporary vendors operating for 30 days or fewer at a single location. Registration is free through the CDTFA website.12California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Your California Seller’s Permit The CDTFA assigns a filing frequency based on your sales volume, ranging from yearly for very small sellers to monthly for higher-volume businesses.13California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Filing Dates for Sales and Use Tax Returns
Missing a filing deadline triggers a 10 percent penalty on the tax owed, and a separate 10 percent penalty applies if your payment is late, though the combined penalty for a single period will not exceed 10 percent of the tax due. A fraudulent failure to file raises the penalty to 25 percent. Operating without a seller’s permit carries the steepest consequence: on top of the standard late-filing penalty, the CDTFA can impose a 50 percent penalty on all tax that should have been paid during the period you operated without one, applied only when the omission was knowing and not applied if your taxable sales averaged $1,000 or less per month.14California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Interest, Penalties, and Collection Cost Recovery Fee Interest also accrues on any unpaid balance at a rate set by the CDTFA; for both halves of 2026 that rate is 10 percent annually, applied monthly.15California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Interest Rates