The Glendale sales tax rate is 10.50 percent as of April 1, 2025, when a Los Angeles County ballot measure raised the combined rate by a quarter cent from the previous 10.25 percent.1City of Glendale, CA. Sales and Use Tax That rate is added to nearly every retail purchase in the city, whether you buy in a store or order online for delivery to a Glendale address.
What Makes Up the 10.50 Percent
Every sale in Glendale starts with California’s 7.25 percent statewide base rate.2California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Detailed Description of the Sales and Use Tax Rate On top of that, Glendale shoppers pay another 3.25 percent in district taxes approved by voters at the county and city level:
- 2.00 percent across four separate half-cent LA Metro measures funding bus and rail transit, highways, and local transportation projects.
- 0.50 percent for LA County Measure A, approved in November 2024 and effective April 1, 2025. It replaced the older quarter-cent Measure H and pays for homelessness services, affordable housing, and mental health treatment.3LA County Homeless Services and Housing. Measure A
- 0.75 percent for Glendale’s Measure S, a three-quarter-cent tax passed in November 2018 with no expiration date. It generates roughly $30 million a year for fire and paramedic services, police, parks, street repairs, library programs, and affordable housing.4City of Glendale, CA. Frequently Asked Questions
Measure A’s half cent is a quarter cent larger than the Measure H it replaced, and that difference is what pushed Glendale’s total from 10.25 percent to 10.50 percent.1City of Glendale, CA. Sales and Use Tax
What the Tax Applies To
California sales tax covers the retail sale of tangible personal property unless a specific exemption applies. In everyday terms, that’s clothing, electronics, furniture, appliances, vehicles, building materials, and most other physical items you can carry out of a store or have shipped to your door.5California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Sales and Use Tax in California
Most services are not taxed. California treats service providers as the consumers of whatever supplies they use in their work rather than as retailers, so charges for professional services like legal advice, accounting, medical care, and consulting fall outside the sales tax. Repair labor is also exempt when it’s billed separately from any parts the shop installs.6California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Sales and Use Tax Regulations – Article 1
Common Exemptions at the Register
A few categories of goods ring up tax-free, and the exemptions are built into store point-of-sale systems. You don’t have to ask for them.
Groceries are the biggest one. Food products meant for home preparation are generally not taxed, so staples like rice, eggs, milk, produce, and packaged pantry items ring up without the 10.50 percent added. Hot prepared foods are the main exception. A rotisserie chicken or a heated deli sandwich gets taxed because it’s sold ready to eat.7California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Tax Guide for Grocery Stores
Prescription medicine is exempt as well. Drugs prescribed by a physician and biological products approved by the FDA are not taxed, and the exemption extends to certain medical devices and appliances used in treatment or diagnosis, with the specifics set by CDTFA regulation.8California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Regulation 1591 – Medicines and Medical Devices
Businesses buying inventory they plan to resell avoid sales tax at wholesale by giving the supplier a valid resale certificate. The certificate has to include the buyer’s seller’s permit number, the words “for resale,” and a description of the goods. The supplier keeps it on file.9California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Regulation 1668
Online Orders Shipped to Glendale
California uses the delivery address to decide which local rate applies. The district taxes that sit on top of the 7.25 percent base, including the Metro measures, Measure A, and Measure S, follow the destination of the goods. If a product is shipped to a Glendale address, Glendale’s 10.50 percent applies regardless of where the seller is located.10California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Tax Rate FAQ for Sales and Use Tax
Big marketplace platforms handle the collection for you. Under California law, a marketplace facilitator that helps third-party sellers list products, process payments, or fulfill orders is treated as the retailer for tax purposes. Platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are responsible for charging and remitting the correct Glendale rate on each sale, which is why the tax line usually just appears on the order summary without the individual seller doing anything.11California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Sales and Use Tax Law – Chapter 1.7
When Shipping Charges Get Taxed
Whether tax applies to shipping depends on how the charge is labeled. A line item called “shipping,” “delivery,” “freight,” or “postage” can be nontaxable as long as the seller keeps records showing the actual cost. A charge labeled “handling” is always taxable. If the invoice lumps “shipping and handling” together as one line, the whole thing becomes taxable.12California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Shipping and Delivery Charges – Publication 100
So when a Glendale invoice shows a separate “shipping” line, it should not have the 10.50 percent added. When it shows “shipping and handling” combined, expect tax on the full amount.
Use Tax on Out-of-State Purchases
If you buy something from an out-of-state seller that doesn’t collect California sales tax, you owe use tax at the same 10.50 percent. This comes up most often with purchases from small online retailers, private-party sales across state lines, and goods bought while traveling. The rate and the rules are identical to sales tax. Use tax just closes the gap when the seller doesn’t collect.
The simplest way to report it is on your California income tax return, which has a use tax line and a lookup table built into the instructions. You can also pay directly through the CDTFA’s online portal.13California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California Use Tax