The Moreno Valley sales tax rate is 8.75%. That combined rate applies to most taxable purchases made inside city limits and reflects California’s statewide minimum plus two local additions approved by voters in Riverside County and the city itself.
How the 8.75% Breaks Down
Three layers of government stack to produce the rate you see at the register.
The first layer is California’s statewide minimum of 7.25%, which every city in the state collects at a baseline. That 7.25% is itself built from several pieces: a 3.9375% state general fund component authorized by Sections 6051 and 6051.3 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, a 0.50% Local Public Safety Fund added in 1993 for local criminal justice, a 0.50% Local Revenue Fund from 1991 for local health and social services, a 1.0625% Local Revenue Fund 2011 supporting local government services, and a 1.25% local base split between county transportation (0.25%) and city or county operations (1.00%).1California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Detailed Description of the Sales and Use Tax Rate
The second layer is a 0.50% countywide transportation tax under Measure A, originally approved by Riverside County voters in 1988 and extended in 2002 through 2039. Revenue funds local streets and roads, regional highway projects, and Metrolink commuter rail across the county.2Riverside County Transportation Commission. Measure A
The third layer is Moreno Valley’s own 1% transaction and use tax, which brings the total to 8.75%.
The City’s 1% Tax: Measure U
The city portion is Measure U, which Moreno Valley voters approved in November 2024 to reauthorize the one-cent local tax. The updated rate took effect on April 1, 2025, and Measure U carries no set expiration date, remaining in place unless voters repeal it.3City of Moreno Valley. Moreno Valley 2025 Citizens Guide to the Budget
Measure U is a general tax, so revenue flows into the city’s general fund rather than being locked to a single project. The city attorney’s impartial analysis confirmed that proceeds “may be used for any local general municipal purpose,” including 911 emergency response, police and fire services, pothole repair, homelessness programs, and senior and youth services. The tax is subject to independent audits.4City of Moreno Valley. City Attorney Impartial Analysis – Measure U
What the 8.75% Applies To
California sales tax applies to retail sales of tangible personal property, meaning physical goods you can touch. Clothing, electronics, furniture, and appliances are all taxed at the full 8.75% in Moreno Valley. The same rate applies as a “use tax” when you buy something from an out-of-state seller for use in California and the seller doesn’t collect tax at checkout.5California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California Use Tax
Several categories are exempt. Food products for home consumption are generally not taxed, though the exemption disappears when food is sold hot, served as a meal, or eaten on the seller’s premises. Raw chicken from the meat aisle is exempt; a rotisserie chicken from the deli counter is not.6California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Common Sales and Use Tax Nontaxable Sales and Partial Exemptions Prescription medicines dispensed by a pharmacist are exempt under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 6369, along with prosthetic devices, wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers.7California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Regulation 1591 Over-the-counter medications are taxable.
Services on their own are generally not taxed. Repair labor and installation labor are not taxable when itemized separately on the invoice, though the parts used in a repair usually are. Shipping charges listed separately and reflecting only the actual cost of delivery by a common carrier like UPS or USPS are exempt; bundled “shipping and handling” charges are taxable in full.8California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Labor Charges – Publication 108 – Nontaxable Charges
Online Purchases Shipped to Moreno Valley
If you order something online from an out-of-state retailer and have it shipped to Moreno Valley, the full 8.75% still applies. California requires remote sellers to register with the CDTFA and collect tax once their total sales of tangible goods delivered into the state exceed $500,000 in the current or prior calendar year.
Large platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are classified as “marketplace facilitators” and are treated as the retailer on every sale they handle, so the platform collects and remits the tax directly.9California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Sales and Use Tax Law – Chapter 1.7 If you buy from a smaller independent website that doesn’t collect California tax, you owe the use tax yourself and can report it through the CDTFA’s online portal.5California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California Use Tax
How Moreno Valley Compares to Nearby Cities
At 8.75%, Moreno Valley’s rate matches several of its Riverside County neighbors. As of January 2026, Riverside, Corona, and Temecula all share the same 8.75% combined rate. Perris, just to the south, sits at 7.75% because it hasn’t enacted an additional city-level district tax.10California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates The statewide minimum of 7.25% applies in areas with no district-level additions, while some California cities with multiple overlapping district taxes reach rates above 10%.