Perris Sales Tax: 7.75% Breakdown, Measure B, and Refunds

The sales tax rate in Perris, California is 7.75% as of January 1, 2026.¹ That applies to most physical goods you buy in the city, from a new phone to a restaurant meal, but not to groceries, prescription medicines, or most services. A local measure on the June 2026 ballot could push the rate higher, so if you’re reading this later in the year, check the current rate before relying on 7.75%.

How the 7.75% Breaks Down

Every California sales tax rate starts with the same 7.25% statewide base. Under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law, 1.00% of that base is returned to the city or county where the sale takes place.²

On top of that, Perris carries one district tax: a 0.50% transportation tax from Riverside County’s Measure A, administered by the Riverside County Transportation Commission. The measure stays in effect through 2039.³ That brings the Perris total to 7.75%.

Perris has not adopted a city-level transactions and use tax, which is why its rate sits lower than Moreno Valley, Menifee, or the city of Riverside.

What’s Taxed and What Isn’t

California sales tax applies to tangible personal property — things you can see and touch. Electronics, furniture, clothing, building materials, and most other physical goods carry the 7.75% charge at checkout in Perris.

Restaurant meals and hot prepared foods are taxable, even when the same ingredients would be exempt sold cold at a grocery store. The distinction is how the food is sold, not what’s in it. Hot food, food sold with utensils, and food sold for on-premises consumption all trigger the tax.⁴

Groceries for home consumption are the biggest exemption most residents will encounter. Revenue and Taxation Code Section 6359 covers produce, meat, dairy, cereals, and non-carbonated beverages.⁵ Carbonated beverages, alcohol, and candy are excluded from the exemption and stay taxable.

Prescription medicines dispensed by a licensed pharmacist are exempt, as are medicines furnished directly by a physician, dentist, or health facility for patient treatment.⁶ Over-the-counter medications do not qualify.

Services generally are not taxed in California. One important exception: labor that creates new tangible personal property, like custom manufacturing or jewelry fabrication, is taxable on the full price including labor. Repair labor is exempt as long as it’s listed separately from parts on the invoice. If a shop bundles labor and parts into one price, the whole amount becomes taxable.

Buying a Car: The Registration Address Rule

A car is one of the biggest taxable purchases most people make, and the rate that applies may not be what you expect. California charges use tax on vehicles based on where you register the vehicle, not where the dealership is located.⁷ A Perris resident who buys from a dealer in a higher-tax city pays the 7.75% Perris rate. Driving to a lower-tax area to buy saves nothing either, because the rate follows your registration address home.

Online and Out-of-State Purchases

When you buy something online or from an out-of-state seller and no sales tax is collected, California still expects you to pay use tax at the same rate you’d have paid locally. For Perris, that’s 7.75% on untaxed purchases of physical goods.⁸

Most large online retailers already collect California tax at checkout, because retailers with more than $500,000 in annual California sales must register with the CDTFA and collect use tax on deliveries into the state.⁹ Where this matters most is smaller out-of-state sellers, private-party purchases from other states, and goods bought while traveling. The easiest way to report use tax you owe on personal purchases is on your California state income tax return, which includes a worksheet and lookup table.⁸

Measure B on the June 2026 Ballot

Perris has placed Measure B on the June 2, 2026 ballot, asking voters to approve a 1% local transactions and use tax. If it passes, the total rate rises to 8.75%. The city estimates it would generate roughly $18 million per year for the general fund, with the ballot language naming emergency services, street repairs, park maintenance, and homelessness response as priorities. It requires a simple majority to pass and includes citizen oversight and independent audits.¹⁰ Until voters decide, the rate stays at 7.75%.

If You Sell in Perris

Any business in Perris that sells or leases tangible personal property needs a California seller’s permit from the CDTFA before making its first sale. The permit is free, and online registration is the fastest route. The requirement applies to sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, and LLCs. Businesses with multiple locations may need a separate permit for each, though consolidated permits are sometimes available. A seller’s permit is not the same as a city business license — Perris requires a separate business license through its finance department.¹¹

Temporary sellers need to register too. If you’re selling at a swap meet, holiday market, or other short-term event, there’s a temporary seller’s permit for operations lasting up to 90 days at one location.¹¹

Most small businesses file quarterly. The 2026 deadlines are:

Q4 2025: February 2, 2026
Q1 2026: April 30, 2026
Q2 2026: July 31, 2026
Q3 2026: November 2, 2026 (extended from October 31 because it falls on a weekend)

The CDTFA assigns filing frequency based on your reported or anticipated sales volume. Larger sellers may be required to file monthly or make prepayments during the quarter.¹²

A business that fails to pay collected tax on time faces a 10% penalty on the unpaid amount, plus interest that accrues monthly from the original due date until the balance is paid.¹³ Misclassifying taxable items as exempt can trigger audits and retroactive assessments across multiple reporting periods. The CDTFA outlines additional penalties for failure to file, failure to collect use tax, and fraudulent reporting.¹⁴

Getting a Refund for Overpaid Tax

If you overpaid sales tax, either as a business that over-reported or a consumer who was overcharged, you can file a claim with the CDTFA using form CDTFA-101 or through the agency’s online services portal. The claim needs to explain the reason, the amount, and the reporting period, with supporting documents like invoices or exemption certificates.¹⁵

The most common deadline is three years from the due date of the return on which the tax was originally paid. For involuntary payments like levies, the deadline is three years from the collection date.¹⁵

1
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates
2
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Regulations – Article 19
3
California State Assembly. AB 1385 – Riverside County Transportation Commission Transaction and Use Tax
4
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Tax Guide for Restaurant Owners – Industry Topics
5
California Legislative Information. California Code Revenue and Taxation Code 6359 – Food Products
6
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Revenue and Taxation Code 6369 – Prescription Medicines
7
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Tax Guide for Purchasers of Vehicles
8
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California Use Tax, Good for You. Good for California
9
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Use Tax Collection Requirements Based on Sales into California Due to the Wayfair Decision
10
Ballotpedia. Perris, California, Measure B, Sales Tax Measures (June 2026)
11
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Obtaining a Seller’s Permit
12
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Sales and Use Tax
13
Justia. California Revenue and Taxation Code 6591-6597 – Article 6 Interest and Penalties
14
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Regulation 1703 – Interest and Penalties
15
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Filing a Claim for Refund (Publication 117)