The sales tax rate in Redondo Beach is 9.75%, charged at the register on most retail purchases made inside the city. That figure combines California’s statewide 7.25% base with 2.50% in voter-approved Los Angeles County district taxes. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) collects the tax and distributes it to the state, county, and city.1California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Sales and Use Tax in California
Where the 9.75% Goes
Three layers of government share the rate you pay at checkout.2California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates
- 6.00% is the state rate, which flows to California’s General Fund for programs like education and public safety.
- 1.25% is the mandatory local rate under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law: 1% to the city for general operations and 0.25% to the county for transportation.3California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California Code of Regulations Title 18 Section 1802 – Place of Sale and Use for Purposes of Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Taxes
- 2.50% comes from Los Angeles County ballot measures. Measure R (approved 2008) adds a half cent for transit and highway projects, Measure M adds another half cent for long-term transportation with no expiration, and Measure H adds a quarter cent for homelessness prevention and services. Other county measures make up the rest.4Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Measure R5Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Measure M
The statewide 7.25% floor rarely moves. The district portion above it is why Redondo Beach’s rate can differ from a neighboring city’s, and it can change when voters approve new measures or let old ones expire.
What You Pay Tax On
Sales tax applies to tangible personal property, which California law defines as anything that can be seen, weighed, measured, felt, or touched.6California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Revenue and Taxation Code 6016 – Tangible Personal Property Clothing, electronics, furniture, household goods, and building materials all qualify. The merchant adds 9.75% at the register and sends it to the CDTFA.
Services are generally not taxable, but labor that produces a physical item is. Custom shelving built for you is taxable because the work creates tangible property.7California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Taxable Labor Labor to repair something you already own is typically not taxable, though any parts or materials used in the repair are.
Shipping and Delivery
Whether shipping is taxed depends on how the seller invoices it. Shipping charges stated separately on your invoice and delivered by a common carrier like UPS or USPS may be exempt. Handling charges are always taxable, and when sellers combine shipping and handling into one line, the whole line often gets taxed. Deliveries made in a company-owned vehicle are generally taxable too. If the seller cannot document actual shipping costs with freight invoices or receipts, tax applies to the full delivery charge.8California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Shipping and Delivery Charges – Publication 100
What’s Exempt
- Groceries. Food products for home consumption are generally exempt. The exemption does not cover food sold hot, served as a meal, or eaten on the seller’s premises. A cold deli sandwich is usually exempt; a hot rotisserie chicken is not.9California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Common Sales and Use Tax Nontaxable Sales and Partial Exemptions
- Prescription medicine. Medications prescribed by a physician, dentist, or podiatrist and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist are exempt, as are medicines furnished directly by a health facility or doctor for patient treatment. Over-the-counter drugs do not qualify.10California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Sales and Use Tax Law – Section 6369 – Prescription Medicines
- Medical devices. Prosthetic devices and some durable medical equipment prescribed for individual use are generally exempt. Bandages, supports, and general health supplies are taxable.
Online and Out-of-State Purchases
When a seller outside California doesn’t collect California tax, you owe use tax at the same 9.75% rate. In practice, most large online retailers and marketplace platforms already collect it under California’s Marketplace Facilitator Act. Platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are treated as the retailer and must collect and remit tax on sales they facilitate.11California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Sales and Use Tax Law – Chapter 1.7 – Marketplace Facilitator Act
Use tax still catches people on purchases from smaller independent websites, private-party sales across state lines, and goods brought back from a trip. You can report what you owe on your annual California income tax return rather than filing separately with the CDTFA.
If You Sell in Redondo Beach
Any business selling tangible goods in the city needs a seller’s permit from the CDTFA before its first sale. The permit is free, though the CDTFA may require a security deposit against potential unpaid taxes if the business later closes.12California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Obtaining a Sellers Permit Operating without one violates state law and can trigger fines on top of the taxes owed.13California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Do You Need a California Sellers Permit
The CDTFA assigns a filing frequency based on sales volume. High-volume sellers file monthly, mid-range businesses file quarterly, and low-volume sellers may qualify for annual filing.14California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Filing Dates for Sales and Use Tax Returns Returns are due whether or not you made taxable sales during the period. A slow month is not a reason to skip filing.
Filing late carries a 10% penalty, and paying late carries a separate 10% penalty. When both apply at once, the combined penalty is still capped at 10% of the tax owed for that period.15California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Interest, Penalties, and Collection Cost Recovery Fee Heavier penalties apply when a business collects sales tax from customers and fails to remit it, or operates without a permit to evade tax.
Deducting Sales Tax on Your Federal Return
If you itemize on your federal return, you can deduct either state income tax or state and local sales tax paid during the year, but not both. For most Redondo Beach residents who already pay California income tax, the sales tax option only comes out ahead in a year with large purchases. The combined deduction for state and local taxes, counting income or sales tax plus property taxes, is capped at $10,000 per year, or $5,000 if married filing separately.16Internal Revenue Service. Use the Sales Tax Deduction Calculator
Two methods are available. The IRS publishes optional sales tax tables based on income, family size, and location that estimate your annual payments without receipts. You can also track actual sales tax paid using receipts. Big-ticket items like a car or boat are added separately on top of the table amount, since the tables don’t include them.16Internal Revenue Service. Use the Sales Tax Deduction Calculator