Costa Mesa (CA) Sales Tax
The Costa Mesa sales tax rate is 7.75%
| Taxing jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|
| California state sales tax | 6.00% |
| Orange County sales tax | 0.25% |
| City tax | 0% |
| Special tax | 1.50% |
| Combined Sales Tax | 7.75% |
Costa Mesa sales Tax Calculator California
To make it easier to calculate the Costa Mesa (CA) Sales tax, we have created a calculator. All that you need to input is the zip code and the number of goods bought. The calculator will tell you how much you should approximately pay in sales tax. The tools are free to use and very simple.
How does the Costa Mesa sales tax compare to the rest of California?
Each vendor in the USA needs to charge sales tax to the items and services that they sell. The Department of Revenue collects the sales tax proceeds from the vendors. The Costa Mesa, CA sales tax rate is 7.75%. This includes 6.00% California state sales tax, 0.25% Orange County sales tax and 1.50% special tax.
A merchant adds the sales tax to all the qualifying sales completed in Costa Mesa, CA. The Costa Mesa sales tax should be clearly stated on the invoice. There are some specific goods and services are tax-exempt in Costa Mesa (California). Alcohol, tobacco and gas are subject to excise tax.
The 7.75% sales tax rate of the Costa Mesa, CA applies to the following list of zip codes: 92626, 92627, 92628.
The vendor needs to check their district zip code to make sure that they are charging the right sales tax for the business transactions.
There are 83484 people in and around Costa Mesa. It is important to be aware that zip-code boundaries do not always coincide with general boundaries. Therefore, when choosing sales tax rates, you should not focus only on zip-codes. In the event of a dispute, it is recommended that you contact the Internal Revenue Service to determine sales tax rates for you.
Alternative sales tax rate for Costa Mesa
| City | Combined Tax | State Rate | County Tax | City Tax | Special Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irvine | 7.75% | 6.00% | 0.25% | 0% | 1.50% |
| Huntington Beach | 7.75% | 6.00% | 0.25% | 0% | 1.50% |
| Laguna Niguel | 7.75% | 6.00% | 0.25% | 0% | 1.50% |
| Lake Forest | 7.75% | 6.00% | 0.25% | 0% | 1.50% |
|
Dana Point |
7.75% | 6.00% | 0.25% | 0% | 1.50% |
|
Laguna Woods |
7.75% | 6.00% | 0.25% | 0% | 1.50% |
|
Corona Del Mar |
7.75% | 6.00% | 0.25% | 0% | 1.50% |
Popular questions about sales tax in Costa Mesa
When you purchase a car, the laws regarding the applicable sales tax are a bit more complicated. The first factor to consider is that there is a base 6% sales tax. Let’s say that your car costs 10k. You pay 6% on that, which is $600 on sales tax. On top of this cost, you also pay fees for vehicle registration and licenses. If you complete the transaction via a dealership, then all this paperwork and its cost are factored in on the sales agreement. If you buy the car via a private seller, then it is you, the buyer that needs to process all this paperwork via the local tax office and vehicle registration office. You would be responsible for paying registration fees and the title.
States allow for trade-in allowances, and this is a fantastic way to reduce your tax bill. Instead of selling your old vehicle, and then incurring sales taxes on that transaction, you can bring your old vehicle to the dealership and do a trade-in allowance for a new car. The value of the trade-in is reduced from the sticker price of the car that your intent to purchase. Then some dealerships offer rebates, which further reduces your total sales tax.
Let’s say that you will purchase the same car as in the above example that costs 10k. Instead, this time you have an old car to do a trade-in that is valued at 2k. The dealership offers you a 1k rebate offer. In that case, your sales tax will not be charged anymore on the original price of 10k, but it will be charged on the reduced price after the rebate and the trade-in. More specifically, we will reduce from 10k, the value of the rebate (1k) and the value of the trade-in (2k), hence a total of 3k of discount. We would end up paying out-of-pocket 7k. The applicable sales tax on a 7k car is $7000*6%= $420. We can see that we are paying a lower sales tax compared to the previous tax of $600. We are not paying any taxes on the old car that you brought for a rebate and not paying any sales taxes on that.
Sales taxes are collected by the Department of Revenue. The taxes go to the General Fund, and it funds government expenses. Some parts of the sales tax fund state operations, such as K-12 education. The money can be used to fund other public services. The money collected from taxes is also used to pay the wages of jobs that are related to government agencies, such as police departments, libraries, museums, etc.
You need to know all the applicable sales taxes that you should collect. You collect these taxes on each transaction. When it comes time to file your business quarterly returns, you declare your sales taxes collected and you pay them to the Department OF Revenue. You pay these taxes on January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15. The type of sales taxes collected, and the rate depends on the business incorporation location and the applicable laws of that location.
45 states (do not levy these taxes in the states Alaska, Oregon, Delaware, Montana and New Hampshire) and the District of Columbia impose general sales taxes that apply to the sale or lease of most goods and some services, and states also may levy selective sales taxes on the sale or lease of particular goods or services. States may grant local governments the authority to impose additional general or selective sales taxes.
The first detail to know about sales taxes is that some states imposer the sale tax on the vendor, some to the buyer, and some states place sales taxes on both entities. It is important to know who pays the tax, as this affects whether you can claim the taxes as a refund or not.