Malibu · Buying & selling

Buying or selling a home in Malibu

Malibu has its own transfer tax on property sales, owed by anyone who signs or issues the transfer document or benefits from it. Seller disclosures and property tax after a purchase follow state law.

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Key points

Transfer tax: Malibu taxes transfers over $100 at $0.275 per $500 ($0.55 per $1,000) of value, not counting liens that remain.
Seller disclosures: State law requires sellers of single-family homes to give buyers a Transfer Disclosure Statement; court-ordered, foreclosure and some other sales are exempt.
Property tax: State law caps the general property tax at 1% of full cash value, plus voter-approved debt; base year value rises at most 2% yearly.

Each rule below is marked Malibu code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Transfer tax

Malibu code What Malibu's code adds
City transfer tax	Yes. The city taxes each deed or document that transfers real property sold in the city. § 3.16.020 · code text There is imposed on each deed, instrument or writing by which any lands, tenements, or other realty sold within the city shall be granted, assigned, transferred or otherwise conveyed
Rate	$0.275 for each $500 of value, or fraction of $500. Applies: When the value transferred, not counting liens or debts that stay on the property at sale, is more than $100. § 3.16.020 · code text when the consideration or value of the interest or property conveyed (exclusive of the value of any lien or encumbrances remaining thereon at the time of sale) exceeds $100, a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents ($0.275) for each $500 or fractional part thereof.
Rate per $1,000	$0.55 per thousand dollars of value ($0.275 for each $500 or fraction of $500). Applies: When the value transferred, not counting liens or debts that stay on the property at sale, is more than $100. § 3.16.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents ($0.275) for each $500 or fractional part thereof.
Price threshold	The tax applies only when the price or value is more than $100. Applies: Value of the property transferred, not counting liens or debts that stay on the property at sale. § 3.16.020 · code text when the consideration or value of the interest or property conveyed (exclusive of the value of any lien or encumbrances remaining thereon at the time of sale) exceeds $100
Rate depends on price	No. The rate does not change with the price: $0.275 for each $500 or fraction of $500. § 3.16.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents ($0.275) for each $500 or fractional part thereof.
Who pays	Any person who makes, signs or issues the taxed document, or for whose use or benefit it is made. § 3.16.030 · code text Any tax imposed pursuant to Section 3.16.020 shall be paid by any person who makes, signs or issues any document or instrument subject to the tax, or for whose use or benefit the same is made, signed or issued.

CA state law Underneath, California law still applies. County documentary transfer tax: A county may tax a sale over $100 at $0.55 for each $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000), not counting liens that remain on the property (Rev. & Tax. Code § 11911(a)). City share of the tax: A city may impose half the county rate ($0.55 per $1,000); the county then credits the city tax against its own, so the combined standard rate stays $1.10 per $1,000 (Rev. & Tax. Code § 11931). California rules for buying and selling — the full state rule →

Seller disclosures

CA state law California law sets this statewide. Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) — who must give it: Sellers of single-family residential property must give the buyer a Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement (sale, exchange, installment contract, lease-option or ground lease with improvements) (Civ. Code §§ 1102(a), 1102.2). Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement (NHD): Sellers must disclose if the property is in a special flood hazard area, dam inundation area, very high fire hazard severity zone, earthquake fault zone, seismic hazard zone, or wildland fire area (Civ. Code § 1103(c)). California seller disclosure rules — the full state rule →

Property tax after you buy

CA state law California law sets this statewide. 1% property tax limit (Prop 13): The general property tax on real property may not exceed 1% of its full cash value; voter-approved bond debt is levied on top (Cal. Const. art. XIII A, § 1(a), (b)). 2% annual cap on assessed value: The base year value rises each year by the California CPI change, but never more than 2% (Rev. & Tax. Code § 51(a)(1)(D)). California property tax rules — the full state rule →

Sewer lateral inspection

Malibu code Get all construction permits, pass a leak test, file a compliance certificate and get final city inspection approval. Before a parcel or its fee interest is sold or transferred.

All 7 Malibu rules on sewer lateral inspection, with the code text →

Utility users tax

Malibu code What Malibu's code adds
Tax on electricity	The tax is 5% of electricity charges. § 3.28.080 · code text The tax imposed by this section shall be at the rate of five percent of the charges made for such energy and shall be paid by the person paying for such energy.
Tax on gas	The tax is 5% of gas charges. § 3.28.090 · code text The tax imposed by this section shall be at the rate of five percent of the charges made for such gas and shall be paid by the person paying for such gas.
Tax on water, phone or cable	The tax is at most 4.5% of charges. Applies: Communication services; the code states only the maximum rate. § 3.28.070 · code text The maximum tax imposed by this section shall be at the rate of four and one-half percent of the charges made for such services and shall be collected from the service user by the communication services supplier or its billing agent.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

What is the transfer tax when you sell a home in Malibu?

Malibu taxes transfers over $100 at $0.275 per $500 ($0.55 per $1,000) of value, not counting liens that remain.

Does Malibu charge a utility users tax?

Malibu's code: The tax is 5% of electricity charges. (§ 3.28.080); The tax is 5% of gas charges. (§ 3.28.090).

General information, not legal advice.

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