San Pablo · Buying & selling

Buying or selling a home in San Pablo

San Pablo 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: San Pablo 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 San Pablo code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Transfer tax

San Pablo code What San Pablo's code adds
City transfer tax	Yes. The city taxes each deed or document that transfers real property sold in the city. § 3.20.020 · 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: Only when the value conveyed is more than $100. § 3.20.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents ($0.275) for each five hundred dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof.
Rate per $1,000	$0.55 per $1,000 of value ($0.275 for each $500 or fraction of $500). Applies: Only when the value conveyed is more than $100. § 3.20.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents ($0.275) for each five hundred dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof.
Price threshold	$100 Applies: The tax applies only when the value conveyed, not counting liens that remain on the property, is more than $100. § 3.20.020 · code text when the consideration for, or value of the interest or property conveyed (exclusive of the value of any lien or encumbrance remaining thereon at the time of sale) exceeds one hundred dollars ($100.00)
Rate depends on price	No. One rate applies: $0.275 for each $500 or fraction of $500. § 3.20.020 · code text a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents ($0.275) for each five hundred dollars ($500.00) 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. Applies: Each such person is jointly and severally liable. § 3.20.030 · code text 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, each of whom shall be jointly and severally liable for payment of the tax in any civil action instituted by the city.

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 →

Sidewalk repairs

San Pablo code What San Pablo's code adds
Liability for injuries	The owner is liable to people injured because the owner did not keep the sidewalk safe and repaired. § 12.04.015 · code text The failure of an owner to fulfill the duties imposed by subsections A and B is negligence and the owner is liable to members of the public injured as a result of that negligence.
Who must repair it	The owner of the parcel facing the sidewalk must repair and maintain it, including parking strip and curb, and pay. § 12.04.015 · code text The owner of a parcel of real property which fronts on any portion of a sidewalk area between the property line of the parcel and the street line, including a parking strip and curb, is responsible for the repair and maintenance of the sidewalk area and shall pay the cost and expense of repair and maintenance. The person in possession also has the owner's sidewalk repair duties. Applies: When the owner is not the person in possession. § 12.04.015 · code text If the owner of the parcel of real property is not the person in possession, then the responsibilities and duties imposed by subsections A and B are also imposed on the person in possession of the property. The vehicle's owner must repair damage the vehicle causes to sidewalks, curbs and gutters. Applies: Damage caused by a vehicle. § 12.04.130 · code text Whenever any vehicle has crossed the sidewalks, curbs and gutters in the city with resulting damage to the same, then the owner or owners of such vehicle will be responsible for repairing same.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

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

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

What are the sidewalk repair rules for homeowners in San Pablo?

San Pablo's code: The owner of the parcel facing the sidewalk must repair and maintain it, including parking strip and curb, and pay. (§ 12.04.015); The owner is liable to people injured because the owner did not keep the sidewalk safe and repaired. (§ 12.04.015).

General information, not legal advice.

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