Skip to content

Santa Rosa · Buying & selling

Buying or selling a home in Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa 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.

Ask about buying & selling in Santa Rosa See coverage

Key points

  • Transfer tax: Santa Rosa taxes transfers over $100 at $2 per $1,000 of value.
  • 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 Santa Rosa code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Transfer tax

Santa Rosa code Santa Rosa taxes transfers over $100 at $2 per $1,000 of value.

All 5 Santa Rosa rules on transfer tax, with the code text and the state law underneath →

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

Santa Rosa code What Santa Rosa's code adds
If the owner does not repair
  • The city may contract the repair; owners pay inspection, administration, collection and lien costs; unpaid assessments can become a lien.
    Applies: When the city contracts the repair, or assessments or a lien follow a failure to pay promptly.
    § 13-32.020 · code text
    including a charge for the City's costs of inspection and administration whenever the City awards a contract for such maintenance and repair and including the costs of collection of assessments for the costs of maintenance and repair under subsection (A) of this section or handling of any lien placed on the property due to failure of the property owner to promptly pay such assessments
Liability for injuries
  • The owner is liable for injury or damage caused by not keeping the sidewalk area safe.
    § 13-32.020 · code text
    If, as result of the failure of any property owner to maintain the sidewalk area in a non-dangerous condition as required by this section, any person suffers injury or damage to person or property, the property owner shall be liable to such person for the resulting damages or injury.
Deadline to repair
  • The Director of Public Works may extend the start of repairs by up to 74 days from the notice.
    Applies: At the Director's discretion, for sufficient cause.
    § 13-32.020 · code text
    the Director of Public Works may in his or her discretion, and for sufficient cause, extend the period within which required maintenance and repair of sidewalk areas must commence by a period of not to exceed seventy-four days from the time the notice referred to in Section 5614 is given.
Who must repair it
  • Bordering lot owners and others in possession must repair and maintain sidewalks, parking strips, curbs and gutters, and pay costs.
    § 13-32.020 · code text
    The owners of lots or portions of lots adjacent to or fronting on any portion of a sidewalk area between the property line of the lots and the street line, including parking strips, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and persons in possession of such lots by virtue of any permit or right shall repair and maintain such sidewalk areas and pay the costs and expenses therefor

Utility users tax

Santa Rosa code 5% of electricity charges, paid by the person paying for the energy. 5% of gas charges.

All 4 Santa Rosa rules on utility users tax, with the code text →

Who this affects

BuyersSellersReal estate agents

Frequently asked questions

What are the sidewalk repair rules for homeowners in Santa Rosa?

Santa Rosa's code: Bordering lot owners and others in possession must repair and maintain sidewalks, parking strips, curbs and gutters, and pay costs. (§ 13-32.020); The city may contract the repair; owners pay inspection, administration, collection and lien costs; unpaid assessments can become a lien. (When the city contracts the repair, or assessments or a lien follow a failure to pay promptly.) (§ 13-32.020).

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific Santa Rosa property

Ask GoCodebook how these rules apply to your address and get an answer that cites the section.

Ask your question

More on Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in Santa Rosa

Building on your lot in Santa Rosa

Foreclosure & auctions in Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa overview