Santa Clara County has not adopted a Measure ULA-style mansion tax on high-value real estate transfers. The California Documentary Transfer Tax under Revenue and Taxation Code §11911 sets the baseline rate for SCC property conveyances.
Unlike Los Angeles, Santa Clara County and its 15 cities have not enacted a mansion tax targeting luxury property transfers. The countywide Documentary Transfer Tax under Revenue and Taxation Code §11911 levies $0.55 per $500 of consideration on property conveyances, split between county and city portions where applicable. Charter cities including San Jose and Mountain View charge supplemental real-property transfer taxes (San Jose's Measure E, passed 2020, charges 0.75% to 1.5% on transfers over $2 million) that function similarly to mansion taxes. Unincorporated SCC and most general-law cities apply only the state baseline. Proposed Bay Area mansion-tax measures have not advanced to ballots in Santa Clara County jurisdictions.
Failure to pay Documentary Transfer Tax creates a lien on the property, plus 10% penalty and legal-rate interest until paid. The County Clerk-Recorder may refuse to record deeds without proof of payment under §11932.
See how Sunnyvale's mansion tax (measure ula) rules stack up against other locations.
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