Oakland, CA Local Taxes & Fees: Parking Tax (2026)
Key Facts
- Base rate
- 10% of parking rental (§4.16.030)
- Surcharge
- 8.5% added by §4.16.031
- Combined rate
- 18.5% of parking rental
- Late penalty
- 25% of unpaid tax
- Interest
- 1% per month on delinquency
- Enforcing agency
- Tax Administrator (Director of Finance)
- Exemption
- City-owned coin parking meters only
Summary
Oakland taxes every parking-space rental in a parking station at a combined 18.5 percent: a 10 percent base tax under OMC § 4.16.030 plus an 8.5 percent surcharge under § 4.16.031. Operators collect the tax from occupants and remit it to the Tax Administrator; city-owned coin parking meters are the only exemption.
Subject to the provision of this Chapter, there is imposed a tax at the rate of ten percent of the rental of every parking space in a parking station in the city. ... Subject to the provisions for the collection of taxes and definitions in this Chapter, there shall be an additional tax of eight and one-half percent imposed on the rental of every parking space in a parking station in the city.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102 | Planning Code: Supplement 59).
Full Breakdown
16) reaches any "parking station", an outdoor lot, yard, or structure where vehicles are parked, stored or kept for a charge. Every "operator," defined broadly to include an owner, lessee, sublessee, mortgagee in possession, licensee or managing agent, must collect the tax from the "occupant" at the time rent is collected and give a receipt on demand. 030, is 10 percent of the rental charged for the parking space. 5 percent. The Tax Administrator, the city's Director of Finance, sets the collection schedule and can round fractional cents.
100. 040 clarifies that "rent" subject to tax includes valet or service-labor charges tied to the parking itself, but excludes charges for unrelated services like car washes or petroleum sales. 090. 080. Returns and payment are due to the Tax Administrator by the 20th of the month following each taxable month, and the Tax Administrator may grant a good-cause extension of up to 30 days, beyond which only the Oakland Taxation and Assessment Board of Review can extend further.
Violations & Fines
Failing to remit the tax on time triggers a 25 percent penalty on the amount due, plus interest at 1 percent per month (or fraction) on the delinquent balance, including penalties, running under § 4.16.070 until the city is paid in full. Operators who tell customers the tax will be absorbed, waived or refunded, rather than added to the parking charge, separately violate § 4.16.080.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Oakland's total tax rate on paid parking?
Who actually pays and collects the parking tax?
Is any parking exempt from the tax?
What happens if an operator pays the parking tax late?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oakland
California rules heatmap·Compare Oakland to another location·View the California local taxes & fees overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Parking Tax in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle parking tax.