Orange County property tax rates by city, 2026-27
Orange County's Auditor-Controller fixes a total rate for every tax rate area (TRA) and publishes them in the 2026-27 Property Tax Rate Book. TRA codes start with a two-digit city prefix: 26 for Irvine, 04 for Huntington Beach, 18 for Garden Grove. Every TRA starts with the 1% basic levy for the county, cities, schools and districts.
The table shows one TRA for each city from the 2026-27 book. Cities contain dozens or hundreds of TRAs, so check your own.
| City | Example TRA | 2026-27 total rate | What is above the 1% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irvine | 26-003 | 1.00850% | Metropolitan Water District only |
| Mission Viejo | 27-001 | 1.00850% | Metropolitan Water District only |
| Dana Point | 28-003 | 1.00850% | Metropolitan Water District only |
| Laguna Niguel | 29-002 | 1.00850% | Metropolitan Water District only |
| Laguna Beach | 05-001 | 1.01226% | Laguna Beach Unified bond, water |
| San Juan Capistrano | 23-001 | 1.02314% | City 2008 bond fund (0.01464%), water |
| Newport Beach | 07-001 | 1.05129% | Newport-Mesa Unified and Coast college bonds |
| Anaheim | 01-006 | 1.05993% | Orange Unified and Rancho Santiago college bonds |
| Yorba Linda | 25-002 | 1.08146% | Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified and college bonds |
| Tustin | 13-001 | 1.08342% | Tustin Unified bonds |
| Huntington Beach | 04-009 | 1.09311% | 1966 retirement override (0.015%), school bonds |
| Cypress | 19-001 | 1.11632% | Cypress and Anaheim Union High bonds |
| Santa Ana | 11-006 | 1.12115% | Garden Grove Unified and Rancho Santiago bonds |
| Brea | 02-001 | 1.13474% | 1978 paramedics override (0.045%), school bonds |
| Garden Grove | 18-004 | 1.18101% | 1974 paramedic override (0.08%), school bonds |
The low end of the table is unusual in California. A rate of 1.0085% means the parcel pays no voter-approved school or city debt at all, only the 1% levy and the water district's 0.0085%.
The overrides and bonds behind Orange County rates
Three kinds of layer separate the cheapest and most expensive TRAs in the county.
Pre-1978 city overrides in Garden Grove, Brea and Huntington Beach
Prop 13 allowed taxes for debt that voters approved before July 1, 1978 to continue. Orange County still carries three. Garden Grove's 1974 paramedic tax override adds 0.08000%, Brea's 1978 paramedics override adds 0.04500%, and Huntington Beach's 1966 employee retirement override adds 0.01500%. On a $1,167,873 net value, Garden Grove's line alone is about $934 a year.
School facilities bonds by district
Most of the difference comes from school bonds. Garden Grove Unified's 2010 and 2016 bonds add about 0.07% in TRA 18-004. Irvine Unified's School Facilities Improvement District No. 1 bonds total 0.02665% in the Irvine TRAs that sit inside that district, while TRAs outside it, such as 26-003, pay none. The Rate Book lists every series and its election year.
Irvine Ranch Water District bonds on land only
Some Irvine TRAs carry Irvine Ranch Water District improvement district bonds coded A4, which means tax on land only. For example, ID #213's 1989 bond is 0.05900% of land value and ID #113's is 0.04000%. Because the rate applies to land, not the house, it is not included in the 1.0085% all-property total shown in the table. Check the bill's land value and these lines if you buy in Irvine.
The Metropolitan Water District line
Nearly every residential TRA in the county pays the Metropolitan Water District rate, listed at 0.00850% in the 2026-27 book. That is about $99 a year on a $1,167,873 net value.
A worked Orange County property tax bill
This example uses Zillow's typical Orange County home value for September 2026, $1,174,873, as the price of an owner-occupied home in Huntington Beach TRA 04-009.
| Line | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Assessed value | Purchase price | $1,174,873 |
| Less homeowners' exemption | $1,174,873 - $7,000 | $1,167,873 |
| Basic levy | $1,167,873 x 1.00000% | $11,678.73 |
| Override, bonds and water | $1,167,873 x 0.09311% | $1,087.41 |
| Ad valorem tax, 2026-27 | $1,167,873 x 1.09311% | $12,766.14 |
That is two installments of about $6,383. Special assessments and any Mello-Roos tax are added below.
The same price in Irvine, Newport Beach and Garden Grove
With the same $1,167,873 net value, Irvine TRA 26-003 bills $11,778.00, Newport Beach TRA 07-001 bills $12,277.73, and Garden Grove TRA 18-004 bills $13,792.70. That is a $2,014.70 difference between the lowest and highest, before special assessments.
Year two at the 2% cap
With a full 2% inflation factor, the assessed value becomes about $1,198,370. Less the exemption, TRA 04-009 at this year's rate would bill about $13,023.
Orange County property tax exemptions
Homeowners' exemption: the Orange County pre-filled claim
The Orange County Assessor sends every new homeowner an application pre-filled with the property and sale details, but you still have to sign and return it. The deadline for the full $7,000 exemption is 5 p.m. on February 15. Claims filed by December 10 get 80%, or $5,600. If you sell or move out, file the Homeowners' Exemption Termination Notice by December 10 to avoid a penalty. Questions go to (714) 834-3821.
Disabled veterans' exemption in Orange County
Qualifying disabled veterans can exempt a much larger amount of value than the homeowners' exemption. The California property tax guide explains the basic and low-income levels; the Assessor's Forms page has the claim.
Payment plans for delinquent Orange County taxes
If you fall behind, the Treasurer-Tax Collector offers a five-year payment plan for eligible defaulted secured taxes. June 30 is the last day to start one for the year.
Prop 19 transfers into and out of Orange County
An Orange County owner aged 55 or older can sell and move their taxable value to a replacement home anywhere in California under Prop 19, up to three times. With Zillow's county value up 94.3% over ten years, many long-time owners have a large gap between their assessed value and the market. Children who inherit a family home keep the parent's value only if they move in and the value is under the cap. See the Prop 19 guide and file with the Orange County Assessor.
Supplemental tax bills after you buy in Orange County
The Treasurer-Tax Collector says supplemental bills are mailed three to four times a year, and new-owner secured bills are mailed all year as the Assessor reports ownership changes.
Example supplemental bill for an Irvine purchase
Redfin's median sale price in Irvine was $1,449,310 for the three months to September 2026. Say you pay that for a home with a prior taxable value of $650,000 and close on November 1. The supplemental assessment is $799,310. With eight months left in the fiscal year, the tax in TRA 26-003 at 1.0085% is roughly $799,310 x 1.0085% x 8/12 = $5,374. The county prorates by its own factors, so the exact figure will differ.
Secured taxes are prorated in escrow
The Treasurer-Tax Collector notes that secured taxes are prorated by time of ownership, while unsecured taxes are not: whoever owns on the January 1 lien date owes the full unsecured bill.
Special assessments and Mello-Roos on Orange County bills
The Rate Book covers only rates based on value. Fixed charges, such as sewer, vector control or lighting, and Mello-Roos special taxes from community facilities districts appear as separate lines on the bill. Mello-Roos taxes are most common in newer communities, and they are set by formula rather than by value. Ask for the seller's latest bill and the district's maximum special tax before you commit, and read the Mello-Roos guide.
Paying Orange County property tax
The Treasurer-Tax Collector mails secured bills in September and October. The first installment is due November 1 and is late after December 10. The second is due February 1 and is late after April 10. A late first installment gets a 10% penalty; a late second installment gets a 10% penalty plus a $23 collection fee. Unpaid taxes default on July 1 and gain 1.5% a month plus a $15 redemption fee.
Orange County payment options and fees
- eCheck: no fee at taxbill.octreasurer.gov, with same-day credit until 11:59 p.m.
- Card: a single blended fee of 2.25%, minimum $1.50, collected by the processor.
- Phone: (714) 834-3411, 24 hours, card only.
- Drop box: 601 N. Ross Street, Santa Ana, open around the clock, no cash.
- Mail: County of Orange, Attn: Treasurer-Tax Collector, P.O. Box 1438, Santa Ana, CA 92702-1438.
Payment reminders
The Treasurer-Tax Collector offers email reminders for secured and unsecured bills. Online payments can take two to three business days to show as paid on the website.
Appealing an Orange County assessment
Informal review with the Orange County Assessor
If your home's market value fell below its assessed value, ask the Assessor for an informal review between January 1 and April 30. The Assessor also reviews many properties each year without a request. Use the form for your property type on the Assessor's Forms page, and check your current value with the Assessor's Find My Assessed Value tool first.
Formal appeal to the Orange County Assessment Appeals Board
The Clerk of the Board says the 2026 annual filing period runs from Thursday, July 2, 2026 to Monday, November 30, 2026, the same deadline the State Board of Equalization lists for the county. You can file online with the Clerk's E-Form. Appeals of supplemental or escape assessments are due within 60 days of the notice. The Clerk posts hearing guidelines and a workshop on preparing for a hearing. Keep paying your bill while the appeal is pending.
For sales and price trends behind your value, see the Orange County data page. Transfer tax at sale is separate; see California transfer tax.