# Kern County, CA Sales Tax Rate (2026)

Canonical: https://trykintsugi.com/sales-tax-guides/usa/california/kern-county
Published: 2026-09-01

The most common combined sales tax rate in Kern County, CA is 8.25% as of September 2026: 7.25% state and 1% special district. Rates across the county's 66 ZIP codes range from 8.25% to 11.25%, depending on the city and special districts. California's state rate is 7.25%, so local taxes add 1% here.

| Component | Rate |
| --- | --- |
| State | 7.25% |
| County | 0% |
| City | 0% |
| Special district | 1% |
| **Combined** | **8.25%** |

Source: Kintsugi's rate table, as of September 2026. Official rates: [CDTFA — California City & County Sales & Use Tax Rates](https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/sales-use-tax-rates.htm).

## Sales tax rates by place in Kern County

| Place | Combined rate | ZIP codes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bakersfield | 8.25% | 22 |
| Boron | 8.25% | 2 |
| California City | 8.25% | 2 |
| Delano | 8.25% | 2 |
| Edwards | 8.25% | 2 |
| Mojave | 8.25% | 2 |
| Ridgecrest | 9.25% | 2 |
| Tehachapi | 8.25% | 2 |
| Arvin | 8.25% | 1 |
| Bodfish | 8.25% | 1 |
| Buttonwillow | 8.25% | 1 |
| Caliente | 8.25% | 1 |
| Cantil | 8.25% | 1 |
| Edison | 8.25% | 1 |
| Fellows | 8.25% | 1 |
| Frazier Park | 8.25% | 1 |
| Glennville | 8.25% | 1 |
| Inyokern | 8.25% | 1 |
| Johannesburg | 8.25% | 1 |
| Keene | 8.25% | 1 |
| Kernville | 8.25% | 1 |
| Lake Isabella | 8.25% | 1 |
| Lamont | 8.25% | 1 |
| Lost Hills | 8.25% | 1 |
| Maricopa | 8.25% | 1 |
| McFarland | 9.25% | 1 |
| McKittrick | 8.25% | 1 |
| Onyx | 8.25% | 1 |
| Pine Mountain Club | 8.25% | 1 |
| Randsburg | 8.25% | 1 |
| Rosamond | 11.25% | 1 |
| Shafter | 8.25% | 1 |
| Taft | 8.25% | 1 |
| Tupman | 8.25% | 1 |
| Wasco | 8.25% | 1 |
| Weldon | 8.25% | 1 |
| Wofford Heights | 8.25% | 1 |
| Woody | 8.25% | 1 |

## Kern County sales tax rates by ZIP code

| ZIP | Combined rate |
| --- | --- |
| 93203 | 8.25% |
| 93205 | 8.25% |
| 93206 | 8.25% |
| 93215 | 8.25% |
| 93216 | 8.25% |
| 93220 | 8.25% |
| 93222 | 8.25% |
| 93224 | 8.25% |
| 93225 | 8.25% |
| 93226 | 8.25% |
| 93238 | 8.25% |
| 93240 | 8.25% |
| 93241 | 8.25% |
| 93249 | 8.25% |
| 93250 | 9.25% |
| 93251 | 8.25% |
| 93252 | 8.25% |
| 93255 | 8.25% |
| 93263 | 8.25% |
| 93268 | 8.25% |
| 93276 | 8.25% |
| 93280 | 8.25% |
| 93283 | 8.25% |
| 93285 | 8.25% |
| 93287 | 8.25% |
| 93301 | 8.25% |
| 93302 | 8.25% |
| 93303 | 8.25% |
| 93304 | 8.25% |
| 93305 | 8.25% |
| 93306 | 8.25% |
| 93307 | 8.25% |
| 93308 | 8.25% |
| 93309 | 8.25% |
| 93311 | 8.25% |
| 93312 | 8.25% |
| 93313 | 8.25% |
| 93314 | 8.25% |
| 93380 | 8.25% |
| 93383 | 8.25% |
| 93384 | 8.25% |
| 93385 | 8.25% |
| 93386 | 8.25% |
| 93387 | 8.25% |
| 93388 | 8.25% |
| 93389 | 8.25% |
| 93390 | 8.25% |
| 93501 | 8.25% |
| 93502 | 8.25% |
| 93504 | 8.25% |
| 93505 | 8.25% |
| 93516 | 8.25% |
| 93518 | 8.25% |
| 93519 | 8.25% |
| 93523 | 8.25% |
| 93524 | 8.25% |
| 93527 | 8.25% |
| 93528 | 8.25% |
| 93531 | 8.25% |
| 93554 | 8.25% |
| 93555 | 9.25% |
| 93556 | 9.25% |
| 93560 | 11.25% |
| 93561 | 8.25% |
| 93581 | 8.25% |
| 93596 | 8.25% |

## Selling into Kern County: California rules

- **What's taxable:** At the state level, SaaS is exempt, clothing is taxable, groceries are exempt and digital goods are exempt.
- **Economic nexus:** You have economic nexus in California if your total combined sales delivered into the state exceed $500,000 in the current or prior calendar year, including sales made through a marketplace. There is no transaction-count trigger.
- **Filing:** The CDTFA assigns monthly, quarterly, or annual filing based on reported or estimated taxable sales. Quarterly is the default for most mid-sized sellers; high-volume sellers file monthly and may owe prepayments on the 24th of the second and third months of each quarter.

More in the [California sales tax guide](/sales-tax-guides/usa/california).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the sales tax rate in Kern County, CA?

The most common combined sales tax rate in Kern County, CA is 8.25% as of September 2026: 7.25% state and 1% special district. Rates across the county's 66 ZIP codes range from 8.25% to 11.25%, depending on the city and special districts. California's state rate is 7.25%, so local taxes add 1% here.

### Why do sales tax rates differ within Kern County?

Local sales taxes follow city and district boundaries, and ZIP codes don't. Of the 66 ZIP codes in Kern County, 35 carry 8.25% and the rest range from 8.25% to 11.25%, usually because the ZIP lies in a city or special taxing district with its own tax. Always rate a sale by the delivery address, not the county or ZIP alone.

### Which places in Kern County have their own sales tax?

9 of the 38 places in Kern County levy a city sales tax on top of the state and county rates. The highest combined rates are in Rosamond (11.25%), Ridgecrest (9.25%), McFarland (9.25%), Bakersfield (8.25%) and California City (8.25%).

### Do I need to collect Kern County sales tax if I'm based out of state?

Only once you have nexus in California. You have economic nexus in California if your total combined sales delivered into the state exceed $500,000 in the current or prior calendar year, including sales made through a marketplace. There is no transaction-count trigger. After you register, you collect California sales tax on taxable sales delivered to Kern County.

### What does California tax?

At the state level, SaaS is exempt, clothing is taxable, groceries are exempt and digital goods are exempt. The California sales tax guide covers exemptions and local exceptions.