Berkeley property tax: where it goes

A Berkeley house pays 1.232% of its taxable value in property tax, plus flat charges on the same bill. For a house at $1,413,900 of market value with the homeowners' exemption, that's about $19,726 a year.

Tax is levied on assessed value, less any exemptions; the 1% countywide tax is the basic rate and voter-approved debt service rates are added on top of it.

Alameda County publishes 2026-27 rates only through an interactive search with no downloadable file, so the rates used are the county's 2025-26 rate table (Property Tax Rates 2025). The City's 2026-27 charges come from the City's property tax page.

Who taxes this house

Taxing agency	Rate	On $1,413,900
Countywide 1% general levy (Prop 13)	1%	$14,069
Alameda County GO bond	0.0084%	$118
Berkeley Unified School District bonds (schools)	0.1154%	$1,624
Peralta Community College District bonds (schools)	0.0432%	$608
BART	0.0152%	$214
East Bay Regional Park District	0.0011%	$15
City of Berkeley (voter-approved bonds)	0.049%	$689
City street lighting tax ($0.0108 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$13
City parks, trees and landscaping tax ($0.2783 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$334
City library services tax ($0.3128 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$375
City library Measure X (2024) tax ($0.06297 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$76
City paramedic supplemental tax ($0.0492 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$59
City emergency services for the severely disabled tax ($0.02339 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$28
City Measure GG (2008) fire protection tax ($0.07026 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$84
City Measure FF (2020) fire and wildfire tax ($0.13633 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$164
City Measure FF (2024) safe streets tax ($0.17842 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$214
BUSD school tax (Measure H of 2024) ($0.5562 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$667
BUSD school maintenance (Measure H of 2020) ($0.10969 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$132
BUSD educator recruitment (Measure E of 2020) ($0.14944 per sq ft of building, 1,200 sq ft assumed)	flat	$179
City Clean Stormwater Fee (FY 2027 proposed rate for a medium single-family parcel; small $50.57, large $76.46)	flat	$63
Total	1.232%	$19,726

2025-26 tax year, Alameda County tax rate area 13-000 (City of Berkeley); flat charges are 2026-27. Exemptions applied: Homeowners' exemption ($7,000).

Ways to pay less

Low-income property owners: refunds of certain City taxes. Low-income refunds are available for certain taxes. How: See the City's Very Low-Income Refund Program page for instructions and forms.
100% disabled veterans: property tax exemption. The Disabled Veterans' Exemption reduces property tax on the principal residence of veterans rated 100% disabled because of a service-connected injury or disease (or paid at the 100% rate for unemployability). For the 2025-2026 assessment year the basic exemption amount is $175,298; a larger low-income exemption also exists. How: See the Alameda County Assessor's exemptions page.

Dates

When	What
Dec 10 (in 49 days)	Last day to pay the first installment of secured property taxes without penalty; also the deadline for late homeowners' and veterans' exemption claims.
Feb 15	Deadline to file the homeowners', veterans' and disabled veterans' exemption claims.
Apr 10	Last day to pay the second installment of secured property taxes without penalty.
Jul 2 – Sep 15	Window to file an assessment appeal with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.

Pay or manage it

Sources

Checked October 22, 2026. Every number here comes from the public sources listed, matched by our checker.

Rates change every year; this page shows when it was last checked. Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.