Petaluma property tax: where it goes
A Petaluma house pays 1.129% of its taxable value in property tax, plus flat charges on the same bill. For a house at $878,600 of market value with the homeowners' exemption, that's about $9,919 a year.
Tax is levied on net taxable value (land and improvements less the homeowners' exemption) times the tax rate per $100: the 1% rate plus the voter-approved taxes listed on the bill (Warm Springs Dam/Russian River Project, elementary and high school district bonds and junior college bonds).
Who taxes this house
| Taxing agency | Rate | On $878,600 |
|---|---|---|
| Countywide 1% tax (Prop 13) | 1% | $8,716 |
| Sonoma Water Warm Springs Dam / Russian River Project | 0.007% | $61 |
| Old Adobe Union School District bonds (schools) | 0.048% | $418 |
| Petaluma Joint Union High School District bonds (schools) | 0.0475% | $414 |
| Sonoma County Junior College District bonds (schools) | 0.027% | $235 |
| Petaluma Joint Union High School District parcel tax (Measure C) | flat | $50 |
| Marin/Sonoma mosquito & vector control (MS-SONOMA MOSQUITO #1) | flat | $12 |
| SF Bay Restoration Authority parcel tax (Measure AA) | flat | $12 |
| Total | 1.129% | $9,919 |
2026-27 tax year, Sonoma County (Petaluma tax rate area 003-011). Exemptions applied: Homeowners' exemption ($7,000).
Ways to pay less
- Seniors 65+: school parcel tax exemption. A parcel owned and occupied by a person 65 or older can be exempted from the Petaluma Joint Union High School District's $50-a-year parcel tax. The Petaluma City (Elementary) School District's parcel taxes have senior exemptions too. Once filed, a claim does not need to be filed again unless you move. How: Send the Senior Citizen Parcel Tax Exemption Claim, with a copy of proof of age and of your property tax bill, to Petaluma City Schools, 200 Douglas Street, Petaluma; it must be received by May 1 to take effect for the tax year that starts July 1. Questions: (707) 778-4621.
Dates
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Nov 1 (in 9 days) | First property tax installment due; it becomes delinquent after Dec 10, 2026, with a 10% penalty. |
| Nov 30, 2026 (in 38 days) | Last day of Sonoma County's 2026 assessment appeal filing period (opened July 2). |
| Feb 15 | Last day for a first-time homeowners' exemption claim to get the full exemption for that year. |
| May 1 | Deadline for seniors 65+ to file the Petaluma school parcel tax exemption for the next tax year. |
Pay or manage it
Sources
- Sonoma County 2026-27 secured tax bills (TRA 003-011 and 003-000)
- Sonoma County multi-year tax rates FY 2026-27
- Sonoma County: school parcel tax exemptions
- Petaluma City Schools: senior citizen parcel tax exemption claim
- Petaluma City Schools: parcel tax information
- SF Bay Restoration Authority Measure AA (NBS parcel tax info)
- California BOE: Homeowners' Exemption
- California BOE letter: 2026 assessment appeal filing periods by county
Checked October 21, 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.