Carmel & Pebble Beach Property Taxes: How They Work
Property taxes in Carmel, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Pebble Beach: what you’ll pay, when, and why it changes when you buy
All three are in Monterey County, so the same California rules set the bill: a 1% base on the assessed value, local charges on top, and a fresh assessment when a home changes hands. Here’s how it works, what a first bill looks like, the due dates, and the rules sellers over 55 and families should know.
The short version: Your annual bill is 1% of the assessed value, plus local voter-approved debt and direct charges that vary by parcel. When you buy, the home is reassessed at its market value as of the change of ownership, and the value can then rise no more than 2% a year until it sells again or you build. A prorated supplemental bill follows closing and goes to you, not your lender. Annual bills are mailed in mid-October; the first half is due November 1 and late after December 10, the second half is due February 1 and late after April 10. A $7,000 homeowners’ exemption applies to a principal residence.
Base tax rate
Of assessed value, plus voter-approved debt and direct charges.
Annual cap
Limit on yearly increases in assessed value until a sale or new construction.
Delinquency dates
First and second installments, 5 p.m.
Homeowners’ exemption
Off the taxable value of a principal residence.
How a Monterey County property tax bill is built
From the county Treasurer-Tax Collector and the California State Board of Equalization (BOE).
Assessed value
The county Assessor sets the value as of January 1. Generally it is the market value at the time you bought, and it rises no more than 2% a year until the home sells or new construction is completed.
The 1% general levy
The Auditor applies the general tax levy, 1% of the assessed value.
Plus voter-approved debt
Under Proposition 13, the rate is 1% plus amounts needed for voter-approved bonded indebtedness, so the total rate differs from area to area.
Plus direct assessments
Charges from agencies and districts are added as direct assessments. Questions about each go to the agency listed on the bill.
Fiscal year
A bill covers July 1 through June 30 and is levied on the property as it exists on January 1.
Who does what
The Assessor values the property, the Auditor applies the rates and charges, and the Tax Collector mails the bills and collects.
County secured property tax FAQ BOE: California Property Tax (Pub. 29)
What the 1% base looks like at today’s medians
Simple math on the median prices from my market stats pages, October 2025 – September 2026. Your actual bill adds local debt and charges.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
At the $3.47M median, the 1% base is about $34,700 a year. See Carmel-by-the-Sea market stats.
Pebble Beach
At the $3.21M median, the 1% base is about $32,100 a year. See Pebble Beach market stats.
The Carmel area
At the $2.47M median for the nine neighborhoods around the town, the 1% base is about $24,700 a year. See Carmel market stats.
Ask for the real bill
For any home you’re considering, ask for the current tax bill. It shows the local rate and every direct charge, and a long-held home’s bill can be far below what you’ll pay after you buy.
The supplemental tax bill
The one that surprises buyers. From the Monterey County Assessor.
Why it exists
Reassessment takes effect the first day of the month after the change in ownership or completion of new construction, instead of waiting for the next January 1.
How it’s figured
The county subtracts the old assessed value from the new one, applies the tax rate, and prorates for the months left in the fiscal year. The county’s example: a $200 annual increase with six months left becomes a $100 bill.
One bill or two
A purchase between June 1 and December 31 brings one supplemental bill. A purchase between January 1 and May 31 brings two: one for the current year and one for the next.
It goes to you
Lenders don’t receive supplemental bills, even if you pay taxes through an impound account. They are mailed to the owner, so pay it or call your lender.
Timing
The county says it can take several weeks to several months after closing for the bill to arrive.
Paperwork at closing
The buyer files a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report when the deed records. Without it, the Recorder charges an extra $20.
When property taxes are due in Monterey County
The annual bill is paid in two installments.
Bills mailed
Mid-October.
First installment
Due November 1, delinquent after 5 p.m. on December 10. A late payment adds a 10% penalty.
Second installment
Due February 1, delinquent after 5 p.m. on April 10. A late payment adds a 10% penalty plus a $20 cost.
Weekends and holidays
If December 10 or April 10 falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline moves to 5 p.m. the next business day.
No partial payments
Each installment must be paid in full; the Tax Collector can’t accept partial payments.
After June 30
Unpaid current-year taxes go into default, with a $15 redemption fee and interest of 1.5% a month.
The homeowners’ exemption and Proposition 19
Relief that applies to some owners, not all.
Homeowners’ exemption
A $7,000 reduction in taxable value for an owner-occupied principal residence. File form BOE-266 once with the county Assessor, by February 15 for the full exemption that year. Second homes don’t qualify.
Over 55: take your tax base with you
Under Proposition 19, a homeowner at least 55 years old (or severely disabled) can transfer the taxable value of a principal residence to a replacement home anywhere in California bought within two years of the sale, up to three times. If the new home costs more, the difference is added to the transferred value.
Filing the claim
The claim is filed with the Assessor of the county where the replacement home is, after both transactions close and you live in the new home, within three years. It isn’t done through escrow.
Parents to children
Since February 16, 2021, a parent-to-child transfer avoids reassessment only for a family home that becomes the child’s primary residence, and only up to the home’s taxable value plus $1 million (adjusted annually from 2023). Above that, the excess is added.
Ask before you commit
Monterey County’s Assessor advises talking with its Change in Ownership Section before making commitments if a base-year transfer matters to your plans.
Selling to buy here
Sellers moving within the Peninsula often weigh this. See selling a home in Carmel, selling in Carmel-by-the-Sea, and selling a Pebble Beach home.
What else can show up on the bill
Direct charges differ by parcel. Two local examples.
Pebble Beach
The Pebble Beach Community Services District says its sewer service fee and its basic residential garbage, recycling, and organics fees are collected on the property tax bills. See Pebble Beach HOA and PBCSD fees.
School and bond charges
Voter-approved bonds add to the 1% base, and they vary by area. The current bill is the only reliable way to see them for a specific home.
Transfer tax is separate
Monterey County’s documentary transfer tax, $0.55 per $500 of value, is paid once at the sale, not on the annual bill. Who pays is negotiated.
Carmel-by-the-Sea and the Carmel area
Both are in Monterey County, so the same Assessor and Tax Collector handle them. What differs is the local charges on each parcel.
Questioning your assessed value
From the county Treasurer-Tax Collector FAQ.
Start informally
Ask the Assessor’s office for an informal assessment review.
File an appeal
If you still disagree, apply to the Assessment Appeals Board between July 2 and November 30.
Keep paying
An appeal doesn’t defer the tax. Pay on time, or penalties apply.
Values set at purchase
Because the assessed value usually starts at your purchase price, a recent sale price is strong evidence of value.
Want the real numbers on a specific home?
For any home we look at, I’ll pull the current tax bill so you can see the local charges, and we’ll estimate what your bill will look like after you buy.
If you’re over 55 and selling to buy here, we’ll plan the timing around the Prop 19 two-year window.
Carmel-by-the-Sea homesPebble Beach homesCarmel homes
Planning a move on the Peninsula?
Call or text 831-747-0310, or book a 30-minute call.
Before you rely on this
- This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Talk to a tax professional and the Monterey County Assessor about your situation.
- Rules and dates are from the Monterey County Treasurer-Tax Collector and Assessor pages and the California BOE, checked Oct 30, 2026.
- The 1% figures are simple math on median prices from my stats pages; they leave out voter-approved debt and direct charges, which vary by parcel.
Property taxes: quick questions
What is the property tax rate in Carmel and Pebble Beach?
The base is 1% of assessed value, plus voter-approved debt and direct charges that vary by parcel. Ask for the current bill on a specific home to see the full rate.
Are property taxes reassessed when I buy in Carmel-by-the-Sea or Pebble Beach?
Yes. The home is reassessed at its market value as of the change of ownership, and the value can then rise no more than 2% a year until the next sale or new construction.
What is a supplemental tax bill?
A prorated bill for the difference between the old and new assessed value, from the first day of the month after you buy to the end of the fiscal year. It goes to the owner, not the lender.
When are Monterey County property taxes due?
The first installment is due November 1 and delinquent after 5 p.m. December 10. The second is due February 1 and delinquent after 5 p.m. April 10.
What is the penalty for paying late?
10% of the installment. The second installment also adds a $20 cost.
Does a second home in Carmel get the homeowners’ exemption?
No. The $7,000 homeowners’ exemption is only for an owner’s principal residence on January 1.
Can I transfer my property tax base to a home in Carmel or Pebble Beach?
If you’re at least 55 or severely disabled, Proposition 19 lets you transfer the taxable value of your principal residence to a replacement home anywhere in California bought within two years of the sale, up to three times. A higher-priced replacement adds the difference.
Are Pebble Beach sewer and garbage fees on the property tax bill?
Yes. PBCSD says its sewer service fee and basic residential garbage, recycling, and organics fees are collected on the property tax bills.
Updated October 2026 · Facts checked Oct 30, 2026 against the Monterey County Treasurer-Tax Collector and Assessor, the California BOE, PBCSD, and my market stats pages
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