How the inherited home calculation works
- Start with your parent's current taxable value (the assessed value on the tax bill).
- Add the exclusion amount for the date of transfer: $1,044,586 for Feb 16, 2025 to Feb 15, 2027.
- If the home's market value is at or below that total, and a child moves in within a year, the child keeps the parent's taxable value.
- If the market value is higher, the amount above that total is added to the parent's taxable value.
- If no one moves in, the home is reassessed at full market value.
Example (Livermore, 1.13%): Your parent's assessed value is $150,000 and the home is worth $1,300,000. $150,000 plus $1,044,586 is $1,194,586, so $105,414 is added, for a new assessed value of $255,414. If a child moves in, the yearly tax is about $2,815 (after the $7,000 homeowners' exemption). If no one moves in, it's about $14,729. That's a difference of about $11,914 a year.
How the move at 55 or older works
You sell your primary home and buy or build a replacement anywhere in California, within two years before or after the sale. You can do this up to three times. The question is whether the new home counts as "equal or lesser value":
| When the new home is bought | Counts as equal or lesser value if it costs no more than |
|---|---|
| Before the old home sells | 100% of the old home's sale price |
| Within 1 year after the sale | 105% of the old home's sale price |
| In the 2nd year after the sale | 110% of the old home's sale price |
If it does, your taxable value carries over unchanged. If the new home costs more, the difference is added to your taxable value.
The Board of Equalization's own example: A home sold for $400,000 with a taxable value of $100,000. A replacement is bought in the first year after the sale for $600,000. 105% of $400,000 is $420,000, so $180,000 is added, and the new taxable value is $280,000.
2025-26 property tax rates by city
These are typical total rates for the main tax rate areas in each city: the 1% base plus voter-approved bonds. Your exact rate is on your tax bill and can differ by neighborhood. Fixed charges, parcel taxes, and Mello-Roos (common in newer areas like Mountain House and Dougherty Valley) are billed on top.
| City or area | County | Typical rate |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin | Alameda | 1.24% |
| Fremont | Alameda | 1.17% |
| Livermore | Alameda | 1.13% |
| Newark | Alameda | 1.15% |
| Pleasanton | Alameda | 1.17% |
| San Leandro | Alameda | 1.24% |
| Union City | Alameda | 1.26% |
| Other Alameda County | Alameda | 1.17% |
| Danville | Contra Costa | 1.08% |
| San Ramon | Contra Costa | 1.08% |
| Other Contra Costa County | Contra Costa | 1.10% |
| Lathrop | San Joaquin | 1.11% |
| Manteca | San Joaquin | 1.11% |
| Mountain House | San Joaquin | 1.06% |
| Stockton (Stockton Unified) | San Joaquin | 1.22% |
| Stockton (Lincoln Unified) | San Joaquin | 1.09% |
| Tracy | San Joaquin | 1.15% |
| Other San Joaquin County | San Joaquin | 1.11% |
Sources:
- Alameda County Auditor-Controller, Property Tax Rates 2025
- Contra Costa County, Detail of Tax Rates 2025-2026
- San Joaquin County Auditor-Controller, 2025-26 Property Tax Rates
What to file, and when
| Situation | What to file with the county assessor |
|---|---|
| Inherited a parent's home | Homeowners' exemption within 1 year, and form BOE-19-P within 3 years or before the home is sold |
| Inherited a grandparent's home | Form BOE-19-G (the grandchild's parent must have passed away) |
| Moving at 55 or older | Form BOE-19-B within 3 years of buying the replacement home |
| Severely disabled, or wildfire or disaster victim | Forms BOE-19-D and BOE-19-DC, or BOE-19-V |
Frequently asked questions
- How much is the Prop 19 inheritance exclusion in 2026?
- For transfers from February 16, 2025 to February 15, 2027, a child who moves into a parent's home can keep the parent's taxable value on up to $1,044,586 of added market value. The amount started at $1,000,000 in 2021 and is adjusted every two years.
- Do I keep my parent's property tax bill if I inherit the house?
- Only if the home was your parent's primary residence, you make it your own primary residence within one year, and you file for the homeowners' exemption. Even then, if the home is worth more than your parent's taxable value plus $1,044,586, the amount above that is added to your assessed value.
- What happens if I inherit the house and rent it out or keep it empty?
- The home is reassessed at its current market value, the same as if it had been sold. For many East Bay families, that means a property tax bill several times higher than what the parent paid.
- How does the Prop 19 transfer work for homeowners 55 or older?
- You can sell your primary home and move your taxable value to a replacement home anywhere in California, bought within two years before or after the sale, up to three times. If the new home costs more than your old home's sale price (with a 5% allowance in the first year after the sale and 10% in the second), the difference is added to your taxable value.
- What property tax rate should I use?
- Use the total rate on your property tax bill: the 1% base plus voter-approved bonds for your tax rate area. Typical 2025-26 rates are about 1.13% in Livermore, 1.17% in Pleasanton, 1.24% in Dublin, 1.08% in San Ramon and Danville, and 1.15% in Tracy. Fixed charges, parcel taxes, and Mello-Roos are billed separately.
- What do I need to file, and when?
- For an inherited home, file the homeowners' exemption within one year and form BOE-19-P (parent to child) or BOE-19-G (grandparent to grandchild) with the county assessor within three years, or before the home is sold, whichever comes first. For a move at 55 or older, file BOE-19-B within three years of buying the replacement home.
This calculator gives estimates only. It isn't tax or legal advice. Please confirm with the county assessor and a CPA. Rules from the California State Board of Equalization, current as of September 2026.