Sales Tax Rates Rise Monday; Out-of-State Online Sellers Included

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SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- If you need to buy a big-ticket item, this weekend might be the time to do it.

On Monday, the sales tax is going up in several Bay Area cities.

New rates are about to take effect in Alameda, Antioch, Martinez, Redwood City and Los Gatos plus all of Sonoma County.

Sales Tax Increases in Bay Area Cities

The smallest increase is in Los Gatos, which raises the tax from 9 percent to 9.125.

Alameda's new tax is closer to 10 percent.

A total of 51 cities across California are adding to their local sales taxes at the beginning of April, that's on top of the standard statewide rate of 7.25.

And don't expect you can order online to dodge the tax. As a result of a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2018, California will now require out-of-state retailers which were previously exempted to collect sales and use taxes.

State officials defend the new online rules as closing a loophole to level the playing field for California retailers.