What's the property tax rate in Ventura County?

The effective property tax rate in Ventura County typically runs 1.10% to 1.30% of purchase price, sometimes higher. It breaks down as: Prop 13 base of 1% of assessed value, plus voter-approved bonds (schools, infrastructure, parks) of roughly 0.10-0.20%, plus any Mello-Roos special tax if the parcel sits inside a Community Facilities District. Newer CFD tracts in Simi Valley (Wood Ranch, Big Sky) and newer Thousand Oaks subdivisions can push the effective total to 1.40%+ of purchase price.

Ventura County Property Tax Rate (2026)

The Ventura County property tax rate is one of the most misunderstood numbers in California real estate. The 1% Prop 13 figure is the base, but the actual rate most homeowners pay is meaningfully higher once voter-approved bonds and Mello-Roos are stacked on. Typical effective rates in Ventura County run 1.10% to 1.40% of purchase price, sometimes more on CFD parcels. I'm Brian Cooper, REALTOR(R) at eXp Realty. Below is the breakdown.

Direct AnswerThe Ventura County effective property tax rate typically runs 1.10-1.30% of purchase price: Prop 13 1% base + voter-approved bonds 0.10-0.20%, plus Mello-Roos special tax if the parcel is in a CFD (which can push the effective total to 1.40%+).

Data current as of May 2026.

Direct Answer

California Prop 13 sets the base property tax at 1% of assessed value, which on a new purchase equals 1% of the purchase price. Voter-approved bonds for schools, infrastructure, and parks layer on top, typically adding another 0.10% to 0.20% of assessed value.

If your parcel is inside a Community Facilities District (Mello-Roos), the special tax adds another fixed-dollar amount, which functions like an additional 0.10% to 0.30% in effective rate depending on parcel size and Mello-Roos amount.

Why this question matters

Buyers underwriting a Ventura County purchase often use 1% as their tax assumption. That's low. At a $900K purchase the difference between 1.00% and 1.30% is $2,700 per year, or roughly $225 per month - enough to shift affordability by $35,000-$40,000.

Sellers also misquote this. Listings sometimes show 'property tax: 1%' which is technically Prop 13 base only. The full first-year property tax bill on a new purchase is typically meaningfully higher.

The detail behind the answer

Here's the typical effective property tax rate by major Ventura County city. Mello-Roos lines are heavy in newer tracts; non-CFD properties usually land at the low end of the range.

City	Typical effective rate
Simi Valley (no CFD)	1.05-1.15%
Simi Valley (Wood Ranch / Big Sky CFD)	1.20-1.40%+
Thousand Oaks (older tracts)	1.05-1.15%
Thousand Oaks (newer / CFD tracts)	1.20-1.40%+
Camarillo (older)	1.05-1.15%
Camarillo (newer / CFD)	1.20-1.35%
Moorpark	1.10-1.30%
Ventura (city)	1.05-1.15%

How to verify

Pull the property's tax bill on the Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector site by APN. The bill itemizes the 1% base, the voter-approved bond items (broken out by issuing agency: school district, water district, etc.), and any Mello-Roos special tax line.

Remember that property tax reassesses at the sale price under Prop 13, so the prior owner's bill is not your bill. The new bill will be roughly the effective rate above times your purchase price, plus the same fixed-dollar Mello-Roos amount (if any) as the prior year.

Step 1: Pull the current tax bill on Ventura County's site.
Step 2: Identify the bond items and Mello-Roos line.
Step 3: Multiply your purchase price by the effective rate, then add Mello-Roos.

What I tell clients

Use 1.20% as your underwriting assumption in Ventura County unless you've verified the parcel has no Mello-Roos. That's conservative for older tracts and roughly correct for newer ones. Going lower than that often leaves you light at closing.

And ask for the actual tax bill before contingency removal. It's a one-page document that tells you what the next year will cost. Skipping it is one of the most common sources of post-closing payment shock in this market.