How to use the California paycheck calculator
- Enter your pay. Choose Salary or Hourly, type the amount, and pick how often you are paid.
- Copy your Form W-4. Select your filing status and fill in Steps 2, 3 and 4 the way they are on the federal form your employer has.
- Copy your Form DE 4. Choose the filing status on your Form DE 4, enter the regular allowances from line 1a, the estimated deduction allowances from line 1b and any extra amount from line 2. With no DE 4 on file, leave it on single with no allowances.
What is the California paycheck calculator?
The California paycheck calculator is a tool that turns gross pay into take-home pay for someone who works in California. California taxes wages at graduated rates from 1% to 12.3%, and State Disability Insurance takes 1.3% of every dollar of wages, with no cap since 2024. California cities and counties do not tax wages.
The federal lines use the 2026 method in IRS Publication 15-T. The California line follows the EDD's 2026 exact calculation method (Method B), step by step, and the working is shown under the result. To see how California compares with other states, see income tax by state.
Features
- California income tax withholding with the EDD's 2026 exact calculation method (Method B)
- Every line of Form DE 4, the California withholding form
- California SDI (disability and paid family leave) at 1.3% of wages, with no wage cap
- Salary and hourly pay, with overtime hours at a multiplier you set
- Weekly, biweekly, twice-a-month and monthly pay periods
- Federal income tax from the 2026 IRS percentage method tables and every step of Form W-4
- Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base, Medicare and Additional Medicare Tax
- The federal and the state working shown step by step
- A PDF report of your inputs and every result line, to save or share on WhatsApp
California paycheck taxes in 2026
| Tax or deduction | Rate | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | 0% to 37% of the adjusted annual wage, by Form W-4 | Internal Revenue Service |
| Social Security | 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 | Social Security Administration and IRS |
| Medicare | 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% above $200,000 in the year | Internal Revenue Service |
| California income tax | 1% to 12.3% on the return; withheld with the EDD Method B rate tables | California Employment Development Department; Franchise Tax Board |
| California SDI (disability and paid family leave) | 1.3% of wages, with no wage cap | California Employment Development Department |
| City or county income tax | None | California cities and counties |
| State unemployment tax taken from employee pay | None: the employer pays it | Employment Development Department |
SDI covers both disability insurance and Paid Family Leave. At 1.3% with no wage ceiling, it applies to every dollar of pay.
San Francisco's payroll expense tax is a business tax paid by employers, not withheld from wages. No California city or county takes an income tax from paychecks.
How California withholding is worked out
The 2026 California Employer's Guide (DE 44) gives wage-bracket tables and an exact calculation, Method B. For each paycheck:
- Check the low-income exemption: no tax is withheld when yearly wages are at or below $18,896 for single filers or $37,791 for head of household and for married filers with two or more allowances.
- Subtract $1,000 for each estimated deduction allowance on line 1b of Form DE 4.
- Subtract the standard deduction: $5,706 for single filers, $11,412 for head of household and for married filers with two or more allowances.
- Apply the rate table for the filing status, from 1.1% up to 14.63% on wages over $1,000,000.
- Subtract $168.30 for each regular allowance on line 1a, divide by the number of pay periods, and add the extra amount from line 2.
California does not follow federal rules for retirement savings and HSAs. A traditional 401(k) or 403(b) contribution and an HSA contribution are subject to California withholding; a cafeteria-plan health premium is not. The calculator treats the 401(k) box this way.
Checked against the state's own example
The DE 44 example pays a married employee $2,400 twice a month with 4 allowances. Yearly wages are $57,600; minus the $11,412 standard deduction is $46,188; the tax is $772.40, less $673.20 for four allowances, and $4.13 a paycheck. The guide's answer is $4.13.
California Form DE 4
Form DE 4, the Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, is California's own form. With no DE 4 on file, the employer withholds as single with zero allowances.
| Line or box | What to enter | Effect on withholding |
|---|---|---|
| Filing status | Single or married with two or more incomes; married with one income; or head of household | Chooses the rate table and standard deduction |
| 1a | Regular allowances from Worksheet A: you, your spouse, blindness and dependents | Each takes $168.30 off the yearly tax |
| 1b | Estimated deduction allowances from Worksheet B | Each lowers yearly wages by $1,000 |
| 2 | An extra amount to withhold each pay period | Added to every paycheck |
| 3 | Exempt for 2026: no tax liability expected | No California withholding; renew by 15 February |
California take-home pay by salary
The table shows 2026 take-home pay in California for a single filer paid every two weeks, with single with one allowance on Form DE 4, and no pre-tax deductions.
| Salary | Federal income tax | Social Security and Medicare | California income tax and SDI | Take-home pay per year | Per paycheck (every two weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $1,420 | $2,295 | $634 | $25,651 | $986.56 |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $1,793 | $40,562 | $1,560.07 |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,738 | $4,027 | $57,565 | $2,214.05 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $6,860 | $72,320 | $2,781.52 |
| $100,149 | $13,203 | $7,661 | $6,878 | $72,407 | $2,784.89 |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $12,626 | $101,165 | $3,890.98 |
The $100,149 row is California's median household income in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey. A single filer paid that salary takes home $72,407 a year, or $2,784.89 every two weeks, after $6,878 in California taxes.
California take-home pay by hourly wage
The table shows a 40-hour week for a single filer paid weekly, with single with one allowance on Form DE 4. The first row is the California minimum wage of $16.90 an hour.
| Hourly wage | Gross pay per week (40 hours) | Federal taxes per week | California taxes per week | Take-home pay per week | Take-home pay per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $16.90 | $676.00 | $90.91 | $17.01 | $568.08 | $29,540 |
| $17.40 | $696.00 | $94.84 | $18.15 | $583.01 | $30,317 |
| $20.00 | $800.00 | $115.28 | $24.08 | $660.64 | $34,353 |
| $25.00 | $1,000.00 | $154.58 | $37.53 | $807.89 | $42,010 |
| $30.00 | $1,200.00 | $193.88 | $53.33 | $952.79 | $49,545 |
| $40.00 | $1,600.00 | $304.59 | $94.68 | $1,200.73 | $62,438 |
At $16.90 an hour, a 40-hour week pays $676.00 before tax and $568.08 after federal and California taxes.
California SDI on your paycheck
State Disability Insurance is 1.3% of wages in 2026, up from 1.2% in 2025. Since 1 January 2024 there is no wage ceiling, so the deduction applies to every dollar of pay. It funds disability benefits and Paid Family Leave, and employees pay all of it.
On a $100,000 salary, SDI is $1,300 a year. On $300,000 it is $3,900.
California city minimum wages
Several cities set a minimum wage above the state's $16.90. Fast food workers at large chains earn at least $20.00.
| City | Minimum wage | Since |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $19.61 | 1 July 2026 |
| San Jose | $18.45 | 1 January 2026 |
| Los Angeles | $18.42 | 1 July 2026 |
| San Diego | $17.75 | 1 January 2026 |
| Oakland | $17.34 | 1 January 2026 |
Working outside California
California has no reciprocity agreements. A California resident working in another state has that state's tax withheld, and California withholds only the amount by which California tax is higher.
California pay rules that shape your paycheck
These California rules decide how much is on a paycheck and when it arrives.
| Rule | What California law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $16.90 an hour in 2026; $17.40 from 1 January 2027 | California Department of Industrial Relations |
| Tipped employees | The full minimum wage. California allows no tip credit. | California Labor Code Section 351 |
| Overtime | Time and a half after 8 hours in a day or 40 in a week, and for the first 8 hours on the seventh straight day; double time after 12 hours in a day and after 8 hours on the seventh day | California Labor Code; Department of Industrial Relations |
| Salary for overtime exemption | $70,304 a year in 2026 | California Department of Industrial Relations |
| Paydays | At least twice a month, on days set in advance | California Department of Industrial Relations |
| Final paycheck | Immediately when fired; within 72 hours after quitting without notice; on the last day after quitting with 72 hours' notice | California Department of Industrial Relations |
| Pay stub | An itemized statement with every payment | California Labor Code Section 226(a) |
| Breaks | A 30-minute meal period before the end of the fifth hour; a paid 10-minute rest period for each 4 hours | California Department of Industrial Relations |
| Paid sick leave | One hour per 30 hours worked; at least 40 hours or 5 days a year may be used, with accrual capped at 80 hours or 10 days | California Department of Industrial Relations |
California's daily overtime means a 10-hour shift earns 2 overtime hours even in a short week, and a 13-hour shift earns 4 hours at time and a half and 1 at double time. Enter those hours in the calculator as overtime, with the multiplier that applies.
Who pays unemployment tax in California?
Employers pay California unemployment tax; nothing is taken from an employee's paycheck for it. For 2026 the taxable wage base is $7,000 per employee, and a new employer pays 3.4%, plus 0.1% employment training tax, both on the first $7,000 and both paid by the employer.
What changed for California paychecks in 2026, and what is next
- SDI rose to 1.3% of wages, still with no cap.
- The minimum wage rose to $16.90 on 1 January 2026; $17.40 is set for 1 January 2027.
- The EDD published new 2026 withholding tables: a standard deduction of $5,706 and an allowance credit of $168.30.
- Federal figures changed: the Social Security wage base is $184,500 and the IRS published new withholding tables for 2026.
What the calculator includes
- Tax year: 2026. California figures were checked against the Employment Development Department and the Department of Industrial Relations on 15 October 2026.
- Taxes: federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Additional Medicare Tax, California income tax and California SDI (disability and paid family leave).
- Forms: the 2020-and-later Form W-4 and the current Form DE 4.
- Pay: gross pay up to $10,000,000, hourly rates up to $10,000, up to 744 hours in a pay period, and an overtime multiplier from 1 to 5.
- California rules: the DE 44 Method B calculation with Form DE 4 lines 1a, 1b and 2, and SDI at 1.3% with no cap. A 401(k) contribution does not lower California wages; a cafeteria-plan health premium does.
Is it private?
Yes. The calculation runs in your browser. Your pay, your withholding forms and your result are not sent to a server and are not saved.
Tips for an accurate estimate
- Use your DE 4 allowances, not the federal W-4. With no DE 4, choose single with zero allowances.
- Enter line 1a and line 1b separately. Line 1a lowers the tax; line 1b lowers the wages.
- Your 401(k) contribution still counts as California wages, so the state line does not drop with it.
- SDI has no wage cap, so it keeps coming out of every paycheck all year.
- Enter hours over 8 in a day as overtime hours. California counts daily overtime as well as weekly.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
- Does California have a state income tax?
- Yes. California taxes income at graduated rates from 1% to 12.3%. Employers withhold it with the EDD's tables and Form DE 4.
- How much is $75,000 after taxes in California?
- A single filer paid $75,000 a year in California takes home $57,565 in 2026, or $2,214.05 every two weeks, with single with one allowance on Form DE 4. Federal income tax is $7,670, Social Security and Medicare are $5,738, and California taxes are $4,027.
- What taxes come out of a paycheck in California?
- Federal income tax, Social Security tax of 6.2%, Medicare tax of 1.45% and California income tax, plus California SDI (disability and paid family leave) of 1.3%. California has no city or county income tax on wages.
- What is SDI on my California paycheck?
- State Disability Insurance, which pays disability and Paid Family Leave benefits. In 2026 it is 1.3% of all wages, with no yearly maximum.
- Does a 401(k) lower California withholding?
- No. California withholding applies to traditional 401(k) and 403(b) contributions, unlike federal withholding. A health premium paid through a cafeteria plan is excluded.
- What is the California withholding rate on a bonus?
- 10.23% for bonuses and stock options, and 6.6% for other supplemental pay such as commissions, when paid separately from regular wages.
- What is the minimum wage in California in 2026?
- $16.90 an hour statewide, rising to $17.40 on 1 January 2027. Many cities are higher; San Francisco's is $19.61.
Sources
Every rate, bracket and limit this calculator uses comes from the official sources below. The method is shown on this page, so any result can be checked by hand.
- California Employment Development Department, 2026 California Employer's Guide (DE 44); California Withholding Schedules for 2026, Method B; Form DE 4; DE 231TP. Method B, the low-income exemption, standard deductions, rate tables, the allowance credit, Form DE 4, SDI and taxable wages.
- California Department of Industrial Relations and city labor offices, Minimum wage orders 2025-118 and 2026-66; overtime, meal and rest break and paid sick leave pages. California and city minimum wages, overtime, paydays, final pay, breaks and paid sick leave.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates, table B19013. Median household income by state.
- Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods. Worksheet 1A and the 2026 Percentage Method Tables for Automated Payroll Systems: every bracket, rate and the $12,900 and $8,600 amounts on line 1g.
- Internal Revenue Service, Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates. Social Security 6.2%, Medicare 1.45%, and Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% on wages above $200,000 in a calendar year.
- Social Security Administration, Contribution and Benefit Base. The 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500.