Selling a Home in Thousand Oaks or Newbury Park: Transfer Tax, Disclosures and Timing

Quick answer: Selling a home in Thousand Oaks or Newbury Park follows the same California disclosure rules as anywhere in the state, plus three local items that catch sellers off guard: Ventura County's documentary transfer tax, a defensible space inspection from Ventura County Fire if the home is in a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and the City of Thousand Oaks oak tree rules. Start on all three before you list, and your escrow will move a lot more smoothly.

We're Steve Hise and Tricia Garcia, based in Simi Valley and helping sellers across the Conejo Valley.

1. City or county? Check which rules apply to your address

Most of Newbury Park sits inside the City of Thousand Oaks, so city rules apply. But not every Newbury Park address is in the city. Casa Conejo, the neighborhood just south of the 101 at Wendy Drive, is an unincorporated community governed by the County of Ventura, with its own Municipal Advisory Council that reports to the Board of Supervisors.

Why it matters: tree permits and planning questions go to the City of Thousand Oaks for city addresses and to the Ventura County Planning Division for unincorporated ones. Your property tax bill shows which side of the line you're on.

2. Transfer tax: what Ventura County charges

When a home sells, the deed is recorded with the Ventura County Clerk-Recorder, and a documentary transfer tax is collected at recording. The Recorder's fee schedule (effective July 1, 2026) lists the tax at $0.55 per $500 of value, under Revenue and Taxation Code section 11911. That works out to $1.10 per $1,000, or $1,100 for every $1,000,000 of sale price.

Thousand Oaks is a general law city. Under state law (Revenue and Taxation Code section 11931), when a city adopts the standard city share of this tax, the county gives a credit against the county tax and splits the money with the city. In other words, the city share is not stacked on top. Your escrow officer will show the exact figure on your estimated closing statement, and your purchase agreement spells out who pays it.

The County's exemption list covers transfers that aren't sales, such as moving a home into your own revocable trust. A normal sale to a buyer pays the tax, even from a trust. For the full list of selling costs, see our breakdown of what it costs to sell a house in Simi Valley. The county-level costs are the same in Thousand Oaks.

3. The wildfire inspection (AB 38): start this early

Much of the Conejo Valley borders open space. If your home is in a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, California Civil Code section 1102.19 requires you to give the buyer documentation that the property meets defensible space rules.

Ventura County Fire handles this in Thousand Oaks (and in Simi Valley, Moorpark and Camarillo). Here's what its Real Estate Inspection (AB-38) page says today:

• Since January 1, 2026, Ventura County Fire Protection District Ordinance 34 (Section 617) requires sellers in High or Very High zones to provide this documentation.
• It applies in both State (SRA) and Local (LRA) Responsibility Areas. The updated LRA maps took effect July 1, 2025, so a home that wasn't in a zone a few years ago may be in one now. Check your parcel on the 2025 combined FHSZ map viewer.
• If a parcel has more than one rating, the highest one applies to the whole property.
• Inspections typically happen 7 to 10 days after you request one. VCFD recommends at least a 2-week lead time before escrow closes. There's currently no fee.
• Violations must be fixed within 30 days of the notice or before escrow closes, whichever comes first, followed by a re-inspection.
• If you can't finish the work before closing, the buyer can agree to complete it within 60 days after closing, using the C.A.R. FHDS Disclosure and Addendum, sent to VCFD before escrow closes.

Inspectors look at the 100-foot zone around structures (or to the property line), and VCFD's standards are stricter than state law. Our post on California's wildfire disclosure rule for older homes covers the separate fire-hardening disclosure.

4. Oak trees: a Thousand Oaks rule many sellers don't expect

The city is named for its oaks, and it protects them. According to the City of Thousand Oaks:

• All species of oak over two inches in diameter are protected.
• Each tree has a protected zone of five feet beyond the outer edge of the canopy or 15 feet from the trunk, whichever is greater. Work that affects the tree or soil in that zone needs a permit, other than removing dead wood.
• You can't remove a dead or hazardous oak without first applying to the city.
• Landmark trees (larger California sycamore, black walnut, bay laurel and toyon) are also protected, but that ordinance doesn't apply to single-family properties under two acres.

For sellers, this means two things. First, don't take out or heavily trim an oak to "clean up" the yard before listing without checking with the city first; call Community Development at 805-449-2323. Second, gather any past oak permits and arborist reports, because buyers planning a pool, an addition or an ADU will ask. In unincorporated areas such as Casa Conejo, the County's Tree Protection Ordinance applies instead, run by the Ventura County Planning Division.

5. The standard California disclosures still apply

On top of the local items, Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park sellers complete the same state forms as everyone else: the Transfer Disclosure Statement, the Natural Hazard Disclosure, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm and water heater bracing compliance, and lead-based paint disclosure for homes built before 1978. Our guide to California seller disclosures in plain English walks through each one. If the home has an HOA, the association documents go to the buyer too.

6. Timing: a simple pre-listing calendar

Work backward from what has to be done:

• Before you list: look up your fire hazard zone and request the AB-38 inspection if you need one. Fixing brush, wood piles or overhanging limbs now means you can show a clean report to buyers instead of negotiating it later.
• Same week: confirm city vs. county jurisdiction, and pull permits for past work, including any oak permits.
• Before photos: order a pre-listing home inspection if the home is older, so repair requests don't surprise you in escrow.
• In escrow: keep the re-inspection or buyer agreement on the calendar so it's done before closing. Our week-by-week escrow guide shows where it fits.

7. How this compares with selling in Simi Valley

If you're weighing a sale in Thousand Oaks against a move to Simi Valley (or own in both), a lot is the same. Both are in Ventura County, so the same Recorder fee schedule and transfer tax apply. Both are served by Ventura County Fire, so the AB-38 process is the same. Tree rules are set by each city, so check with the City of Simi Valley for a Simi property. Planning to buy your next home in the county? Our post on Prop 19 and moving your property tax base explains how that can work.

Frequently asked questions

What is the transfer tax when you sell a home in Thousand Oaks?
The Ventura County Clerk-Recorder lists the documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value, which is $1.10 per $1,000. Your escrow officer confirms the exact amount, and the purchase agreement sets who pays it.

Is Newbury Park part of Thousand Oaks?
Mostly, yes. Most of Newbury Park is inside the City of Thousand Oaks, but some areas, such as Casa Conejo, are unincorporated Ventura County. Check your tax bill to see which applies.

Do I need a defensible space inspection to sell in Thousand Oaks?
Only if the property is in a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. If it is, Ventura County Fire requires documentation for the buyer. Request the inspection early; VCFD recommends at least two weeks before escrow closes.

Can I remove an oak tree before I sell?
Not without the city. Thousand Oaks protects oaks over two inches in diameter, and even a dead or hazardous oak needs an application first. Call Community Development at 805-449-2323.

Are the rules different from Simi Valley?
The county transfer tax and the Ventura County Fire AB-38 process are the same. Tree rules are set by each city, so check locally for each property.

Thinking about selling in the Conejo Valley or Simi Valley?

We'll help you build a pre-listing plan that covers the transfer tax, the fire inspection and the paperwork, so nothing holds up your escrow. Start here, or call or text 805-424-6226. Own in Simi Valley? See What's My Simi Valley Home Worth?

Sources

• Ventura County Clerk-Recorder, Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2026: documentary transfer tax.
• Ventura County Clerk-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Tax Exemption List.
• California Revenue and Taxation Code section 11931.
• California Civil Code section 1102.19.
• Ventura County Fire Department, Real Estate Inspection (AB-38).
• City of Thousand Oaks, Trees, and City Departments (general law city).
• Ventura County Planning Division, Tree Permits and the Tree Protection Ordinance.
• Casa Conejo Municipal Advisory Council, letter to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors (November 10, 2021).

Steve Hise and Tricia Garcia, Real Estate Toolbox at eXp Realty
Steve Hise CA DRE #01702055 | Tricia Garcia CA DRE #02032007

This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Fees, fire maps and local rules can change; confirm details for a specific property with the agency, your escrow officer, or an attorney.