v3.24.1
Label Element Value
Risk Return Abstract rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName VANGUARD CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE FUNDS
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Mar. 27, 2024
Retail | Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund  
Risk Return Abstract rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:13pt;font-weight:bold;">Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund</span>
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Investment Objective</span>
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The Fund seeks to provide current income that is exempt from both federal and California personal income taxes while maintaining a stable net asset value of $1 per share. The Fund is intended for California residents only.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Fees and Expenses</span>
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock The following tables describe the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and example below.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Shareholder Fees</span> <br/><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;margin-left:0%;">(Fees paid directly from your investment)</span>
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Fund Operating Expenses</span> <br/><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;margin-left:0%;">(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</span>
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Example</span>
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Principal Investment Strategies</span>
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in a variety of high-quality, short-term California municipal securities whose income is exempt from federal and California state taxes. To be considered high quality, a security must be determined by Vanguard to present minimal credit risk based in part on a consideration of maturity, portfolio diversification, portfolio liquidity, and credit quality. The Fund invests in securities with effective maturities of 397 days or less, maintains a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less, and maintains a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Principal Risks</span>
Risk [Text Block] rr_RiskTextBlock The Fund is designed for investors with a low tolerance for risk; however, the Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance, and the level of risk may vary based on market conditions:• State-specific risk, which is the chance that developments in California, such as tax, legislative, or political changes, will adversely affect the securities held by the Fund or that are available for investment by the Fund. Because the Fund invests primarily in securities issued by California and its municipalities, it is more vulnerable to the credit risk and unfavorable developments in California than are funds that invest in municipal securities of many states. Unfavorable developments in any economic sector may have far-reaching ramifications on the overall California municipal market.• Income risk, which is the chance that the Fund’s income will decline because of falling interest rates. Because the Fund’s income is based on short-term interest rates—which can fluctuate significantly over short periods—income risk is expected to be high. A low or negative interest rate environment will adversely affect the Fund’s return. Low or negative interest rates, depending on their duration and severity, could prevent the Fund from, among other things, providing a positive yield and/or maintaining a stable share price of $1.• Credit risk, which is the chance that the issuer of a security will fail to pay interest or principal in a timely manner or that negative perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of that security to decline. Credit risk should be low for the Fund because it invests primarily in securities that are considered to be of high quality.• Liquidity risk, which is the chance that the Fund may not be able to sell a security, including restricted securities, in a timely manner at a desired price.• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.• Tax risk, which is the chance that all or a portion of the tax-exempt income from municipal bonds held by the Fund will be declared taxable, possibly with retroactive effect, because of unfavorable changes in tax laws, adverse interpretations by the Internal Revenue Service or state or local tax authorities, or noncompliant conduct of a bond issuer.• Structured products risk. The Fund may invest in structured products such as tender option bonds and long-term municipal securities combined with a demand feature (e.g., variable rate demand notes or VRDNs), which may involve risks different from, and possibly greater than, those of investments directly in the underlying securities or assets.You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The Fund may impose a fee upon sale of your shares. An investment in the Fund is not a bank account and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor is not required to reimburse the Fund for losses, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time, including during periods of market stress.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Total Returns</span>
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of a comparative benchmark, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Returns for the Vanguard California Tax-Exempt Money Market Funds Average are derived from data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of a comparative benchmark, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.</span>
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">800-662-7447</span>
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;font-style:italic;">vanguard.com/performance</span>
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Keep in mind that the Fund</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">’s past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.</span>
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Total Returns — Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund Investor Shares</span>
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest and lowest returns for a calendar quarter were:
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2023</span>
Retail | Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund | Risk Nondiversified Status [Member]  
Risk Return Abstract rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk [Text Block] rr_RiskTextBlock • Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few securities. The Fund is considered nondiversified, which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of particular issuers as compared with diversified mutual funds.
Retail | Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund | Risk Lose Money [Member]  
Risk Return Abstract rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk [Text Block] rr_RiskTextBlock You could lose money by investing in the Fund.
Retail | Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund | Risk Money Market Fund May Impose Fees or Suspend Sales [Member]  
Risk Return Abstract rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk [Text Block] rr_RiskTextBlock The Fund may impose a fee upon sale of your shares.
Retail | Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund | Risk Money Market Fund May Not Preserve Dollar [Member]  
Risk Return Abstract rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk [Text Block] rr_RiskTextBlock Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so.
Retail | Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund | Risk Money Market Fund Sponsor May Not Provide Support [Member]  
Risk Return Abstract rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk [Text Block] rr_RiskTextBlock The Fund’s sponsor is not required to reimburse the Fund for losses, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time, including during periods of market stress.
Retail | Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund | Risk Not Insured [Member]  
Risk Return Abstract rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk [Text Block] rr_RiskTextBlock An investment in the Fund is not a bank account and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Retail | Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund | Investor Shares  
Risk Return Abstract rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Purchase Fee rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption Fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption none
Account Service Fee Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $5,000,000) rr_MaximumAccountFee $ 25
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.15%
12b-1 Distribution Fee rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.16%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 16
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 52
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 90
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 205
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;margin-left:0.0pt;">Highest</span>
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2023
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 0.69%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;margin-left:0.0pt;">Lowest</span>
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2015
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn none
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.58%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.03%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 0.73%
Retail | Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund | California Tax-Exempt Money Market Funds Average  
Risk Return Abstract rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.61%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.93%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 0.59%