<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 03/31/95
000 C000000 0000711402
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 PUTNAM CALIFORNIA TAX EXEMPT INCOME TRUST
001 B000000 811-3630
001 C000000 6172921471
002 A000000 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02109
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 2
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 CALIFORNIA TAX EXEMPT INCOME FUND
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C020200 CALIFORNIA INTERMEDIATE TAX EXEMPT INCOME FD
007 C030200 N
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
020 A000001 SCOTT BALDWIN
020 B000001 31-9581870
020 C000001 52
020 A000002 MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER & SMITH
020 B000002 13-5674085
020 C000002 30
020 A000003 PAINE WEBBER, INC.
020 B000003 13-2638166
020 C000003 26
020 A000004 RAND FINANCIAL SERVICES
020 B000004 86-3849442
020 C000004 24
SIGNATURE GORDON H. SILVER
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
FROM Putnam California Tax Exempt Income Class A AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> SEMI
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1995
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 3,344,717,152
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 3,523,656,056
<RECEIVABLES> 59,163,147
<ASSETS-OTHER> 3,512,714
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,586,331,917
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 10,168,025
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 21,359,027
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 31,527,052
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 3,431,381,887
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 384,866,455
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 403,264,434
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (1,315,002)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (53,900,778)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 178,638,758
<NET-ASSETS> 3,554,804,865
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 115,590,221
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 13,142,623
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 102,447,598
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (37,283,993)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 119,545,393
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 184,023,329
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (93,869,515)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (9,709,590)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 16,129,304
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (41,063,915)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 6,536,632
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (55,572,608)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (583,482)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (5,141,132)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 7,985,250
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 13,142,623
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 3,102,667,056
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.09
<PER-SHARE-NII> .24
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .20
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.24)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.03)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.26
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .35
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
FROM Putnam California Tax Exempt Income Class B AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> SEMI
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1995
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 3,344,717,152
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 3,523,656,056
<RECEIVABLES> 59,163,147
<ASSETS-OTHER> 3,512,714
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,586,331,917
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 10,168,025
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 21,359,027
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 31,527,052
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 3,431,381,887
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 45,400,961
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 43,294,681
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (1,315,002)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (53,900,778)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 178,638,758
<NET-ASSETS> 3,554,804,865
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 115,590,221
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 13,142,623
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 102,447,598
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (37,283,993)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 119,545,393
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 184,023,329
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (9,307,675)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (1,080,394)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 5,858,291
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (4,445,786)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 693,775
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (55,572,608)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (583,482)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (5,141,132)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 7,985,250
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 13,142,623
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 348,058,329
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.08
<PER-SHARE-NII> .21
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .21
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.21)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.03)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.25
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .67
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
