BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX FREE & MUNICIPAL FUNDS
NSAR-A, 1996-04-29
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<PAGE>      PAGE  1
000 A000000 02/29/96
000 C000000 0000717316
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE & MUNICIPAL FUNDS
001 B000000 811-3706
001 C000000 4159658300
002 A000000 1665 CHARLESTON ROAD
002 B000000 MOUNTAIN VIEW
002 C000000 CA
002 D010000 94043
003  000000 N
004  000000 N
005  000000 N
006  000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000  7
007 C010100  1
007 C020100 TAX-FREE MONEY MARKET FUND
007 C030100 N
007 C010200  2
007 C020200 MUNICIPAL MONEY MARKET FUND
007 C030200 N
007 C010300  3
007 C020300 TAX-FREE INTERMEDIATE-TERM FUND
007 C030300 N
007 C010400  4
007 C020400 TAX-FREE LONG-TERM FUND
007 C030400 N
007 C010500  5
007 C020500 MUNICIPAL HIGH-YIELD FUND
007 C030500 N
007 C010600  6
007 C020600 TAX-FREE INSURED FUND
007 C030600 N
007 C010700  7
007 C020700 TAX-FREE SHORT-TERM FUND
007 C030700 N
007 C010800  8
007 C010900  9
007 C011000 10
008 A00AA01 BENHAM MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
008 B00AA01 A
008 C00AA01 801-8298
008 D01AA01 MOUNTAIN VIEW
008 D02AA01 CA
<PAGE>      PAGE  2
008 D03AA01 94043
011 A00AA01 BENHAM DISTRIBUTORS
011 B00AA01 8-36938
011 C01AA01 MOUNTAIN VIEW
011 C02AA01 CA
011 C03AA01 94043
012 A00AA01 BENHAM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
012 B00AA01 84-1365
012 C01AA01 MOUNTAIN VIEW
012 C02AA01 CA
012 C03AA01 94043
013 A00AA01 KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP
013 B01AA01 SAN FRANCISCO
013 B02AA01 CA
013 B03AA01 94111
015 A00AA01 STATE STREET BANK & TRUST
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 BOSTON
015 C02AA01 MA
015 C03AA01 02101
015 E01AA01 X
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<PAGE>      PAGE  3
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<PAGE>      PAGE  4
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069  00AA00 N
<PAGE>      PAGE  5
077 A000000 Y
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<PAGE>      PAGE  6
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<PAGE>      PAGE  7
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<PAGE>      PAGE  8
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<PAGE>      PAGE  9
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<PAGE>      PAGE  10
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<PAGE>      PAGE  11
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<PAGE>      PAGE  12
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<PAGE>      PAGE  13
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<PAGE>      PAGE  14
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<PAGE>      PAGE  15
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<PAGE>      PAGE  16
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<PAGE>      PAGE  17
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<PAGE>      PAGE  18
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<PAGE>      PAGE  19
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064 A000500 Y
064 B000500 N
070 A010500 N
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070 B010500 N
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070 D010500 N
070 D020500 N
070 E010500 Y
070 E020500 N
070 F010500 N
070 F020500 N
070 G010500 Y
070 G020500 N
070 H010500 N
070 H020500 N
070 I010500 N
070 I020500 N
070 J010500 Y
070 J020500 N
070 K010500 Y
070 K020500 Y
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070 L020500 N
070 M010500 N
070 M020500 N
070 N010500 N
070 N020500 N
070 O010500 Y
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<PAGE>      PAGE  20
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072 X000500      327
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072 Z000500     3754
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073 C000500   0.0000
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<PAGE>      PAGE  21
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074 F000500        0
074 G000500        0
074 H000500        0
074 I000500        0
074 J000500        0
074 K000500     2334
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074 M000500        4
074 N000500   130328
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028 A010600      3554
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<PAGE>      PAGE  22
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070 A010600 N
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070 D010600 N
070 D020600 N
070 E010600 Y
070 E020600 Y
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070 F020600 N
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070 H020600 N
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<PAGE>      PAGE  23
070 J010600 Y
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<PAGE>      PAGE  24
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<PAGE>      PAGE  25
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<PAGE>      PAGE  26
070 D010700 N
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070 F010700 N
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070 I010700 N
070 I020700 N
070 J010700 Y
070 J020700 N
070 K010700 Y
070 K020700 Y
070 L010700 N
070 L020700 N
070 M010700 N
070 M020700 N
070 N010700 N
070 N020700 N
070 O010700 Y
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070 Q020700 N
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<PAGE>      PAGE  27
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<PAGE>      PAGE  28
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SIGNATURE   ANN MCCOID                                   
TITLE       CONTROLLER          
 


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000717316
<NAME> BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX FREE & MUNICIPAL FUNDS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 1
   <NAME> BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE MONEY MARKET FUND
       
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000717316
<NAME> BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX FREE & MUNICIPAL FUNDS
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   <NUMBER> 2
   <NAME> BENHAM MUNICIPAL MONEY MARKET FUND
       
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</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000717316
<NAME> BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX FREE & MUNICIPAL FUNDS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 6
   <NAME> BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE INSURED FUND
       
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000717316
<NAME> BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX FREE & MUNICIPAL FUNDS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 4
   <NAME> BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE LONG-TERM FUND
       
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

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<CIK> 0000717316
<NAME> BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX FREE & MUNICIPAL FUNDS
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<TABLE> <S> <C>

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<CIK> 0000717316
<NAME> BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX FREE & MUNICIPAL FUNDS
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   <NUMBER> 7
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