California tax sales
deed state
In California the county tax collector sells the tax-defaulted property itself, not a lien, and a public auction to the highest bidder is the most common way. The tax collector gains the power to sell once property has been tax-defaulted for five years, or three years for nonresidential commercial property. The owner can still redeem by paying the defaulted taxes until the close of business on the last business day before the sale begins. If the property sells, the former owner has the right to claim any excess proceeds.
Based on: sco.ca.gov, sco.ca.gov, leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, sco.ca.gov, sco.ca.gov
We track 15 counties in California. 3 of them have a dated sale posted; the next is in Los Angeles County on Sat, Dec 5, 2026.
Information only, not investment or legal advice. Sale dates, terms and deadlines change; always confirm with the county before you register or bid.
Upcoming dated sales in California
| Date | County | Sale | Type | Where | Deposit / register by | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 5, 2026 to Tue, Dec 8, 2026 Starts 3:00 P.M. Pacific Time Saturday; ends 12:00 P.M. Pacific Time Tuesday, December 8 |
Los Angeles | Follow-Up Online Auction (2026B) | deed | Online | Amount not stated on the schedule page; open an auction trust account or deposit funds with GovEase by Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 1:00 P.M. Pacific Time Register: Last day to register: Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 1:00 P.M. Pacific Time (registration opens Friday, November 6, 2026) |
ttc.lacounty.gov Checked Oct 27, 2026 |
| Mon, Dec 14, 2026 to Wed, Dec 16, 2026 8am (closes Wednesday, December 16 at 7pm) |
San Francisco | 2026 Supplemental Auction (online) | deed | Online | $100,000 deposit required to participate Register: not stated yet; the county says registration information will be posted on the auction page as it becomes available |
sftreasurer.org Checked Oct 27, 2026 |
| Wed, Dec 16, 2026 to Thu, Dec 17, 2026 |
Los Angeles | 2026C Online Sealed Bid Auction (unusable parcels, eligible bidders only) | deed | Online | not stated Register: not stated; the county mails a Bidder's Packet to eligible bidders |
file.lacounty.gov Checked Oct 27, 2026 |
| Wed, Mar 17, 2027 to Thu, Mar 18, 2027 8:00 a.m. and closing at various times |
San Joaquin | Tax-defaulted property public internet auction | deed | Online | $5,000 plus $35 non-refundable Bid4Assets processing fee Register: Create a free Bid4Assets account; the deposit must be received no later than 1:00 p.m. Pacific one week prior to the tax sale |
sanjoaquin.gov Checked Oct 27, 2026 |
Counties
| County | Type | Format | Next sale | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butte | deed | Online Bid4Assets |
No upcoming auction posted. The county's 2026 public auction (June 5, 2026) and re-offer auction (August 7, 2026) have passed; no later date found. | Oct 28, 2026 |
| Contra Costa | deed | Online Online auction platform (not named on the current page; registration details at www.cctax.us; an older county page names GovEase) |
Typically, our sales are held in late February and May on an online auction platform. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Humboldt | deed | Online GovEase |
Auctions are held annually through the online auction site Govease.com. | Oct 28, 2026 |
| Los Angeles | deed | Online GovEase |
Sat, Dec 5, 2026 | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Orange | deed | Online Bid4Assets |
No upcoming auction date is posted. The auction page says: 'The most recent Orange County Tax-Defaulted property tax auction was on June 25, 2025.' | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Riverside | deed | Online Bid4Assets |
2027 date not yet posted. The 2026 annual sale ran Thursday, April 23 to Tuesday, April 28, 2026, on Bid4Assets (past). | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Sacramento | deed | Online Grant Street Group |
held the last Monday in February each year, with a follow-up sale in May or June. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| San Diego | deed | Online Grant Street Group |
2027 date not yet posted: 'Tax Sale Auction Closed, next auction To Be Announced 2027.' The 2026 auction ran March 13-18, 2026 (past). | Oct 27, 2026 |
| San Francisco | deed | Online mytaxsale.com |
Mon, Dec 14, 2026 | Oct 27, 2026 |
| San Joaquin | deed | Online Bid4Assets |
Wed, Mar 17, 2027 | Oct 27, 2026 |
| San Mateo | deed | Online Grant Street Group |
Tax sales are typically held online in August, with information posted in advance. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Santa Cruz | deed | Online Bid4Assets |
In Santa Cruz County auctions are held annually. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Shasta | deed | Online Bid4Assets |
No upcoming auction posted. The county's most recent Notice of Public Auction was for an online auction on Friday, February 27, 2026, which has passed; no later date found. The county's auction FAQ says a notice is published about two months before a scheduled auction. | Oct 28, 2026 |
| Solano | deed | Online Grant Street Group |
Tax sales are generally held in May or June of each year via an online tax auction service. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Sonoma | deed | Online Bid4Assets |
No upcoming auction posted; the most recent was the November 2025 auction. The county page does not say how often auctions are held. | Oct 27, 2026 |
California tax sale questions
Does California sell tax liens or tax deeds?
In California the county tax collector sells the tax-defaulted property itself, not a lien, and a public auction to the highest bidder is the most common way. The tax collector gains the power to sell once property has been tax-defaulted for five years, or three years for nonresidential commercial property. The owner can still redeem by paying the defaulted taxes until the close of business on the last business day before the sale begins. If the property sells, the former owner has the right to claim any excess proceeds.
When is the next tax sale in California?
The next dated sale we have is in Los Angeles County on Sat, Dec 5, 2026: Follow-Up Online Auction (2026B). Counties add and cancel sales often, so confirm on the county's page before you plan around it.
Are California tax sales online or in person?
Of the 15 places we track, 15 sell online. Each county page shows the format and the auction site, if there is one.
Where do these dates come from?
Each date is read from the county's own page or a legal notice the county must publish. We link that page next to the sale and show the day we last checked it.
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