Alameda County, CA tax sales
How tax lien certificate and tax deed sales work in Alameda County, seat of Oakland: sale calendar, auction platform, over-the-counter lists, and the offices that run each sale.
Verified Jul 27, 2026 against official county and state sources.
New here? Read how California tax sales work, the difference between a lien and a deed, and redemption periods.
How Alameda County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
Details are being verified for this county.
Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Annual online tax-defaulted land auction in March. The Bid4Assets storefront lists the most recent sale as Starts "March 20, 2026 at 11:30 AM ET (8:30 AM PT)" and Ends "March 23, 2026 Closing times vary; check Auctions for details." The Bid4Assets county sale calendar lists "Alameda County, CA Tax Defaulted Properties Auction / March 20th - 23rd".
Registration and deposit
Register on Bid4Assets, not with the county. The county FAQ states "Bid4Assets.com will register bidders. Full instructions will be available on the website www.bid4assets.com. Parcels require a bidder deposit of $5,000 plus any costs required by Bid4Assets" and "The Tax Collector's office will not be registering bidders nor accepting bids and all questions will be directed to Bid4Assets.com." The Bid4Assets storefront states "A single $5,000 deposit (plus a non-refundable $35 processing fee) is required to participate in the County of Alameda Tax Sale", that all prospective bidders must fill out vesting information before they can access deposit instructions, and that only certified check, money order, or wire transfer are accepted. One deposit covers every parcel in the sale. For the March 2026 sale the deposit deadline was "March 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET (1:00 PM PT)".
California sells deeds, not certificates. The county FAQ answers "Does the county sell tax lien certificates?" with "No counties in California sell tax certificates at this time." Property is offered after taxes have gone unpaid at least five years, under Revenue and Taxation Code Division 1, Part 6, Chapter 7. The minimum bid is set by statute at no less than the amount needed to redeem the delinquent taxes plus costs; the March 2026 storefront advertised 256 parcels with bids starting as low as $455 and all lots sold with no reserve. Redemption cuts off at "the close of business, 5:00 p.m., on the last business day prior to the sale", and the county notes there is no extended right of redemption after the sale. The parcel list changes daily as owners redeem, so bidders must recheck the Bid4Assets storefront. Winners settle by wire through Bid4Assets; the county FAQ says payment is due "within 72 hours of being advised of successful bid" and the March 2026 storefront set a settlement deadline of "March 25, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET (1:00 PM PT)." Added to the final price: California documentary transfer tax at $.55 for each $500, a $17 per parcel recording fee, a $35 per parcel administrative fee, and any applicable city transfer tax. The tax deed is mailed about 60 days after the close of the auction. Not all liens are discharged; see R&TC 3712. The former owner has one year from recording of the tax deed to challenge the sale (R&TC 177, 3725, 3726), which can delay clear title. Unsold parcels are re-offered at later sales and cannot be bought over the counter directly from the county. All sales are final and property is sold as is. Bid4Assets bidder support is listed as 1-877-427-7387.
Register on Bid4AssetsCounty offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
Notes for Alameda County
- The county's own tax-defaulted land page carries no calendar. It links only to the FAQ, to Bid4Assets, and to a past auction results report, so live sale dates come from the Bid4Assets Alameda storefront.
- https://www.bid4assets.com/alameda is a stable county shortcut that redirects to the current sale storefront (it resolved to /storefront/AlamedaMar26 at the time of research), which makes it a safer link to publish than a dated storefront slug.
- The auction is fully online. There is no in-person courthouse-steps sale, and the Tax Collector's office does not take bids or register bidders.
- The Treasurer-Tax Collector's property tax counter at 1221 Oak Street, Room 131 in Oakland runs call center and office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with fax (510) 272-6807.
- Statutory notice of the sale is published in a county publication three times at successive seven-day intervals before the auction, per the county FAQ.
- Most parcels offered are vacant land with no situs address, so the county directs buyers to Assessor plat maps and the Recorder's records for location and easement diligence.
California statewide rules
- Redemption
- Tax-defaulted property may be redeemed until the right of redemption is terminated (section 4101). That right terminates at the close of business on the last business day prior to the commencement date of the tax sale, and the start of the auction counts as the sale date no matter when bidding closes. A redemption payment sent by mail must be received in the tax collector's office before that deadline. California has no post-sale redemption period: once the auction opens, a record owner who has not redeemed loses all legal and equitable interest in the property. Two situations revive the right of redemption. The right revives if the property is not sold, and it revives on the next business day if the tax collector approved a credit sale and the buyer did not pay in full by the deadline the tax collector set.
- Deed deposit
- The tax collector may require a deposit and must give public notice before the sale of its amount, payment method, and due date, and of whether it is a condition of bidding or applies toward the purchase price. On a sale the tax collector approves as a deferred-payment transaction, the deposit may be $5,000 or 10 percent of the minimum bid price, whichever is greater. Counties set the specific figure, so confirm it on the county page or auction platform.
- Surplus proceeds
- Sale proceeds first cover statutory distributions, then taxes, assessments, and county costs. Anything left is excess proceeds held in the delinquent tax sale trust fund. A party of interest may file a claim at any time before one year after the tax collector's deed to the purchaser is recorded. Distribution runs first to lienholders of record before the tax deed was recorded, in order of their priority, then to persons with title of record. Excess proceeds not claimed within that year may be transferred to the county general fund.
A tax deed does not convey marketable title. Most buyers file a quiet title action before they can resell or insure the property. See the due diligence guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does Alameda County, California sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Alameda County follows California's tax deed state system.
How often does Alameda County hold tax deed sales?
- annual. Each sale is scheduled and advertised in advance, so check the county's tax deed calendar for the next posted date.
Tax Sale Atlas publishes educational information about public tax sale processes. This is not legal, financial, or investment advice. Rules, dates, and fees change; confirm with the county office before you bid.
Explore all 58 California counties
Compare sale calendars, platforms, and rules across the state, or read the guides before you bid.