Del Norte County, CA tax sales
How tax lien certificate and tax deed sales work in Del Norte County, seat of Crescent City: 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 Del Norte County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
Details are being verified for this county.
Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Del Norte County Tax Collector
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Annual online public auction in May, with a re-offer auction in June for parcels that do not sell. County-verified dates: the Tax Collector's office "held a public internet Auction May 15, 2026"; before that it "held a public internet Auction May 12, 2025 and a Re-offer Tax Sale June 9, 2025"; and in 2024 it stated "The Del Norte County Tax Collector's Office will hold a Tax Deed Auction on May 20, 2024" followed by "a Re-offer Auction on June 17, 2024." A January 2025 notice read "The Tax Collector's office will hold a tax sale in May 2025. More information about the upcoming auction will be posted by the end of February 2025."
Registration and deposit
Register and bid on GovEase; the county does not take bids directly. The Tax Collector's 2024 notice stated "The sale will be conducted by https://www.govease.com/" and that "Our Tax Sale information should be live on govease by mid April, 2024 and registration will open on April 19, 2024. Registration must be completed by May 17th, 2024." Registration therefore opens roughly a month ahead of the May sale and closes a few days before it. Bidders create an account at liveauctions.govease.com and must review the full Terms of Sale posted on the auction webpage before bidding. Deposit amounts are set per sale on the GovEase auction page and were not stated on the county site at the time of research.
California is a tax deed state and Del Norte County sells the deed, not a lien. The sale is run by the Del Norte County Tax Collector, whose published duties include "preparation for and conducting sales of tax-defaulted properties." It is an online-only internet auction hosted on GovEase, so there is no in-person courthouse sale. When a sale is pending, the county posts the approved parcel list directly on its Tax Sale page with APN, situs address, minimum bid, zoning code and zoning description, plus per-parcel map and photo links; between sales that table is replaced by a Sales Report of results. Minimum bids run low for rural land: the 2024 list showed parcels starting at $1,600 to $13,000, and the May 15, 2026 results show opening bids as low as $250 with 11 parcels sold. Parcels are pulled from the list as owners redeem, and the county advises taxes may be paid up to 5:00 PM two or three days before the auction to stop the sale. The county warns that "Research the property prior to bidding. Due diligence research is incumbent on the bidder. The winning bidder is legally obligated to purchase the property," and that "Many title companies may not insure title on properties sold at public auction for at least one (1) to five (5) years after the tax deed has been recorded." It also directs buyers to call the county Planning Division at (707) 464-7254 for development information because "Some lots may have one or more development constraints," which matters given the flood-plain (FP-1), resource-conservation (RCA-1) and ag/forestry zoning on many offered parcels. Excess proceeds claims by parties of interest are handled under Revenue and Taxation Code section 4675 via a claim form on the Tax Sale page. Note for older research: Bid4Assets hosted Del Norte sales through 2023 and its /delnorte link still redirects to a 2023 storefront, but the county moved to GovEase starting with the 2024 sale.
Register on GovEaseCounty offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
Notes for Del Norte County
- Deed sale, not a lien sale: Del Norte follows California Revenue and Taxation Code Division 1, Part 6, Chapter 7 and conveys a tax deed to the winning bidder.
- Online only. The Tax Collector runs a public internet auction on GovEase; there is no in-person bidding at the courthouse.
- Two bites each year. A main auction in May is followed by a June re-offer auction for unsold parcels, confirmed in 2024 (May 20 and June 17) and 2025 (May 12 and June 9).
- The parcel list lives on the county Tax Sale page itself, with minimum bid, zoning code and zoning description per APN, which is unusually useful for land buyers screening before a bid.
- Low entry prices. The May 15, 2026 sales report shows minimum bids from $250 and 11 parcels sold, with several sales generating excess proceeds.
- Zoning risk is real. Many offered parcels carry FP-1 flood-plain, RCA-1 resource conservation, or ag/forestry designations. The county tells bidders to call the Planning Division at (707) 464-7254 about development constraints before bidding.
- Title seasoning warning from the county: many title companies may not insure title for one to five years after the tax deed is recorded.
- Platform history: Bid4Assets hosted Del Norte tax sales through 2023 and its /delnorte shortlink still redirects to a 2023 storefront. GovEase has been the platform since the 2024 sale, so older third-party guides naming Bid4Assets are stale.
- Between sales the county page shows only a Sales Report and the excess-proceeds claim form. The next sale's parcel list and GovEase link are posted roughly in the February to mid-April window ahead of the May auction.
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 Del Norte County, California sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Del Norte County follows California's tax deed state system.
How often does Del Norte 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.
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