Placer County, CA tax sales
How tax lien certificate and tax deed sales work in Placer County, seat of Auburn: 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 Placer County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
Details are being verified for this county.
Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Placer County Treasurer-Tax Collector
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Annual. The county states: "The 2026 Tax Land Sale is scheduled for October 21, 2026." Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the sale begins at 9 a.m.
- Sale list
- Current Tax Land Sale Properties
Registration and deposit
Register in person on the morning of the sale. The county states: "Prospective purchasers will be asked to register in person on the morning of the sale." Registration opens at 8 a.m., bidding starts at 9 a.m. A $2,500 refundable deposit is required at registration, payable in cash or cashier's check made out to the Placer County Tax Collector. Personal checks are not accepted. Each registered bidder receives an identification number used to bid. Bid raises are in increments of at least $100.
Placer County sells the deed to tax-defaulted property at its annual Tax Land Sale, run by the Treasurer-Tax Collector. The sale is conducted in person, not through an online auction platform. The county page states it "is not allowed, by law, to sell properties by any means other than at a public auction." No online bidding site, Bid4Assets listing, or other platform is referenced on the county's tax land sale page. The published property list carries item number, assessor parcel number, last assessee, location description, and minimum bid, and several parcels are flagged as sealed bid property. For purchases over $5,000 a payment plan is available, with the balance due "within a period specified by the tax collector, no later than 90 days from the date of the sale, as a condition precedent to the transfer of title." Buyers are pointed to the Assessor's Office at 2980 Richardson Drive, 2nd Floor, Auburn for parcel research before bidding.
County offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
Notes for Placer County
- Placer County calls its tax deed auction the Tax Land Sale, and the Treasurer-Tax Collector runs it.
- The sale is in person. Bidders register on site the morning of the auction and post a $2,500 refundable deposit in cash or cashier's check. Personal checks are refused.
- Minimum bid raises are $100. Some parcels on the list are designated sealed bid property rather than open outcry.
- Winning bidders over $5,000 may use a payment plan, with the balance due no later than 90 days from the sale date before title transfers.
- The county posts the parcel list with APN, last assessee, location, and minimum bid on its Current Tax Land Sale Properties page, along with archived results from prior years.
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 Placer County, California sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Placer County follows California's tax deed state system.
How often does Placer 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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