Sonoma County, CA tax sales
How tax lien certificate and tax deed sales work in Sonoma County, seat of Santa Rosa: 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 Sonoma County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
Details are being verified for this county.
Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Sonoma County Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector, Revenue Accounting Division
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Sonoma County does not publish a fixed annual sale date. The county page lists auctions held in November 2025, November 2023, September 2022, May 2022, October 2018 and October 2016. For the most recent sale the county states the auction "will begin at 9:00 a.m. PDT (12:00 p.m. EDT) on November 7, 2025 and the auction will close at the time shown on each auction item on November 10, 2025." Watch the Tax-Defaulted Property Auctions page for the next announcement.
Registration and deposit
Bidding is online through Bid4Assets, which the county says is "handling the bidder registration process for this sale." For the November 2025 auction the county required a refundable deposit of "$5,000.00 (plus a $35 processing fee)" with registration and deposit due by "Monday, November 3, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (4:00 p.m. EDT)." Registration steps are on Bid4Assets under "For Buyers" then "How to Bid," and Bid4Assets customer support is 1-877-427-7387. Winning bidders "must pay by cashier's check, wire transfer or electronic funds transfer."
California is a deed state and Sonoma sells the deed, not a lien. The county FAQ says "State law dictates that the minimum price for a tax-defaulted parcel offered at a public auction for the first time shall be no less than the total amount necessary to redeem plus costs." The owner's right to stop the sale ends late: "The right to pay the taxes in full to avoid the sale of the property ceases at the close of business, 5:00 p.m., on the last business day prior to the sale." Possession follows payment in full and recording of the tax deed. The county publishes the parcel list "in the local Press Democrat three times, once weekly, one month prior to the auction," in addition to the county auction page. Bidders carry the diligence burden: "Bidders are responsible for knowing what they are purchasing." Several Sonoma County cities levy an additional property transfer tax on the sale.
Register on Bid4AssetsCounty offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
Notes for Sonoma County
- Sonoma County runs its tax-defaulted property sale entirely online through Bid4Assets. The county page describes fax bidding only as an alternative for bidders without internet access, and lists no in-person bidding.
- Auction cadence is irregular. Gaps between listed sales range from roughly six months to two years, so the county auction page is the only reliable calendar.
- Phone hours for the tax collector are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Email listed on the auction page is [email protected].
- The county publishes a separate "Notice of Property Tax Delinquency and Impending Default" PDF on its Revenue Accounting page, which is upstream of the auction list and useful for early pipeline research.
- The bid4assets.com/sonoma short link resolves to the county's Bid4Assets storefront (most recently /storefront/SonomaNov25), so the storefront path changes each sale while the short link stays stable.
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 Sonoma County, California sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Sonoma County follows California's tax deed state system.
How often does Sonoma 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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