Mendocino County, CA tax sales

County offices

County notes

• •Office and phone hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to noon and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Both the counter and phone lines close from noon to 1:00 pm for lunch (source: mendo-ttc).
• •Office fax is (707) 463-4166 (source: mendo-ttc).
• •The county service directory lists "Real Estate Properties Auction" under the Treasurer-Tax Collector with the summary "Scheduled Public Auctions," pointing back to the Tax Defaulted Property Auction page (source: mendo-svc-dir).
• •The June 2019 Bid4Assets sale offered 41 parcels with bids starting as low as $1,200, ran June 21 to June 24, 2019, and had a June 27, 2019 settlement deadline (source: b4a-mendo-jun19). These figures are historical and should not be presented as current terms.
• •Bid4Assets adds a California documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 of purchase price plus a $35 per-parcel-won administrative fee to the final sale price on California county tax sales (source: b4a-mendo-jun19).
• •No current delinquent or sale list is published. The county states additional auction details and default properties will be brought forward as soon as possible (source: mendo-auction).

California 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.California Revenue and Taxation Code 3707 - right of redemption terminates at close of business on the last business day before the saleCal. Rev. & Tax. Code 3707Verified Jul 25, 2026

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.California Revenue and Taxation Code 3706 - sale at public auction to the highest bidder, no bid below the approved minimum priceCal. Rev. & Tax. Code 3706Verified Jul 25, 2026

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.California Revenue and Taxation Code 4675 - claims for excess proceeds within one year of recordation of the tax deed, and claim priorityCal. Rev. & Tax. Code 4675Verified Jul 25, 2026

Governing statute

Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code, Division 1, Part 6 (sections 3351 to 3972)California Revenue and Taxation Code 3691 - power to sell tax-defaulted property after five years, three years for nonresidential commercialCal. Rev. & Tax. Code 3691Verified Jul 25, 2026

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.

See the full Californiarules and every county →