Santa Barbara County, CA tax sales

County offices

County notes

• •Deed state confirmed at county level: "No, Santa Barbara County does not sell tax lien certificates" and "Tax Deeds are issued at the sale" (county FAQ, Defaulted Tax Sales page).
• •Internet auction only. County FAQ: "Our auction is an internet tax sale only. Bidders must register online via the vendors site in order to participate."
• •No over-the-counter sales. County FAQ: unsold parcels "cannot be bought from the county. They stay on the tax roll until the next tax sale or the delinquent taxes are redeemed."
• •Redemption cutoff: "The right ceases at the close of business on the last business day prior to the sale."
• •Minimum bid: no less than the total amount needed to redeem the parcel plus costs, and may be set higher at the Tax Collector's discretion.
• •Notice of sale is published three times at successive seven-day intervals in a general-circulation newspaper published in the county.
• •Buyer costs: full payment in certified funds acceptable to the online auction vendor, plus documentary transfer tax and the recording fee, calculated after bidding closes and added to the bid.
• •Deed timing: "The deed is normally recorded within 10 working days after the Tax Collector receives the full sale amount and all required transfer fees."
• •Most parcels offered are vacant land with no street address; the county advises a survey and independent research before bidding.
• •The county page does not name the auction vendor. The Bid4Assets county storefront is county-branded and links back to the county Treasurer-Tax Collector site, but the most recent storefront I could verify is the June 2024 sale, and Bid4Assets' 2026 calendar shows no Santa Barbara County 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.

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