Right to redeem tax-defaulted property until the day before the tax sale
Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 3707(a)(1)
In plain words
In California, unpaid property taxes lead to a tax sale only after years of default (usually five for a home). You can redeem by paying what is owed until the close of business on the last business day before the sale starts. You can also start a five-year installment plan before the county gains the power to sell.
Who is protected
Owners of California property that is tax-defaulted.
When it applies
- Only in California.
- Only if you are behind on property taxes.
What you can do
Get property-tax help
Call the county tax collector for a redemption amount, or ask to start a five-year installment plan.
Deadline: Before close of business on the last business day before the sale
Open the toolPut the deadline on your calendar
Mailed payments must arrive in time; do not rely on a postmark.
Deadline: Last business day before the tax sale
Open the tool
Honest limits
- There is no redemption after the tax sale (unless the property does not sell).
- This is general education, not legal advice. Laws change and details depend on your papers and your court; check the current law or ask a lawyer or legal aid.
The law
- State lawRedemption ends before the tax sale
Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 3707(a)(1)
Exact part: (a)(1)
What it says: The right of redemption ends at close of business on the last business day before the tax sale.
Read the official texthttps://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=RTC§ionNum=3707 - State lawFive-year installment plan
Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 4217(a)
Exact part: (a)
What it says: You may elect to pay delinquent taxes in installments before the tax collector gains the power to sell.
Read the official texthttps://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=RTC§ionNum=4217
Court cases
- Homeowner wonSame topicTyler v. Hennepin County
Tyler v. Hennepin County, 598 U.S. 631 (2023)
a government that sells a home for unpaid taxes and keeps the value beyond the tax debt takes property without just compensation
- Homeowner wonSame topicHall v. Meisner
Hall v. Meisner, 51 F.4th 185 (6th Cir. 2022)
a homeowner's equity in property taken for a smaller tax debt is protected property, and taking it without compensation states a federal takings claim
- Homeowner wonSame topicJones v. Flowers
Jones v. Flowers, 547 U.S. 220 (2006)
when mailed notice of a tax sale is returned undelivered, the government must take additional reasonable steps to notify the owner before selling the property
- Homeowner wonSame topicMennonite Board of Missions v. Adams
Mennonite Bd. of Missions v. Adams, 462 U.S. 791 (1983)
a person with a recorded interest in property is entitled to notice by mail or equally reliable means before a tax sale, and publication or posting alone is not enough
- Homeowner lostSame topicPung v. Isabella County
Pung v. Isabella County, No. 25-95, slip op. (U.S. June 23, 2026)
after a fairly conducted tax sale, the government owes the former owner the surplus from the sale price, not the property's fair market value
Related rights
Right to claim excess proceeds after a tax sale
Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 4675(a)(1)
If the county sells your property for more than the taxes and costs, the extra money (excess proceeds) can be claimed. Any party of interest, including the former owner, can file a claim with the county within one year after the tax deed is recorded. California had this process before the 2023 Tyler v. Hennepin County decision.
Read this rightThe right to real notice before the government takes or sells your home
U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 1Due Process Clause
Before a state or county sells your property — for example at a tax sale, or through a court foreclosure — the Constitution requires notice that is reasonably likely to actually reach you. If the government knows your address, publishing a notice in the newspaper is not enough. If a mailed notice comes back unclaimed, the government must take extra reasonable steps to reach you, if it practicably can.
Read this rightThe government cannot keep your home equity beyond the tax debt
U.S. Const. amend. VTakings Clause
If your home is taken or sold to pay property taxes, the government may collect what you owe, but it may not keep the extra value. Keeping the surplus is a "taking" of your property without just compensation, which the Fifth Amendment forbids (Tyler v. Hennepin County, 2023). You may be able to claim the surplus, but you usually must follow your state's claim process and deadlines.
Read this rightFair handling of your escrow account
12 C.F.R. § 1024.17(c)(1)
If your servicer collects money for taxes and insurance (escrow), it must pay those bills on time as long as you are not more than 30 days behind. It must review the account every year and send you a statement. It cannot keep more than a small cushion (one-sixth of a year's payments), and it must refund a surplus of $50 or more within 30 days of the review. When you pay off the loan, it must return what is left within 20 business days.
Read this right