Sacramento County Tax Auction Guide 2026

Sacramento County — home of California's state capital and a fast-growing metro of 1.6 million — holds two annual online tax-defaulted property auctions via GrantStreet / DeedAuction (Sacramento.mytaxsale.com): a primary sale the last Monday in February and a follow-up sale in May or June. The 2026 sale was held May 18–19, 2026. The county typically offers dozens to low hundreds of properties per cycle spanning urban Sacramento neighborhoods (Oak Park, Del Paso Heights), suburban areas (Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova), and agricultural flatlands in the unincorporated south. This guide covers the full process: registering at Sacramento.mytaxsale.com, the $5,000 refundable deposit via ACH/e-check (no wire transfers), the $40 final payment fee from Grant Street, the critical vesting-information-first requirement, and the auction format. You'll learn how to research parcels through the Sacramento County Assessor, check flood zones (significant along the American River and Cosumnes River), verify Williamson Act restrictions on agricultural land, and evaluate infill lots in transitioning urban neighborhoods. Covers Sacramento-specific quiet title process (Superior Court at 720 9th Street), SAFCA flood control assessment liens that survive the sale, Documentary Transfer Tax ($1.10/1,000 county + $2.75/1,000 City of Sacramento = $3.85/1,000 total in city limits), and all county office contacts.