Chapter 2. Sale By Operation Of Law of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 1. >> Part 6. >> Chapter 2.

At 12:01 a.m. on July 1, the taxes, assessments, penalties, and costs on real property except tax-defaulted property and possessory interests, which have not been paid shall by operation of law be declared in default.

The amount due on any property may be paid until the close of business on June 30 if it was separately valued on the secured roll. If June 30 falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, and payment is received by the close of business on the next business day, redemption penalties shall not attach. If the board of supervisors, by adoption of an ordinance or resolution, closes the county's offices for business prior to the time of delinquency on the "next business day" or for that whole day, that day shall be considered a legal holiday for purposes of this section. Section 2512 shall apply to remittances made by mail.

If the tax collector discovers before the declaration that because of any error the tax on a parcel of real property should not be declared in default, he or she shall not declare it in default and the board of supervisors shall cause the assessor to enter the uncollected taxes on the next roll, to be collected like other taxes on that roll.

In appropriate columns on the delinquent roll, or the secured roll if the delinquent roll has been dispensed with, opposite each parcel separately valued the taxes on which have been declared in default, the tax collector shall enter "tax defaulted," the date of the declaration, and the total amount declared to be in default.

Every person who does any act tending permanently to impair the value of tax-defaulted property is guilty of a misdemeanor and is liable for any damages sustained by the county or public agency because of his or her act. Those acts include, but are not limited to, the removal, destruction, or cutting of any improvements or timber. On request of the tax collector of the county where any part of the property is located, the district attorney of the same county shall:
  (a) Prosecute for the commission of the misdemeanor.
  (b) In the name of the people, sue for damages sustained by the county.

Within 30 days after the declaration of default, the tax collector shall furnish the auditor with a list of all tax-defaulted property. The auditor shall enter on the current roll immediately after the description of the property the fact and date of declaration of default.

The tax collector shall transmit the list of property to the assessor who shall enter on his or her records the fact and date of the declaration of default.

In lieu of the procedure specified in Section 3443, where a machine-prepared roll is used, the fact and date of the declaration of default may be entered upon the reproduced roll.

If the original declaration of default by operation of law is ever canceled or held void, the property shall be treated for all purposes as if in default in the next subsequent year for which it would have been validly declared in default but for the previous declaration of default.