Solano County Property Tax Guide for Homeowners and Sellers

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team. Figures come from the Solano County Tax Collector and Assessor/Recorder; sources are listed at the end.

Solano County sends one secured tax bill a year, and each installment is late after 5 p.m. on December 10 or April 10. A late first installment adds 10 percent. A late second installment adds 10 percent plus a $10 cost. Anything still unpaid on June 30 moves into redemption with a $15 fee and 1.5 percent a month. If you are selling, escrow pays the balance from your proceeds.

Solano County property tax at a glance

Secured bills mailed	Annually, by October 31
First installment	Due November 1, late after 5 p.m. on December 10
Second installment	Due February 1, late after 5 p.m. on April 10
Late penalty	First: 10%. Second: 10% plus a $10 cost
After June 30	Redemption starts July 1: $15 fee and 1.5% a month until paid
Tax sale	Five years in redemption can lead to the annual county tax sale, normally in May
Payment plan	5-Pay Plan for prior-year delinquent taxes only
Tax Collector	675 Texas Street, Suite 1900, Fairfield, CA 94533. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Transfer tax when you sell	$0.55 per $500; Vallejo adds $1.65 per $500

When are Solano County property taxes due?

Bills go out by October 31. The first installment is due November 1 and becomes delinquent after 5 p.m. on December 10; you can pay the whole year at that point if you prefer. The second is due February 1 and becomes delinquent after 5 p.m. on April 10.

When either date lands on a weekend or legal holiday, payment is accepted until 5 p.m. the next business day. Using that rule, this cycle’s deadlines are Thursday, December 10, 2026, and Monday, April 12, 2027.

• Unsecured bills are mailed in July and are due by August 31.
• Secured and supplemental bills are separate charges, and each must be paid by its own delinquency date.
• USPS postmarks and IRS-designated delivery services with a shipping slip are accepted. A private postage meter date is not.
• Penalty cancellation is available for deployed military personnel. Hardship or medical requests go through the Tax Collector’s office.

How do I pay Solano County property taxes?

The county takes payments in four ways, and the details matter because partial payments are not accepted. Whatever method you use, send the full amount due on the bill.

• Online: card or e-check through the county’s property tax payment page. A third party charges a convenience fee.
• In person: 675 Texas Street, Suite 1900, first-floor lobby, Fairfield. The window takes cash, debit cards and checks, but not credit cards.
• By mail: send the check to the same Fairfield address, payable as shown on your bill.
• By phone: the Tax Collector’s office does not take payments by phone. Card payments by phone go through Official Payments Corporation at 1-888-357-8394.

Garbage and weed-control liens become part of the property tax. The county says you cannot pay your taxes without also paying such a lien. If you have an impound account, your lender receives the bill and you get an information copy, and supplemental bills are typically not paid by mortgage companies.

What happens if I don’t pay property taxes in Solano County?

The sequence is penalty, redemption, then sale. The 10 percent penalty applies the day after each deadline, with the $10 cost on the second installment. Taxes still unpaid on June 30 move to redemption on July 1, carrying a $15 fee and 1.5 percent interest each month until paid in full. On a $4,000 unpaid first installment, the penalty alone is $400, and a year of redemption interest would add about 18 percent of the unpaid amount.

If a bill stays in redemption for five years, the county can obtain the power to sell, file a lien, and list the property in its annual tax sale, normally held in May. The county’s terms of sale say the former owner’s right to redeem ends at 5 p.m. the day before the auction. The property list is posted by the end of February.

There is a way to climb out earlier. The 5-Pay Plan covers prior-year delinquent taxes only. It asks for at least one payment per tax year across five years while you keep current taxes paid on time.

Once the power to sell is established the plan is gone and everything must be paid in full. Bankruptcy does not release the debt, and the Tax Collector’s office handles questions about that.

What is a supplemental tax bill in Solano County?

A supplemental bill is due on receipt and delinquent on the date printed on it. It follows a reassessment after a purchase or new construction. The county reminds owners that mortgage companies typically do not pay supplemental bills, so a buyer with an impound account should plan to pay this one directly.

Owners may also qualify for exemptions. The county lists the homeowner’s, veteran’s, and church and welfare exemptions, and the Assessor’s office decides eligibility, so call there instead of guessing.

Estimate your Solano County transfer tax when you sell

The county’s tax sale terms list the documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500, plus $1.65 per $500 for properties in Vallejo. That is a combined $2.20 per $500 in Vallejo.

The Recorder’s office is at 675 Texas Street, Suite 2700, Fairfield, open to the public 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with recording accepted until 3:30 p.m. Its phone is (707) 784-6290. The calculator applies the county rate; tick the city box if the house is in Vallejo.

How to sell a house in Solano County when you owe property taxes

A house with unpaid taxes can be sold. The taxes are a lien, escrow pays them from your proceeds, and the buyer receives the home with taxes current.

1. Ask for the redemption amount. Request a figure for your intended closing month, including any weed-control or garbage lien.
2. Look at the timeline. If the parcel is near five years in redemption, the May tax sale sets a hard stop, and the right to redeem ends the day before.
3. Add up closing costs. On a $500,000 sale outside Vallejo the county transfer tax is $550. In Vallejo it is $1,100 in total.
4. Schedule around the penalty dates. Closing before December 10 or April 10 avoids that installment’s penalty.

Cash buyers skip the loan approval step, which is often what runs out the clock. See our Solano County home buying page or request a cash offer and call (424) 435-2326.

Solano County property tax FAQ

What happens to unpaid Solano County taxes on June 30?

They move to redemption on July 1, with a $15 fee and 1.5 percent interest each month until the taxes are paid in full.

Can I pay Solano County property taxes by credit card in person?

No. The in-person window takes cash, debit cards and checks only. Credit cards are accepted online or through the county’s phone payment vendor, which charges a fee.

Does Solano County offer a payment plan?

Only for prior-year delinquent taxes, through the 5-Pay Plan. It requires at least one payment per tax year over five years and on-time current taxes. No plans exist for current-year taxes.

When is the Solano County tax sale?

Normally in May, after five years in redemption. The list is posted by the end of February, and the owner’s right to redeem ends at 5 p.m. the day before the auction.

How do I sell a house in Solano County with delinquent property taxes?

Get the redemption amount from the Tax Collector, give it to escrow, and the taxes are paid from your proceeds when the sale closes.

Sources

• Solano County Tax Collector: Property Tax FAQ
• Solano County Tax Collector: Terms of Sale
• Solano County Assessor/Recorder: Recorder FAQ
• Solano County Recorder: Special Recording Fees and Requirements

This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rates, fees and dates can change; confirm the amount on your own bill with the Solano County Tax Collector.