Stanislaus 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 Stanislaus County Tax Collector and Clerk-Recorder; sources are listed at the end.

Stanislaus County secured property tax is paid in two installments, due November 1 and February 1 and delinquent at 5 p.m. on December 10 and April 10, with a 10 percent penalty on a late installment. The county’s tax notice also adds a cost to a late second installment.

A new owner does not receive a fresh annual bill, which is one reason buyers fall behind. When you sell, escrow pays the taxes owed from your proceeds.

Stanislaus County property tax at a glance

First installment	Due November 1, delinquent at 5 p.m. on December 10
Second installment	Due February 1, delinquent at 5 p.m. on April 10
Late penalty	10% of the installment; a late second installment also carries a cost (the county’s notice for 2018-19 listed $10.00)
Tax-defaulted	Unpaid supplemental taxes at June 30 can default a property even if the annual bill is paid
Tax sale	Normally late February or early March; date usually announced in November
Homeowners’ Exemption	Up to $7,000 off assessed value for a principal residence on January 1
Tax Collector	1010 Tenth Street, Suite 2500, Modesto, CA 95354. Phone (209) 525-6388
Transfer tax when you sell	$0.55 per $500 of value, less loans the buyer assumes

When are Stanislaus County property taxes due?

The county’s secured tax notice sets the first installment due November 1 and delinquent if unpaid at 5 p.m. on December 10, and the second due February 1 and delinquent at 5 p.m. on April 10. You may pay both installments when the first is due.

This cycle’s dates fall on Thursday, December 10, 2026, and Saturday, April 10, 2027, which rolls to the next business day, Monday, April 12. Always check the dates printed on your own bill.

Mail must be postmarked by the delinquent date. The county accepts USPS postmarks and those of IRS-designated carriers such as UPS and FedEx, and it treats private meter dates, pre-canceled stamps and unmarked envelopes as late if they arrive after the deadline.

• Partial payments are not accepted and will be returned.
• New owners do not get a new annual bill. It may show the previous owner’s name and address.
• Impound account holders get an information copy; the lender receives the original.
• Duplicate bills cost $1.00 for the current year, and prior-year copies are not available.

How do I pay Stanislaus County property taxes?

Three routes are open. By mail, send a check, money order or cashier’s check payable to the Stanislaus County Tax Collector to P.O. Box 859, Modesto, CA 95353, with the stubs; cash and postdated checks are not accepted.

In person, go to 1010 10th Street, Suite 2500, on the second floor, where cash, checks, cashier’s checks, money orders and cards are taken. By phone or online, call 1-877-727-3088 or use the county’s payment page for card or e-check payments.

• Credit card: 2.25 percent per transaction, $2.00 minimum.
• Debit card: 1 percent per transaction, $2.00 minimum.
• E-check: $1.00 per transaction.
• Returned check: $28.00, plus the penalty if it is not replaced by the deadline.

Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed weekends and holidays. For a duplicate bill or a balance, call (209) 525-6388.

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

The penalty is the first cost: 10 percent of the late installment, plus the second-installment cost. On a $2,400 late first installment that is $240. Special assessments subject to judicial foreclosure are removed from the tax roll when taxes default on June 30, and the district that levied them collects them separately.

Default is easy to trigger by accident. Supplemental taxes not paid by June 30, after the second installment turns delinquent, make the property tax-defaulted even when the annual bill is paid.

From there the property can be offered in the county’s public auction of tax-defaulted property, normally held in late February or early March. The date is usually announced at a Board of Supervisors meeting in November, and the county advises checking its website in February for updates.

The pages we reviewed do not set out redemption amounts or a payment plan for Stanislaus County, so we do not quote them. Ask the Tax Collector what it would cost to redeem a specific parcel on a specific day.

What is a supplemental tax bill in Stanislaus County?

It is an extra tax on an increase in assessed value, such as a purchase above the prior assessed value, new construction or major improvements. It is billed separately and is not paid from an impound account automatically. The bill is mailed directly to the homeowner and is due when mailed, payable in two installments.

The calendar depends on the mailing month. A bill mailed July through October has its first installment delinquent December 10 and its second April 10. One mailed November through June has a first installment delinquent on the last day of the month after mailing and a second four months later; a February mailing, for example, gives March 31 and July 31. The first installment draws 10 percent, and the second draws 10 percent plus $10.00.

The Homeowners’ Exemption can reduce assessed value by up to $7,000 if the home is your principal residence at 12:01 a.m. on January 1. There is no fee to file, new owners receive an application by mail, and it can also be claimed on a supplemental assessment. The Assessor’s Exemption Department is at (209) 525-6461.

Estimate your Stanislaus County transfer tax when you sell

The Clerk-Recorder lists the documentary transfer tax at $0.55 for each $500 of the property’s value, less any loans the buyer assumes. It is due when the transferring document is recorded, and either buyer or seller may pay by mutual agreement.

The county page does not mention a city transfer tax, so the calculator below uses the county rate alone. Certain transfers, such as adding or removing a co-signor or moving a home into a revocable trust, are not treated as sales.

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

A house with unpaid taxes can be sold. Taxes follow the property, so escrow pays them from the proceeds and the buyer gets a current tax record.

1. Get the payoff. Call (209) 525-6388 for the balance on your parcel, including any supplemental bill you may not have seen.
2. Check the sale calendar. If the parcel is tax-defaulted, find out whether it is on the upcoming February or March list.
3. Estimate the transfer tax. A $450,000 sale at $0.55 per $500 comes to $495.
4. Set the closing date. Closing before December 10 or April 10 avoids the penalty on that installment.

A cash buyer can close quickly and buy the house as is. We buy houses in Stanislaus County in any condition. Ask for a cash offer and compare it with the cost of staying behind.

Stanislaus County property tax FAQ

Can I pay both Stanislaus County installments together?

Yes. The county’s notice allows both to be paid when the first installment is due.

Does Stanislaus County accept partial payments?

No. Partial payments are not accepted and are returned.

When is the Stanislaus County tax sale?

Normally late February or early March. The date is usually announced at a Board of Supervisors meeting in November.

Who pays the transfer tax in Stanislaus County?

Either the buyer or the seller by mutual agreement. It is $0.55 for each $500 of value and is due when the deed is recorded.

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

Ask the Tax Collector for the payoff, give it to escrow, and the delinquent taxes are paid from your proceeds when the sale closes.

Sources

• Stanislaus County Tax Collector: Frequently Asked Questions
• Stanislaus County Tax Collector: Secured Taxes Due Notice (2018-19)
• Stanislaus County Clerk-Recorder: Documentary Transfer Tax

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 Stanislaus County Tax Collector.