El Dorado County · Foreclosure & auctions
Foreclosure and auctions in El Dorado County
El Dorado County does not let a vacant building designed for human use stay without active maintenance for more than 30 calendar days. The county code applies only in unincorporated areas.
Key points
- Maintenance: A vacant building designed for human use may not stay without active maintenance for more than 30 calendar days, foreclosed or not.
- Exceptions: A building may stay vacant with an active repair permit and diligent progress, or if code-compliant, ready and offered for sale, lease or rent.
- Penalties: A first administrative penalty is up to $1,000.00 per building; a second, 30 calendar days later if the violation continues, is up to $5,000.00.
- Repeat violations: If a previous penalty within 2 years concerned a different vacant building, the penalty is not less than $2,000.00 and not more than $10,000.00.
- State timeline: State law: notice of sale comes at least 3 months after notice of default is recorded and at least 20 days before the sale.
- State sale window: Under state law, a 1–4 unit trustee's sale is not final for 15 days; eligible bidders who give notice may bid within 45 days.
Each rule below is marked El Dorado County code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
El Dorado County's code applies in the unincorporated areas of the county. Cities in El Dorado County have their own codes and their own pages.
Registering vacant and foreclosed homes
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Foreclosure steps and deadlines
CA state law California law sets this statewide. Time between notice of default and sale: At least three months after the notice of default is recorded before notice of sale; the sale itself no earlier than three months and 20 days after the notice of default (Civ. Code § 2924(a)(2), (a)(4)). Notice of trustee's sale: Posted, published and recorded at least 20 days before the sale (Civ. Code § 2924f(b)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →
Homeowner protections
CA state law California law sets this statewide. No foreclosure while a loan modification is pending: If a complete first-lien modification application is submitted at least five business days before a sale, the servicer may not record a notice of default or sale, or hold the sale, while it is pending (Civ. Code § 2923.6(c)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →
The trustee's sale (auction)
CA state law California law sets this statewide. When and where sales are held: At public auction in the county where the property is, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on a business day (Civ. Code § 2924g(a)(1)). Tenant and owner-occupant priority after a sale (SB 1079): On 1–4 unit property, a trustee's sale is not final for 15 days; eligible tenant buyers and eligible bidders who give notice of intent may bid within 45 days (Civ. Code § 2924m(c)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →
Tenants in a foreclosed home
CA state law California law sets this statewide. Tenants in a foreclosed property: A month-to-month tenant must get at least 90 days' written notice to quit; a tenant with a fixed-term lease signed before the sale may stay to the end of the lease (Code Civ. Proc. § 1161b(a), (b)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →
Debt after the sale
CA state law California law sets this statewide. No deficiency after a trustee's sale: After a nonjudicial trustee's sale, the lender cannot collect any shortfall from the borrower (Code Civ. Proc. § 580d(a)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Must a lender or owner register a vacant or foreclosed home in El Dorado County?
A vacant building designed for human use may not stay without active maintenance for more than 30 calendar days, foreclosed or not. A building may stay vacant with an active repair permit and diligent progress, or if code-compliant, ready and offered for sale, lease or rent. A first administrative penalty is up to $1,000.00 per building; a second, 30 calendar days later if the violation continues, is up to $5,000.00. If a previous penalty within 2 years concerned a different vacant building, the penalty is not less than $2,000.00 and not more than $10,000.00.
General information, not legal advice.
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