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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 4Pt. 1Ch. 5Art. 1§ 16186 Property Tax Lien Release

§ 16186 Property Tax Lien Release

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 16186 Property Tax Lien Release

Key Takeaways

  • •If you pay off your postponed property taxes, the government must remove the lien (a legal claim) on your property.
  • •For houses or mobile homes on land you own, they record a paper saying the debt is paid and update tax records.
  • •For mobile homes on land you don’t own, they send a release form to the housing department and pay a $6 fee to clear the title.
  • •The cost to record the release (usually a small fee) gets added to your final bill.

Example

You own a house and have been postponing your property taxes. After years, you finally pay off the full amount you owed.

The government must then officially record that your debt is paid and remove the lien from your house records. They also update the tax rolls so you’re no longer marked as owing money. If there’s a small fee to file the paperwork, that gets added to your last payment.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 16186 Property Tax Lien Release

(a) If at any time the amount of the obligation secured by the lien for postponed property taxes is paid in full or otherwise discharged, the Controller, or the authorized delegate of the Controller, shall in the case of real property and a manufactured home situated on real property owned by the claimant: (1) Execute and cause to be recorded in the office of the county recorder of the county wherein the real property described in the lien is located, a release of the lien conclusively evidencing the satisfaction of all amounts secured by the lien. The cost of recording the release of the lien shall be added to and become part of the obligation secured by the lien being released. (2) Direct the tax collector to remove from the secured roll, the information required to be entered thereon by paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 2514 of the Revenue and Taxation Code with respect to the property described in the lien. (3) Direct the assessor to remove from the assessment records applicable to the property described in the lien, the information required to be entered on such records by Section 2515 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (b) If at any time the amount of the obligation secured by the security agreement for postponed property taxes is paid in full or otherwise discharged, the Controller, or the authorized delegate of the Controller, shall, in the case of a manufactured home situated on real property not owned by the claimant: (1) Direct the tax collector to remove from the secured roll the information required to be entered thereon by paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 2514 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (2) Transmit a Release of Lien and a fee of six dollars ($6), to the Department of Housing and Community Development. The cost of recording the release of the lien shall be added to and become part of the obligation secured by the lien being released. Upon receipt of the Release of Lien and the fee, the department shall terminate the restriction on the permanent title record as provided in Section 16182. (Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 329, Sec. 6. (SB 780) Effective January 1, 2020.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

obligation secured by the lienpostponed property taxesrelease of the liensecured rollRelease of LienDepartment of Housing and Community Development

Related Statutes

  • § 16181 Postponed Tax Lien Records
  • § 16182 Property Tax Postponement Liens
  • § 12402 Controller Office Organization
  • § 12403 Controller Oath Administration
  • § 12404 Controller’S Executive Appointments

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 16186.
View Official Source