Rules & updates
Buying or selling land under a Williamson Act contract
A Williamson Act contract stays with the land when it sells. The buyer takes on its farm-use limits and its use-based property tax. Contracts renew yearly until an owner files for nonrenewal, then end after nine years. Canceling sooner needs county approval and a 12.5% fee.
Cornload field notes · Checked
What the buyer inherits
The California Department of Conservation says Williamson Act contracts are binding on all later buyers of the property. A sale does not end the contract.
While the contract runs, the property is assessed on its actual use rather than its potential market value. The Department also notes that not every contracted property gets a tax benefit, so ask the assessor what this parcel's restricted value is.
How a contract ends
- Nonrenewal. Contracts renew automatically each year. Once a notice of nonrenewal is filed, the contract ends after a nine-year nonrenewal period (19 years for land in a Farmland Security Zone), and the tax assessment rises gradually during those years.
- Cancellation. Ending a contract early is allowed only in limited situations, with the county's approval, and the owner pays a fee of 12.5% of the property's current fair market value (25% for a Farmland Security Zone contract).
Before you write an offer
- Ask the county for the recorded contract, its type, and whether a notice of nonrenewal has been filed and when.
- Ask the planning department what uses, homesites and land divisions the contract and county rules allow.
- Ask the assessor how the restricted value is figured and how taxes would change during nonrenewal.
- If you plan to build, subdivide or stop farming, price the nine years or the cancellation fee into your offer.
Parcels on Cornload under a Williamson Act contract
413 parcels on Cornload. From the Solano and Yolo county parcel files. Other counties' contract layers aren't loaded yet. Showing 48, largest first.
Solano County all Solano parcels
- 7666 Blue Ridge RdVacaville · 160 ac · $2.08M estimate
- 8189 Olive School LnWinters · 92.2 ac · $1.93M estimate
- 4321 Ryer Rd EWalnut Grove · 47.81 ac
- 5435 Box R Ranch RdVacaville · 40.17 ac · $1.66M estimate
- 7030 Bulkley RdDixon · 30.63 ac
- 5352 Dixon Ave WDixon · 30.47 ac · $1.64M estimate
- 4894 Wolfskill RdWinters · 30 ac
- 3851 Joslin LnVacaville · 28.09 ac · $1.29M estimate
- 2162 Twin Sisters RdFairfield · 20 ac · $1.65M estimate
- 8901 Boyce RoadWinters · 18.52 ac · $960K estimate
- 5009 Suisun Valley RdFairfield · 18.07 ac · $1.34M estimate
- 9211 Boyce RdWinters · 16.14 ac · $935K estimate
- 8226 Olive School LnWinters · 13.91 ac · $815K estimate
- 5449 Williams RdFairfield · 11.39 ac · $1.33M estimate
- 4185 Chadbourne RdFairfield · 5.4 ac · $1.19M estimate
- Holdener Rd · 4.7 ac · $1.21M estimate
- 8356 Midway RdDixon · 4.28 ac
- 2162 Bridgeport AveFairfield · 4.07 ac
- 4958 Gordon Valley RdFairfield · 3.86 ac · $1.22M estimate
- 5175 Clayton RdFairfield · 3.66 ac · $845K estimate
- 8368 Bulkley RdDixon · 3.59 ac · $1.16M estimate
- 6884 Steiger Hill RdVacaville · 3.25 ac · $670K estimate
- Liberty Island Rd · 3.11 ac · $750K estimate
- 8027 Robben RdDixon · 3.1 ac
- 9484 Stevenson Bridge RdWinters · 2.95 ac · $1.19M estimate
- 2500 Mankas Corner RdFairfield · 2.9 ac · $2.08M estimate
- 5356 Dixon Ave WDixon · 2.4 ac · $1.49M estimate
- 7075 Twin Fawn TrlVacaville · 2.09 ac · $1.06M estimate
- 6969 Robben RdDixon · 2 ac · $1.17M estimate
- 5130 Clayton RdFairfield · 1.96 ac · $1.12M estimate
- 8835 Stevenson Bridge RoadDixon
- 5724 Silveyville RoadDixon
- 6378 Pedrick RoadDixon
- 3864 Paradise Valley RoadFairfield
Yolo County all Yolo parcels
- 17550 County Road 57Guinda · 583.67 ac
- 9410 County Road 85Capay · 425.27 ac
- 13330 County Road 102Woodland · 412.49 ac
- 33710 County Road 17Woodland · 396 ac
- 11626 County Road 93AZamora · 373.62 ac
- 33379 County Road 20Woodland · 344.89 ac
- 24604 Buckeye RdWinters · 323.92 ac
- 22455 State Highway 16Capay · 322.98 ac
- 33946 County Road 27Woodland · 320 ac
- 11680 State Highway 16Brooks · 313.96 ac
- 26900 County Road 87Winters · 302 ac
- 2170 County Road 84Dunnigan · 266.02 ac
- 31505 County Line RdDunnigan · 259.12 ac
- 30760 County Road 19Woodland · 241.69 ac
Sources
- California Department of Conservation · Williamson Act FAQ
- Fresno County · Williamson Act (nonrenewal period)
Checked Oct 7, 2026. Rules, programs and costs change. Confirm with the agency or a qualified professional before making a property decision.
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