Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 4527
(a) The tax collector shall pay to the holder of a tax certificate, from amounts on deposit in the Tax Certificate Redemption Fund, an amount equal to the purchase price of the tax certificate, together with interest thereon at a rate equal to the rate the county would have to pay on any refund to a taxpayer for the same fiscal year, that rate to be applied to all amounts paid with respect to the certificate from the date of the sale of the tax certificate, and shall cancel the tax certificate if any of the following occur:
(c) If the delinquency penalty assigned by a tax certificate is canceled pursuant to Section 2610.5 or Section 4985.2, or for any other reason other than the payment in full of the penalty, then, at the option of the holder of the tax certificate, the tax collector shall, from amounts on deposit in the tax certificate redemption fund, do either of the following: