UNITED
      STATES
    SECURITIES
      AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
    WASHINGTON,
      D.C. 20549
     
    FORM
      12B-25
     
    NOTIFICATION
      OF LATE FILING
     
    SEC
      File No. 0-21467
    CUSIP
      No. 69423U 10 7
     
    (Check
      One):   Form 10-K £      
      Form 20-F £      
      Form 11-K £      
      Form 10-Q S      
      Form N-SAR £
     
    For
      Period Ended:  June 30, 2006
     
    £
      Transition Report on Form 10-K
    £
      Transition Report on Form 20-F
    £
      Transition Report on Form 11-K
    £
      Transition Report on Form 10-Q
    £
      Transition Report on Form N-SAR
    For
      the
      Transition Period Ended: ________________________
     
    
      
        
      
      Read
        Instruction (on back page) Before Preparing Form. Please Print or
        Type.
      Nothing
        in this form shall be construed to imply that the Commission has verified
        any
      information
        contained herein.
     
    
      
 
    If
      the
      notification relates to a portion of the filing checked above, identify the
      item(s) to which the notification relates:
     
    
      
 PART
      I - REGISTRANT INFORMATION
     
    Pacific
      Ethanol, Inc.           
    
      
 Full
      Name of Registrant:
     
     
    
      
    
     Former
      Name if Applicable
     
    5711
      N. West Avenue           
    
      
 Address
      of Principal Executive Office (Street and Number)
     
    Fresno,
      California 93711          
    
      
    
    City,
      State, Zip Code 
     
    
      
    
    PART
      II -
      RULES 12b-25 (b) AND (c)
     
    If
      the
      subject report could not be filed without unreasonable effort or expense and
      the
      registrant seeks relief pursuant to Rule 12b-25(b), the following should be
      completed. (Check box if appropriate)
     
    
      
          
            |   | 
            
               (a) 
             | 
            
               The
                reasons described in reasonable detail in Part III of this form could
                not
                be eliminated without unreasonable effort or
                expense; 
             | 
          
      
     
     
    
      
          
            | 
               S 
             | 
            
               (b) 
             | 
            
               The
                subject annual report, semi-annual report, transition report on Form
                10-K,
                Form 20-F, 11-K or Form N-SAR, or portion thereof, will be filed
                on or
                before the 15th calendar day following the prescribed due date; or
                the
                subject quarterly report of transition report on Form 10-Q, or portion
                thereof will be filed on or before the fifth calendar day following
                the
                prescribed due date; and  
             | 
          
      
     
     
    
      
          
            |   | 
            
               (c) 
             | 
            
               The
                accountant's statement or other exhibit required by Rule 12b-25(c)
                has
                been attached if applicable. 
             | 
          
      
     
    
    PART
      III - NARRATIVE
     
    State
      below in reasonable detail the reasons why Forms 10-K, 11-K, 20-F, 10-Q, N-SAR
      or the transition report or portion thereof could not be filed within the
      prescribed time period.
     
    The
      Registrant was unable to file its quarterly report on Form 10-Q in a timely
      manner without unreasonable effort or expense because management needs
      additional time to complete the detailed and complex financial disclosures
      in
      the report. The delay in management’s completion of the financial disclosures
      are due primarily to the complexity of preparing financial disclosures related
      to the sale of the Registrant’s Series A Cumulative Redeemable Convertible
      Preferred Stock, a debt financing transaction, the sale of the Registrant’s
      common stock in a large equity financing transaction, complex derivative
      instruments and hedging activities and other business activities in connection
      with the construction of multiple ethanol plants, all of which occurred during
      the second quarter. Management has been working diligently to complete the
      financial disclosures and anticipates that the report will be filed no later
      than Monday, August 21, 2006.
     
    PART
      IV - OTHER INFORMATION
     
    (1) Name
      and
      telephone number of person to contact in regard to this
      notification:
     
    
      
        
            
              |   | 
              
                   
                William
                  G. Langley 
               | 
                | 
              
                   
                (559)  
               | 
                | 
              
                   
                435-1771 
               | 
            
            
              |   | 
              
                 (Name) 
               | 
                | 
              
                 (Area
                  Code) 
               | 
              
               | 
              
                 (Telephone
                  No.) 
               | 
            
        
       
     
     
    (2) Have
      all
      other periodic reports required under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
      Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 during
      the preceding 12 months or for such shorter period that the registrant was
      required to file such report(s) been filed? If the answer is no, identify
      report(s).
     
    S
      Yes
£
      No
     
    (3) Is
      it
      anticipated that any significant change in results of operations from the
      corresponding period for the last fiscal year will be reflected by the earnings
      statements to be included in the subject report or portion thereof?
    S
      Yes
£
      No
     
    If
      so:
      attach an explanation of the anticipated change, both narratively and
      quantitatively, and, if appropriate, state the reasons why a reasonable estimate
      of the results cannot be made.
     
    UNAUDITED
      PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
     
    The
      following results of operations are unaudited and preliminary. The Registrant’s
      results of operations could be materially different from the unaudited
      preliminary results of operations set forth below.
     
    The
      Registrant anticipates reporting net sales of approximately $46.5 million for
      the quarterly period ended June 30, 2006, an increase of approximately $23.7
      million compared to the approximately $22.8 million in net sales reported for
      the same period in 2005.
     
    The
      Registrant anticipates reporting gross profit of approximately $3.3 million
      for
      the quarterly period ended June 30, 2006, an increase of approximately $3.1
      million compared to the approximately $200,000 in gross profit reported for
      the
      same period in 2005.
     
    The
      Registrant anticipates reporting selling, general and administrative expenses
      of
      $4.8 million for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2006, an increase of $2.4
      million compared to the approximately $2.4 million of these expenses reported
      for the same period in 2005.
     
    The
      Registrant anticipates reporting a net loss of approximately $182,000 for the
      quarterly period ended June 30, 2006, a decrease of approximately $2.0 million
      compared to a net loss of approximately $2.2 million reported for the same
      period in 2005. The decrease in net loss primarily resulted from the increase
      gross profit described above.
    
     
    The
      Registrant anticipates reporting loss available to common stockholders of $85.1
      million for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2006, an increase of $82.9
      million compared to the approximately $2.2 million of loss available to common
      stockholders reported for the same period in 2005. The substantial increase
      in
      loss available to common stockholders is primarily due to an $84.0 million
      beneficial conversion feature, a non-cash event, associated with the
      Registrant’s Series A Cumulative Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and
      approximately $898,000 in expense related to dividends on the Registrant’s
      Series A Cumulative Redeemable Convertible Preferred
      Stock.
     
    Basic
      and diluted net loss per share are anticipated to be $2.56 based upon 33.2
      million basic and diluted weighted-average shares outstanding for the quarterly
      period ended June 30, 2006, as compared to basic and diluted net loss per share
      of $0.08 based upon 28.0 million basic and diluted weighted-average shares
      outstanding for the same period in 2005. The increase in basic and diluted
      net
      loss per share is primarily due to the $84.0 million beneficial conversion
      feature and approximately $898,000 in expense related to dividends on the
      Registrant’s Series A Cumulative Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock, as
      discussed above.
     
    Pacific
      Ethanol, Inc.
    
      
    
    (Name
      of
      Registrant as Specified in Charter)
     
    has
      caused this notification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
      duly authorized. 
     
    
      
          
            |   | 
              | 
              | 
          
          
            | Date:  August
              14, 2006  | 
            By:   | 
            /s/William
              G.
              Langley                                             
               | 
          
          
            |   | 
            William G. Langley, Chief Financial
              Officer | 
          
      
     
     
    INSTRUCTION:
      The form may be signed by an executive officer of the registrant or by any
      other
      duly authorized representative. The name and title of the person signing the
      form shall be typed or printed beneath the signature. If the statement is signed
      on behalf of the registrant by an authorized representative (other than an
      executive officer), evidence of the representative's authority to sign on behalf
      of the registrant shall be filed with the form. 
     
    ATTENTION
    Intentional
      misstatements or omissions of fact constitute Federal Criminal Violations
      (See 18 U.S.C. 1001).
     
    GENERAL
      INSTRUCTIONS
    
      
        
            
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                1. 
               | 
              
                   
                This
                  form is required by Rule 12b-25 (17 CRF 240.12b-25) of the General
                  Rules
                  and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of
                  1934. 
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              | 
                   
                2. 
               | 
              
                   
                One
                  signed original and four conformed copies of this form and amendments
                  thereto must be completed and filed with the Securities and Exchange
                  Commission, Washington, D.C. 20549, in accordance with Rule 0-3
                  of the
                  General Rules and Regulations under the Act. The information contained
                  in
                  or filed with the form will be made a matter of public record in
                  the
                  Commission files. 
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                3. 
               | 
              
                   
                A
                  manually signed copy of the form and amendments thereto shall be
                  filed
                  with each national securities exchange on which any class of securities
                  of
                  the registrant is registered. 
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                4. 
               | 
              
                   
                Amendments
                  to the notifications must also be filed on form 12b-25 but need
                  not
                  restate information that has been correctly furnished. The form
                  shall be
                  clearly identified as an amended notification. 
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                5. 
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                ELECTRONIC
                  FILERS. This form shall not be used by electronic filers unable
                  to timely
                  file a report solely due to electronic difficulties. Filers unable
                  to
                  submit a report within the time period prescribed due to difficulties
                  in
                  electronic filing should comply with either Rule 201 or Rule 202
                  of
                  Regulation S-T (Section 232.201 or Section 232.202 of this chapter)
                  or
                  apply for an adjustment in filing date pursuant to Rule 13(b) of
                  Regulation S-T (Section 232.13(b) of this
                  chapter). 
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