PricePocketAsset · Liens

Tax lien state guide

Every state runs tax sales differently: who earns interest, how you win a lien, and how long the owner has to pay it back. Start with these states, then verify locally.

Verify before you bid. Figures come from investor-education summaries, which sometimes disagree with each other and with the law. Rates, penalties and redemption periods change and often vary by county. Always confirm with the county treasurer or the state statute.

All 50 states plus DC. States marked Verify have figures where our sources disagree or only one source was found, so we do not state a firm number. States with no lien sale (tax deed states) pay investors no interest. County links are starting points: they come from investor sites and worked when checked, but pages move, so confirm the sale date and rules on the county site. Spot an error? Tell us.

Key terms

Bid-down rate

Bidders compete by accepting a lower interest rate, starting at the legal maximum. The lowest rate wins, so a hot auction can mean low returns.

Premium bidding

The rate is fixed. Bidders pay a premium above the tax owed. Premiums are often not repaid in full, so they cut into your return.

Other / no rate bidding

Some states use a draw, a fixed-rate assignment, or bidding on a share of the parcel instead. Ask the county how winners are picked.

Redeemable deed

You buy the property deed itself, subject to a window in which the owner can buy it back, often with a penalty on top.

How to verify any state

  1. Find the county treasurer's or tax collector's website. They publish the sale date, rules and the list of delinquent parcels.
  2. Read the official sale rules. Check the maximum rate, how the winner is chosen, deposits and registration deadlines.
  3. Check the redemption period and what happens after. Learn whether the lien can turn into foreclosure and what that costs.
  4. Research the property. Look at the parcel, zoning, other liens, bankruptcy risk and whether the land is actually usable.
  5. Talk to a professional. A real estate attorney or tax advisor can confirm anything unclear.

Where this data comes from

Sources checked (Nov 2026): TaxLien.io, LienSuite and United Tax Liens, compared state by state. A specific number is shown only where at least two agree; otherwise it is marked Verify. We did not check official statutes or county pages for every state. TaxLienGuru and Ted Thomas were also reviewed but do not publish a full table.