Houston County, AL tax sales
How tax lien certificate sales work in Houston County, seat of Dothan: sale calendar, auction platform, over-the-counter lists, and the offices that run each sale.
Verified Jul 27, 2026 against official county and state sources.
New here? Read how Alabama tax sales work, the difference between a lien and a deed, and redemption periods.
How Houston County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Houston County Revenue Commissioner's Office
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Annually in early May. The Revenue Commissioner's notice of sale reads: "I will on Monday, May 4, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. central daylight savings time, proceed to sell online at www.govease.com, the following parcels of real estate assessed to the individuals named." The county Tax Sale page describes the auction for 2025 taxes as "beginning Monday, May 4th, 2026."
- Next expected
- between March 1 and June 15, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Registration and deposit
Bidders register online with GovEase ahead of the sale. The county's GovEase flyer states registration "Begins April 3rd, 2026" and instructs bidders: "You can create an account and register by visiting www.govease.com" (bidder login at liveauctions.govease.com/Account/Login). Online bidder training is offered at www.govease.com/bidderhelp. The county directs questions to "GovEase at 769-208-5050 Option 2 or email their support at [email protected]."
Houston County sells tax LIENS online, not deeds. The county states: "Any parcel with delinquent property tax will be auctioned off through GovEase by online tax lien auction." The sale is conducted entirely on GovEase, with no in-person bidding described. The parcel list is posted on the Revenue Commissioner's Tax Sale page as an Excel workbook and refreshed close to the sale date (the 2026 file carries an 04/30/2026 update). Delinquency timeline from the county Collections page: taxes are due October 1 and delinquent after December 31, a $10.00 delinquent fee is added after January 15 plus 1% for every month delinquent, and an account must be paid by March 15 to keep the property out of the newspaper advertisement. The county site describes no over-the-counter or state-held lien inventory.
Register on GovEaseFrom lien to deed
- Run by
- Circuit court of the county; the circuit clerk executes the deed
- Frequency
- none (court action, not a scheduled auction)
- Typical timing
- Not scheduled. A certificate holder may file no earlier than four years after the tax lien auction and no later than ten years after it
Alabama counties on the tax lien auction method hold no separate tax deed auction. Title passes only through a circuit court action to foreclose the right to redeem and quiet title, which ends in a circuit clerk's deed. A person entitled to redeem can answer that action by demanding a public auction instead, in which case the court sets a minimum bid equal to the redemption amount plus back taxes and allowed costs, and any surplus goes to the owner. A county that instead elects the Article 1 property tax sale sells the land itself at the courthouse and the judge of probate issues a deed after three years. Confirm which method your county uses.
Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases
Liens that draw no bid at the auction stay with the county. At any time after the auction date the tax collecting official may sell an unsold lien at private sale for no less than all taxes, interest, penalties, costs and fees due, plus any amount owed to a prior certificate holder. The rate is agreed with the tax collecting official and cannot exceed 12 percent, so over-the-counter liens often carry the full rate. Ask the county for its list of unsold liens.
New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work.
County offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
Houston County Revenue Commissioner's Office
Mailing: P.O. Drawer 6406, Dothan, AL 36302. Physical: 5th Floor, Administration Building, 462 N. Oates St., Dothan, AL 36303
Official websiteNotes for Houston County
- Revenue Commissioner is Greg Holland; the 334-677-4715 line is the Collections division, which handles delinquent taxes.
- Houston County operates under the tax lien auction regime, so the annual May sale transfers tax liens rather than deeds.
- The auction is fully online on GovEase; the county publishes no in-person bidding option.
- Sale list is an Excel workbook linked from the Revenue Commissioner Tax Sale page and updated before the sale date.
- Office hours listed as Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Alabama statewide rules
- Redemption
- A tax lien can be redeemed at any time before the circuit court enters judgment in a foreclosure action, and the holder cannot file that action until four years after the auction or the tax official's private sale. If the holder does not commence a foreclosure action within ten years of the auction or sale, the certificate expires and the lien becomes void. A certificate holder has no right to enter or possess the property, make repairs, or charge rents before it receives the circuit clerk's deed. In a county that uses the Article 1 property tax sale instead, land sold to a purchaser other than the state may be redeemed within three years from the date of sale, and land bid in for the state may be redeemed at any time before title passes out of the state.
- Surplus proceeds
- In a court-ordered auction the proceeds pay the cost of the auction first, then the certificate holder up to the redemption amount plus taxes it paid before filing and the court-allowed costs and fees. Any surplus goes to the owner or the owner's heirs or successors as the court determines, and Alabama's unclaimed property law applies to whatever is left. In a county that instead uses the Article 1 property tax sale, the excess over the decree is held in a separate county account for three years for a party who redeems, and Section 40-10-28 opens later windows in which the owner or a redeeming party can claim it.
A tax deed does not convey marketable title. Most buyers file a quiet title action before they can resell or insure the property. See the due diligence guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does Houston County, Alabama sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Houston County follows Alabama's tax lien state system.
When is the Houston County tax certificate sale?
- Annually in early May. The Revenue Commissioner's notice of sale reads: "I will on Monday, May 4, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. central daylight savings time, proceed to sell online at www.govease.com, the following parcels of real estate assessed to the individuals named." The county Tax Sale page describes the auction for 2025 taxes as "beginning Monday, May 4th, 2026.". Registration and bidding happen on the county's online platform. Always confirm the exact date with the Tax Collector before the sale.
How often does Houston County hold tax deed sales?
- none (court action, not a scheduled auction). Each sale is scheduled and advertised in advance, so check the county's tax deed calendar for the next posted date.
Tax Sale Atlas publishes educational information about public tax sale processes. This is not legal, financial, or investment advice. Rules, dates, and fees change; confirm with the county office before you bid.
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