Marion County, AL tax sales
How tax lien certificate sales work in Marion County, seat of Hamilton: 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 Marion County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Marion County Revenue Commissioner (Revenue Commissioner Barbara Cooper), Hamilton
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Held online in May. The county's delinquent tax notice states: "Tax Lien Auction Date: 5/18/2026 at 9:00 AM CST at govease.com" for the 2025 tax year. That date had already passed as of this check, and the county had not yet posted a date for the next auction. Alabama's statutory window runs March 1 through June 15, so expect a similar May date.
- Next expected
- between March 1 and June 15, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Registration and deposit
Bidding is online through GovEase. Bidders create a profile at liveauctions.govease.com, then proceed to auction registration for the specific county sale. Marion County does not publish its own registration steps, deposit amount, or registration deadline on its website, so call the Revenue Commissioner at 205-921-3561 to confirm those before the sale. Alabama county tax lien auctions were not listed on the GovEase auction menu at the time of this check because the state's March 1 to June 15 auction window had closed for the year.
Marion County uses the Alabama tax lien auction method and runs the sale online through GovEase. The county's notice cites Code of Alabama Title 40-10-182 and 40-10-184 and states that "A TAX LIEN SOLD AT AUCTION PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL INCLUDE AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE OF FORTY-FIVE DOLLARS ($45)." The delinquent parcel table on that page carries columns for account number, parcel number, owner name, current year total, prior year totals, and total due, but it returned no populated rows when checked, so the working list is typically posted closer to the auction date. Confirm the parcel list, the deposit, and the current auction date with the Revenue Commissioner before registering.
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)
Marion County Revenue Commissioner
Marion County Courthouse, Hamilton, AL 35570. Mailing address: P.O. Box 489, Hamilton, AL 35570
Official websiteNotes for Marion County
- Marion County collects on the tax lien auction method under Article 7, not the Article 1 property sale. The county's own notice cites Code of Alabama Title 40-10-182 and 40-10-184 and sets the sale at govease.com, so the winning bidder receives a tax lien certificate rather than a deed.
- Each lien sold at the Marion County auction carries a $45 administrative fee on top of the taxes, interest, penalties, and costs, per the county's published notice.
- The county publishes its tax lien auction notice and delinquent parcel search on its Revenue Commissioner payment portal at ingproperty.com rather than on marioncountyal.org. The Property Tax Office page on the county site links to it as "Pay Delinquent Property Tax."
- The Revenue Commissioner's office splits duties: the main office is at 205-921-3561 (fax 205-921-3676) and the Appraisal Office is at 205-921-4996 (fax 205-921-0721) with its own mailing address, P.O. Box 2051, Hamilton, AL 35570.
- Parcels already conveyed to the state can be bought separately from the county auction. The Alabama Department of Revenue Property Tax Division takes electronic price-quote applications for state-held tax delinquent property, gives the buyer 10 calendar days to pay after a quote is issued, and conveys either a tax sale certificate assignment when the state has held the parcel under three years or a tax deed after that. The Department warns that neither instrument gives clear title.
- Marion County does not post registration rules, deposit amounts, or a registration deadline on any county page. Verify those on GovEase and with the Revenue Commissioner before the sale.
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 Marion County, Alabama sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Marion County follows Alabama's tax lien state system.
When is the Marion County tax certificate sale?
- Held online in May. The county's delinquent tax notice states: "Tax Lien Auction Date: 5/18/2026 at 9:00 AM CST at govease.com" for the 2025 tax year. That date had already passed as of this check, and the county had not yet posted a date for the next auction. Alabama's statutory window runs March 1 through June 15, so expect a similar May date.. 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 Marion 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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