St. Clair County, AL tax sales
How tax lien certificate sales work in St. Clair County, seat of Ashville and Pell City: 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 St. Clair County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- St. Clair County Revenue Commission (Revenue Commissioner Kenneth L. Crowe)
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Annually in early May. The county states: "The St. Clair County auction is typically held the 1st week of May, with registration opening during the month of April." The county-posted GovEase flyer lists the auction date as "Tuesday, May 5th at 9:00am", and the county delinquent-tax notice lists "5/5/2026 at 9:00 AM CST" for the 2025 tax year.
- Next expected
- between March 1 and June 15, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
- Sale list
- Current Delinquent List
Registration and deposit
Register online through GovEase. The county page says "Please visit www.govease.com for registration details." The county-posted GovEase flyer states "Registration will begin on April 1st, 2026. Please view the registration page for details," directs bidders to create an account and register at www.govease.com or liveauctions.govease.com/Account/Login, and points to www.govease.com/bidderhelp for online training. Bidder support is listed on the flyer as [email protected] or (769) 208-5050 ext. 2.
St. Clair County sells tax liens, not tax deeds. The Revenue Commissioner states: "Effective October 1, 2020, St. Clair County will use the Tax Lien Auction to collect delinquent taxes. This declaration is per Title40-10-180 (c) Code of Alabama 1975." The sale is online only: "The Tax Lien auction will be held online annually using GovEase." The county delinquent notice cites Code of Alabama 40-10-182 for the advertised list and adds that per 40-10-184 a tax lien sold at auction includes an administrative fee of forty-five dollars ($45), effective upon preparation of the tax lien auction list. The county directs auction questions to (205) 884-2395.
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)
St. Clair County Revenue Commission
Pell City: 205-884-2395; Ashville: 205-594-2160
Pell City office: 1815 Cogswell Ave., Suite 205, Pell City, AL 35125. Ashville office: 165 5th Ave., Suite 200, Ashville, AL 35953.
Official websiteNotes for St. Clair County
- Two-office county. The Revenue Commission serves Ashville (county seat) and Pell City, and the auction contact number the county publishes is the Pell City line, 205-884-2395.
- St. Clair elected the Article 7 tax lien auction regime under Code of Alabama 1975 section 40-10-180(c) effective October 1, 2020, so investors buy liens rather than bidding at a traditional tax sale.
- The advertised delinquent list is hosted off the county domain at ingproperty.com under the StClair_Revenue path; the county links to it as "Current Delinquent List".
- A $45 administrative fee attaches to each lien sold, per the county notice citing Code of Alabama 40-10-184.
- The county disclaims accuracy of posted information: "The St. Clair County Revenue Office will not be responsible or liable as to correctness, completeness, validity and/or reliability of information."
- Verified July 2026: the most recent auction date published by the county was May 5, 2026, with registration opening April 1, 2026. Confirm the next cycle date on the county page each spring.
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 St. Clair County, Alabama sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- St. Clair County follows Alabama's tax lien state system.
When is the St. Clair County tax certificate sale?
- Annually in early May. The county states: "The St. Clair County auction is typically held the 1st week of May, with registration opening during the month of April." The county-posted GovEase flyer lists the auction date as "Tuesday, May 5th at 9:00am", and the county delinquent-tax notice lists "5/5/2026 at 9:00 AM CST" for the 2025 tax year.. 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 St. Clair 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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