Graham County, AZ tax sales
How tax lien certificate sales work in Graham County, seat of Safford: sale calendar, auction platform, over-the-counter lists, and the offices that run each sale.
Verified Jul 13, 2026 against official county and state sources.
New here? Read how Arizona tax sales work, the difference between a lien and a deed, and redemption periods.
How Graham County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Graham County Treasurer
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Held in February every year. The Treasurer FAQ states: "The tax lien sale is in February every year. The next sale is on February 25, 2026 beginning at 9 a.m." Hours are "9 a.m. until completed." Delinquent prior-year real property taxes are offered (for example, 2024 taxes are sold at the February 25, 2026 auction).
- Next expected
- in February, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Registration and deposit
Registration is required; only registered bidders holding a bidder number may bid. Complete the Bidder Information Form (available on the Treasurer's website) and submit it by email, by fax to 928-428-3991, or by mail to Graham County Treasurer, P.O. Box 747, Safford, AZ 85548. On sale day each registered bidder is issued a bidder number at the Treasurer's Office, 921 Thatcher Boulevard, Safford. First-time purchasers must pay by cash, cashier's check, or money order; personal checks are accepted only from prior purchasers.
Competitive bid-down-interest sale: liens are auctioned "based on the least % of interest to be received by the investor," and the winner receives a registered Certificate of Purchase. The statutory maximum rate is 16% (Arizona); the Treasurer confirms the 16% rate applies to state-held liens taken by assignment. Certificates sold at the sale cost $10 each. An investor must acquire by assignment all outstanding prior-year certificates on a parcel, and prior-year rates carry over unchanged. Liens not sold at the February auction are held by the State of Arizona and remain available over the counter by assignment year-round at 16% (see the Active Certificate List). Judicial foreclosure to obtain a deed is initiated and paid for by the investor, at the investor's own expense, after the Arizona statutory redemption period (three years from the date the lien was first offered for sale). Investors do all their own research; the county provides a Parcel Information Search online and a public-access terminal at the Treasurer's Office. In person. Live auction held at the Graham County General Services Building, Assembly Room, 921 Thatcher Boulevard, Safford, AZ 85546. There is no online bidding platform (no RealAuction, LienHub, or arizonataxsale portal).
From lien to deed
Arizona holds no county tax deed auction. A certificate holder who is not redeemed can foreclose the right to redeem in court, starting three years after the sale, to obtain a treasurer's deed.
Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases
Liens that receive no bid are struck to the state. Any person may later buy a state-held certificate over the counter by assignment from the county treasurer, paying the amount due plus subsequent taxes and a small assignment fee. Assigned state certificates earn the full 16 percent.
New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work.
County offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
921 Thatcher Boulevard, Safford, AZ 85546 (mailing: P.O. Box 747, Safford, AZ 85548)
Official websiteNotes for Graham County
- Graham County runs an in-person tax lien sale at the Graham County General Services Building (Assembly Room), 921 Thatcher Boulevard, Safford, AZ 85546. It does not use an online auction platform.
- Confirmed timing: the next sale is February 25, 2026, beginning at 9 a.m., running until completed. The sale is held in February every year.
- Bidding is bid-down-interest; winners receive a $10 registered Certificate of Purchase. State-held (unsold) liens are available over the counter by assignment at 16%.
- The February sale parcel list is posted on the Tax Sale & Lien Guidelines page and outside the Treasurer's office during February, updated weekly, and advertised once in the Eastern Arizona Courier (928-428-2560). Copies can be purchased by calling 928-428-3440.
- Treasurer contact: phone 928-428-3440, fax 928-428-3991, mailing address P.O. Box 747, Safford, AZ 85548. The county main line (928-428-3250) in the site footer is not the Treasurer's direct number.
- The year-specific page /652/2026-Tax-Lien-Sale now returns a 404 (the 2026 sale has passed as of July 2026); the evergreen Tax Sale & Lien Guidelines and FAQ pages carry the current logistics.
Arizona statewide rules
- Redemption
- The owner or any interested party can redeem the lien at any time until the right to redeem is foreclosed by the court. A certificate of purchase holder cannot begin a foreclosure action until three years after the sale, and the lien becomes void if no foreclosure is commenced within ten years after the month the certificate was acquired.
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 Graham County, Arizona sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Graham County follows Arizona's tax lien state system.
When is the Graham County tax certificate sale?
- Held in February every year. The Treasurer FAQ states: "The tax lien sale is in February every year. The next sale is on February 25, 2026 beginning at 9 a.m." Hours are "9 a.m. until completed." Delinquent prior-year real property taxes are offered (for example, 2024 taxes are sold at the February 25, 2026 auction).. Registration and bidding happen on the county's online platform. Always confirm the exact date with the Tax Collector before the sale.
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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