Santa Cruz County, AZ tax sales
How tax lien certificate sales work in Santa Cruz County, seat of Nogales: 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 Santa Cruz County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Santa Cruz County Treasurer
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Held each February. The Treasurer's page states "The Tax Lien Sale will be held on February 10, 2026," and the Treasurer FAQ notes the sale "is usually held in February each year." The 2026 sale runs online rather than in person.
- Next expected
- in February, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Registration and deposit
Bidders must register online at the RealAuction site (santacruz.arizonataxsale.com). Per the Treasurer's Investor tab, an Investor Information Form and an IRS Form W-9 must be submitted before purchasing. Winning bidders pay for certificates in full by ACH after the sale; first-time buyers pay by certified funds.
Arizona tax-lien sale: investors bid the interest rate down from the 16% statutory maximum and receive a Certificate of Purchase, not the property. The formal delinquent-parcel list is advertised in the Nogales International at least two weeks before the sale (per faq). The 2026 sale covers delinquent 2022 and prior taxes. Registered investors can also buy tax liens over the counter roughly April 1 through December 31, with a delinquent list updated monthly (per treasurer Investor tab). County Treasurer: Alejandro Paz.
Register on RealAuctionFrom 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)
Notes for Santa Cruz County
- 2026 marks the county's move to an online tax-lien auction run by RealAuction (santacruz.arizonataxsale.com); prior years were conducted in person at the Treasurer's Office. Verified firsthand on the Treasurer page and the RealTaxLien site.
- Sale date confirmed on the official Treasurer page: February 10, 2026. Bidders register on the RealAuction platform; an Investor Information Form and IRS Form W-9 are required before purchasing.
- Over-the-counter Certificate of Purchase sales are available to registered investors (site says April 1 through December 31), with a delinquent list updated monthly. The Treasurer FAQ notes the sale list is also published in the Nogales International at least two weeks prior.
- Contact phone (520) 375-7980 and office address (2150 North Congress Drive, Nogales, AZ 85621) verified firsthand on the Treasurer and Delinquent Properties pages. The general county switchboard is (520) 375-7800; use the 375-7980 line for tax-lien/CP questions.
- County government site (CivicPlus) blocks automated fetching with HTTP 403; pages were retrieved via a real browser session to verify these facts firsthand.
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 Santa Cruz County, Arizona sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Santa Cruz County follows Arizona's tax lien state system.
When is the Santa Cruz County tax certificate sale?
- Held each February. The Treasurer's page states "The Tax Lien Sale will be held on February 10, 2026," and the Treasurer FAQ notes the sale "is usually held in February each year." The 2026 sale runs online rather than in person.. 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.
Explore all 15 Arizona counties
Compare sale calendars, platforms, and rules across the state, or read the guides before you bid.