Alamosa County, CO tax sales
How tax lien certificate and tax deed sales work in Alamosa County, seat of Alamosa: sale calendar, auction platform, over-the-counter lists, and the offices that run each sale.
Verified Jul 30, 2026 against official county and state sources.
New here? Read how Colorado tax sales work, the difference between a lien and a deed, and redemption periods.
How Alamosa County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Alamosa County Treasurer and Public Trustee
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- October for the current cycle, historically November. The county's 2026 Tax Lien Sale page states "October 21, 2026 - Tax lien will be sold on the property at the 2026 Tax Lien Internet Auction," and the Treasurer's department page carries the banner "The Alamosa County Tax Lien Sale will be held on October 21st, 2026." The same schedule adds advertising costs to delinquent 2025 accounts on September 1, 2026 and publishes the parcels in the Valley Courier on September 9, 16 and 23, 2026. Older county guidance still describes the auction as running "over a three day period in November," so confirm the current year's dates with the Treasurer before planning around them.
- Next expected
- by the second Monday in December, 2026 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Registration and deposit
Register with SRI through the Zeus auction system, then wait for Treasurer approval. The county's sale rules state that "All registration for the sale will take place with SRI and will be forwarded to the Alamosa County Treasurer for approval to participate in the auction," that new registration is required for every buyer each year, and that no registrations are accepted after the posted cutoff. Register once as a member of the auction system, then register separately for the Alamosa County auction because each county sets its own rules of sale. Each bidder completes the W-9 page in the auction system exactly as the certificate should be issued, since no name or address changes are allowed afterward. The Treasurer's FAQ describes registration as taking place between September and November before the auction; the published 2024 window ran October 15 through November 15. Winning bids are paid only by ACH debit from the bank account supplied at registration. The Treasurer also publishes a paper Registration Form and ACH Agreement to mail with a W-9 and certified funds to 8999 Independence Way, Suite 104, Alamosa, CO 81101. Call 719-589-3626 to confirm the current window and how your prior registration is recorded.
Alamosa County sells tax lien certificates through an online auction administered by SRI Incorporated on the Zeus Auction platform. The Treasurer's FAQ says "We hold an on-line auction for tax liens through a third party auction house. The company we are currently using is SRI, Inc." and the county's own sale rules confirm that "Tax liens available for bid will be listed on www.zeusauction.com." Bidding is a premium format. The starting bid covers all taxes, penalties, interest and costs due the county plus a $10 auction fee that becomes part of the certificate amount, the bid increment is $1.00, and each lien is "sold to the person who pays the highest amount, in excess of said taxes, penalty, interest, and costs." Confidential proxy or maximum bids are supported and lots close in timed batches, with each certificate showing its own closing time. Payment is by ACH debit only, initiated by the county within 24 hours of the last batch closing. The Treasurer holds all certificates in safekeeping and emails buyers a list of what they purchased. Questions about auction mechanics go to SRI at 1-800-800-9588; questions about eligibility and prior registrations go to the Treasurer at 719-589-3626. The upcoming sale list itself is advertised in the Valley Courier for three consecutive weeks and posted on the auction site shortly before registration opens, so the county-held list linked here is the parcel list the county hosts year round. Mobile home liens are handled in a separate live auction at the Treasurer's Office, typically on a date in November. Note that the deed stage uses a different vendor: since House Bill 24-1056 took effect July 1, 2024 the option for a treasurer's deed is auctioned online through GovEase at liveauctions.govease.com rather than issued automatically to the lien holder.
Register on SRI / ZEUSTax deed sale
- Run by
- County Treasurer
- Frequency
- on application
- Typical timing
- There is no fixed calendar. A public auction is scheduled only when a certificate holder applies for one, at least three years after the tax lien sale, and the treasurer must hold it between 110 and 125 calendar days after the known interested party notice is first published or mailed.
Registration and deposit
What sells is a certificate of option for treasurer's deed, not the parcel outright. The treasurer may only accept bids above the combined amount owed to the lawful holder plus the treasurer's fees and costs. County officials, county employees acting in their individual capacity, and their immediate family members may not bid. Payment is by cash, cashier's check, bank check, or electronic funds transfer subject to the treasurer's bidding rules. Any overbid goes to junior lienors who filed a notice of intent to redeem and then to the property owner. Confirm the notice, the bidding rules, and the auction venue with the county treasurer.
This Article 11.5 process replaced direct deed issuance on July 1, 2024. Colorado does not hold a routine calendar tax deed sale, so treat this as an occasional, application-driven auction rather than a recurring event.
Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases
Liens that draw no bid are struck off to the county and the treasurer issues the county a certificate of purchase. The county may then assign, sell, or transfer those certificates in the manner, at the times, and on the terms set by resolution of the board of county commissioners, which is how county-held liens are sold between annual auctions. A certificate on property owing more than ten thousand dollars in taxes needs the property tax administrator's approval after published notice. Whether a county maintains a published county-held list, and on what terms, varies. Contact the county treasurer.
New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work.
County offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
Notes for Alamosa County
- Amy McKinley is the elected Alamosa County Treasurer and Public Trustee. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, phone 719-589-3626, fax 719-589-6118.
- The Treasurer's FAQ describes the certificate return as "typically 10% to 15% per annum" and says the rate "varies from year to year, but it cannot be less than 8% per annum." The county's published sale rules for the 2024 cycle stated that interest began in October at 15% per annum, with county redemptions computed under C.R.S. 39-12-111(2)(a)(b) and never below 8% per annum.
- Every lien is offered under Chapter 39, Article 11 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Bidders must certify under section 39-11-151 that they are not an Alamosa County official or employee, not an immediate family member of one, and not acting on behalf of one.
- Redemption runs three years from the sale date. Certificate holders receive an endorsement letter after August 1 each year listing their active liens, and endorsing subsequent-year taxes protects the position and earns interest on the added amount. The county warns that a holder who stops endorsing risks a competing lien being sold on the same parcel.
- Parcels already carrying a prior unredeemed lien are flagged P.T.L. on the auction list, which signals an outstanding senior certificate on the parcel you are bidding on.
- Liens that draw no outside bid are struck off to Alamosa County and are available for immediate assignment at any time after the sale. The buyer pays the taxes, accrued interest and an assignment fee; the Tax Lien Information page cites a $4 assignment fee. The county-held list is updated quarterly and does not carry amounts due, so call the office for a current payoff.
- Since July 1, 2024, treasurer's deeds are no longer issued automatically to the lien holder. The option to obtain a treasurer's deed is auctioned online to the highest bidder through GovEase, with an opening bid covering the lien amount plus Treasurer fees and costs but excluding tax lien premium bids. The application deposit is $1,200 and the full process runs roughly six to nine months. Scheduled auction dates are posted on the county's Upcoming Scheduled Auction Information page.
- The Treasurer warns in capitals that not all parcels in Alamosa County are developable, that they may be inaccessible, and that they might not be able to acquire water, and directs bidders to research before participating in any public auction. Treasurer's deeds remain non-marketable for seven to nine years unless taken through a quiet title action.
- Property tax timing that drives the sale: full payment is due April 30, or half payments on February 28 and June 15. Delinquent real property is advertised for three consecutive weeks beginning in September or October, and advertising costs plus other expenses are added to the amount owed. Redemptions must be paid in certified funds and in full.
Colorado statewide rules
- Redemption
- Redemption may be made at any time before a treasurer's deed is executed, so the practical window runs well past the three-year mark and through the Article 11.5 auction process. The treasurer must hold that public auction between 110 and 125 calendar days after the known interested party notice is first published or mailed, which gives owners and junior lienors a further defined period to pay. A separate rule lets an owner who was under a legal disability when the deed was executed redeem within nine years of the deed being recorded, at 15 percent per year plus the present value of any improvements.
- Deed deposit
- The treasurer may require the applying lawful holder to post a deposit covering the recording fee plus the actual and reasonable cost of administering the auction, and all Article 11.5 fees and costs are chargeable as additional amounts owing under the tax lien. For bidders, the treasurer accepts cash, cashier's check, bank check, or electronic funds transfer subject to the treasurer's bidding rules. The statute sets no fixed bidder deposit percentage, so the deposit terms come from county bidding rules.
- Surplus proceeds
- Any overbid goes first to junior lienors in order of recording priority, measured as of the recording date of the application for public auction, who filed a notice of intent to redeem and whose liens are unredeemed, up to each lien's unpaid amount plus fees and costs. Whatever remains is paid to the property owner. The treasurer must post a public notice about these funds and mail the owner a notice within thirty calendar days of the auction. Unclaimed remaining overbids sit in escrow for six months without interest, then transfer to the state administrator under the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. An agreement to pay someone to recover an owner's overbid is unenforceable, and inducing one is a class 2 misdemeanor.
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 Alamosa County, Colorado sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Alamosa County follows Colorado's tax lien state system.
When is the Alamosa County tax certificate sale?
- October for the current cycle, historically November. The county's 2026 Tax Lien Sale page states "October 21, 2026 - Tax lien will be sold on the property at the 2026 Tax Lien Internet Auction," and the Treasurer's department page carries the banner "The Alamosa County Tax Lien Sale will be held on October 21st, 2026." The same schedule adds advertising costs to delinquent 2025 accounts on September 1, 2026 and publishes the parcels in the Valley Courier on September 9, 16 and 23, 2026. Older county guidance still describes the auction as running "over a three day period in November," so confirm the current year's dates with the Treasurer before planning around them.. 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 Alamosa County hold tax deed sales?
- on application. 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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