- Does Colorado sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Colorado sells tax liens. The county treasurer auctions liens on delinquent parcels and issues the winner a certificate of purchase. There is no separate tax deed auction of the property at the delinquency stage. The only deed path runs through Article 11.5, where a certificate holder who has waited three years applies for a public auction of a certificate of option for treasurer's deed.
- What interest rate do Colorado tax liens pay?
- One statewide rate applies to every certificate sold in a given rate year, and it is not bid down. C.R.S. 39-12-103(3) sets it at nine percentage points above the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank discount rate, rounded to the nearest full percent, and the commissioner of banking establishes it each September 1 to take effect October 1. The rate effective October 1, 2025 is 14 percent. Confirm the current rate with the Colorado Division of Banking before you bid.
- How does bidding work at a Colorado tax lien sale?
- Bidding is premium bid. The lien opens at the taxes, delinquent interest, and fees due, and it goes to whoever pays the largest amount in excess. That excess is credited to the county general fund. It earns no interest and it is not returned when the owner redeems, so the premium is a real cost against the investor's return, not a deposit.
- How long is the redemption period in Colorado?
- The certificate holder must wait three years from the sale date before applying for the Article 11.5 deed auction. The owner and other interested parties can redeem at any time before a treasurer's deed is executed, so the effective window extends through the auction process, which the treasurer must hold between 110 and 125 calendar days after the known interested party notice goes out.
- When is the Colorado tax lien sale held?
- The auction must commence on or before the second Monday in December each year. If a lien cannot be advertised and offered by that date, the treasurer holds the sale on a later date that still allows time for published notice. Counties in practice schedule in the fall, so check the treasurer's page for the exact date.
- Can you buy Colorado tax liens over the counter?
- Sometimes. Liens that draw no bid are struck off to the county, which receives a certificate of purchase. A county may then assign, sell, or transfer those certificates on terms its board of county commissioners sets by resolution, which is how county-held liens are sold between annual auctions. A certificate on property owing more than ten thousand dollars in taxes also needs the property tax administrator's approval after published notice. Practice varies by county.
- What happens to surplus money if the property is sold at the deed auction?
- Since July 1, 2024 the overbid is not kept by the buyer or the county. It is paid first to junior lienors in recording priority who filed a notice of intent to redeem, up to each lien's unpaid amount plus fees and costs, and anything left goes to the property owner. The treasurer must mail the owner a notice within thirty days, and unclaimed funds go to the state unclaimed property administrator after six months.
- How long does a Colorado tax certificate stay valid?
- A lien created by a tax certificate or certificate of purchase lasts no longer than fifteen years from the date it was issued. No treasurer's deed can issue on a certificate that has expired unless a deed application was already pending when the limitation period ran out, and the treasurer then issues a certificate of cancellation.
Verified Jul 29, 2026 against Colorado statutes.
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.