Jefferson County, CO tax sales
How tax lien certificate and tax deed sales work in Jefferson County, seat of Golden: 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 Jefferson County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Jefferson County Treasurer's Office
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Held annually in November. The county's Important Dates page states "The annual tax lien sale is held in November," and the Pre-Sale Procedures page states "The next tax lien auction will be held in November of 2026." Registration opens in October 2026, and the county has not yet set the final registration deadline for that year. The delinquent property list is posted in September 2026, and unpaid real property taxes are advertised in a local newspaper for three consecutive weeks with the first publication in early October.
- Next expected
- by the second Monday in December, 2026 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Registration and deposit
Registration is handled by the auction provider, not by the county. New bidders create an account at Zeus Auction, activate it through the confirmation email, then open the auctions tab and register for the Jefferson County sale. Returning bidders log into their existing SRI account and register for the sale the same way. Only bidders with a US taxpayer ID number are allowed to participate. Payment for all winning bids is conducted through the internet auction company and is made by ACH from the bidder's bank account. Registration to participate starts in October 2026. SRI support for login or auction operation questions: 800-800-9588, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern.
Online only through Zeus Auction, operated by SRI, Inc. Bidding is premium bidding: the Pre-Sale Procedures page states "To purchase the tax lien certificate, the successful bidder must often pay a premium price above the amount of the delinquent taxes. The premium is not paid back." The county reports the interest rate for the 2025 tax lien sale was 14%. Liens are offered in property identification number (PIN) order. The first bid must meet the minimum amount and later bids advance by set increments; proxy bidding lets a bidder enter a maximum and have the system bid up to that ceiling. Bidding closes when the system displays that bidding is closing, and the highest bid at that moment wins. All successful bids are final, and no change or cancellation of a purchased lien is made after a bid is placed. As of this research the delinquent list page directs visitors to return in September 2026 for the current list.
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 Jefferson County
- Certificates are kept in the Treasurer's office for safekeeping, and a list of purchased certificates is emailed to buyers after the sale.
- Endorsement is available: if taxes go unpaid the following year, the certificate holder may pay them and have the amount added to the original certificate. The county states "The interest rate at the time of the original tax sale will remain the same for any taxes that are added to the lien." Endorsements are processed with notification in August.
- On redemption the Treasurer issues a check for the taxes purchased at the sale plus any endorsed taxes, plus interest accrued from the day of sale to the date of redemption. The premium paid at the sale is not refunded.
- The county describes a three year redemption window tied to the sale year, noting that certificates purchased at the 2025 sale become eligible for a Treasurer's Deed application in 2028.
- Questions about county held tax liens are directed to Denise Bode at the Treasurer's office, 303-271-8336.
- Treasurer's office hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Fridays.
- A Tax Lien Properties Maps Search is offered through the county GIS site at https://gis.jeffco.us/ for reviewing parcels before bidding.
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 Jefferson County, Colorado sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Jefferson County follows Colorado's tax lien state system.
When is the Jefferson County tax certificate sale?
- Held annually in November. The county's Important Dates page states "The annual tax lien sale is held in November," and the Pre-Sale Procedures page states "The next tax lien auction will be held in November of 2026." Registration opens in October 2026, and the county has not yet set the final registration deadline for that year. The delinquent property list is posted in September 2026, and unpaid real property taxes are advertised in a local newspaper for three consecutive weeks with the first publication in early October.. 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 Jefferson 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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