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Florida Tax Lien & Tax Deed Sales

Florida runs both sides: certificates paying up to 18%, and a later tax deed auction under F.S. Chapter 197. Tax Sale Atlas holds the sale calendar, auction platform and list locations for all 67 Florida counties, each read from the county’s own official pages and checked against the statute on Oct 3, 2026.

Florida sells tax-lien certificates and tax deeds through separate procedures. Read more…

The Collector sells certificates on delinquent parcels; those certificates do not transfer ownership. An eligible holder may apply for a deed sale after the statutory waiting period, and the property is then auctioned. Chapter 197 governs these procedures.

Rules verified Oct 3, 2026 against Florida Statutes.

Jump to your county

Sale type: Lien and deed
Maximum rate: 18%
Auction method: premium bid
Over-the-counter: Available

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Tax lien certificates

You pay the overdue taxes and receive a certificate that earns interest until the owner redeems. The rate is bid down at auction, so the winning bid is usually the lowest rate any bidder will accept. Compare bidding methods to see how that changes what you earn. Read the Florida tax lien interest rate before comparing returns.

Bidding method: Bid down interest
Maximum rate: 18% per year, bid down in 0.25% steps
Minimum return: 5% floor at redemption
Next expected: on or about June 1, 2027 (window; exact dates post per county)
Certificate life: Expires 7 years after issuance

Sale timingOn or before June 1, or the 60th day after delinquency, whichever is later, with advertising once each week for three weeks. More…

A Saturday, Sunday or legal-holiday deadline extends to the next working day.

Zero-bid ruleA zero-percent bid earns no interest and is exempt from the mandatory 5 percent minimum at redemption. More…

Holding a certificate can permit an eligible deed application after the waiting period; it does not guarantee ownership.

Tax deed sales

The deed process can lead to property ownership. Confirm the steps below, the interest conveyed, and the title and possession requirements for the parcel. If the parcels you are bidding on are vacant land rather than houses, see what buying land at a tax sale hands you.

Auction method: premium bid

Runs after

A certificate holder applies for a tax deed after two years have elapsed since April 1 of the year the certificate was issued, and before the certificate expires.

Run by

Clerk of the Circuit Court

Deposit

The high bidder posts a nonrefundable deposit of 5 percent of the bid or $200, whichever is greater, at the time of the sale, applied to the final price.

Balance dueUnder F.S. 197.542(2), the highest bidder must pay the final bid, documentary stamp tax and recording fees within 24 hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays. More…

Nonpayment cancels the bids and requires readvertising; the deposit pays the resulting costs, with any remainder applied to the opening bid. If no higher bid defeats the certificate holder, subsection (1) instead gives that holder 30 days to pay the remaining minimum bid, documentary stamp tax and recording fees.

Surplus proceedsGovernmental liens receive statutory priority. More…

Other valid claims are paid by priority, with a 120-day claim period measured from the mailed notice. The statute excepts property owners from the late-claim bar. Ask the Clerk for the current claim form and dates; conflicting claims may require court proceedings.

Homestead parcels

For property assessed as homestead on the latest tax roll, the opening bid also includes one-half of its latest assessed value.

Confirm marketability and insurance requirements with a title professional. Budget any title-clearing work and delays before relying on a resale. See the due diligence guide, or check what survives a tax deed in Florida.

Redemption, delinquency, and over-the-counter at a glance

Redemption

How longThe owner (or anyone) can redeem a certificate at any time after it is issued, up until full payment for the tax deed is made to the Clerk, which cuts off redemption even before the deed is formally issued. More…

The two-year clock that lets a certificate holder apply for a tax deed runs from April 1 of the year the certificate was issued.

What the owner paysThe redeemer pays the certificate amount, applicable interest and charges, and a $6.25 fee per certificate. More…

F.S. 197.472(2) sets a 5 percent minimum when it exceeds the bid interest, except for zero-rate certificates. F.S. 197.172(2) bars certificate interest and that minimum during the first 60 days after delinquency, except for the separate pre-sale charge.

Delinquency

How it startsProperty taxes become delinquent on April 1 following the assessment year, or immediately after 60 days have expired from mailing the original tax notice, whichever is later. More…

A later delinquency date extends the chapter’s related collection and administrative periods by the same number of days.

Over-the-counter

How to buyEligible county-held certificates may be purchased after issuance and before a deed application, subject to statutory restrictions. More…

The purchase amount includes face value, interest through purchase at 1.5 percent per month or fraction, costs and charges, and a $6.25 purchase fee. A certificate purchase does not buy the land.

What is availableLand enters the Lands Available list under the no-bid and certificateholder-payment conditions in F.S. 197.502 and 197.542. More…

The county may purchase during the first 90 days or waive that right; other buyers may then purchase for the current opening bid. The statute provides for escheat three years after the public-sale date.

Every state has its own name for what goes unsold, so check what Florida calls its leftover tax-sale inventory.

Governing statutes

F.S. Chapter 197 F.S. 197.432 F.S. 197.472 F.S. 197.502 F.S. 197.542

All 67 Florida counties

Sales are organized by county. Search your city or county and compare the available sale details. Where deed-sale formats are listed, filter for online or in-person sales. Certificate platforms appear where that sale type is available.

Frequently asked questions

Does Florida sell tax liens or tax deeds?

Both. Tax Collectors conduct certificate sales, which create liens rather than transfer ownership. Eligible certificate holders may apply for deed sales after the statutory waiting period; deed auctions are a separate process.

What interest rate do Florida tax certificates pay?

The maximum is 18 percent annually, with quarter-percent bid steps. At redemption, an absolute 5 percent minimum applies if accrued interest is lower, except for zero-percent bids. It is a minimum amount, not a guaranteed annual yield. F.S. 197.172(2) bars certificate interest and that minimum during the first 60 days after delinquency, except for the separate pre-sale charge.

How long is the redemption period in Florida?

An owner can redeem a certificate any time up until full payment for the tax deed is made to the Clerk, which can cut off redemption even before the deed is formally issued (F.S. 197.472(1)). A certificate holder cannot apply for a tax deed until two years have passed since April 1 of the year the certificate was issued.

See all Florida FAQ

Learn before you bid

Cornerstone6 min read

Start with a Florida county

Open any county for its sale calendar, auction platform, registration rules, and office contacts.

Alachua County Read the guides