Highlands County, FL tax sales
Tax Sale Atlas maps the Highlands County, FL tax sale, one of 3,131 counties in 51 states. Florida runs both sides: certificates paying up to 18%, and a later tax deed auction. Sale office, calendar and list locations read from state rules plus what the county publishes on Oct 3, 2026.
Highlands County, Florida sells both tax lien certificates and tax deeds. The County Tax Collector runs the certificate sale on RealAuction (18% maximum, bid down), and the Clerk of the Circuit Court holds the tax deed sale online via RealAuction on parcels whose certificates go unredeemed, from the county seat in Sebring, under F.S. Chapter 197.
New to tax sales? Read how Florida tax sales work or look terms up in the glossary.
- Next sale
- Tax deed auction scheduled for October 7, 2026.Wednesday · 2026
- Format
- RealAuction
- County office
- (863) 402-6685
On this page
How Highlands County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Highlands County Tax Collector
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- On or before June 1 annually; sale information posts around the first week of May
- Registration
- The Tax Collector describes bidding down from 18 percent interest.
- Next expected
- on or about June 1, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Registration and deposit
Sale format and venue
Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Highlands County Clerk of Courts
- Frequency
- As scheduled; check the current online auction calendar
Registration and deposit
Register online and deposit the greater of $200 or 5 percent of the highest bid for each property. Online advance deposits must be made at least three full business days before the auction. The Clerk also accepts cash, cashier's check or money order by 2 p.m. the day before. Final payment is due by 4:30 p.m. the next business day; a wire must reach the Clerk's bank by 2 p.m. that day.
Sale format and venue
Highlands County tax sale list and auction calendar
For Highlands County tax sale 2026 searches, use the county-run sources below rather than a copied parcel list, and confirm the parcel, registration cutoff, deposit, and payment deadline against the county before you bid. If the parcels on this list are vacant land rather than houses, what buying land at a tax sale hands you is the place to start.
Confirm the advertised parcel list
Use Tax deed sales calendar and Lands Available as a starting reference. Check which sale or list it covers; a Lands Available or office information page is separate from an auction parcel list. Ask the sale office for the advertised parcels for the auction you plan to attend.Register to bid
Ask the Highlands County Clerk of Courts how and when to register; many counties close registration days or weeks before the sale.Sale day
Tax deed auction scheduled for October 7, 2026. Bidding runs on RealAuction; check posted sale dates, registration status, and bidding windows there.Confirm with the office
If the list, platform, and notice disagree, use the Highlands County Clerk of Courts as the source to confirm which parcels are actually offered.
Before you bid in Highlands County
4 checks
Confirm the parcel list before pricing
Open Tax deed sales calendar and Lands Available. Confirm whether this reference contains the auction parcels or covers a different list. Get the advertised parcel list from the county before you price a bid, and recheck it before the sale.Confirm registration and deposit
Register online and deposit the greater of $200 or 5 percent of the highest bid for each property. Online advance deposits must be made at least three full business days before the auction. The Clerk also accepts cash, cashier's check or money order by 2 p.m. the day before. Final payment is due by 4:30 p.m. the next business day; a wire must reach the Clerk's bank by 2 p.m. that day.
Check the state rules that change the bid
Read the Florida due-diligence checklist before bidding. Redemption, liens that survive a tax deed, title cleanup, and payment deadlines can change what a parcel is worth. Which liens survive is state law, so read what survives a tax deed in Florida before you price the title work.Set a walk-away number
Work out what the parcel is actually worth with the rural land value estimator, then turn it into a ceiling with the tax deed max-bid calculator.
Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases
unsold liens and deeds
County-held certificates can be bought from the Tax Collector through RealTaxLien on a first-come, first-served basis. Separately, parcels not sold at a tax deed sale go on the Clerk's Lands Available list.
New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work. Every state has its own name for what goes unsold, so check what Florida calls its leftover tax-sale inventory.
Use the arrow keys to switch between these sections.
County offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
Clerk of the Circuit Court (runs the deed sale)
County notes
- The Tax Collector links RealTaxLien for certificate sales; the Clerk's current Sale Rules require online tax deed registration.
- The Clerk's general sales page and current Sale Rules differ on how bidders attend. Check the current auction notice rather than relying on the older location description.
- The Tax Collector's main office and the Clerk are on South Commerce Avenue in Sebring.
Florida rules
- Redemption
- The 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. 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.
- Deed 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.
- Homestead deeds
- For property assessed as homestead on the latest tax roll, the opening bid also includes one-half of its latest assessed value.
- Surplus proceeds
- Governmental liens receive statutory priority. 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.
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 Highlands County, Florida sell tax liens or tax deeds?
When is the Highlands County tax certificate sale?
How often does Highlands County hold tax deed sales?
I own a property in this sale. Can I stop it?
Where can I find the Highlands County tax sale list?
Verified Oct 3, 2026 against official county and state sources.
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 office that runs the sale before you bid.
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