Jefferson County, FL tax sales
Jefferson County, Florida sells both tax lien certificates and tax deeds. The Tax Collector runs an annual certificate sale (18% maximum, bid down), and unredeemed certificates move to a Clerk of the Circuit Court tax deed auction after about two years, under Florida Statutes Chapter 197.
Verified Jul 4, 2026 against official county and state sources.
New here? Read how Florida 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 Tax Collector
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- On or before June 1 annually
- Next expected
- on or about June 1, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
- Sale list
- Tax certificate information
Registration and deposit
Register and fund a deposit on the VisualGov auction site before the sale. Bidding starts at 18 percent interest and is bid down to the lowest rate.
Most Florida counties run the certificate sale online. Confirm the exact platform and list on the county Tax Collector page.
Register on VisualGov (taxcertsale.com)Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Jefferson County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
- Frequency
- As scheduled by the court; in-person auctions
- Typical timing
- In-person auctions at 11:00 a.m. at the County Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Circle, Monticello. Sales are advertised in the Monticello News for four consecutive weeks.
- Sale list
- Current tax deed sales
Registration and deposit
Bidding is in person at the courthouse. The successful bidder posts a nonrefundable deposit of 5 percent of the bid or $200, whichever is greater, with the balance due within 24 hours.
Florida clerks run tax deed sales online or in person at the courthouse. Confirm the platform or location on the county Clerk page.
Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases
County-held certificates are available from the Tax Collector after the annual sale, and parcels unsold at a tax deed sale become available through the Clerk's public sales and Lands Available for Taxes.
New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work.
County offices
Notes for Jefferson County
- Jefferson splits the two sale types: the Tax Collector runs the annual tax certificate (lien) sale and the Clerk of Court runs the tax deed sales.
- The certificate sale is online on the VisualGov platform (taxcertsale.com/JeffersonTaxSale), while tax deed sales are held in person at the courthouse in Monticello and advertised in the Monticello News.
- Tax deed bidders post a nonrefundable deposit of 5 percent of the bid or $200, whichever is greater, with the balance due within 24 hours. Confirm the current Clerk officeholder before relying on the contact name.
Florida statewide rules
- Redemption
- The owner (or anyone) can redeem a certificate at any time after it is issued and before a tax deed is 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
- If the property was assessed as homestead on the latest roll, the opening bid also adds one-half of its latest assessed value. This sharply raises the floor price on homestead parcels and suppresses investor demand for them.
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, Florida sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Jefferson County follows Florida's hybrid system. The Tax Collector sells tax-lien certificates each year, and the Clerk of the Circuit Court holds tax deed auctions on parcels whose certificates go unredeemed after about two years.
When is the Jefferson County tax certificate sale?
- On or before June 1 annually. Registration and bidding happen on the county's online platform. Always confirm the exact date with the Tax Collector before the sale.
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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