Lafayette County, FL tax sales
Lafayette 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 Lafayette County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Lafayette County Tax Collector
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- On or before June 1 annually. For the 2026 sale, online bidding began May 6 and ran about 16 days. Delinquent real estate taxes are advertised in a local newspaper before the sale.
- Next expected
- on or about June 1, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Registration and deposit
Register on the RealAuction RealTaxLien platform and fund a deposit before bidding. Bidding is a reverse auction on interest that starts at 18 percent and is bid down, with a 5 percent minimum return unless bid to zero.
Lafayette runs its certificate sale on RealAuction's RealTaxLien platform at lafayettefl.realtaxlien.com, per the Florida Department of Revenue 2026 tax certificate sale list. It does not use LienHub or taxcertsale.com.
Register on RealTaxLien (RealAuction)Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Lafayette County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
- Frequency
- As scheduled and noticed
- Sale list
- Tax deed sales and Lands Available
Registration and deposit
Tax deed sales are held in person on the north steps of the Lafayette County Courthouse at 120 West Main Street, Mayo. The deposit is due immediately after the sale and is non-refundable, payable to the Lafayette County Clerk of Court by cash, cashier's check, or money order.
Deeds are sold in person at the courthouse, not through an online auction vendor. Parcels unsold at a sale move to the Clerk's List of Lands Available for Taxes.
Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases
County-held certificates can be purchased from the Tax Collector after the annual certificate sale. Parcels unsold at a tax deed sale move to the Clerk's List of Lands Available for Taxes.
New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work.
County offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
Lafayette County Tax Collector
Chuck Hewett
120 West Main Street, Mayo, FL 32066 (mailing PO Box 96, Mayo, FL 32066)
Official websiteNotes for Lafayette County
- Lafayette runs the two sales in-house: the Tax Collector's online certificate sale is on RealAuction at lafayettefl.realtaxlien.com, while the Clerk sells tax deeds in person on the north steps of the courthouse in Mayo.
- Certificate sale dates shift each year; for 2026 online bidding opened May 6. Confirm current-year dates with the Tax Collector at (386) 294-1961.
- As one of Florida's smallest counties, sale volume is low and deed sales are held only when noticed. Confirm the schedule with the Clerk at (386) 294-1600 before traveling.
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 Lafayette County, Florida sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Lafayette 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 Lafayette County tax certificate sale?
- On or before June 1 annually. For the 2026 sale, online bidding began May 6 and ran about 16 days. Delinquent real estate taxes are advertised in a local newspaper before the sale.. 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.
Explore all 67 Florida counties
Compare sale calendars, platforms, and rules across the state, or read the guides before you bid.