Lake County, FL tax sales
Tax Sale Atlas maps the Lake 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 the county’s own official pages on Oct 3, 2026.
Lake County, Florida sells both tax lien certificates and tax deeds. The County Tax Collector runs the certificate sale on LienHub (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 Tavares, 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 November 3, 2026.Tuesday · 2026
- Format
- RealAuction
- Registration
- Register by the day before the sale.
- County office
- (352) 343-9602
On this page
How Lake County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Lake County Tax Collector
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- On or before June 1 annually
- Registration
- The Collector links LienHub for the annual certificate sale.
- 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
- Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
- Frequency
- Generally several Tuesdays per month at 11:15 a.m.; check the calendar
- Registration
- Register by the day before the sale.
- Sale list
- Tax deed sales calendar
Registration and deposit
Register by the day before the sale. The deposit is $200 or 5 percent of the winning bid, whichever is greater, and must reach the Clerk by 4 p.m. Eastern the preceding day. Deposit methods are cash, cashier’s check no more than two months old, money order or wire; ACH is not accepted. Full payment is due within 24 hours after the sale. Confirm processing times before sending funds.
Sale format and venue
Lake County tax sale list and auction calendar
For Lake 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 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
Sale day
Tax deed auction scheduled for November 3, 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 Lake County Tax Collector as the source to confirm which parcels are actually offered.
Before you bid in Lake County
4 checks
Confirm the parcel list before pricing
Open Tax deed sales calendar. 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 by the day before the sale. The deposit is $200 or 5 percent of the winning bid, whichever is greater, and must reach the Clerk by 4 p.m. Eastern the preceding day. Deposit methods are cash, cashier’s check no more than two months old, money order or wire; ACH is not accepted. Full payment is due within 24 hours after the sale. Confirm processing times before sending funds.
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
The Clerk’s FAQ describes Lands Available when a qualifying unsold property is not taken by the certificate applicant. It directs buyers to Tax Deed Record Search and to 352-253-2620 or 2621 for a current purchase price.
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)
Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
550 W. Main Street, North Wing, Third Floor, Tavares, FL 32778
Official websiteCounty notes
- The Collector runs the annual LienHub certificate auction; the Clerk generally holds designated Tuesday deed auctions at 11:15 a.m.
- The Clerk’s FAQ says ACH is not accepted for deed deposits; register and arrange settled funds before the sale.
- For Lands Available pricing or last-minute redemption checks, call the Tax Deeds section at 352-253-2620 or 2621.
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 Lake County, Florida sell tax liens or tax deeds?
When is the Lake County tax certificate sale?
How often does Lake County hold tax deed sales?
I own a property in this sale. Can I stop it?
Where can I find the Lake 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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Compare sale calendars, platforms, and rules across the state, or read the guides before you bid.