Franklin County, GA tax sales
How tax lien certificate and tax deed sales work in Franklin County, seat of Carnesville: sale calendar, auction platform, over-the-counter lists, and the offices that run each sale.
Verified Jul 27, 2026 against official county and state sources.
New here? Read how Georgia tax sales work, the difference between a lien and a deed, and redemption periods.
How Franklin County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
Details are being verified for this county.
Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Franklin County Tax Commissioner, designated ex-officio sheriff
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- "Sales are scheduled the first Tuesday of any given month in front of the courthouse." Sales run only when properties have been levied, so months without a levy have no sale.
Registration and deposit
The Tax Commissioner does not publish bidder registration steps, deposit amounts, or accepted payment forms online. The office states that "the bidding commences with the total taxes, fees, and interest on each parcel" and "the tax deed is then sold to the highest bidder." Confirm registration and payment terms with the Tax Commissioner at 706-384-3455 before attending.
Franklin County runs a live, in person redeemable tax deed sale in front of the courthouse. There is no online bidding platform and no online property list. The Tax Commissioner states that "tax sales are advertised in legal advertisement of the Franklin County Citizen" and that "the newspaper ad is run once a week for four weeks prior to the sale," so the newspaper legal ads are the operative sale list. Bidders can also search Franklin County under the Tax Sales notice type on the statewide Georgia Public Notice database. When checked in July 2026 the Citizen legals page carried probate, juvenile court, and storage lien notices but no pending tax sale ad, which indicates no sale was scheduled at that moment. The office cites O.C.G.A. 48-4-45 through 48-4-48 and confirms the 12 month right of redemption at a "20% premium for the first year or fraction of a year, and a 10% premium of the amount for each additional year," with barment served by certified mail and published once a week for four consecutive weeks. In person, on the courthouse steps (no online auction platform)
County offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
Franklin County Tax Commissioner (Bobby Martin), Franklin County Tax Office
1221 Hull Avenue, Carnesville, GA 30521. Mailing: PO Box 100, Carnesville, GA 30521
Official websiteNotes for Franklin County
- The Tax Commissioner acts as ex-officio sheriff and "is responsible for conducting tax sales," and "must issue a tax lien (commonly known as an execution or FIFA) against all delinquent taxpayers" (source: tc_general).
- Sales are held in front of the courthouse in Carnesville. The Clerk of Superior and Juvenile Courts is listed at 9592 Lavonia Road, Carnesville, GA 30521 (source: clerk), while the Tax Commissioner's office is at 1221 Hull Avenue (source: tc_contact). Confirm the exact steps location with the Tax Commissioner before the sale.
- No auction platform account is needed. Do not expect a LienHub, RealAuction, GovEase, or Bid4Assets listing for Franklin County.
- No tax sale list, excess funds list, or sale calendar is posted on the county or Tax Commissioner websites. Monitor the Franklin County Citizen legal ads during the four weeks before the first Tuesday of a month.
- Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Email: [email protected] (source: tc_contact).
Georgia statewide rules
- Redemption
- The right to redeem runs for 12 months from the date of the sale and does not end there. It continues after the year until the tax deed purchaser forecloses it by serving and publishing the statutory barment notice, which cannot be started until 12 months have passed. The purchaser delivers the notice to the sheriff at least 45 days before the redemption deadline named in it, and publishes it once a week for four consecutive weeks in the six months immediately before that deadline. Redemption puts title back in the defendant in fi. fa. subject to the liens that existed at the sale, and the purchaser must execute and record a quitclaim deed. Title under a tax deed recorded on or after July 1, 1996 ripens by prescription four years after recording. Judicial in rem foreclosures under Article 5 run on a different clock: the owner has 60 days after the sale to redeem by paying the minimum bid price into the superior court.
- Deed deposit
- Georgia sets no statewide percentage deposit. A purchaser at a judicial sale may tender cash or a cashier's or certified check drawn for the purchase price and issued or certified by a federally insured financial institution. Counties publish their own payment terms, and many require payment in full at the close of the sale, so confirm the terms with the tax commissioner before bidding.
- Surplus proceeds
- Excess funds left after taxes, costs, and the expenses of the sale belong to the former owner and to recorded lienholders in order of priority. The officer who sold the property must mail notice of the excess funds by first-class mail within 30 days to the record owner at the time of the sale, to the holder of each security deed, and to every other party with a recorded equity interest or claim, and may file an interpleader action in superior court. Funds still unclaimed five years after the sale are paid over to the Georgia Department of Revenue, after which only a court order from an interpleader action releases 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 Franklin County, Georgia sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Franklin County follows Georgia's redeemable deed state system.
How often does Franklin County hold tax deed sales?
- annual. Each sale is scheduled and advertised in advance, so check the county's tax deed calendar for the next posted date.
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 159 Georgia counties
Compare sale calendars, platforms, and rules across the state, or read the guides before you bid.