Lemhi County, ID tax sales

County offices

County notes

• •The sale runs on Public Surplus under the seller name Lemhi County - Tax Deed Auction, and questions about the auction mechanics go to Public Surplus at [email protected] or its live chat rather than to the county.
• •The Treasurer presents to the commissioners on the second Monday in May the properties the county will take by tax deed, and the deeds are recorded that day, so the pool of parcels for the fall auction is fixed in May.
• •The Treasurer and Tax Collector can produce a list of properties with delinquent taxes, but a records release waiver must be signed first, a fee may apply, and you must name the tax year and the report you want so staff can run it.
• •The Clerk's office prepares and mails a recorded Deed of County Property within thirty days of the sale, made out to the registered bidder. To take title in a different name, contact the Clerk at (208) 742-1665 or [email protected].
• •Delinquent taxes, late charges, interest and costs come out of the sale proceeds. The Clerk notifies parties in interest of any excess proceeds within thirty days, claimants have sixty days to file with proof of interest such as a recorded lien or proof of heirship, claims are paid in lien priority, and unclaimed funds go to the Idaho Unclaimed Property Division.
• •The Board of Commissioners meets the second and fourth Monday of each month at 200 Fulton Street, Room 101 in Salmon, with agendas and minutes posted to the county Agenda Center; the Board's line is (208) 742-1665.
• •The Treasurer's department page carries no auction information. Watch the county home page news announcements and the Document Center for the sale notice, which is where the parcel list and terms are published.

Idaho rules

Redemption

The window belongs to the county's holding period, not to the auction. After the tax deed issues to the county, the record owner or a party in interest may redeem by paying the delinquency with late charges, accrued interest and costs including title search and professional fees, plus the taxes that accrued after the deed. That right runs only up to the moment the commissioners enter into a contract of sale or the property is transferred by county deed. Fourteen months after issuance it expires regardless. Since 31-808 requires the auction within those same fourteen months, a buyer at the county auction takes the property with the redemption already extinguished, and the tax deed is presumptive evidence of the regularity of everything before it.Idaho Code 63-1007 - Redemption, expiration of rightIdaho Code 63-1007Verified Sep 7, 2026

Deed deposit

No statutory deposit. The commissioners set a minimum bid covering all property taxes owing, interest and costs, and the parcel goes to the highest bidder over it. Payment terms are set by each county's own terms of sale, so confirm them before you bid.Idaho Code 31-808 - Sale of county property, including property acquired through tax deedIdaho Code 31-808Verified Sep 7, 2026

Governing statute

Idaho Code title 63, chapter 10Idaho Code 63-1005 - Pending issue of tax deedIdaho Code 63-1005Verified Sep 7, 2026

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.

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