- Does Indiana sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Indiana sells tax liens. The county treasurer auctions delinquent parcels each year under a court order of sale and the county auditor issues the winning bidder a certificate of sale. There is no general public tax deed auction. A holder who is not redeemed petitions the court and the auditor issues a tax deed. The one exception is real property certified as vacant or abandoned, which is auctioned for a deed with no right of redemption.
- What return does an Indiana tax sale certificate pay?
- Indiana pays a flat penalty rather than annual interest. Redemption within six months of the sale returns 110 percent of the minimum bid, and redemption after six months and within one year returns 115 percent. On top of that, 5 percent per year accrues on the amount bid above the minimum and on any taxes the buyer pays after the sale. Because the penalty applies only to the minimum bid, bidding a large premium lowers the blended return.
- How long is the redemption period in Indiana?
- One year from the date of the treasurer's tax sale. Certificates bought at a commissioners' certificate sale, liens the county executive holds that were never sold on, sales to a qualified purchasing agency, and parcels that were never offered at the sale all carry a 120-day period instead. Property on the county auditor's vacant and abandoned list has no right of redemption at all.
- How does an Indiana buyer actually get the deed?
- After the redemption period expires, and no later than three months after it expires, the certificate holder files a verified petition in the court that entered the judgment of sale. The court has 61 days to enter an order directing the county auditor to issue the tax deed. Missing the three-month window terminates the purchaser's lien, so the deadline is the single most important date on an Indiana certificate.
- What happens to parcels nobody bids on at the Indiana tax sale?
- The county executive acquires a lien for the minimum sale price and the auditor issues it a certificate. The county executive may then adopt a resolution and offer those certificates at a separate advertised public sale, priced below the minimum bid that failed at the tax sale. Redemption on a certificate bought at that sale is 120 days and pays the last minimum bid plus 10 percent of the certificate price plus costs.
- When are Indiana tax sales held?
- Indiana law fixes no calendar month for the sale. The treasurer certifies the delinquency list no later than 51 days after the first tax payment due date, the auditor publishes notice once a week for three consecutive weeks, and the court enters judgment and the order of sale no later than three days before the advertised sale date. Each county picks its own date inside that chain, so confirm it on the county treasurer or auditor page.
- Where do Indiana tax sales run online?
- Most counties now conduct the auction electronically, which IC 6-1.1-24-5(i) permits at the treasurer's option. Hancock County, for example, holds its sale at zeusauction.com, and county sale listings are commonly posted through SRI at sriservices.com. A few counties still sell in person at the courthouse, so check the county page before you register.
- How much do you have to pay if you win an Indiana tax sale bid?
- The full amount of the bid is due immediately to the county treasurer. Indiana requires no partial deposit and gives no grace period for the balance. A bidder who fails to pay owes a civil penalty of 25 percent of the bid, and the parcel goes back up for sale.
Verified Jul 29, 2026 against Indiana statutes.
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.