When the sale is held
Indiana fixes no calendar month for the sale. The county treasurer certifies the delinquency list to the auditor 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 for sale no later than three days before the advertised sale date. Counties set their own sale dates within that chain.
When taxes go delinquent
Indiana property taxes assessed for a year are due in two equal installments on May 10 and November 10 of the following year. A late payment adds a 5 percent penalty if the bill is paid within 30 days of the due date and no prior delinquency exists on the parcel, otherwise 10 percent, and an added 10 percent attaches on the day after each installment due date in later years while the taxes stay unpaid. The state holds a lien on each tract for its property taxes from the assessment date, and that lien is superior to all other liens, which is what makes an Indiana certificate senior collateral.
What happens after the sale
Indiana holds no general public tax deed auction. Once the redemption period runs out, the certificate holder files a verified petition in the same court that entered the judgment of sale, and the court directs the county auditor to issue the deed. That petition must be filed no later than three months after the redemption period expires, or the purchaser's lien terminates. One narrow exception exists: real property a county, city, or town executive has certified as vacant or abandoned is auctioned separately, and there the county auditor deeds fee simple title straight to the highest bidder with no right of redemption.
Leftover parcels between sales
When a parcel draws no bid at the treasurer's tax sale, the county executive acquires a lien for the minimum sale price and the auditor issues it a tax sale certificate, giving the county the same rights as a purchaser. The county executive may then adopt a resolution offering those certificates to the public at a separate advertised sale, and may price them below the minimum bid that failed at the tax sale. Notice runs once a week for three consecutive weeks, with the final advertisement at least 30 days before the sale date. This is a scheduled public sale rather than a walk-in over-the-counter list, and the redemption period on a certificate bought this way is 120 days.
These dates are the statewide statutory schedule. The exact auction date, registration deadline, and platform are set county by county, so confirm them on the Indiana county pages before you plan a bid. For the mechanics of the sale itself, see how to buy in Indiana.
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.