- Does Iowa sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Iowa sells tax liens. The county treasurer holds an annual tax sale on the third Monday in June and issues the winning bidder a certificate of purchase. There is no separate tax deed auction. If nobody redeems, the treasurer issues a treasurer's deed to the certificate holder after the redemption period and a 90-day notice window close.
- What interest rate does an Iowa tax sale certificate pay?
- Two percent per month, which annualizes to 24 percent. The rate is fixed by statute and is not bid down at the sale, so every certificate earns the same rate. Each fraction of a month counts as an entire month, and the interest is rounded to the nearest whole dollar with a one dollar minimum.
- How does Iowa tax sale bidding work if the rate is fixed?
- Iowa bidders compete on ownership percentage instead of on rate. Each bidder states the smallest percentage of undivided interest in the parcel they will accept if a treasurer's deed later issues, and the smallest percentage wins. The floor is 1 percent, and ties at the smallest percentage are broken by a random selection process the treasurer runs.
- How long is the redemption period in Iowa?
- One year and nine months from the date of sale before the certificate holder may serve the notice of expiration of the right of redemption, then 90 days after that service is complete. That puts the practical floor from sale to deed at roughly two years. The wait shortens to nine months for a public bidder sale under section 446.18 and to three months for an abandoned-property or public nuisance sale under section 446.19A or 446.19B.
- How long does an Iowa tax sale certificate stay alive?
- Three years. If the holder has not filed an affidavit of service of the notice of expiration of the right of redemption within three years of the sale, the treasurer cancels the sale and the certificate is worthless. The window is one year for a public nuisance tax sale under section 446.19B, and the cancellation rule does not apply to certificates a county holds.
- Can you buy Iowa tax sale certificates outside the June auction?
- Yes, through two routes. Parcels left unsold are carried to adjourned sales, which the treasurer sets at intervals of not more than two months until the next annual sale. Separately, certificates struck to the county at the public bidder sale can be assigned by the county for the total amount due, or for a compromised amount, under a written agreement filed with the treasurer.
- When do Iowa property taxes become delinquent?
- The first half is due before September 1 following the levy and is delinquent from October 1. The second half is due before March 1 and is delinquent from April 1. Delinquent installments draw 1.5 percent per month, with each fraction of a month counted as a full month.
Verified Jul 29, 2026 against Iowa 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.