Does Pottawattamie County, Iowa sell tax liens or tax deeds?

Pottawattamie County follows Iowa's tax lien state system.

When is the Pottawattamie County tax certificate sale?

June, annually. The Treasurer's Real Estate page states "The Annual Tax Sale takes place in June of each year," and the Treasurer's FAQ answers "When is the tax sale?" with "Tax sale is always the 3rd Monday in June.". Registration and bidding happen on the county's online platform. Always confirm the exact date with the Tax Collector before the sale.

How often does Pottawattamie County hold tax deed sales?

none. Each sale is scheduled and advertised in advance, so check the county's tax deed calendar for the next posted date.

County-verified

Pottawattamie County, IA tax sales

How tax lien certificate sales work in Pottawattamie County, seat of Council Bluffs: sale calendar, auction platform, over-the-counter lists, and the offices that run each sale.

Verified Jul 29, 2026 against official county and state sources.

New here? Read how Iowa tax sales work, the difference between a lien and a deed, and redemption periods.

How Pottawattamie County sells delinquent taxes

Tax certificate sale (lien)

SRI / ZEUS

Run by: Pottawattamie County Treasurer's Office
Frequency: annual
Typical timing: June, annually. The Treasurer's Real Estate page states "The Annual Tax Sale takes place in June of each year," and the Treasurer's FAQ answers "When is the tax sale?" with "Tax sale is always the 3rd Monday in June."
Next expected: on the third Monday in June, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Sale list: Tax sale parcel list on Iowa Tax Auction

Registration and deposit

Bidders register online through Iowa Tax Auction, the platform the Treasurer links from its Real Estate page under "Tax Sale Registration." The platform's process is to create an account, select the auction, apply for it, then bid once approved. The Treasurer's FAQ says registration information for the sale is posted on the county web page in May.

The Treasurer administers the annual tax sale through an open competitive bidding process under Iowa Code Chapter 446. Taxes still delinquent as of May 1 are assessed a publication fee and must be advertised for sale at the June tax sale, and notice of the annual tax sale is mailed no later than May 1 to the person in whose name the parcel is taxed. Delinquent parcels are advertised in June in the county newspaper of choice, listed in parcel number order with a sequence number used for bidding. The Treasurer says copies of the list are available on the auction website, and a printout of those parcels may also be purchased. The county states the investor is responsible for all research on parcels available for auction. Redemption interest under Iowa law is 2 percent per month, redemption payments must be made in guaranteed funds, and partial payments are not allowed once a parcel has gone to tax sale. The office asks that questions about tax sale redemption funds go to (712) 328-5627.

Source: Pottawattamie County Treasurer, Real Estate and Annual Tax Sale· Verified Jul 29, 2026

From lien to deed

Run by: County Treasurer
Frequency: none
Typical timing: Iowa holds no tax deed auction. The treasurer makes out a treasurer's deed to the certificate holder immediately after 90 days have expired from completed service of the notice of expiration of the right of redemption, once the holder returns the certificate and pays the deed and recording fees.

There is nothing for an investor to bid on at the deed stage in Iowa. The only auction is the June certificate sale. The certificate holder must return the certificate of purchase and remit the deed and recording fees within 90 calendar days after the redemption period expires, or the treasurer cancels the certificate.

Source: Iowa Code 448.1 - Return of certificate of purchase, execution of deed, feesIowa Code 448.1· Verified Jul 29, 2026

Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases

Two routes reach parcels after the June sale. Parcels that remain unsold for want of bidders 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 may be assigned by the county for the total amount due on the date of assignment, or for a compromised amount, under a written agreement filed with the treasurer and a 10 dollar assignment transaction fee. Ask the county treasurer which county-held certificates are available for assignment.

New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work.

County offices

Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)

Pottawattamie County Treasurer's Office

(712) 328-5627

Pottawattamie County Courthouse, First Floor, 227 S 6th St, Council Bluffs, IA 51501

Official website

Notes for Pottawattamie County

Pottawattamie County runs a tax lien certificate sale through the County Treasurer, not a deed auction. The county page names Iowa Code Chapter 446 as the authority for the annual sale.
The county FAQ pins the date more precisely than the main sale page: the third Monday in June each year, while the Real Estate page says only June of each year.
Property taxes are billed in two halves. The first half is due September 1 and becomes delinquent October 1, the second half is due March 1 and becomes delinquent April 1. Delinquency interest runs 1.5 percent per month and rises to 2 percent per month after tax sale.
The Treasurer lists a second phone line, (712) 328-5631, and a fax at (712) 328-5823. Office hours are 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday.
County property tax search and payment portals are separate from the sale. The Treasurer links a tax search at municipalonlinepayments.com and online payments through iowatreasurers.org. Neither is the auction platform.
Research note for maintainers: the county web server returns HTTP 403 to automated clients, so these Treasurer pages were read through a text-extraction proxy of the same official URLs. The URLs in sources are the canonical official pages and load normally in a browser.

Iowa statewide rules

Max interest rate: 24% per year, fixed by statute (not bid down)
Minimum return: No statutory minimum return; what you earn is set by the share of ownership taken at the sale
Redemption: A parcel may be redeemed at any time before the right of redemption expires. After one year and nine months from the date of sale, the certificate holder may serve a notice of expiration of the right of redemption on the person in possession, the person in whose name the parcel is taxed, and every mortgagee, contract vendor, recorded lessor, and other party of record. The right of redemption then ends 90 days after that service is complete, which means the affidavit of service has been filed with the county treasurer. Three shortened tracks exist: nine months from a public bidder sale under section 446.18, and three months from an abandoned-property or public nuisance sale under section 446.19A or 446.19B. After the treasurer delivers the deed, redemption is possible only through an equitable action in district court, and only by a person who could have redeemed during the 90-day window.
Surplus proceeds: No surplus arises. The deed conveys the parcel to the certificate holder rather than selling it to the highest bidder, so there are no excess proceeds to distribute. Where the winning bid was less than 100 percent, the deed conveys only that undivided percentage interest in the parcel.
Governing statute: Iowa Code Chapter 446

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.

See the full Iowarules and every county →

Frequently asked questions

Does Pottawattamie County, Iowa sell tax liens or tax deeds?: Pottawattamie County follows Iowa's tax lien state system.
When is the Pottawattamie County tax certificate sale?: June, annually. The Treasurer's Real Estate page states "The Annual Tax Sale takes place in June of each year," and the Treasurer's FAQ answers "When is the tax sale?" with "Tax sale is always the 3rd Monday in June.". Registration and bidding happen on the county's online platform. Always confirm the exact date with the Tax Collector before the sale.
How often does Pottawattamie County hold tax deed sales?: none. 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.