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

Tama County follows Iowa's tax lien state system.

When is the Tama County tax certificate sale?

June, annually. The Treasurer's property tax page states: "The Annual Tax Sale takes place in June of each year." It also notes that "Delinquent taxes as of May 1 are assessed a publication fee and must be advertised for sale at the annual tax sale in June." The county page does not post a specific day or start time, so confirm the exact date with the Treasurer's Office. The Iowa State County Treasurers Association describes the statewide date as the third Monday in June under Iowa Code Chapter 446.. 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 Tama 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

Tama County, IA tax sales

How tax lien certificate sales work in Tama County, seat of Toledo: 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 Tama County sells delinquent taxes

Tax certificate sale (lien)

SRI / ZEUS

Run by: Tama County Treasurer's Office
Frequency: annual
Typical timing: June, annually. The Treasurer's property tax page states: "The Annual Tax Sale takes place in June of each year." It also notes that "Delinquent taxes as of May 1 are assessed a publication fee and must be advertised for sale at the annual tax sale in June." The county page does not post a specific day or start time, so confirm the exact date with the Treasurer's Office. The Iowa State County Treasurers Association describes the statewide date as the third Monday in June under Iowa Code Chapter 446.
Next expected: on the third Monday in June, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Sale list: Delinquent Property Tax List (PDF)

Registration and deposit

Online through Iowa Tax Auction. Under the heading "Tax Sale Registration" the Treasurer's page says "If you would like to register to bid at the Tama County Tax Sale" and links to the Iowa Tax Auction site. Bidders create a free Zeus account, then register separately for the Tama County auction and wait for county approval before bidding; the platform requires a separate registration for each auction because a different seller holds each one. Zeus charges no account fee, though an individual auction can set its own registration fee, and auctions requiring a W-9 collect a tax identification or Social Security number. An account is needed even to view auction listings. Zeus does not process payments; each county sets its own payment terms, and the platform notes wire transfer to the county bank is typically preferred.

The Treasurer runs the sale "in an open competitive bidding process" under Iowa Code Chapter 446. Delinquent parcels are advertised in June in the Tama-Toledo News Chronicle. Per the county: "Properties are listed in parcel number order and have a sequence number for bidding purposes. Copies of the list are available at the Tama County Treasurer's Office. In addition, a printout of those parcels may also be purchased." The county also warns that "The investor is responsible for all research on parcels available for auction." A notice of the annual tax sale is mailed no later than May 1 to the person in whose name the parcel is taxed. Redemption must be paid in guaranteed funds and carries interest of 2 percent per month under Iowa law; partial payments are not accepted toward a tax sale redemption. The Legal Notices page carries the Delinquent Property Tax List as a PDF, which lists owner, parcel number, legal description, sequence number and amount, but carries no sale date or notice header, so verify the current year's list and sale date with the office before bidding.

Source: Tama County Treasurer's Office, Property Tax (annual tax sale, tax sale registration, delinquent publication)· 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)

Tama County Treasurer's Office

641-484-3141

Administration Building, 104 W. State St., Toledo, IA 52342 (mailing address: P.O. Box 336, Toledo, IA 52342)

Official website

Notes for Tama County

The Treasurer's own description of the office confirms it conducts "the annual tax sale for the collection of delinquent taxes." Amanda Kriegel is the elected Treasurer; Sara Gilbert is Deputy Treasurer over property tax.
Property tax counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office fax is 641-484-6248.
Delinquent notices go out to owners with taxes outstanding as of November 1 and May 1. Taxes not paid by the publication cutoff are printed on the annual Delinquent Tax List that feeds the June sale.
Iowa Tax Auction is the Zeus Auction Program from SRI Incorporated, a vendor that has provided tax sale and certificate sale services to counties in Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana and Michigan since 1989 and has run online government auctions since 2004.
The Iowa State County Treasurers Association county page for Tama also routes bidders to iowataxauction.com through a "Register And Bid For Tax Sales" link, and flags that parcels marked for tax sale cannot be paid through the standard online property tax portal.
Third-party aggregator sites publish Tama County tax sale pages, but none of them run the sale. The Treasurer's Office is the seller and Iowa Tax Auction is the only platform the county links to.

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 Tama County, Iowa sell tax liens or tax deeds?: Tama County follows Iowa's tax lien state system.
When is the Tama County tax certificate sale?: June, annually. The Treasurer's property tax page states: "The Annual Tax Sale takes place in June of each year." It also notes that "Delinquent taxes as of May 1 are assessed a publication fee and must be advertised for sale at the annual tax sale in June." The county page does not post a specific day or start time, so confirm the exact date with the Treasurer's Office. The Iowa State County Treasurers Association describes the statewide date as the third Monday in June under Iowa Code Chapter 446.. 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 Tama 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.