The governing law
Missouri is a tax lien state. Once a year, on the fourth Monday in August, the county collector auctions the tax lien on parcels whose taxes went delinquent, and the winner receives a certificate of purchase rather than a deed. Bidding opens at the delinquent taxes, interest, penalty and costs, and bidders compete by raising the price. The certificate carries the rate the collector writes on it, which the statute caps at 10 percent per year, and subsequent taxes the holder pays earn 8 percent per year. Investors call this the Jones-Munger sale, after the 1933 act that created it. A parcel that draws no adequate bid rolls to a second offering the next year and a third the year after, and the redemption window shortens at each step until a post third offering sale conveys an immediate collector's deed. The process runs under Chapter 140 of the Missouri Revised Statutes. Counties that have elected the Land Tax Collection Law in Chapter 141 use a court supervised in rem foreclosure sale instead, so confirm which chapter your target county runs before planning a bid.
Mo. Rev. Stat. Chapter 140
Read the statuteCollection of Delinquent Taxes Generally
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.010
Read the statuteCounty collector, enforcement of state's lien
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.100
Read the statutePenalty against delinquent lands
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.170
Read the statuteCounty collector to publish delinquent land list, site of sale
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.190
Read the statutePeriod of sale, manner of bids, sale to nonresidents
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.230
Read the statuteForeclosure sale surplus, deposited in treasury, escheats
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.240
Read the statuteSecond offering of delinquent lands and lots
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.250
Read the statuteThird offering of delinquent lands and lots, redemption, subsequent sale, collector's deed
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.280
Read the statutePayment of total amount by purchaser, penalty for failure
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.290
Read the statuteCertificate of purchase, contents, fee, nonresidents
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.340
Read the statuteRedemption, when, manner
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.405
Read the statutePurchaser of property at delinquent land tax auction, deed issued to, when, notice of right of redemption
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.410
Read the statuteExecution and record of deed by purchaser, failure, assignment prohibited
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.420
Read the statuteDeed to purchaser if unredeemed
Mo. Rev. Stat. 140.440
Read the statutePayment of taxes by holder of purchase certificate, subsequent certificate
Mo. Rev. Stat. Chapter 141
Read the statuteDelinquent Taxes, Certain Subdivisions, including the Land Tax Collection Law
Mo. Rev. Stat. 141.230
Read the statuteOperation under law, partial opt-in county, procedure
Mo. Rev. Stat. 141.550
Read the statuteConduct of sale, interests conveyed, cost of publication
Mo. Rev. Stat. 139.100
Read the statuteCollection of penalty for delinquent taxes
Want the mechanics in plain English instead of statute numbers? See how to buy in Missouri, the redemption period, and the full Missouri walkthrough.
Statute citations verified Aug 18, 2026. Statutes are amended; always confirm the current text at the official link before you rely on it.
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.