Johnston County, NC tax sales

County offices

County notes

• •Foreclosure sales are held in person on the Johnston County Courthouse steps facing Market Street (212 E Market St., Smithfield) and normally begin at 10:00 am; dates are set case by case by the foreclosure attorney rather than on a recurring calendar.
• •A 5 percent deposit on the final bid is due at the auction; the balance is due at the end of the 10 day upset bid period and confirmation of the sale. Upset bids must exceed the prior bid by 5 percent or $750, whichever is greater.
• •Upcoming sales are posted on the county auctions page and advertised for two weeks in the Smithfield Herald and on the courthouse bulletin board; as of August 2026 the page lists no sale scheduled.
• •Sales are run through the county's own Tax Administration Office and a commissioner, not through an outside law firm calendar such as ZLS or Kania, and no online auction platform is used.
• •The Tax Administration Office sits on the 2nd floor of the County Courthouse at 207 E. Johnston Street; Tax Collection direct line is 919-989-5120 and the office is open 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.

North Carolina rules

Redemption

North Carolina has no fixed redemption period of the certificate-state type and no post-sale redemption right. In a G.S. 105-374 foreclosure, redemption is allowed before confirmation of the foreclosure sale: paying the taxes, penalties, interest, and costs discontinues the action, and the clerk may confirm the sale once 10 days pass after the report of sale with no upset bid or exception. In an in rem foreclosure, payment in full of the docketed judgment with interest and costs requires the tax collector to certify the payment and cancel the judgment. Because every sale also sits through the 10-day upset bid window, an owner in either path retains a last window to pay after the auction itself but before the sale is final.N.C. General Statutes 105-374 - Foreclosure of tax lien by action in nature of action to foreclose a mortgageN.C.G.S. 105-374Verified Aug 16, 2026

Deed deposit

At a G.S. 105-374 sale the commissioner may require the successful bidder to make a deposit of up to 20 percent of the bid; no deposit may be required of a taxing unit. An upset bidder always files a deposit of 5 percent of the upset bid, minimum $750, with the clerk.N.C. General Statutes 105-374 - Foreclosure of tax lien by action in nature of action to foreclose a mortgageN.C.G.S. 105-374Verified Aug 16, 2026

Surplus proceeds

Sale proceeds are applied first to the costs of the action, including the commissioner's and attorneys' fees, then to the taxes, penalties, and interest of the foreclosing unit, then to special assessments and the taxes of other taxing units. Any surplus is paid as the court directs or held by the clerk of superior court, where the former owner, junior lienholders, and other claimants can file a special proceeding under G.S. 1-339.71 to establish ownership of the funds.N.C. General Statutes 105-374 - Foreclosure of tax lien by action in nature of action to foreclose a mortgageN.C.G.S. 105-374Verified Aug 16, 2026

Governing statute

N.C.G.S. Chapter 105, Article 26N.C. General Statutes Chapter 105, Article 26 - Collection and Foreclosure of TaxesN.C.G.S. Ch. 105, Art. 26Verified Aug 16, 2026

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.

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