Washington County, NC tax sales

County offices

County notes

• •Delinquent accounts are handled by Deputy Tax Administrator and Delinquent Tax Coordinator Christal Watkins, 252-793-3927, [email protected]; the Tax Administrator is Sherri Wilkins (county Tax Office page).
• •The Tax Office page states taxes become delinquent after January 5, interest runs "2% in January and 3/4% each month thereafter," and the tax lien advertisement runs the "Third week in April."
• •The county-hosted ZLS FAQ confirms the mortgage-style foreclosure path (NCGS 105-374 and 1-339.1): Report of Sale filed with the Clerk, the sale "stays open for 10 days" for upset bids, redemption is cut off at confirmation, and ZLS earns a 5% commission on the highest bid that is added to payoff figures.
• •The county's own public notices page carried no foreclosure sale notices as of August 2026; sale notices surface through the ZLS listings page, courthouse posting, and newspaper advertisement.
• •The county site's separate "Surplus Real Property Listings" page (washconc.org/real-property-listings/) is a form-based surplus disposal process, not the tax foreclosure sale channel.

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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