Delaware County, OH tax sales
Delaware County, Ohio sells both tax lien certificates and tax deeds. The County Treasurer runs the certificate sale (18% maximum, bid down), and the County Sheriff holds the tax deed sale on parcels whose certificates go unredeemed, from the county seat in Delaware, under R.C. Chapter 5721.
New to tax sales? Read how Ohio tax sales work or look terms up in the glossary.
- Next sale
- Sheriff sales are held on Wednesdays at 10:00 AM Eastern.
- Format
- County site
- County office
- 740-833-2480
On this page
How Delaware County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Delaware County Treasurer's Office
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Delaware County does not hold a fixed annual certificate auction.
When it runs
Registration and deposit
There is no public bidder registration, because the county sells in bulk rather than certificate by certificate. The policy states that "Bulk purchasers must meet eligibility and qualification requirements as established by the Treasurer's Office" and that prospective buyers "may be required to submit documentation demonstrating" financial capacity, experience in managing tax liens, and compliance with applicable laws. The Treasurer "may engage qualified purchasers through a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) or other procurement mechanism to negotiate terms of sale," "may reject any purchaser who poses a risk to the County's interests or the community," and reserves the right to modify terms, set minimum purchase amounts, exclude parcels, and cancel or postpone a sale. Direct inquiries to the Treasurer's Office at 740-833-2480 or [email protected].
Sale format and venue
Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Delaware County Sheriff's Office
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- Sheriff sales are held on Wednesdays at 10:00 AM Eastern.
When it runs
Registration and deposit
For the in person tax sales, the Sheriff's page says to "print and legibly fill out the Purchaser Information Form and bring it to the auction (if the form is not legible, it will be returned) for tax sales," and "Deposit is due at the time of sale in the form of Cash or a Certified Check for tax sales." For the online foreclosure sales, the county's notice says "All person(s) who want to bid on a property offered by the Delaware County Sheriff's Office must register with Realauction. Registration will include completion of the Purchaser Information Form." Deposits there are the statutory tiers of $2,000, $5,000 or $10,000 by appraised value; wire deposits must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern two business days before the sale and ACH deposits must be initiated by 4 p.m. Eastern five business days before the sale, and no cash deposits are accepted. Judgment creditors must register but under R.C. 2329.211 are not required to post a deposit if they are the purchaser.
Sale format and venue
Delaware County tax sale list and auction calendar
For Delaware County tax sale 2026 searches, use the county-run sources below rather than a copied parcel list, and confirm the parcel, registration cutoff, deposit, and payment deadline against the county before you bid.
Get the advertised list
Use Delaware County Sheriff sale schedule and terms for the current advertised parcels, then recheck it before the auction.Register to bid
Ask the county office how and when to register; many counties close registration days or weeks before the sale.Sale day
Sheriff sales are held on Wednesdays at 10:00 AM Eastern. The county names Official public sheriff sale web site, at the county's subdomain of sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov as its auction platform but has not published a direct bidding link. Confirm the date and window with the county.Confirm with the office
If the list, platform, and notice disagree, use Delaware County Sheriff's Office as the source to confirm which parcels are actually offered.
Before you bid in Delaware County
4 checks
Start with the live sale list
Pull the current advertised parcels from Delaware County Sheriff sale schedule and terms. Lists can change before the sale, so recheck the county source before you price a parcel.Confirm registration and deposit
For the in person tax sales, the Sheriff's page says to "print and legibly fill out the Purchaser Information Form and bring it to the auction (if the form is not legible, it will be returned) for tax sales," and "Deposit is due at the time of sale in the form of Cash or a Certified Check for tax sales." For the online foreclosure sales, the county's notice says "All person(s) who want to bid on a property offered by the Delaware County Sheriff's Office must register with Realauction. Registration will include completion of the Purchaser Information Form." Deposits there are the statutory tiers of $2,000, $5,000 or $10,000 by appraised value; wire deposits must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern two business days before the sale and ACH deposits must be initiated by 4 p.m. Eastern five business days before the sale, and no cash deposits are accepted. Judgment creditors must register but under R.C. 2329.211 are not required to post a deposit if they are the purchaser.
Check the state rules that change the bid
Read the Ohio due-diligence checklist before bidding. Redemption, liens that survive a tax deed, title cleanup, and payment deadlines can change what a parcel is worth.Set a walk-away number
Work out what the parcel is actually worth with the rural land value estimator, then turn it into a ceiling with the tax deed max-bid calculator.
Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases
unsold liens and deeds
Ohio has no over-the-counter tax certificate channel. The equivalent inventory is the county auditor's forfeited land list, made up of parcels that drew no qualifying bid at two foreclosure sales. The auditor offers that list at public auction at least annually, and a tract that still receives no bid meeting the statutory minimum may then be sold for the best price obtainable.
New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work.
Use the arrow keys to switch between these sections.
County offices
Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)
County notes
- Sheriff sale contacts: the Sheriff Sales line is (740) 833-2868, [email protected]. Sheriff's Office Administration is at 1776 State Route 521, Delaware, Ohio 43015, phone (740) 833-2810, fax (740) 833-2809. The Sheriff Sales page also directs questions to the Delaware County Auditor's Office and the Delaware County Clerk of Courts Office.
- The Delaware County Auditor's Office runs forfeited land sales under O.R.C. Chapter 5723. Its Terms of Sale say "The place of the sale will be the first floor lobby area of the Hayes Services Building (145 N. Union Street, Delaware, Ohio 43015)" and "All sale participants must register with the Deputy Auditor and receive a bid number card before participating in the auction. Participants must register with the name to be recorded on the deed of a winning bid." Bids open at the outstanding charges on a parcel, the Deputy Auditor controls the opening bid and increments if there is no minimum bid, and "A parcel will not be offered for sale for less than its associated court costs."
- Forfeited land sale money terms: deposits and payments must be cash, certified check or money order. Sales up to $500 are paid in full at the sale; sales over $500 require a non refundable $500 deposit, and a certificate of sale is issued on payment of the deposit. Final payment is due by close of business 30 days after the sale. On presentation of the certificate and full payment, a $45 deed fee and a $42 recording fee are charged so the Auditor can convey and record the deed. Winning bidders sign an affidavit that they are not delinquent on Ohio real property taxes and are not the prior owner of record or a connected party. Parcels sell free of the "lien for land taxes, assessments, charges, penalties, and interest" for which they were forfeited under O.R.C. 5723.12(C), and the former owner may redeem until the deed is prepared and executed under O.R.C. 5723.03.
- The Auditor's Forfeited Land Sales page currently posts only two sale notices, dated 3-15-22 and 9-27-22, so no upcoming forfeited land sale date is published there. The 9-27-22 notice cites O.R.C. 5723.10 and reads "To be auctioned on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 10:00 AM at the first floor lobby area of the Hayes Services Building, 145 N. Union Street, Delaware, Ohio 43015." Call the Auditor at (740) 833-2900 for the current schedule.
- Delaware County Auditor's Office: 145 N. Union St., Delaware, Ohio 43015, phone (740) 833-2900. The Auditor certifies the delinquency that makes a parcel eligible for a tax lien certificate sale and publishes the statutory delinquent notice.
- Delaware County Clerk of Courts, Legal Division: Delaware County Courthouse, 117 North Union Street, Level 300, Delaware, Ohio 43015, phone (740) 833-2500, fax (740) 833-2499. Sheriff sale balances are due within 30 days of the date the confirmation of sale is filed with the Clerk of Courts.
- Certificate eligibility keys off unpaid second half taxes, and the 2026 second half deadline moved. The county site states: "The payment of second-half property-tax bills has been delayed until Aug. 17 because of changes to state law. Bills will be mailed the last week of July." Expect the delinquent certification calendar to shift with it.
- Sheriff sale listings in the published table use Common Pleas civil execution case numbers in the CVE format, and each row shows the address, a recorder volume and page reference, appraised value, deposit, purchaser and purchase price once sold. Free legal descriptions are available at the Recorder's search site at https://delaware.dts-central-oh.com/PaxWorld/ by entering the volume and page number shown next to a property address.
Ohio rules
- Redemption
- Ohio has no post-sale redemption window. On the certificate track the owner or any other person entitled to redeem may pay the county treasurer at any time before the certificate holder pays to start foreclosure, and after that up until the entry of confirmation of sale, the expiration of the 28-day alternative redemption period, or the decree that conveys title to the certificate holder. On the direct foreclosure track, delinquent land may be redeemed before proceedings begin, and afterwards up to the entry of confirmation of sale or the end of the alternative redemption period. The alternative redemption period is 28 days after an adjudication of foreclosure is journalized, and when it expires the right and equity of redemption terminate without any further order. Once title vests, a decree conveying the parcel to a certificate holder is a permanent bar to redemption.
- Deed deposit
- For residential property the deposit is fixed by statute: $2,000 if the appraised value is $10,000 or less, $5,000 if it is above $10,000 and up to $200,000, and $10,000 if it is above $200,000. A judgment creditor buying at its own sale posts no deposit. For commercial property the deposit follows whatever requirements the sale sets. Deposit timing is set by the court or the officer conducting the sale and printed in the sale advertisement, and an online sale may take the deposit by card or other financial transaction device.
- Surplus proceeds
- Sale proceeds pay costs first, then the certificate holder or the taxing districts, and any residue goes to the clerk of the court within 45 days after confirmation. The clerk notifies the former owner. Residue left unclaimed 90 days after that final notice is paid into the county treasury and held for the owner, who may demand it within three years. After three years it is forfeited to the county's delinquent tax and assessment collection fund, or to the county land reutilization corporation fund where one exists.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Does Delaware County, Ohio sell tax liens or tax deeds?
When is the Delaware County tax certificate sale?
How often does Delaware County hold tax deed sales?
I own a property in this sale. Can I stop it?
Where can I find the Delaware County tax sale list?
Verified Aug 7, 2026 against official county and state sources.
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.
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