National reference
Redeemable deed states
A redeemable deed transfers the property at the sale but lets the former owner buy it back by paying a statutory penalty or, in some states, interest by the year. 10 of the 51 states Tax Sale Atlas has mapped work this way, and their redemption returns are read from statute and checked Oct 12, 2026.
A redeemable deed sits between a tax lien and a straight tax deed. You buy at the sale, but the former owner keeps a set window to reclaim the property by paying your bid plus a statutory return: a penalty in some states, interest by the year in others. If they redeem, that return is what you earn. If they do not, the property stays with you, on the terms each state sets for making the title final.
Which states use redeemable deeds?
Redeemable deed states are the subset of tax deed states where the winning bidder receives a deed, but the former owner keeps a statutory redemption right. 10 of the jurisdictions below work this way, and they do not agree on what a redemption pays the buyer.
Penalty or interest
In Delaware, Georgia, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas the statute sets a redemption penalty. Some penalties stay the same within a tier; later years or months can add further penalties. Check the table and each state’s statute for the applicable tier. In Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Tennessee and Vermont the owner pays interest at a statutory rate for each year (or month) until redemption, so the return grows with the wait. Read tax lien vs tax deed for how the two instruments compare.
| State | What the owner pays you | Redemption window | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 18% a year interest | 6 months from the sale date; 60 days if the property was abandoned or meets other conditions established by ordinance adopted by the town's legislative body | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-157(f) |
| Delaware | 15% penalty | 60 days from Superior Court confirmation of the sale | Del. Code Ann. tit. 9, § 8729 (Redemption by owner) |
| Georgia | 20% penalty for the first year or fraction; +10% for each later year or fraction | 12 months minimum; the right survives past 12 months until the purchaser affirmatively forecloses it | O.C.G.A. § 48-4-42 (Amount payable for redemption; additional costs), Official Code of Georgia Annotated via the LexisNexis-hosted free public portal (state-designated official publisher); look up § 48-4-42 by citation (no per-section deep link). |
| Hawaii | 12% a year interest | 1 year from the date of the tax sale; in Honolulu and Maui only, extended to 1 year from recording if the tax deed is not recorded within 60 days of the sale | Maui County Real Property Tax Office – Tax Sale FAQ (citing Maui County Code §3.48.270) |
| Massachusetts | 8% a year interest | 12 months minimum from sale/taking before a foreclosure petition may be filed (6 months for titles taken or sold before Nov 1, 2024); the right to redeem continues until the Land Court enters final judgment of foreclosure | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 60, § 62 (Redemption; interest) |
| Rhode Island | 10% penalty, rising monthly with no cap | 1 year minimum (earliest a foreclosure-of-redemption petition may be filed); RIHMC-held titles: 5 years | R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-9-19 (Right of redemption from city or town) |
| South Carolina | 3% to 12% penalty | 12 months from date of sale | S.C. Code Ann. 12-51-90(B); cap referenced in 12-51-55 |
| Tennessee | 12% a year interest | 12 months by default (property delinquent 5 years or less); shortened to 180 days if delinquent more than 5 but fewer than 8 years; 90 days if delinquent 8+ years; and 30 days for property meeting the statutory vacant/abandoned standard (regardless of delinquency length), all measured from entry of the chancery court's order confirming the sale, with courts also able to order a different period case by case. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-5-2701, "Procedure for redemption of property", Tennessee Code Annotated free public access hosted by LexisNexis (the publisher the Tennessee General Assembly / capitol.tn.gov directs the public to); the portal has no per-section deep link, so § 67-5-2701 must be looked up by citation. |
| Texas | 25% to 50% penalty | 180 days (6 months) for most real property; extends to 2 years for a residence homestead, agricultural-use land, or a mineral interest | Tex. Tax Code § 34.21(a), (e), redemption premium provisions |
| Vermont | 12% a year interest | 1 year from the date of sale | 32 V.S.A. § 5260 (Redemption) |
The return and window are the statutory baseline. Some states add tiers or extend the window for owner occupied property, so confirm the current terms with the office that runs the sale before you bid.
See every state's redemption window
Compare redemption periods across lien, deed, and redeemable deed states in one sourced table.