Are delinquent taxes advertised?
Yes. A list of all real property with delinquent taxes
weeks in a local newspaper. The advertisement
specifies the place, date,
What is a tax certificate?
A tax certificate represents a lien on real property
year. The cost to purchase a certificate is listed
beside each parcel in the
delinquent advertisement,
and includes gross tax, interest, advertising cost,
What is a tax certificate sale?
day and time, the Tax Collector
delinquent parcel. Since the taxes on some parcels
will have been paid prior to the
that appeared in the newspaper advertisement will
certificate is sold to the person bidding the
What if there are no bidders?
If there are no bidders for a certificate, it is issued to
How are tax certificates redeemed?
to clear the tax property of the tax
property owner must pay the
amount of the tax certificate plus the rate of interest
was sold, calculated from
the month of the sale to the month of the
0%. If the bid was 0%, there will be
accrued. When a tax certificate is
after June 1, a $6.25 redemption fee is also charged.
After redemption, the certificate
interest. Please note that
interest earned is taxable and must be
the IRS. Each January, an IRS 1099
sent to each certificate holder for earnings in
What if the ce rtificate is not redeemed?
not redeemed within two years
the tax became delinquent, the
certificate holder may apply for a tax deed, and
bring the land to sale at a
2006 taxes became delinquent April 1, 2007;
therefore, a tax deed application
April 1, 2009. A certificate holder who wishes to
apply for a tax deed must redeem all
certificates and pay other fees as mandated by state
What happens at the land sale?
If the land goes to a public sale, the starting bid
the tax deed application.
When the property is assessed on the latest tax
roll as homestead property, the
half of the assessed value of the
property as listed on the current year’s tax
t bidder will receive a tax deed from
the Clerk of the Circuit Court. This is not the
a Warranty Deed as more steps may be
necessary to obtain a clear title. If there is no
by the former owner within
4 years of the tax deed being i
will have clear title to the
property. If the applicant
is not the highest bidder, he/she will be reimbursed
for the total amount paid at
application plus 1 1/2% interest per month from
application. Any difference betw
and the amount paid in the application is sent to the
property owner by the Clerk of the Circuit
The 1999 Legislature amended the process for
obtaining tax deeds for real property by holders of
Statutes, effective May 26, 1999. See Chapter
Florida (see Senate Bill 1534,
5). As described below, portions of this
property that is on the list of lands
available for taxes upon which th
certificates that were issued
prior to July 1, 1999 (see Senate Bill 1534, section
This new law changes the start date for determining
day period during which the county may
purchase land from the list of lands a
taxes. Under prior law, this 90
after the public sale. Under the new law,
day period begins when the land is place
lands available for taxes.
This new law changes the period of time before land
will escheat to the county,
the day the land is offered for public sale to three
years from the day the land is
sale. See section 197.502 (8), Florida Statutes
Can a property owner stop a land sale?
e owner of the property can prevent the loss
land by paying all accrued taxes, costs, and
interest at any time before the tax deed is issued.