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Foreclosure Auctions, Sheriff Sales and Tax Sales
How court-ordered, trustee and property tax sales work in all 50 states and D.C., with statutory sale days and 112 counties with confirmed official online auction sites.
- Judicial foreclosure states
- 18
- Court-ordered sales
- Nonjudicial or both
- 33
- Trustee sales allowed
- Tax lien states
- 19
- Including Florida (both)
- Tax deed states
- 32
- Including redeemable deeds
Rules by state
General rules. Counties can differ, so always read the official sale notice.
| State | Foreclosure | Tax sales | Sales held by | Online counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Nonjudicial | Tax lien | the lender or an auctioneer at the county courthouse | |
| Alaska | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | a trustee | |
| Arizona | Nonjudicial | Tax lien | a trustee | |
| Arkansas | Judicial and nonjudicial | Tax deed | a trustee or a court-appointed commissioner | |
| California | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | a trustee, often at the county courthouse or civic center | |
| Colorado | Nonjudicial | Tax lien | the county public trustee | |
| Connecticut | Judicial | Redeemable tax deed | a court-appointed committee | |
| Delaware | Judicial | Redeemable tax deed | the county sheriff | |
| District of Columbia | Judicial and nonjudicial | Tax lien | a trustee | |
| Florida | Judicial | Tax lien and tax deed | the county clerk of court, almost always online | |
| Georgia | Nonjudicial | Redeemable tax deed | the lender or its attorney on the courthouse steps | |
| Hawaii | Judicial and nonjudicial | Redeemable tax deed | a court-appointed commissioner or the lender | |
| Idaho | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | a trustee | |
| Illinois | Judicial | Tax lien | the sheriff or a court-approved selling officer | |
| Indiana | Judicial | Tax lien | the county sheriff | |
| Iowa | Judicial and nonjudicial | Tax lien | the county sheriff | |
| Kansas | Judicial | Tax deed | the county sheriff | |
| Kentucky | Judicial | Tax lien | the circuit court master commissioner | |
| Louisiana | Judicial | Redeemable tax deed | the parish sheriff | |
| Maine | Judicial | Tax deed | the lender's attorney at a public sale after a court judgment | |
| Maryland | Judicial and nonjudicial | Tax lien | a trustee or auctioneer, with the sale ratified by the circuit court | |
| Massachusetts | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | the lender, usually with an auction held at the property | |
| Michigan | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | the county sheriff or a deputy | |
| Minnesota | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | the county sheriff | |
| Mississippi | Nonjudicial | Tax lien | a trustee | |
| Missouri | Nonjudicial | Tax lien | a trustee | |
| Montana | Nonjudicial | Tax lien | a trustee | |
| Nebraska | Judicial and nonjudicial | Tax lien | a trustee or the county sheriff | |
| Nevada | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | a trustee | |
| New Hampshire | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | the lender, usually with an auction held at the property | |
| New Jersey | Judicial | Tax lien | the county sheriff | |
| New Mexico | Judicial | Tax deed | a court-appointed special master | |
| New York | Judicial | Tax deed | a court-appointed referee, usually at the county courthouse | |
| North Carolina | Judicial and nonjudicial | Tax deed | a trustee after a hearing before the clerk of court | |
| North Dakota | Judicial | Tax deed | the county sheriff | |
| Ohio | Judicial | Tax deed | the county sheriff, online in most counties | |
| Oklahoma | Judicial and nonjudicial | Tax lien | the county sheriff | |
| Oregon | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | a trustee | |
| Pennsylvania | Judicial | Tax deed | the county sheriff | |
| Rhode Island | Nonjudicial | Redeemable tax deed | the lender, usually with an auction held at the property | |
| South Carolina | Judicial | Redeemable tax deed | the master-in-equity or a special referee | |
| South Dakota | Judicial and nonjudicial | Tax lien | the county sheriff | |
| Tennessee | Nonjudicial | Redeemable tax deed | a trustee | |
| Texas | Nonjudicial | Redeemable tax deed | a substitute trustee at the county courthouse | |
| Utah | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | a trustee | |
| Vermont | Judicial | Redeemable tax deed | a court-ordered public sale | |
| Virginia | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | a trustee | |
| Washington | Nonjudicial | Tax deed | a trustee | |
| West Virginia | Nonjudicial | Tax lien | a trustee | |
| Wisconsin | Judicial | Tax deed | the county sheriff or a court-appointed referee | |
| Wyoming | Nonjudicial | Tax lien | the county sheriff or a deputy |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between judicial and nonjudicial foreclosure?
- In judicial foreclosure the lender sues in court and the court orders a sale, usually run by the sheriff, clerk or a referee. In nonjudicial foreclosure a trustee sells the home under the power of sale in the deed of trust, without a court case.
- Which states are tax lien states?
- Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming generally sell tax lien certificates. Florida sells certificates first and holds tax deed auctions later.
- Where are foreclosure sale lists published?
- Notices of sale are posted at the county courthouse, published in a local newspaper and often posted on the county clerk, sheriff or trustee website. Many counties now hold sales on official online auction sites.