Georgia Tax Deed & Tax Lien Sales 2026

How tax sales work in Georgia

Georgia sells a redeemable deed. When taxes go unpaid, the tax commissioner issues a fi. fa. (execution), levies on the property, and either the sheriff or the tax commissioner sells it at public outcry on the first Tuesday of the month, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., at the courthouse. The highest bidder pays in full and receives a tax deed, but the deed is subject to the former owner’s right of redemption. Metro counties such as Fulton and DeKalb also use judicial in rem foreclosure for some parcels, a court process that clears title faster and has its own short post-sale redemption. Some counties have started running the monthly sale online; most still gather on the steps.

Redemption and interest

For twelve months after the sale, the owner, a mortgagee or any other creditor may redeem by paying the buyer the purchase price plus a 20 percent premium, plus any taxes the buyer has since paid. If no one redeems within a year, the right does not simply expire. The buyer must serve a written notice to foreclose the right of redemption on the owner and all interested parties, giving at least 30 days, and the premium rises by 10 percent for each additional year or fraction until that notice takes effect. Only after barment does the buyer hold a title that can be quieted and insured. Most investors treat Georgia as a 20 percent return with the property as the fallback.

When and where sales happen

Every county follows the first Tuesday rule, but many small counties have nothing to sell most months. Lists are advertised for four consecutive weeks in the county legal organ before the sale. The buyer must pay the full bid that day, usually by certified funds.

What to check before you bid

Search the deed records for mortgages and judgment liens; they do not survive a properly conducted sale, but their holders can redeem and will often do so. Check for municipal and county code liens, water bills and HOA claims. Confirm whether the parcel is occupied and whether it is homestead. Review the levy for the years included and check whether the county is selling only a partial interest. Keep in mind that improvements made before barment may not be reimbursed.

How AuctionScouts helps here

AuctionScouts gathers the monthly legal-organ and county tax sale lists from Georgia counties, scores each parcel from 0 to 100, and flags recorded liens whose holders may redeem. The calendar lays out each county’s first Tuesday sale and its advertised inventory.