Ohio Tax Deed & Tax Lien Sales 2026

How tax sales work in Ohio

Ohio uses two systems side by side. Counties with large populations may sell tax lien certificates, but they generally do so through negotiated sales of entire portfolios to institutional buyers under Chapter 5721 of the Revised Code. Individual investors rarely participate in those transactions.

The practical route for most investors is the tax foreclosure deed sale. The county prosecutor files a foreclosure on delinquent parcels, the court enters judgment, and the sheriff sells the property at public auction. If a parcel fails to sell at two sheriff sales, it is forfeited to the state and later offered by the county auditor at a forfeited land sale with no minimum bid. Separately, county land banks can acquire tax-delinquent parcels directly, often through an expedited board of revision process for vacant and abandoned land.

Redemption and interest

For lien certificates, the owner redeems by paying the certificate amount plus the negotiated interest, which the statute caps at 18 percent per year, and the holder may begin foreclosure after one year. For deed sales, the owner can redeem by paying the full judgment amount up to the moment the court confirms the sale. After confirmation there is no redemption and no interest for the buyer.

When and where sales happen

Sheriff sales are frequent. Larger counties hold them weekly and smaller counties monthly, with tax foreclosures mixed in alongside mortgage foreclosures. Many counties conduct sheriff sales online through the state’s official sheriff sale site operated by RealAuction; others still sell in person at the courthouse. Auditor forfeited land sales are typically held once a year. The first sheriff sale has a minimum bid equal to taxes, assessments and costs; a second sale, if needed, has no minimum.

What to check before you bid

Read the foreclosure case docket to see which lienholders were named and whether a land bank has requested the parcel. Check the municipality for demolition, nuisance abatement and vacant property registration liens. Confirm the property still has a structure, as many Ohio cities demolish vacant houses before or after foreclosure. Verify occupancy, since eviction after a sheriff’s sale takes time.

How AuctionScouts helps here

AuctionScouts aggregates sheriff and auditor sale lists across Ohio counties, scores each parcel from 0 to 100 and flags surviving municipal and federal liens. The calendar tracks each county’s recurring sale dates and the second-sale schedule for parcels that did not sell.