Redeemable deed state · Rhode Island

Rhode Island Tax Deed & Tax Lien Sales 2026

County listings for Rhode Island are on the way. The rules below are ready now, so you can plan before the first sale is published.

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How Rhode Island sales work

R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 44-9
Sale type
Redeemable Deed (tax title sold by the municipal collector, subject to a 1-year right of redemption)
Redemption period
1 year before the purchaser may petition to foreclose the right of redemption; until the court decree
Interest or penalty
10% penalty on the amount paid, plus 1% per month after the first 6 months
Sale frequency
Varies by municipality; most cities and towns sell once a year
Bidding method
Bid-down ownership (smallest undivided interest accepted for the taxes); some municipalities use premium bids (verify)
Where sales run
In-person municipal tax sales · Online sales in some municipalities (verify)

Summary from public statutes. Rules change and counties differ. Verify with the county before bidding.

What catches investors off guard

  1. Bidding down to a fractional interest means you may end up owning a small undivided share, which is hard to monetize without partition.
  2. The petition to foreclose redemption is a Superior Court proceeding with notice requirements and can take a year or more after the redemption period.
  3. Rhode Island revised its tax sale law after 2023 to address surplus equity, and municipal practice is still catching up.
  4. Water, sewer and fire district charges can be sold separately and create competing tax titles.

How tax sales work in Rhode Island

Rhode Island tax sales are run by each city or town tax collector, not by counties. At the sale, the collector offers the delinquent parcel and the purchaser pays the taxes, interest and costs in exchange for a collector’s deed. That deed conveys a tax title, which is ownership subject to the former owner’s right of redemption. In substance it behaves like a redeemable deed.

Traditionally the auction is a bid-down of ownership: bidders compete by accepting the smallest undivided interest in the property in exchange for paying the full tax amount. If no one bids, the municipality takes the title itself. Some municipalities have adopted premium-style bidding; ask the collector which format applies.

Redemption and interest

The owner or any interested party can redeem by paying the purchaser the amount paid at the sale plus a penalty of 10 percent, and after the first six months an additional 1 percent for each month until redemption. Redemption goes through the collector or, after a petition is filed, through the court.

One year after the sale, the tax title holder can file a petition in Superior Court to foreclose all rights of redemption. The court requires notice to every interested party, and the owner can still redeem until the final decree. Only after the decree does the holder own the property outright. Legislation following Tyler v. Hennepin County changed how excess value is handled in this process; confirm the current procedure with counsel.

When and where sales happen

Most municipalities hold one sale a year, often in spring or late summer, at the town hall or another public venue. Lists are advertised in a local newspaper for several weeks and posted by the collector. A few of the larger cities have experimented with online sales. Payment is generally due immediately in certified funds.

What to check before you bid

Identify whether the sale covers real estate taxes only or also water, sewer or fire district charges, which can be sold as separate titles. Check for federal liens and prior tax titles held by others. Verify occupancy and condition, as many parcels are multifamily buildings in older neighborhoods. Estimate the redemption yield against the risk of holding a fractional interest.

How AuctionScouts helps here

AuctionScouts aggregates municipal tax sale lists across Rhode Island, scores each parcel from 0 to 100 and flags surviving liens and competing tax titles. The calendar tracks each town’s sale date and the one-year petition window on titles you hold.

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