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Tax Certificate & Tax Deed

Tax Certificate Sale

  • A tax certificate is an enforceable first lien against a property for unpaid real estate taxes.
    • This allows investors to purchase certificates by paying the tax debt.
    • There are certain risks associated with the purchase of tax certificates – it is the responsibility of the bidder to research any certificates before bidding on them.
    • Each year, the sale is conducted online, reverse auction style.
  • Unpaid real estate taxes become delinquent on April 1st.
    • At that time, 3% mandatory interest charge is added to the overall amount due.
    • If the taxes remain unpaid, the delinquent property will be advertised – once a week, for three consecutive weeks prior to a tax certificate sale.
      • The advertising fee will be added to the overall bill.
    • The tax collector is required by law to hold a tax certificate sale on or before June 1st each year.
      • Our tax certificate sale is held each year on lienhub.com.
      • If payment is not received by 4:30 p.m. the business day before the certificate sale, a certificate will be issued, and additional charges will accrue.
    • To redeem the certificate after a sale, the property owner or representative must pay the tax collector the delinquent taxes accrued plus interest, advertising costs, and fees.
    • If taxes remain unpaid, the certificate holder may file a tax deed application two years after the date of delinquency.
    • Any certificates that do not sell are struck to Pinellas County.
      • To purchase Pinellas County held certificates, register online at LienHub.
      • Any certificate struck to the county at a sale will not be available for purchase until the first business day of September.
    • For more info about delinquent taxes, please contact our office at 727-464-3409.

 

 

Pinellas County Tax Collector
Summary of Results
  2023 2022 2021 2020
Certs Offered (1) 10,184 9,570 9,964 12,559
Face Amount Offered (2) $40,498,583.06 $33,468,496.22 $33,201,770.25 $41,263,355.69
Certs Sold 10,163 9,563 9,955 12,493
Face Amount Sold $49,494,133.00 $33,467,510.23 $33,199,991.45 $41,243,168.41
Certs Struck (3) 21 7   66
Face Amount Struck $4 480.06 $985.99 $1,778.80 $20,187.28
Winning Bidders 94 110 84 11.86
Average Rate 2.71 0.35 0.43 0.94
Weighted Average Rate 1.94 0.26 0.27 0.33
Certs at 0% 9 8 5 12
Certs at 18% 70 27 25 144
Certs at 0.25% 6,136 9,477 9,787 11.839
Face at 0.25% $27,936,508.20 $33,435,222.25 $33,140,917.84 $40.932.681.49
Ties 6,425 9,478 9,791 11,864
At 0% 0 0 0 N/A
At 0.25% 6,134 9,477 9,787 11,839
Up to 10% 287 1 4 17
10 - 18% 2 0 0 8
At 18% 2 0 0 N/A
         
         
         
Notes:
1. Certificates actually offered - i.e. advertised and not removed prior to sale.
2. Total face value of certificates offered at auction.
3. Certificates offered but not sold. Certificates struck to the county prior to sale not included.

 

 

Tax Deed Sale

  • This is a public auction where properties are sold for unpaid real estate taxes, held by the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
  • If taxes remain unpaid for two years after the date of delinquency, the certificate holder may file a tax deed application with our office to begin the process of selling the property at auction.
    • Our offices mail courtesy letters each February to taxpayers that are in jeopardy of their property going to tax deed sale.
  • Once tax deed begins, all outstanding taxes, fees, and interest must be paid.
  • After a tax deed application has been filed, it takes 3-6 months for a property to go to auction.
    • At any time in the process, the property owner can stop the tax deed by paying all taxes due, interest, and fees.
  • For more info, please contact us at 727-464-3409.
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