Cherokee County, AL tax sales

County offices

County notes

• •Revenue Commissioner is Dustin St. Clair, ACTA. Office hours are Mon.-Fri. 8am-4pm. Secondary phone 256-927-5528; vehicle tag line 256-927-3654; email dustinstclair@cherokeecounty-al.gov.
• •Cherokee County elected the tax lien auction regime under Article 7 rather than the older tax sale regime. Its process document cites Title 40, Chapter 10, Code of Ala. 1975 (§ 40-10-180 through 200) as the authority for the Tax Collecting official to auction and sell tax liens.
• •Real property taxes are due October 1 and become delinquent if not paid before January 1 following. At least 30 days before the auction the county mails notice to each delinquent taxpayer and advertises on its website and in the local newspaper.
• •Bidding is a bid-down of interest starting at 12% per annum in 1% increments to a 0% floor. The lowest rate at the end of the 30-second window wins.
• •The county tax site (cherokeepropertytax.com) has no dedicated delinquent-list page. The sitemap shows only the FAQ and process pages plus an annual auction-notice PDF; parcel-level data is inside GovEase.
• •The homepage also links an annual "Property Insolvent Listing" PDF (2025-2026 at /wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2025-2026-Insolvent-Property.pdf). That document lists insolvent real and personal property accounts, mostly business personal property, and is not the tax lien auction list.

Alabama rules

Max interest rate

12% per year, bid down at auctionCode of Alabama 1975, Section 40-10-184 - Auction procedures; winning bidsAla. Code § 40-10-184Verified Jul 25, 2026

Minimum return

No statutory minimum; interest accrues at your bid rateCode of Alabama 1975, Section 40-10-184 - Auction procedures; winning bidsAla. Code § 40-10-184Verified Jul 25, 2026

Redemption

A tax lien can be redeemed at any time before the circuit court enters judgment in a foreclosure action, and the holder cannot file that action until four years after the auction or the tax official's private sale. If the holder does not commence a foreclosure action within ten years of the auction or sale, the certificate expires and the lien becomes void. A certificate holder has no right to enter or possess the property, make repairs, or charge rents before it receives the circuit clerk's deed. In a county that uses the Article 1 property tax sale instead, land sold to a purchaser other than the state may be redeemed within three years from the date of sale, and land bid in for the state may be redeemed at any time before title passes out of the state.Code of Alabama 1975, Section 40-10-193 - Redemption of a tax lienAla. Code § 40-10-193Verified Jul 25, 2026

Surplus proceeds

In a court-ordered auction the proceeds pay the cost of the auction first, then the certificate holder up to the redemption amount plus taxes it paid before filing and the court-allowed costs and fees. Any surplus goes to the owner or the owner's heirs or successors as the court determines, and Alabama's unclaimed property law applies to whatever is left. In a county that instead uses the Article 1 property tax sale, the excess over the decree is held in a separate county account for three years for a party who redeems, and Section 40-10-28 opens later windows in which the owner or a redeeming party can claim it.Code of Alabama 1975, Section 40-10-28 - Disposition of excess arising from saleAla. Code § 40-10-28Verified Jul 25, 2026

Governing statute

Ala. Code § 40-10-180Code of Alabama 1975, Section 40-10-180 - Purpose; choice of remedy by tax collecting officialAla. Code § 40-10-180Verified Jul 25, 2026

A tax deed does not convey marketable title. Most buyers file a quiet title action before they can resell or insure the property. See the due diligence guide.

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