Russell County, AL tax sales

County offices

County notes

• •The sale is conducted by the Revenue Commissioner under a decree of the Russell County Probate Court entered at the March term of court. The notice is headed "REVENUE COMMISSIONER'S DELINQUENT TAX SALE, STATE OF ALABAMA, COUNTY OF RUSSELL." (source: tax-sale-notice-2025)
• •Advertising: "Properties are advertised in the local newspaper, the Citizen of East Alabama, for three weeks prior to the sale date." (source: tax-portal-collection)
• •What the buyer receives: "At the time of purchase the buyer is given a paid receipt. After five (5) business days the buyer is issued a certificate of purchase - not a tax deed." A tax deed cannot be issued until three years from the date of the tax sale, at which point the purchaser surrenders the certificate and tax receipts to the Revenue Commissioner. (source: tax-portal-collection)
• •Payment terms: "Purchasers may pay by certified check or cash the day of the sale." (source: tax-portal-collection)
• •Redemption: the county's collection page says owners may redeem within the first three years through the Revenue Commissioner's office, and states "The present rate of interest is 8% per year (0.66% per month)." This differs from the 12% figure often quoted for Alabama tax sale certificates, so verify against Code of Alabama 1975 Section 40-10-122 before publishing a rate for this county. (source: tax-portal-collection)
• •Unsold parcels: "Tax properties not purchased are returned to the State of Alabama." Buyers must then apply to the Alabama Department of Revenue Ad Valorem Tax Division, Post Office Box 327210, Montgomery, Alabama 36132-7210, which will quote the amount needed and accepts only certified checks. (source: tax-portal-collection)
• •State-held inventory: Russell County is county 57 in the Alabama DOR Property Tax Division "Transcript of Tax Delinquent Land Available for Sale." The transcript fetched on 2026-07-25 was dated 07/20/2026 and lists owner name, amount bid at tax sale, tax year, certificate number, class, parcel ID, and legal description. Transcripts are updated weekly and carry no physical address. (sources: ador-state-held, ador-transcript-russell)
• •Mailing address for the Revenue Commissioner is P.O. Box 669, Phenix City, AL 36868-0669; checks are payable to Natalie Kirkland, Revenue Commissioner. Portal-listed office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. E.T., Monday through Friday, while the county department page lists 8:00 to 5:00 Eastern. (sources: tax-portal-collection, county-revcomm)
• •A second published number, (334) 298-6922, reaches the Tax Assessment Office for exemption, classification, and assessment questions. (source: tax-portal-collection)
• •Neither the county website nor the Probate Court site (russellcountyprobate.us) publishes a separate tax sale page; all sale logistics live on the Revenue Commissioner's tax portal and in the annual legal notice.

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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