St. Johns County, FL tax sales
St. Johns County, Florida sells both tax lien certificates and tax deeds. The Tax Collector runs an annual certificate sale (18% maximum, bid down), and unredeemed certificates move to a Clerk of the Circuit Court tax deed auction after about two years, under Florida Statutes Chapter 197.
Verified Jul 4, 2026 against official county and state sources.
New here? Read how Florida tax sales work, the difference between a lien and a deed, and redemption periods.
How St. Johns County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- St. Johns County Tax Collector
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- On or before June 1 annually. For 2026, registration opens May 1 and bidding begins May 29 at 9:00 a.m.
- Next expected
- on or about June 1, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Registration and deposit
All bidders must register on the ZEUS Auction site run by SRI. For the 2026 sale, registration opens May 1, 2026 and bidding begins May 29, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. SRI technical support is 1-800-800-9588.
St. Johns runs its certificate sale through SRI's ZEUS Auction (zeusauction.com), not LienHub or RealAuction.
Register on SRI ZEUS AuctionTax deed sale
- Run by
- St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller - Tax Deeds
- Frequency
- As scheduled. Notice of each sale is published in the St. Augustine Record four weeks before the sale date.
Registration and deposit
Tax deed sales are held in person at 12:00 p.m. EST at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center. You or a representative must be physically present to bid. The winning bidder pays a non-refundable deposit of the greater of 5 percent of the final bid or $200 at the time of sale, by cash or certified funds only (no personal checks or cards). The balance is due within 24 hours by the same methods.
St. Johns tax deed auctions are conducted in person at the courthouse, not online. Use the Clerk's TaxSmart tool to view scheduled sales and Lands Available parcels.
Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases
County-held certificates can be bought from the Tax Collector after the annual certificate sale. Parcels that go unsold at a tax deed sale move to the Clerk's Lands Available list.
New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work.
County offices
Clerk of the Circuit Court (runs the deed sale)
St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller - Tax Deeds
Brandon J. Patty
Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Official websiteNotes for St. Johns County
- St. Johns uses two different systems: the Tax Collector's certificate sale runs on SRI's ZEUS Auction (zeusauction.com), while the Clerk's tax deed sales are held in person at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center.
- Tax deed bidders must attend in person and pay the deposit by cash or certified funds at the time of sale; personal checks and cards are not accepted.
- The elected Tax Collector is Jennifer Pomar Ravan and the elected Clerk is Brandon J. Patty. Confirm current officeholders before relying on contact names.
Florida statewide rules
- Redemption
- The owner (or anyone) can redeem a certificate at any time after it is issued and before a tax deed is issued. The two-year clock that lets a certificate holder apply for a tax deed runs from April 1 of the year the certificate was issued.
- Deed deposit
- The high bidder posts a nonrefundable deposit of 5 percent of the bid or $200, whichever is greater, at the time of the sale, applied to the final price.
- Homestead deeds
- If the property was assessed as homestead on the latest roll, the opening bid also adds one-half of its latest assessed value. This sharply raises the floor price on homestead parcels and suppresses investor demand for them.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Does St. Johns County, Florida sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- St. Johns County follows Florida's hybrid system. The Tax Collector sells tax-lien certificates each year, and the Clerk of the Circuit Court holds tax deed auctions on parcels whose certificates go unredeemed after about two years.
When is the St. Johns County tax certificate sale?
- On or before June 1 annually. For 2026, registration opens May 1 and bidding begins May 29 at 9:00 a.m.. Registration and bidding happen on the county's online platform. Always confirm the exact date with the Tax Collector before the sale.
Tax Sale Atlas publishes educational information about public tax sale processes. This is not legal, financial, or investment advice. Rules, dates, and fees change; confirm with the county office before you bid.
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