Washington County, FL tax sales
Washington 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 Washington County sells delinquent taxes
Tax certificate sale (lien)
- Run by
- Washington County Tax Collector
- Frequency
- annual
- Typical timing
- On or before June 1 annually
- Next expected
- on or about June 1, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Registration and deposit
Register on taxcertsale.com before the sale. Bidding is a reverse auction on the interest rate, starting at 18 percent and bid down to the lowest bidder.
Most Florida counties run the certificate sale online. Confirm the exact platform and list on the county Tax Collector page.
Register on taxcertsale.com (VisualGov)Tax deed sale
- Run by
- Washington County Clerk of Court
- Frequency
- As scheduled; each parcel is advertised four consecutive weeks before the sale in The Washington County News
- Sale list
- Tax deed list / Lands Available
Registration and deposit
Tax deed sales are conducted online at washington.realtaxdeed.com under F.S. 197.542. Register on the site and place a deposit with the Clerk no later than 24 hours before the sale. The deposit for each winning bid is the greater of $200 or 5 percent of the winning bid, payable by ACH, wire, cash, cashier's check, or money order.
Florida clerks run tax deed sales online or in person at the courthouse. Confirm the platform or location on the county Clerk page.
Register on RealTaxDeed (RealAuction)Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases
County-held certificates that received no bid can be bought from the Tax Collector through the taxcertsale.com site. Parcels not sold at a tax deed sale go on the Clerk's List of Lands Available for Taxes.
New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work.
County offices
Notes for Washington County
- Washington follows the standard Florida split: the Tax Collector runs the annual tax certificate sale online at taxcertsale.com, and the Clerk runs tax deed sales online at washington.realtaxdeed.com.
- Tax deed deposits are due no later than 24 hours before the sale and are the greater of $200 or 5 percent of the winning bid.
- Each parcel is advertised four consecutive weeks in The Washington County News before the sale.
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 Washington County, Florida sell tax liens or tax deeds?
- Washington 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 Washington County tax certificate sale?
- On or before June 1 annually. 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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