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Tax Sale Atlas

Clinton County, IA tax sales

Tax Sale Atlas maps the Clinton County, IA tax sale, one of 2,553 counties in 30 states. Iowa sells tax lien certificates paying up to 24%. Sale office, calendar and list locations read from the county’s own official pages on Jul 29, 2026.

How tax lien sales work in Clinton County, seat of Clinton: sale calendar, auction platform, over-the-counter lists, and the offices that run each sale.

New to tax sales? Read how Iowa tax sales work or look terms up in the glossary.

Next sale
Iowa holds no tax deed auction.
Format
GovEase
County office
563-244-0573
Every displayed fact carries a source badge. Verified Jul 29, 2026 against official county and state pages.How we verify
On this page

How Clinton County sells delinquent taxes

From lien to deed

Iowa holds no separate tax deed auction. The county treasurer makes out a deed for each parcel sold and unredeemed immediately after 90 days have expired from the date of completed service of the notice of expiration of the right of redemption, once the holder returns the certificate of purchase and pays the deed and recording fees.

Tax certificate sale (lien)

GovEase
Run by
Clinton County Treasurer
Frequency
annual
Next expected
on the third Monday in June, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Sale list
Clinton County Treasurer tax sale page (parcel list published in the county's official newspaper the last week of May; a nightly updated listing is available on GovEase to registered bidders)
When it runs
The Treasurer states the sale is "held annually on the third Monday in June online at www.govease.com." Qualifying delinquent parcels are published in the county's official publication "one time during the last week in May each year," and the property tax page notes the sale covers taxes delinquent as of May 1 with notice mailed no later than May 1.
Registration and deposit

The Treasurer directs bidders to "Register to participate in the Tax Sale Auction on the GovEase Auction website." Bidders create an account through the GovEase bidder portal at liveauctions.govease.com and bid online on sale day. The county page does not publish a registration deadline, bidder deposit, or registration fee, so confirm those with the Treasurer's office or GovEase before the sale.

Sale format and venue
Iowa lien mechanics as stated by the Treasurer: the winning bidder pays only the outstanding taxes, which does not clear other liens or transfer ownership. Interest accrues at 2% per month for up to three years, and the buyer may pay subsequent taxes once they are delinquent 45 days, with those payments added to the redemption amount and also earning 2% per month. Taxes must stay unpaid one year and nine months before the buyer can file a 90 day affidavit with the Treasurer to start the deed process; if the sale is not redeemed in that 90 day window the buyer may pay the fees for a tax sale deed. A certificate not taken to deed within three years is canceled and the investor forfeits any interest. Only the record owner or a party with a vested interest may redeem, and a non owner paying a redemption must submit the Application and Affidavit for Redemption of Real Estate Sold for Taxes. Parcels advertised twice and unsold for want of bidders go to a Public Bidder Sale, where Iowa law requires the county itself to buy the delinquency if no private bidder steps in. One caution on platform confusion: the statewide iowatreasurers.org payment portal carries a generic "Register And Bid For Tax Sales" link to iowataxauction.com (the Zeus/SRI program used by many other Iowa counties), but Clinton County's own Treasurer page names GovEase as its auction site.
Register on GovEase
Source: Clinton County Treasurer, Tax Sale· Verified Jul 29, 2026

Clinton County tax sale list and auction calendar

For Clinton County tax sale 2026 searches, use the county-run sources below rather than a copied parcel list, and confirm the parcel, registration cutoff, deposit, and payment deadline against the county before you bid.

  1. Get the advertised list

    Use Clinton County Treasurer tax sale page (parcel list published in the county's official newspaper the last week of May; a nightly updated listing is available on GovEase to registered bidders) for the current advertised parcels, then recheck it before the auction.

  2. Register to bid

    Ask the county office how and when to register; many counties close registration days or weeks before the sale.

  3. Sale day

    Iowa holds no tax deed auction. Bidding runs on GovEase; check posted sale dates, registration status, and bidding windows there.

  4. Confirm with the office

    If the list, platform, and notice disagree, use County Treasurer as the source to confirm which parcels are actually offered.

Before you bid in Clinton County

  1. Start with the live sale list

    Pull the current advertised parcels from Clinton County Treasurer tax sale page (parcel list published in the county's official newspaper the last week of May; a nightly updated listing is available on GovEase to registered bidders). Lists can change before the sale, so recheck the county source before you price a parcel.

  2. Confirm registration and deposit

    The Treasurer directs bidders to "Register to participate in the Tax Sale Auction on the GovEase Auction website." Bidders create an account through the GovEase bidder portal at liveauctions.govease.com and bid online on sale day. The county page does not publish a registration deadline, bidder deposit, or registration fee, so confirm those with the Treasurer's office or GovEase before the sale.

  3. Check the state rules that change the bid

    Read the Iowa due-diligence checklist before bidding. Redemption, liens that survive a tax deed, title cleanup, and payment deadlines can change what a parcel is worth.

  4. Set a walk-away number

    Work out what the parcel is actually worth with the rural land value estimator, then turn it into a ceiling with the tax deed max-bid calculator.

Over-the-counter (leftover) purchases

Two routes reach parcels after the June sale. Parcels that remain unsold for want of bidders are carried to adjourned sales, which the treasurer sets at intervals of not more than two months until the next annual sale. Separately, certificates struck to the county at the public bidder sale may be assigned by the county for the total amount due on the date of assignment, or for a compromised amount, under a written agreement filed with the treasurer and a 10 dollar assignment transaction fee. Ask the county treasurer which county-held certificates are available for assignment.

New to this path? Read how over-the-counter certificates work. Every state has its own name for what goes unsold, so check what Iowa calls its leftover tax-sale inventory.

Use the arrow keys to switch between these sections.

County offices

Tax Collector (runs the certificate sale)

Clinton County Treasurer

563-244-0573

Mailing: P.O. Box 2957, Clinton, IA 52733. Office: Administration Building, 1900 N. 3rd St., Clinton, IA 52733.

Official website

County notes

  • Treasurer's office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a satellite office in DeWitt at 226 11th St. open Tuesday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Property taxes run in two installments: first half due September 1 and delinquent October 1, second half due March 1 and delinquent April 1. Delinquent interest accrues at 1.5% per month with a one dollar minimum penalty.
  • Payment status on individual parcels can be checked through the Iowa County Treasurers portal, which is how the Treasurer suggests tracking parcels that get paid off before sale day.
  • The county page opens with its own disclaimer that the summary is provided for reference only and readers should consult the Iowa Code or legal counsel.
  • The Treasurer's page does not state a bidder registration deadline, deposit amount, or how tied bids are resolved, so those details must come from GovEase or the office directly.

Iowa rules

Max interest rate
24% per year, fixed by statute (not bid down)
Minimum return
No statutory minimum return; what you earn is set by the share of ownership taken at the sale
Redemption
A parcel may be redeemed at any time before the right of redemption expires. After one year and nine months from the date of sale, the certificate holder may serve a notice of expiration of the right of redemption on the person in possession, the person in whose name the parcel is taxed, and every mortgagee, contract vendor, recorded lessor, and other party of record. The right of redemption then ends 90 days after that service is complete, which means the affidavit of service has been filed with the county treasurer. Three shortened tracks exist: nine months from a public bidder sale under section 446.18, and three months from an abandoned-property or public nuisance sale under section 446.19A or 446.19B. After the treasurer delivers the deed, redemption is possible only through an equitable action in district court, and only by a person who could have redeemed during the 90-day window.
Surplus proceeds
No surplus arises. The deed conveys the parcel to the certificate holder rather than selling it to the highest bidder, so there are no excess proceeds to distribute. Where the winning bid was less than 100 percent, the deed conveys only that undivided percentage interest in the parcel.
Governing statute
Iowa Code Chapter 446

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.

See the full Iowarules and every county →

Frequently asked questions

Does Clinton County, Iowa sell tax liens or tax deeds?

Tax lien certificates. In Iowa investors buy the lien, not the property; the County Treasurer runs the sale.

When is the Clinton County tax certificate sale?

The Treasurer states the sale is "held annually on the third Monday in June online at www.govease.com." Qualifying delinquent parcels are published in the county's official publication "one time during the last week in May each year," and the property tax page notes the sale covers taxes delinquent as of May 1 with notice mailed no later than May 1. Registration and bidding happen on the county's online platform. Always confirm the exact date with the County Treasurer before the sale.

How often does Clinton County hold tax deed sales?

Clinton County holds its tax deed sale none. Iowa holds no tax deed auction. Each sale is scheduled and advertised in advance, so check the county's tax deed calendar for the next posted date.

I own a property in this sale. Can I stop it?

Often yes, by paying the overdue taxes, interest, and costs before the deadline. Iowa's redemption rule: 1 year 9 months from the sale before the notice of expiration can be served, then 90 days after service is complete. Call the County Treasurer as early as possible for your exact payoff and options; deadlines are strict. Free help: lawhelp.org lists legal aid programs, and consumerfinance.gov lists HUD-approved housing counselors.

Where can I find the Clinton County tax sale list?

Clinton County posts its tax sale list at clintoncounty-ia.gov. Lists go up ahead of each sale and keep changing until the sale date, so confirm every parcel against the county's legal advertisement before you bid.

Verified Jul 29, 2026 against official county and state sources.

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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Compare sale calendars, platforms, and rules across the state, or read the guides before you bid.

Iowa tax salesDue diligence guide
Call Clinton County TreasurerOpen auction