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Tax Sale Atlas

Madison County, IA tax sales

Tax Sale Atlas maps the Madison 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 Madison County, seat of Winterset: 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
County site
Registration
Registration is online only at www.iowataxauction.com.
County office
(515) 462-1542
Every displayed fact carries a source badge. Verified Jul 29, 2026 against official county and state pages.How we verify
On this page

How Madison 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)

Online auction
Run by
Madison County Treasurer
Frequency
annual
Registration
Registration is online only at www.iowataxauction.com.
Next expected
on the third Monday in June, 2027 (window; exact date posts closer to the sale)
Sale list
Madison County tax sale certificate lookup
When it runs
The treasurer's FAQ states that "The tax sale is held electronically on the third Monday in June." The county's Notice to Tax Sale Purchasers says "The 2025 annual Tax Sale will be held by the Madison County Acting Treasurer on Monday, June 16, 2025, in the Treasurer's Office on the first floor of the Madison County Annex Building, 201 West Court, Winterset, Iowa, beginning at 9:00 a.m.", with bidding closing at 10:30 a.m. The Iowa treasurers county page listed the annual online only tax sale for June 15, 2026. Parcels that do not sell roll into an adjourned sale, which the notice says "will be held any business day following the annual tax sale in which there are bidders present and there are parcels still available for sale."
Registration and deposit

Registration is online only at www.iowataxauction.com. The county notice states that "No mailed or emailed registrations will be accepted." For the 2025 sale the window ran from Monday, May 19 through Thursday, June 12, with every step finished by 11:59 p.m. on the closing day, so plan on a window that shuts several days before the June sale. Each bidder pays a non-refundable $40.00 registration fee by ACH debit and completes the online W-9. All bidders must be 18 or older as of the sale date. A bidder that is not an individual needs a federal tax identification number plus either a designation of agent for service of process on file with the Iowa Secretary of State or a verified statement of trade name on file with the Madison County Recorder. Auction site support is (877) 243-9997 or support@iowataxauction.com.

Sale format and venue
Bidding is a bid down on undivided interest. Each parcel opens at 100 percent undivided interest and bids move in whole percentage points from 99 percent down to 1 percent, the smallest percentage wins, and ties are settled by a random selection process. The county notice states that "Madison County will not be utilizing batches." Successful bidders are invoiced at the close and the treasurer automatically initiates an ACH debit from the account designated for the registration fee. Cost items called out in the notice include a $20.00 certificate fee for each certificate purchased, a $30.00 service fee on any payment returned for insufficient funds, a $100.00 assignment transaction fee, and a $25.00 treasurer's tax sale deed issuance fee per parcel. The delinquent tax list is published in the Winterset Madisonian the week of May 26, and the same parcels post on the auction site around May 30, but registration must be complete to view that data. Subsequent taxes have to be paid online through the Pay Subsequent Tax module at www.iowatreasurers.org at $0.25 per parcel; payments made outside that module are treated as voluntary and are left out of the redemption calculation. Redemption interest is 2 percent per month. Confirm the current year sale date and registration window with the treasurer's office before bidding.
Register on Online auction
Source: Madison County Treasurer - Notice to Tax Sale Purchasers of the Terms and Conditions Governing the Annual Tax Sale· Verified Jul 29, 2026

Madison County tax sale list and auction calendar

For Madison 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 Madison County tax sale certificate lookup for the current advertised parcels, then recheck it before the auction.

  2. Register to bid

    Registration is online only at www.iowataxauction.com. Full requirements are in the sale card above.

  3. Sale day

    Iowa holds no tax deed auction. Bidding runs on County site; 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 Madison County

  1. Start with the live sale list

    Pull the current advertised parcels from Madison County tax sale certificate lookup. Lists can change before the sale, so recheck the county source before you price a parcel.

  2. Confirm registration and deposit

    Registration is online only at www.iowataxauction.com. The county notice states that "No mailed or emailed registrations will be accepted." For the 2025 sale the window ran from Monday, May 19 through Thursday, June 12, with every step finished by 11:59 p.m. on the closing day, so plan on a window that shuts several days before the June sale. Each bidder pays a non-refundable $40.00 registration fee by ACH debit and completes the online W-9. All bidders must be 18 or older as of the sale date. A bidder that is not an individual needs a federal tax identification number plus either a designation of agent for service of process on file with the Iowa Secretary of State or a verified statement of trade name on file with the Madison County Recorder. Auction site support is (877) 243-9997 or support@iowataxauction.com.

  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)

Madison County Treasurer

(515) 462-1542

Madison County Annex, 201 W. Court, P.O. Box 152, Winterset, IA 50273

Official website

County notes

  • Bidding is online only through Iowa Tax Auction even though the treasurer conducts the sale from the Madison County Annex in Winterset. There is no walk in bidding floor for the annual sale.
  • Two redemption tracks matter for timing. On a regular tax sale the 90 day notice of right of redemption may be issued after one year and nine months from the sale date. On a public bidder tax sale, meaning parcels advertised for two years and flagged with an asterisk on the published list, that notice may be issued nine months from the sale date.
  • If the certificate holder has not filed an affidavit of service under Iowa Code 447.12 within three years of the sale, the treasurer cancels the certificate.
  • The county hosts a tax sale certificate inquiry that searches by certificate number and year, by parcel ID and tax district, or by owner name. Madison County states it does not warrant the accuracy or timeliness of that content, so verify balances with the treasurer.
  • Delinquent taxes as of May 1 are assessed a publication fee and advertised for the June sale, and the treasurer mails notice of the annual tax sale no later than May 1 to the person in whose name the parcel is taxed.

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 Madison 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 Madison County tax certificate sale?

The treasurer's FAQ states that "The tax sale is held electronically on the third Monday in June." The county's Notice to Tax Sale Purchasers says "The 2025 annual Tax Sale will be held by the Madison County Acting Treasurer on Monday, June 16, 2025, in the Treasurer's Office on the first floor of the Madison County Annex Building, 201 West Court, Winterset, Iowa, beginning at 9:00 a.m.", with bidding closing at 10:30 a.m. The Iowa treasurers county page listed the annual online only tax sale for June 15, 2026. Parcels that do not sell roll into an adjourned sale, which the notice says "will be held any business day following the annual tax sale in which there are bidders present and there are parcels still available for sale." 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 Madison County hold tax deed sales?

Madison 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 Madison County tax sale list?

Madison County posts its tax sale list at lti.gmdsolutions.com. 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 Madison County TreasurerOpen auction