Tax Sales and Sheriff Sales in Connecticut

How tax sales work in Connecticut

Connecticut sells a redeemable deed: the buyer gets the deed, but the owner can buy it back for a set penalty during a redemption period.

What the buyer earns. 18% per year (1.5% per month) on the purchase price.

Redemption. 6 months after the sale (60 days for property certified as abandoned); none once the collector's deed is recorded.

When and where the sales are held

Who runs them: Municipal tax collector (town or city), often through a contracted attorney/auctioneer.

When: Varies by municipality; sales are scheduled as needed, commonly spring and fall.

Where: In person at town hall or another public place named in the notice; online bidding is not the norm.

The list of parcels for each sale is published by the office that runs it, usually a few weeks ahead, in the county's legal newspaper and on the county or platform site. UX Search does not list tax sale parcels; these sales are run by the counties and the platforms they contract, and the links on this page go to the official sources.

Sheriff sales and foreclosure sales in Connecticut

Connecticut mortgage foreclosure is strictly judicial. The court may order a strict foreclosure, in which title passes to the lender on 'law days' with no sale at all, or a foreclosure by sale, in which a court-appointed committee (an attorney) auctions the property on the premises and the court must approve the sale. Notice is published in a local newspaper, and there is no right of redemption after the law day passes or the sale is approved.

A tax sale and a sheriff sale are different animals even when the same office runs both. A tax sale clears unpaid property taxes and in most states wipes out junior liens; a mortgage foreclosure sale pays the lender and may leave tax liens in place. Before bidding at either, pull the title, read the judgment or the tax certificate, and know which liens survive the sale in Connecticut.

Official sources for Connecticut

• City of Torrington – Tax Sale Bidder Information and Rules (C.G.S. § 12-157)
• C.G.S. § 12-159a (court orders in actions contesting a collector's deed)

Statute: Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 12-155 to 12-159b (tax collector's sale, redemption, collector's deed).

Questions people ask

Does Connecticut sell tax liens or tax deeds?

Connecticut sells a redeemable deed: the buyer gets the deed, but the owner can buy it back for a set penalty during a redemption period. Connecticut towns and cities collect their own property taxes, and the municipal tax collector may sell delinquent real estate at a public tax sale under C.G.S. § 12-157. The high bidder pays the full bid and receives a collector's deed that is held unrecorded by the town clerk for six months; during that period the owner or any lienholder can redeem by paying the bid amount plus 18% per year interest, after which the deed is recorded and the buyer owns the property. Many municipalities also sell or assign their tax liens to private firms instead of holding a sale.

How long is the redemption period after a tax sale in Connecticut?

6 months after the sale (60 days for property certified as abandoned); none once the collector's deed is recorded

What does the buyer earn if the owner redeems in Connecticut?

18% per year (1.5% per month) on the purchase price

Who runs tax sales in Connecticut?

Municipal tax collector (town or city), often through a contracted attorney/auctioneer. In person at town hall or another public place named in the notice; online bidding is not the norm

When are tax sales held in Connecticut?

Varies by municipality; sales are scheduled as needed, commonly spring and fall

Are sheriff sales in Connecticut judicial?

Connecticut mortgage foreclosure is strictly judicial. The court may order a strict foreclosure, in which title passes to the lender on 'law days' with no sale at all, or a foreclosure by sale, in which a court-appointed committee (an attorney) auctions the property on the premises and the court must approve the sale. Notice is published in a local newspaper, and there is no right of redemption after the law day passes or the sale is approved.

Can anyone bid at a tax sale or sheriff sale in Connecticut?

Generally yes, with registration through the office or platform that runs the sale, and often a deposit or proof of funds. Payment is usually due the same day or within a few days in certified funds, and the property is sold as is with whatever title questions come with it. Read the county's terms for the sale you are bidding in; they differ from one county to the next in the same state.

Written from the Connecticut statutes and official county pages, last checked October 27, 2026. Rules change by session and by county; the official sources above control. UX Search is independent, lists no tax sale parcels and never takes a bid.