Tax Sales and Sheriff Sales in Georgia

How tax sales work in Georgia

Georgia 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. 20% premium for the first year or any part of it, plus 10% for each additional year or part thereof, plus taxes paid by the purchaser and notice costs (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-42).

Redemption. 12 months from the sale, and thereafter until the purchaser forecloses the right of redemption by notice under O.C.G.A. § 48-4-45.

When and where the sales are held

Who runs them: County sheriff or tax commissioner acting as ex officio sheriff (levying officer); some municipalities sell for city taxes.

When: First Tuesday of the month, 10 a.m.; most counties sell monthly or several times a year.

Where: In person at the county courthouse steps (public outcry); DeKalb and Athens-Clarke counties publish lists online but bid in person.

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 Georgia

Georgia mortgage foreclosure is non-judicial under the power of sale in the security deed: the lender advertises the sale once a week for four weeks in the county legal organ and sells on the courthouse steps on the first Tuesday of the month (O.C.G.A. § 44-14-162). There is no right of redemption after the foreclosure sale, and the lender must have the sale confirmed by the superior court before seeking a deficiency judgment.

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 Georgia.

Official sources for Georgia

• DeKalb County Tax Commissioner – Tax Sales General Information
• Athens-Clarke County – Tax Sales
• Athens-Clarke County – Right of Redemption (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-45)

Statute: O.C.G.A. § 48-4-1 et seq. (tax sales); §§ 48-4-40 to 48-4-48 (redemption and foreclosure of right to redeem).

Questions people ask

Does Georgia sell tax liens or tax deeds?

Georgia sells a redeemable deed: the buyer gets the deed, but the owner can buy it back for a set penalty during a redemption period. In Georgia the tax commissioner issues a tax execution (fi. fa.) and the levying officer, usually the sheriff or the tax commissioner acting as ex officio sheriff, sells the property on the courthouse steps on the first Tuesday of the month to the highest bidder, who receives a tax deed. The deed is defeasible for 12 months: the owner or any interested party can redeem by paying the purchase price plus a 20% premium (10% more for each later year). After 12 months the buyer must serve a notice of foreclosure of the right to redeem ('barment') to perfect title.

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

12 months from the sale, and thereafter until the purchaser forecloses the right of redemption by notice under O.C.G.A. § 48-4-45

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

20% premium for the first year or any part of it, plus 10% for each additional year or part thereof, plus taxes paid by the purchaser and notice costs (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-42)

Who runs tax sales in Georgia?

County sheriff or tax commissioner acting as ex officio sheriff (levying officer); some municipalities sell for city taxes. In person at the county courthouse steps (public outcry); DeKalb and Athens-Clarke counties publish lists online but bid in person

When are tax sales held in Georgia?

First Tuesday of the month, 10 a.m.; most counties sell monthly or several times a year

Are sheriff sales in Georgia judicial?

Georgia mortgage foreclosure is non-judicial under the power of sale in the security deed: the lender advertises the sale once a week for four weeks in the county legal organ and sells on the courthouse steps on the first Tuesday of the month (O.C.G.A. § 44-14-162). There is no right of redemption after the foreclosure sale, and the lender must have the sale confirmed by the superior court before seeking a deficiency judgment.

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

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 Georgia 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.