Tax Sales and Sheriff Sales in Iowa

How tax sales work in Iowa

Iowa sells tax lien certificates: the buyer pays the taxes and holds a lien that earns interest, and gets the property only if the owner never redeems.

What the buyer earns. 2% per month (24% per year) on the amount paid, from the month of sale.

Redemption. 1 year and 9 months from the sale before the holder may serve notice, then 90 days after completed service (about 2 years total); shorter 9-month and 3-month periods apply to public-bidder and abandoned-property sales under Iowa Code §§ 446.18–446.19B.

When and where the sales are held

Who runs them: County treasurer.

When: Annually on the third Monday in June (treasurer may set another June date for good cause).

Where: In person at the county treasurer's office or online through treasurer-contracted sites; county tax sale pages are linked from the Iowa State County Treasurers Association site.

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 Iowa

Iowa mortgage foreclosure is judicial (Iowa Code ch. 654): after judgment the county sheriff sells the property at a public sheriff's sale after publishing notice, and the sheriff issues a certificate and later a deed. The borrower normally has one year to redeem after the sale (Iowa Code § 628.3), shortened to six months when the lender waives a deficiency judgment, and to 60 days for abandoned property; lenders can also use an alternative non-judicial voluntary foreclosure by agreement.

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 Iowa.

Official sources for Iowa

• Iowa Code § 446.7 – Tax sale (legis.iowa.gov)
• Iowa Code § 447.9 – Notice of expiration of right of redemption
• Iowa State County Treasurers Association – Tax Sale
• Iowa Code § 628.3 – Redemption after sheriff's sale

Statute: Iowa Code ch. 446 (tax sales), ch. 447 (tax redemption) and ch. 448 (tax deeds).

Questions people ask

Does Iowa sell tax liens or tax deeds?

Iowa sells tax lien certificates: the buyer pays the taxes and holds a lien that earns interest, and gets the property only if the owner never redeems. Every Iowa county treasurer holds the annual tax sale on the third Monday in June, offering each parcel's delinquent taxes; when several bidders want the same parcel they bid down the percentage of the property they would receive on a tax deed, and the winner gets a tax sale certificate. The owner redeems through the treasurer by paying the amount sold plus 2% per month. After one year and nine months the certificate holder may serve a 90-day notice of expiration of redemption, and if the owner still does not pay, the treasurer issues a tax deed.

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

1 year and 9 months from the sale before the holder may serve notice, then 90 days after completed service (about 2 years total); shorter 9-month and 3-month periods apply to public-bidder and abandoned-property sales under Iowa Code §§ 446.18–446.19B

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

2% per month (24% per year) on the amount paid, from the month of sale

Who runs tax sales in Iowa?

County treasurer. In person at the county treasurer's office or online through treasurer-contracted sites; county tax sale pages are linked from the Iowa State County Treasurers Association site

When are tax sales held in Iowa?

Annually on the third Monday in June (treasurer may set another June date for good cause)

Are sheriff sales in Iowa judicial?

Iowa mortgage foreclosure is judicial (Iowa Code ch. 654): after judgment the county sheriff sells the property at a public sheriff's sale after publishing notice, and the sheriff issues a certificate and later a deed. The borrower normally has one year to redeem after the sale (Iowa Code § 628.3), shortened to six months when the lender waives a deficiency judgment, and to 60 days for abandoned property; lenders can also use an alternative non-judicial voluntary foreclosure by agreement.

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

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 Iowa 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.