Tax Sales and Sheriff Sales in Maryland

How tax sales work in Maryland

Maryland 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. Set by county under Tax-Property §14-820: 6% (St. Mary's, Talbot, Washington) up to 20% per year (Montgomery, Prince George's); 12% in Baltimore County; Baltimore City 12% owner-occupied / 18% other; Anne Arundel, Allegany and Howard 18%.

Redemption. Until the circuit court enters a judgment foreclosing the right of redemption; the holder cannot file before 6 months after the sale (9 months for owner-occupied residential property) and must file within 2 years..

When and where the sales are held

Who runs them: County collector of taxes (county finance/treasury office); Baltimore City Director of Finance.

When: Annually, mostly May and June (St. Mary's in March, Calvert in April, Baltimore County in August)..

Where: Most counties hold online auctions (Anne Arundel, for example, bids at annearundel.marylandtaxsale.com); some smaller counties still sell in person at the county office..

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 Maryland

Maryland mortgage foreclosure is a court-supervised but non-judicial 'power of sale' process: the lender files an Order to Docket in circuit court, and after notice the trustee or lender's attorney sells the property at public auction after advertising once a week for three successive weeks in a local newspaper. The circuit court must ratify the sale (exceptions may be filed within 30 days of the report of sale); there is no post-sale redemption, so the borrower must cure or stop the sale beforehand.

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 Maryland.

Official sources for Maryland

• Maryland State Tax Sale Ombudsman (SDAT)
• 2025 Annual Maryland Tax Sale Report
• Prince George's County tax sale redemption
• Maryland foreclosure process (Dept. of Labor)

Statute: Md. Code, Tax-Property §§14-808 through 14-854 (tax sales); Md. Code, Real Property §7-105.1 and Maryland Rules Title 14 (foreclosure sales).

Questions people ask

Does Maryland sell tax liens or tax deeds?

Maryland 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. Each Maryland county collector (and Baltimore City) holds an annual tax sale at which tax lien certificates are auctioned to the highest bidder; the buyer gets a certificate of sale, not the property. The owner may redeem at any time until a circuit court finally forecloses the right of redemption by paying the taxes plus interest at the county's statutory rate (6% to 20% depending on county). The certificate holder may file the foreclosure case six months after the sale (nine months for owner-occupied residences) and the certificate is void if no case is filed within two years.

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

Until the circuit court enters a judgment foreclosing the right of redemption; the holder cannot file before 6 months after the sale (9 months for owner-occupied residential property) and must file within 2 years.

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

Set by county under Tax-Property §14-820: 6% (St. Mary's, Talbot, Washington) up to 20% per year (Montgomery, Prince George's); 12% in Baltimore County; Baltimore City 12% owner-occupied / 18% other; Anne Arundel, Allegany and Howard 18%

Who runs tax sales in Maryland?

County collector of taxes (county finance/treasury office); Baltimore City Director of Finance. Most counties hold online auctions (Anne Arundel, for example, bids at annearundel.marylandtaxsale.com); some smaller counties still sell in person at the county office.

When are tax sales held in Maryland?

Annually, mostly May and June (St. Mary's in March, Calvert in April, Baltimore County in August).

Are sheriff sales in Maryland judicial?

Maryland mortgage foreclosure is a court-supervised but non-judicial 'power of sale' process: the lender files an Order to Docket in circuit court, and after notice the trustee or lender's attorney sells the property at public auction after advertising once a week for three successive weeks in a local newspaper. The circuit court must ratify the sale (exceptions may be filed within 30 days of the report of sale); there is no post-sale redemption, so the borrower must cure or stop the sale beforehand.

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

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 Maryland 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.