Tax Sales and Sheriff Sales in Tennessee

How tax sales work in Tennessee

Tennessee 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. 12% per year on the entire purchase price, from the day the purchaser pays the clerk until the motion to redeem is filed (T.C.A. § 67-5-2701).

Redemption. One year from the order confirming the sale, which the court sets per parcel and may shorten: 180 days if the taxes were delinquent more than five years, 90 days if eight years or more, and 30 days for property the court finds vacant or abandoned (T.C.A. § 67-5-2701).

When and where the sales are held

Who runs them: Clerk and master of the chancery court (or circuit court clerk), on suits filed by the county trustee's delinquent tax attorney.

When: Throughout the year as each suit reaches judgment; many counties hold several sales a year.

Where: At the courthouse, with a growing number of counties (e.g., Shelby, Davidson) using online auctions.

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 Tennessee

Tennessee mortgage foreclosure is non-judicial: the trustee under the deed of trust sells at public auction (usually at the courthouse) after publishing notice three times in a newspaper, the first at least 20 days before the sale (TCA 35-5-101). A statutory two-year right of redemption exists (TCA 66-8-101) but is almost always waived in the deed of trust, so in practice there is no redemption after the sale.

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 Tennessee.

Official sources for Tennessee

• CTAS (University of Tennessee) – Redemption after a delinquent tax sale, T.C.A. § 67-5-2701
• Blount County – 2026 Delinquent Tax Procedures

Statute: Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 67-5-2401 to 67-5-2704 (delinquent tax suits, sales, redemption); foreclosure TCA §§ 35-5-101 et seq., 66-8-101.

Questions people ask

Does Tennessee sell tax liens or tax deeds?

Tennessee sells a redeemable deed: the buyer gets the deed, but the owner can buy it back for a set penalty during a redemption period. Tennessee counties and cities collect delinquent taxes through a lawsuit in chancery (or circuit) court, and the clerk and master sells the property at public auction under court order. The buyer gets a court-confirmed deed, but the former owner may redeem within one year of the order confirming the sale (the court may shorten this to as little as 30 days for vacant or abandoned property) by paying the purchase price plus 12% per annum interest and the buyer's expenses.

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

One year from the order confirming the sale, which the court sets per parcel and may shorten: 180 days if the taxes were delinquent more than five years, 90 days if eight years or more, and 30 days for property the court finds vacant or abandoned (T.C.A. § 67-5-2701)

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

12% per year on the entire purchase price, from the day the purchaser pays the clerk until the motion to redeem is filed (T.C.A. § 67-5-2701)

Who runs tax sales in Tennessee?

Clerk and master of the chancery court (or circuit court clerk), on suits filed by the county trustee's delinquent tax attorney. At the courthouse, with a growing number of counties (e.g., Shelby, Davidson) using online auctions

When are tax sales held in Tennessee?

Throughout the year as each suit reaches judgment; many counties hold several sales a year

Are sheriff sales in Tennessee judicial?

Tennessee mortgage foreclosure is non-judicial: the trustee under the deed of trust sells at public auction (usually at the courthouse) after publishing notice three times in a newspaper, the first at least 20 days before the sale (TCA 35-5-101). A statutory two-year right of redemption exists (TCA 66-8-101) but is almost always waived in the deed of trust, so in practice there is no redemption after the sale.

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

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 Tennessee 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.