Tax Sales and Sheriff Sales in Utah

Utah counties do not sell liens; a parcel whose taxes remain unpaid for four years after delinquency is offered at the county's annual 'May tax sale' run by the county auditor under direction of the county legislative body. The high bidder receives a tax deed, and the former owner has no right of redemption after the sale, although anyone with an interest may redeem by paying all taxes, penalties and interest up to the moment of sale.

Sale type: Tax deeds
Redemption: None after the sale
Run by: County auditor

Official sources Government auctions in Utah

At a glance

How it sells: Tax deeds
Buyer earns: No interest; the buyer gets the property
Redemption: None after the sale; redemption (paying the county) is allowed any time before the property is sold (Utah Code 59-2-1346)
Run by: County auditor (county treasurer prepares the delinquency list; the county legislative body approves)
When: In May or June each year (Utah Code 59-2-1351), for property not redeemed by March 15 after four years of delinquency (59-2-1343)
Statute: Utah Code §§ 59-2-1301 to 59-2-1364 (esp. 59-2-1343, 59-2-1346, 59-2-1351, 59-2-1351.1); trust deeds Utah Code §§ 57-1-19 to 57-1-38

How tax sales work in Utah

Utah sells the property itself: the buyer gets a deed, and the owner's chance to pay ends at or before the sale.

What the buyer gets. The property itself, by deed from the county auditor, with no interest to collect and no owner to wait out once the sale is final.

Redemption. None after the sale; redemption (paying the county) is allowed any time before the property is sold (Utah Code 59-2-1346).

When and where the sales are held

Who runs them: County auditor (county treasurer prepares the delinquency list; the county legislative body approves).

When: In May or June each year (Utah Code 59-2-1351), for property not redeemed by March 15 after four years of delinquency (59-2-1343).

Where: Public auction at the front door of the county courthouse or, if the county chooses, through an electronic process the public can observe and bid in (59-2-1351(1)(c)); Salt Lake and Utah counties hold theirs online.

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 Utah

Utah mortgage foreclosure is usually non-judicial under a trust deed: the trustee sells at public auction at the county courthouse after recording a notice of default (3-month cure period), then publishing notice once a week for three consecutive weeks (last publication at least 10 days before the sale) and posting it (Utah Code 57-1-24 to 57-1-27). There is no redemption after a trustee's sale. Judicial foreclosure with a sheriff's sale is also available and carries a 180-day redemption period (Utah R. Civ. P. 69C).

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 Utah.

Official sources for Utah

Statute: Utah Code §§ 59-2-1301 to 59-2-1364 (esp. 59-2-1343, 59-2-1346, 59-2-1351, 59-2-1351.1); trust deeds Utah Code §§ 57-1-19 to 57-1-38.

Questions people ask

Does Utah sell tax liens or tax deeds?

Utah sells the property itself: the buyer gets a deed, and the owner's chance to pay ends at or before the sale. Utah counties do not sell liens; a parcel whose taxes remain unpaid for four years after delinquency is offered at the county's annual 'May tax sale' run by the county auditor under direction of the county legislative body. The high bidder receives a tax deed, and the former owner has no right of redemption after the sale, although anyone with an interest may redeem by paying all taxes, penalties and interest up to the moment of sale.

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

None after the sale; redemption (paying the county) is allowed any time before the property is sold (Utah Code 59-2-1346)

Who runs tax sales in Utah?

County auditor (county treasurer prepares the delinquency list; the county legislative body approves). Public auction at the front door of the county courthouse or, if the county chooses, through an electronic process the public can observe and bid in (59-2-1351(1)(c)); Salt Lake and Utah counties hold theirs online

When are tax sales held in Utah?

In May or June each year (Utah Code 59-2-1351), for property not redeemed by March 15 after four years of delinquency (59-2-1343)

Are sheriff sales in Utah judicial?

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

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 Utah 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.