Tax Sales and Sheriff Sales in Wisconsin

How tax sales work in Wisconsin

Wisconsin 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 earns. 1% per month interest plus an optional 0.5% per month penalty (Wis. Stat. 74.47) – paid to the county, not an investor.

Redemption. Two years from the date the tax certificate is issued (Wis. Stat. § 74.57, § 75.14), after which the county may take a tax deed or an in rem judgment; redemption is allowed until the tax deed is recorded (§ 75.01), and there is no redemption after the county's sale.

When and where the sales are held

Who runs them: County treasurer (tax certificates and redemption); county board or its designee sells county-acquired tax-deed property; the City of Milwaukee runs its own in rem process.

When: County sales of tax-deeded property are scheduled by each county, typically once or more a year.

Where: Public sale by sealed bid or auction after published notice (Wis. Stat. 75.35, 75.69); some counties use online auction sites.

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 Wisconsin

Wisconsin mortgage foreclosure is judicial (Wis. Stat. ch. 846): after judgment on an owner-occupied home of one to four units, the sale may not be held for 6 months (12 months for mortgages signed before April 27, 2016), shortened to 3 months when the lender waives a deficiency under § 846.101, and then the county sheriff sells the property at public auction after published notice (§ 846.16). The court must confirm the sale; there is no redemption after confirmation. Several counties now hold sheriff sales online.

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 Wisconsin.

Official sources for Wisconsin

• Wis. Stat. § 75.01 – Redemption
• Wis. Stat. § 75.14 – Tax deeds
• Wis. Stat. § 846.10 – Foreclosure sale timing

Statute: Wis. Stat. §§ 74.47, 74.57, 75.01, 75.12, 75.14, 75.35, 75.521, 75.69; foreclosure Wis. Stat. ch. 846.

Questions people ask

Does Wisconsin sell tax liens or tax deeds?

Wisconsin sells the property itself: the buyer gets a deed, and the owner's chance to pay ends at or before the sale. Wisconsin counties do not sell tax liens to investors; each September 1 the county treasurer issues a tax certificate to the county itself for unpaid taxes. The owner has two years from the certificate date to redeem by paying the taxes plus 1% per month interest (and up to 0.5% per month penalty if the county adopts one); after that the county takes title by tax deed or an in rem foreclosure judgment and then sells the parcel at public sale, with the buyer getting a county deed and no further redemption.

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

Two years from the date the tax certificate is issued (Wis. Stat. § 74.57, § 75.14), after which the county may take a tax deed or an in rem judgment; redemption is allowed until the tax deed is recorded (§ 75.01), and there is no redemption after the county's sale

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

1% per month interest plus an optional 0.5% per month penalty (Wis. Stat. 74.47) – paid to the county, not an investor

Who runs tax sales in Wisconsin?

County treasurer (tax certificates and redemption); county board or its designee sells county-acquired tax-deed property; the City of Milwaukee runs its own in rem process. Public sale by sealed bid or auction after published notice (Wis. Stat. 75.35, 75.69); some counties use online auction sites

When are tax sales held in Wisconsin?

County sales of tax-deeded property are scheduled by each county, typically once or more a year

Are sheriff sales in Wisconsin judicial?

Wisconsin mortgage foreclosure is judicial (Wis. Stat. ch. 846): after judgment on an owner-occupied home of one to four units, the sale may not be held for 6 months (12 months for mortgages signed before April 27, 2016), shortened to 3 months when the lender waives a deficiency under § 846.101, and then the county sheriff sells the property at public auction after published notice (§ 846.16). The court must confirm the sale; there is no redemption after confirmation. Several counties now hold sheriff sales online.

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

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 Wisconsin 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.