How to get a tax delinquent list in North Carolina
In North Carolina, unpaid property tax is collected by the county tax collector. The system for unpaid tax is: county tax foreclosure. LeadCounty tracks 11,361 tax-delinquent properties in 3 North Carolina counties, refreshed weekly. Some counties publish their list free; LeadCounty matches, scores and filters the records for you.
Where the official list lives
The office is the county tax collector. Whether it shows a full delinquent list, a parcel-by-parcel search or a sale notice, and whether there is a fee, is decided by each county, so check the office's website for your county.
Property tax rolls and ownership come from the county auditor, assessor or appraiser. A parcel number links the tax record to the deed and the owner's mailing address.
The free route
Many counties let you look up a parcel's tax status for free, and some publish the whole list. If you only need one list in one county, the county office may be enough. LeadCounty is useful when you want the records of many offices matched to the right property, scored with reasons, and refreshed every week, with filters such as years behind, amount owed and absentee owner.
Tax delinquent properties in North Carolina counties we cover
| County | Tax delinquent | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County (Charlotte) | 5,831 | 429,037 |
| Guilford County (Greensboro) | 3,049 | 223,242 |
| Wake County (Raleigh) | 2,481 | 439,191 |
North Carolina tax sale rules at a glance
- Unpaid tax
- County tax foreclosure. Counties collect unpaid tax by foreclosure (a court case or an in-rem proceeding), followed by a public sale.
- Redemption period
- Every sale stays open 10 days for higher (upset) bids; the owner can pay the tax until the sale is final.
- Mortgage foreclosure
- Non-judicial with a clerk's hearing. Power-of-sale foreclosures need a hearing before the clerk of superior court, and every sale has a 10-day upset bid period.
- Statute
- N.C.G.S. §105-374 (foreclosure of tax liens)
General information, not legal advice. Check the statute and the county office before you act.
Questions
Who has the tax delinquent list in North Carolina?
Unpaid property tax is collected by the county tax collector. Some counties publish the full list on that office's website; others only let you search one parcel at a time. The format and any fee are set by each county.
Is the tax delinquent list in North Carolina free?
Often the county shows delinquent accounts for free, one parcel at a time. Some publish a full list or sell it. LeadCounty's value is matching, scoring and filtering the records, not owning them.
What happens to a tax delinquent property in North Carolina?
See the table above for the sale type and redemption period. Check the statute and your county office for the current rules.
How we make these guides
Written by the LeadCounty editorial and data team from official county, court and state sources and our own weekly counts. We name the office behind every number, say what we cannot see, and fix mistakes when you tell us. See our editorial standards and methodology. General information, not legal or financial advice. Refreshed weekly.
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