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Tax lien

A tax lien (or tax certificate) is a claim the county sells to an investor for the unpaid tax. Once a certificate is sold, a clock starts: after the redemption period the holder can ask for a deed or a foreclosure. LeadCounty counts tax lien in every county it covers and refreshes the counts weekly.

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In this guide
  1. How it is defined in LeadCounty
  2. How many are on the list today
  3. Why it matters
  4. Where it shows up in public records
  5. How to find tax lien in 3 steps
  6. How we count it

01How it is defined in LeadCounty

A tax lien certificate was sold on the parcel.

02How many are on the list today

Tax lien is on file in 76 of 99 counties this week. The most are in Cook County (Chicago), IL (70,914), Philadelphia County, PA (70,449), Jefferson County (Birmingham), AL (34,614); the typical county has 2,043.

453,660properties are on the “Tax lien” list across 76 counties today
Weeklyrefreshed from the county offices
Tax lien: owners on the list in each county this week. Largest first.
CountyOn the list
Cook County (Chicago), IL70,914
Philadelphia County, PA70,449
Jefferson County (Birmingham), AL34,614
Duval County (Jacksonville), FL25,166
Hillsborough County (Tampa), FL23,666
Orange County (Orlando), FL19,568
Oklahoma County (Oklahoma City), OK18,519
Palm Beach County, FL16,076
DeKalb County, GA12,251
Clark County (Las Vegas), NV10,659
Lee County (Fort Myers), FL10,457
Milwaukee County, WI9,930
Counted from each county's own records at the weekly refresh; 23 counties publish no records for this list. Totals only: the owners are in the app.

03Why it matters

Once a certificate is sold, a clock starts: after the redemption period the holder can ask for a deed or a foreclosure.

04Where it shows up in public records

Tax-lien and certificate sales are run by the treasurer or tax collector, and the list of sold certificates is public in many states.

05How to find tax lien in 3 steps

  • Step 1, find the record: tax-lien and certificate sales are run by the treasurer or tax collector, and the list of sold certificates is public in many states.
  • Step 2, match it to the property: join the record to the parcel by its parcel number and the owner's name and address, so you know which house it belongs to.
  • Step 3, add a second reason: stack tax lien with another list to see which owners have more than one reason to sell. LeadCounty does steps 1 and 2 for every property each week.

06How we count it

LeadCounty counts tax lien from each county's own records and shows the number for every county in the table above, refreshed weekly. A county that does not publish the record shows no count rather than a guess.

07How to use it

  • Reach out early in the redemption period, while the owner still has time and choices.

08Best stacks with tax lien

One list gives you a reason; two or three lists together give you owners with several reasons at once. The stacks that work best with tax lien:

  • Tax lien + tax delinquent: tax is past due, a dated and money-based sign of pressure.
  • Tax lien + absentee owner: the owner gets the tax bill somewhere else, so the house is less personal to them.
LeadCounty editorial and data team

We collect official county, court and city records every week and turn them into scored, explained property research for investors and agents. Every guide is based on how these public records actually work.

How we make these guides. We write from official offices and statutes, name the source of each number and fix mistakes when you tell us. See our editorial standards and methodology. What changed: the counts and examples are refreshed weekly.

Related signals

tax delinquent house unpaid property tax

Tax delinquent

A property whose owner has not paid at least one property-tax bill by its due date, or that the county has formally listed as delinquent.What it means →tax delinquent house unpaid property tax

Certified delinquent

Certified delinquent means the county has formally certified the unpaid tax, usually after a full year, and placed the parcel on its official delinquent list.What it means →foreclosure notice documents house keys

In foreclosure

A property with an open foreclosure case: a lender (or the county, for unpaid tax) has started the legal process to sell it.What it means →
A letter for tax lien ownersFor tax delinquent owners

Dear [first name],

The county records show unpaid property tax on [property address]. If the tax bill has become a burden, you have options, and selling before penalties grow is one of them.

I buy houses as-is and can pay off the back taxes at closing, so you walk away with cash instead of a growing bill.

Send it in the app

The app fills in each owner's name and address and prints envelopes or labels.

Run the numbersWholesale MAO calculatorYour maximum offer, by the type of buyer you sell toARV × % − repairs − feeOpen the calculator →

Where tax lien is highest

Cook County (Chicago), IL (70,914)Philadelphia County, PA (70,449)Jefferson County (Birmingham), AL (34,614)

Lists that stack well with it

What tax delinquent meansWhat absentee owner means

Glossary

Tax lien certificateList stackingMotivated seller

Related guides and pages

What bankruptcy means for investors

Questions

What does tax lien mean?

A tax lien (or tax certificate) is a claim the county sells to an investor for the unpaid tax. The owner must pay it back with interest or risk losing the property.

Why does tax lien matter to investors?

Once a certificate is sold, a clock starts: after the redemption period the holder can ask for a deed or a foreclosure.

Where does tax lien show up in public records?

Tax-lien and certificate sales are run by the treasurer or tax collector, and the list of sold certificates is public in many states.