Application for a Tax Deed is filed with our office; the office of the Clerk of Courts conducts the Sale. The Clerk also handles all advertising and notices pertaining to the sale. You may view information on scheduled Tax Deed applications at www.santarosaclerk.com.

Application for a tax deed may be filed two years from the date the taxes became delinquent (April 1st). Only one Tax Sale Certificate is required. At the time of application, the applicant will be required to pay any other taxes that may be outstanding on the subject property plus the following fees (which may change without notice):

Title Search -

Real Estate $ 75.00

Minerals $150.00

Tax Collector fee $75.00

Clerk fee $300.00

Additional Clerk's Fees may be required depending on the number of notices required on any given application.

The property is sold at public auction to the highest bidder. If the applicant is not the purchaser, he is refunded his monies plus applicable interest. The tax deed application is the initial bid; if no higher bid is made, the tax deed is sold to the applicant. County Tax Deed Applications differ from Individual Applications, as the county does not have to redeem any other tax certificates. County owned certificates are certified to the Board of County Commissioners when they become two years old and by law, The Board applies for the Tax Deeds. Individual Certificate holders are notified of the sale but are not paid off on the certificates until/unless the property is actually sold.

Homestead Property Warning: If a tax deed is issued on a Homestead property, the initial bid at the time of the sale will be the amount of monies required to repay the applicant plus one-half of the current assessed value of the property at the time of the sale.

Special Note: Title Companies will not usually insure a tax deed for a period of twenty years. You may need to Quiet Title property purchased on a Tax Deed and this can be expensive!