People who own real estate must pay property taxes. Failing to pay them can have severe consequences, including losing your home. When property taxes go unpaid, local governments use a tax sale process, which varies from state to state, to recover the delinquent amounts. However, many jurisdictions offer a lifeline to homeowners—a process called “redemption.”
If you fail to pay your property taxes and then lose your home in a tax sale, you might be able to get it back. Many states let you redeem your home—that is, pay a certain amount after the sale to regain title. This right to redeem is typically available for a specific period after the tax sale, known as the “redemption period.” Other states offer a redemption period before the sale. How much you'll have to pay and how much time you have to do so varies by state.
Below, you can learn about redemption laws in specific states.
Choose your state below to learn about getting your house or apartment back after a tax sale.
Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Texas
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Choose your state below to learn about getting your house or apartment back after a tax sale.
If your home was sold in a tax sale, you might be able to get it back. Learn how.
Sidestep the lawyers with do-it-yourself books, documents, and software.
Nolo offers hundreds of consumer-friendly, do-it-yourself legal products for all types of legal situations. Browse our full product list.
Click below to view more legal issues. Our extensive collection of legal topics ranges across different areas of practice.
Our editors have over 100 years of combined experience practicing law. These professionals have worked in a wide range of legal areas, from estate planning to criminal law to business formation and beyond. They’re experts at explaining complicated legal issues in easy-to-understand terms.
Learn more about the team that manages Nolo’s articles, books, and DIY tools.
Find an experienced, local attorney in three easy steps. Our process is designed for ease and simplicity.
Briefly tell us about your case, and provide your contact information.
We find and instantly list attorneys that can best handle your case.
Choose the attorneys you would like to work with.
At Nolo, we prioritize quality and transparency because we know how important reliable legal information is to our readers. Our information is meticulously researched, regularly updated, and written in plain English by our experienced writers and editors. Learn more about our editorial standards.
Grow your firm with Martindale-Nolo, the largest legal network, and learn more about our attorney lead-generation and marketing services.
At Nolo, we prioritize quality and transparency because we know how important reliable legal information is to our readers. Our information is meticulously researched, regularly updated, and written in plain English by our experienced writers and editors. Learn more about our editorial standards.