Tax Deeds
Real property taxes are due each year and are payable between the months of November of the tax year up to March 31st of the following year. Effective April 1st of each year, any unpaid real property taxes become delinquent property taxes. Each year, the Tax Collector conducts an auction to sell Tax Deed Certificates for delinquent real property taxes on June 1st. The purchaser of a Tax Certificate is referred to as a Certificate-Holder. A Certificate-Holder, after waiting for at least two (2) years, from April 1st of the year the certificate was sold, will make application with the Tax Collector for the real property to be sold at public auction to be repaid the amount owed to them, plus interest. The Application for Tax Deed file is then transferred to the Clerk of the Circuit Court (Clerk’s Office) for processing and subsequent Tax Deed Sale. The monies collected from this Tax Deed Sale are used to pay off the amount owed to the Tax Lien Certificate holder and other costs incurred in the sale process.
Background Information
Taxes become delinquent April 1st of each year. At that time, the Tax Collector begins preparing the certificate sale. A tax certificate is sold for all taxes not paid by June 1st. A tax certificate is a tax lien against the property. The certificate holder does not have any rights to the property. If no individual purchases a certificate on a piece of property at the June 1st sale, the County assumes the certificate. There are two types of tax certificates: individual and County. The owner or interested party may redeem the certificate at any time by paying to the Tax Collector the delinquent taxes and interest earned by the certificate holder. (Section 197.472, F.S.). The tax certificate has a life of seven years. (Section 197.482, F.S.).
If a certificate is not redeemed, the certificate holder may force the issue by making application for tax deed. A certificate must be two years old, from April 1st of the year the certificate was sold, to be eligible for tax deed application. (For County held certificates, the Board of County Commissioners makes application for the tax deed). The application process must begin in the Tax Collector’s Office. The Tax Collector prepares the necessary paperwork (which includes Tax Collector’s certificate and legal description of property) and forwards it to the Clerk’s Office.
The Clerk’s Office prepares the legal advertisement for the newspaper, the certified mailing of notices of the pending sale, the civil process to be served by the Sheriff’s office, the calculation of the surplus amount, answers questions from public, and facilitates the tax deed auction. This process is governed by Title XIV, Ch. 197 of the Florida Statutes, and by FAC 12D-13.060, Florida Department of Revenue.
Tax Deed Sales
Tax deed sales in Okaloosa are conducted online through Bid4Assets . Registration and advance deposits are required to participate in online auctions. Information concerning properties for tax deed sales can be emailed to [email protected].
THE CERTIFICATE MAY BE REDEEMED UNTIL FULL PAYMENT FOR THE TAX DEED IS MADE TO THE CLERK OF COURT.
The research, bidding, and final payment can all be conducted online. Final payment must be submitted no later than 10:00 a.m. on the business day following the sale. Failure to remit final payment will result in a bidder default status, and the winning bidder forfeits his or her deposit. Bidder defaulted tax deed sales will be readvertised and scheduled for a new online auction.
Disclaimer
TAX DEEDS ARE SOLD AS-IS ON A BUYER BEWARE BASIS. PROPERTIES MAY BE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL TAXES AND/OR LIENS.
The Okaloosa County Clerk of Court & Comptroller does not warrant the accuracy of the content on this site, and all data herein is subject to change and may be updated without notice. Properties may be redeemed at any time prior to receipt of the final payment of the winning bid. By using this service, the user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Okaloosa County Clerk of Court & Comptroller for any damage of any kind that may be caused by retrieving this data over the internet.
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