The Clerk's Office only handles Tax Deed sales. Tax Certificate sales are held by the Tax Collector's Office.
A tax deed sale is a public auction where real estate is sold to recover delinquent property taxes. This is governed by Chapter 197, Florida Statutes, and Administrative Code 12D-13.060, Florida Department of Revenue.
A deputy clerk employed by the Clerk of the Circuit Court conducts the sale or public auction in accordance with Section 197.502(5), Florida Statutes.
Our Tax Deed Sales are normally scheduled on a monthly basis, always on Wednesday mornings, beginning promptly at 10:00 a.m., in the Meeting Room located at 107 N. 6th Street, Palatka, Florida. We recommend bidders arrive by 9:45 a.m. to pre-register.
A list of parcels being sold is available on our website here.
Yes, this is a public auction.
The property owner or mortgage holder can redeem the property from the Tax Deed Sale by paying the amounts owed to the Tax Collector and the Clerk of Courts. The total redemption is collected in the Tax Collector's office. (Many of the properties advertised for the sale will be redeemed and will not be auctioned.)
If the property is not homestead property, the amount of the opening bid equals the total of unpaid taxes and interest, the Tax Collector's administration fees, the Clerk of Courts' administration fees and expenditure fees required by the Florida Statutes to bring the property to delinquent tax sale. If the property is homestead property, half of the assessed value from the tax roll is added to the above amounts for the total opening bid.
A Tax Deed is a deed from the County to the highest bidder, issued for non-payment of real estate taxes by the property owner who forfeits all rights to the property by this default.
Note: ALL PROPERTIES ARE SOLD "BUYER BEWARE"
Legal description
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Addresses of the property are not provided. The legal description of the property will assist in obtaining the physical address/area of location.
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Subdivision plat maps are available in the Clerk's Office, Recording Division. These descriptions are identified by a Subdivision name, Block number and Lot number.
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Metes and Bounds legal descriptions (section, township, range) maps are available in the Property Appraiser's office.
Improvements on Property/Vacant Property
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Check the current tax roll. This will show whether an improvement is being taxed on the property or whether the property is being taxed as vacant land. The property record card, available in the Property Appraiser's office may give further information as to the property.
If you wish to review the folder maintained on each of the tax deed applications, please contact the tax deed clerk.
Reference information: Florida Statutes, Chapter 197.
If you are the high bidder at the sale, you are required to post a $200 non-refundable deposit, as required by Florida Statutes. This money is held until you, the high bidder, return with the total amount required to complete the sale. The deposit will be applied when the final balance is received to complete the sale.
Immediately after the auction, collection of the recording fees and documentary stamp fees is to be made. Florida Statutes allow 24 hours to return with the necessary fees to finalize the sale. However, the sale is not final until the total amount due has been collected and the deed recorded. Prior to the recording of the new deed, the property is eligible for redemption by the owner.
Our office will also need to know how the name(s) should appear on the deed(s).
If you do not return within the allotted 24 hours, the sale is cancelled and the property is re-advertised for sale using the $200 deposit. You will not be allowed to bid again (per F.S. 197.542(2)).
No, the total amount necessary to complete the sale consists of the bid amount, plus recording fees and documentary stamp tax fees.
After the sale, if you are the high bidder, you will be asked to come to the Tax Deeds Division to complete the sale (personal checks are accepted with proper identification).
All properties sold at a Tax Deed Sale qualify under 'buyer beware'. The purchase of a Tax Deed Sale does not warrant or guarantee clear and marketable title.
Governmental liens & judgments survive the issuance of the Tax Deed and are satisfied to the fullest extent possible with any overbid monies from the sale. Liens of governmental units not satisfied in full survive the issuance of the Tax Deed. A governmental lien is a lien or judgment that was issued by any Federal, State, County or City agency. We suggest you consult an Attorney should you have any questions concerning any particular lien or judgment.
If there are any surplus funds from the sale of the property, those funds would be used to satisfy the lien(s) to the extent possible. Any remaining balance would become the responsibility of the new buyer.
Should you have any questions concerning what liens & judgments survive the tax sale, consult an Attorney as we cannot advise you. Most title companies require the property to go through a quiet title lawsuit for the property to be able to have title insurance issued on property bought by Tax Deed Sale. Quiet title suits to clear the title of properties are Civil Law suits and are not handled by the Tax Deed clerk. Information on this procedure and costs would be available from an Attorney that handles these lawsuits.
Section 197.542, F.S. States: 'Any person, firm, corporation, or county that is the grantee of any Tax Deed under this law shall be entitled to the immediate possession of the lands described in the Deed.
If demand for possession is refused, the purchaser may apply to the Circuit Court for a Writ of Assistance upon five days' notice directed to the person refusing to deliver possession. Upon service of the responsive pleadings, if any, the matter shall proceed as in chancery cases. If the Court finds for the applicant, an order shall be issued by the Court directing the Sheriff to put the grantee in possession of the lands."
You should have your Tax Deed within 7 to 10 days from the sale date.
Yes, payment can be made by personal check, with proper identification including some form of photo identification. The bid amount can be paid by cashier's check, cash, money order or personal check, made payable to the Putnam County Clerk of Courts.
- This is a "buyer beware" process.
- The sale begins promptly at 10:00 a.m.; you should arrive 15 minutes early to pre-register.
- If you are the high bidder, a $200 deposit is required for each property purchased, at the time of sale.
- The $200 deposit will be included in the final amount needed to complete the sale.
- The files will NOT be available for review on the day of the sale.
