This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Tax sale deadlines are strict and every property is different. Call your county tax commissioner's office to confirm the numbers on your property, and talk to a Georgia real estate attorney (or a South Carolina attorney if the property is across the river) about your rights.
First, a Quick Look at How You Got Here
When property taxes go unpaid, the county tax commissioner can issue a tax execution (often called a fi. fa.) against the property. After the required notices, the property can be sold at a public tax sale, usually held on the first Tuesday of the month at the county courthouse. In Augusta that's handled through the Richmond County Tax Commissioner; in Evans, Martinez, Grovetown and Appling, it's the Columbia County Tax Commissioner.
If you're behind but no sale has happened yet, start with our guide on being behind on property taxes in Augusta. This article picks up after the gavel falls.
The Buyer Gets a Tax Deed, but You Can Still Redeem
The winning bidder at a Georgia tax sale receives a tax deed. That deed doesn't wipe out your rights right away. Georgia law lets the owner, or anyone with an interest in or lien on the property, redeem it. Redeeming means paying the tax sale buyer back, plus a premium, to undo the sale.
Under the Georgia Code, you can generally redeem:
- Any time within 12 months of the tax sale, and
- After those 12 months, until the buyer formally cuts off your right by serving a notice of foreclosure of the right to redeem (often called a barment notice).
So the 12 months is a minimum, not a hard stop. If the buyer never sends a proper barment notice, the right to redeem can last longer. But don't plan around that.
Several Georgia county and city guides also note that the tax sale buyer generally can't take possession of the property, collect rent or make improvements during that first 12 months. If someone shows up claiming they own your house during that time, ask an attorney before you do anything.
What It Costs to Redeem
For tax sales made after July 1, 2002, the redemption price in Georgia is generally:
- The amount the buyer paid at the tax sale,
- Plus any taxes the buyer has paid on the property since the sale,
- Plus any special assessments on the property,
- Plus a premium of 20 percent of that amount for the first year or any part of a year, and 10 percent for each year or part of a year after that.
If you redeem more than 30 days after a barment notice is given, the sheriff's cost of serving the notice and the cost of publishing it are added too. In some cases, certain property owners' or condominium association payments the buyer made after the sale can also be added.
The 20 percent premium applies even if you redeem a few weeks after the sale. Waiting can push you into another 10 percent, or past the deadline entirely. Ask the tax commissioner's office or the buyer for a written payoff before you pay anything.
The Barment Notice: Your Real Deadline
Once 12 months have passed since the sale, the buyer can start the process to end your right to redeem. Georgia law spells out the steps. The notice has to be served by the sheriff on the owner, any occupant, and anyone else with a recorded interest or lien. It also has to be mailed and published in the county's legal newspaper. The notice names a date when the right to redeem will be "forever foreclosed and barred."
If you get one of these notices, that date is the deadline that matters. Write it down, call an attorney the same week, and don't assume you can work something out after it passes. Once the right to redeem is barred, the buyer can move to take full title and possession.
Who Else Might Redeem
You aren't the only one who can redeem. If there's a mortgage or other lien on the property, the lender may pay the redemption amount to protect its loan. That doesn't make the debt disappear: a creditor who redeems generally gets a lien on the property for the amount it paid. It's worth calling your mortgage servicer to find out where things stand.
Excess Funds: Money You May Be Owed
Sometimes a property sells at a tax sale for more than the taxes, interest and costs owed. That extra money is called excess funds, and it doesn't belong to the county.
- Georgia law requires the officer holding the excess funds to mail written notice to the record owner and to lienholders within 30 days of the tax sale.
- Lenders and lienholders with recorded interests generally have a claim to the funds ahead of the owner, so if you have a mortgage, much of it may go there first.
- If excess funds go unclaimed for five years after the sale, they're turned over to the Georgia Department of Revenue, and after that they can only be released through a court case.
Be careful with strangers who offer to "recover" your excess funds for a large cut. You can contact the tax commissioner's office directly and ask what's being held and how to claim it. If there are competing claims, an attorney can help.
What About Aiken and North Augusta?
South Carolina has its own rules, handled in Aiken County through the Aiken County Treasurer's office. The owner generally has 12 months from the tax sale to redeem by paying the taxes, costs and interest. The interest is set by state law and steps up the longer you wait: 3 percent in the first three months, 6 percent in months four through six, 9 percent in months seven through nine, and 12 percent in the last three months, figured on the amount of the winning bid (with some limits). If the property isn't redeemed in time, the buyer can receive a tax title. If you own property on the South Carolina side, confirm the deadline with the Aiken County Treasurer's office and talk to a South Carolina attorney about your exact deadline.
Your Options After a Tax Sale
1. Redeem it yourself
If you can pay the redemption amount, this is the most direct way to keep the property. Get the exact figure in writing first, and keep proof of payment.
2. Sell the property before your right to redeem ends
If keeping the house doesn't make sense anymore, you can often still sell it. The redemption amount, any mortgage and other liens are paid out of the sale at closing, and the tax sale buyer releases their claim. Whatever is left is yours. This can protect equity that you'd otherwise lose if the right to redeem is barred. It works for houses, vacant land and inherited property alike, including an inherited house where nobody kept up with the taxes.
The right answer depends on how much equity you have, how much time is left, and what you want for the property. If the house is in good shape and you have months left, listing it with an agent can sometimes bring in more. Our side-by-side comparison lays out the trade-offs honestly.
Common Questions
Can I get my house back after a Georgia tax sale?
How much does it cost to redeem after a tax sale in Georgia?
What are excess funds from a tax sale?
Can I sell my house after it was sold at a tax sale?
Is it different in South Carolina?
How CSRA Homebuyer Can Help
We're a local, family-owned company that has bought houses and land around Augusta since 2019. If your property was sold at a tax sale and you'd rather sell than redeem, we can buy it as-is and have the redemption amount and any liens paid off at closing at a local closing attorney. You'll get a written cash offer within 24 hours, and we can close in as few as 14 days, or on the date you choose, which can matter when a barment deadline is coming. There's nothing to pay upfront, and no repairs or cleanout.
Call or text (706) 397-4774, or tell us about the property below. There's no obligation, and if redeeming or listing looks like the better move for you, we'll say so.