If you own property in Hernando County, you must pay taxes each year. The Property Appraiser determines the value of your property and the amount of taxes you owe to the Tax Collector. Taxes are due by November 1st of each year but may be paid through March 31st. Discounts are allowed for early payments, but a 3% penalty will be imposed beginning April 1st. Items remaining unpaid by Mid-April will be advertised in the local paper for three (3) consecutive weeks in May in an effort to notify the property owners. If these taxes are still outstanding, tax certificates for such properties will be sold.
Tax Certificate Sales
The tax certificate sale is handled by the Tax Collector’s Office; should you have questions, please contact their office at (352)754-4180. A tax certificate represents a tax lien on a property; it does not convey title to the land. A tax certificate sale for all items remaining unpaid must be held each year by the end of May. The sale is held online at Lienhub.com. The tax certificate is sold to a registered bidder who will pay the property owner’s tax and accept the lowest interest rate when redemption is made. A certificate is an interest-bearing lien and the interest rate may vary from 0% to 18%.
Once a certificate is sold, the property owner may redeem the certificate by paying the taxes along with any penalty, advertising costs, fees and interest. If the certificate is not redeemed within a two-year time period, the certificate holder may begin proceedings for a tax deed sale.
Tax Deed Sales
Upon application for a tax deed by the certificate holder, a tax and title search is done by an abstract company to determine if there are any other outstanding taxes on the property. If there are, the applicant pays these and the outstanding taxes become part of the starting bid at the actual tax deed sale. Once the search is completed, certification is made and the application is transferred from the Tax Collector’s Office to the Clerk of Circuit Court. Once the Clerk receives the application, he will notify the property owner(s) and all interested lienholders of record that the property will be sold at public auction unless the taxes and any applicable fees are paid. The property is then advertised for four consecutive weeks prior to the tax deed sale with the applicant paying the advertising costs as part of the opening bid.
Properties for sale can be searched using the blue button at the bottom of this page titled “Search Tax Deed Sale Information”, which includes the base bid, the parcel number, and additional information included in the tax deed file. The sales are held online at www.hernando.realtaxdeed.com. Property is auctioned to the highest bidder. The highest bidder is required to pay a non-refundable cash deposit of 5% of the bid or $200.00, whichever is greater. The remaining balance of the purchase price must be received within 24 hours of sale. Purchase price is payable at the Clerk’s Office by cashier’s check, money order or cash; personal checks are not accepted for the bid amount.
When considering tax deed properties, please be advised that ALL PROPERTIES ARE SOLD “BUYER BEWARE”.
Please be advised that due to Certificate Application Dates the current year’s property taxes might not be included in the opening bid. Please refer to the Tax Deed File(s) to the specific years that are included.
Mobile homes are not included on the Tax Deed. Transfer of the mobile home title is the responsibility of the Purchaser.
To view subdivision plat maps reflecting the legal description of property to be sold, please visit the Official Records Search and search “Plats”. You may also visit the Recording Division located in Room 161.
To view acreage maps reflecting the legal description of the property to be sold, please visit the Property Appraiser’s office or visit their website.
For further information regarding tax deeds, please contact the Recording Division at (352)540-6768.
Overbid Surplus Funds
Tax Deed Sale Dates
Tax Deed Search Information
- Enter the Tax Deed Search portal
- Click onto a tab to search.
- If you want to search by Sale Date, select the Sale Date tab, choose date from the drop-down menu and click the Search button
Status
- Sale = Pending Sale
- Redeemed = Taxes have been redeemed – property no longer up for Tax Deed Sale
- Sold = Property has been sold