Clark County, Indiana Tax Sale: How the Process and Redemption Work

Who this guide is from: Mortgage Forfeiture is Roger Choate's local direct home-buying business serving Southern Indiana and the Louisville metro. Informational guides are general education; legal, tax, lending, and court decisions should be reviewed with the appropriate licensed professional.

Each year, the Clark County Treasurer sells tax sale certificates on parcels with unpaid property taxes, and the owner then has a redemption period, usually one year, to pay and keep the property. If your name is on the delinquent list, you still have options, but the cost goes up the longer you wait.

Here is how the Clark County tax sale works under Indiana law, what redemption costs, which county offices to call, and what you can do before the sale.

How does the Indiana tax sale process work?

Indiana's tax sale system is governed by IC 6-1.1-24 and IC 6-1.1-25. In Clark County, the Treasurer's office conducts the tax certificate sale, and the Auditor's office maintains the list of eligible parcels and handles redemptions. Both are in the Clark County Government Center, 300 Corporate Drive, Jeffersonville.

1. Taxes become delinquent

Indiana property taxes are due in two installments each year, generally May 10 and November 10. If you miss an installment, a penalty is added: generally 5% if you pay in full within 30 days and have no earlier delinquency, otherwise 10%. Additional 10% penalties can be added on later installment dates while the balance stays unpaid (IC 6-1.1-37-10).

You do not have to be years behind. Under IC 6-1.1-24-1, a parcel can be placed on the tax sale list once taxes from the prior year's spring installment or earlier remain unpaid and the total owed is more than $25. The list is certified shortly after the spring due date each year.

2. The county certifies the delinquent list

The Auditor's office reviews each parcel, confirms the amounts owed, and prepares the legal documentation Indiana law requires.

3. Public notice is published and mailed

The county publishes a public notice of the tax sale in a newspaper published in the county, once a week for three consecutive weeks, at least 21 days before the application for judgment. The notice lists the parcels, owner names, and minimum sale amounts.

The county must also mail notice to the owner of record by certified mail and by first-class mail, using the address in the county's transfer records (IC 6-1.1-24-4). Mortgage lenders and others with a recorded interest receive notice if they have asked for it each year (IC 6-1.1-24-3). If you receive a notice, act on it right away.

4. The tax sale auction

Clark County has held its tax sale in the fall in recent years, online through SRI Services' auction site. The county posts the current date, the parcel list, and bidder registration through SRI Services. You can also call the Treasurer's office at (812) 285-6205.

At the sale, bidders purchase tax sale certificates, not the property itself. The minimum bid generally covers the delinquent taxes and special assessments, penalties, and costs. In return for paying it, the winning bidder receives a certificate that may lead to a claim on the property if the owner does not redeem.

Any amount bid above the minimum goes into a tax sale surplus fund. Depending on whether the property is redeemed, the former owner may be able to file a verified claim for that surplus, but claims must generally be filed within three years after the sale (IC 6-1.1-24-7). Ask the Auditor's office how to file.

How long do you have to redeem, and what does it cost?

A tax sale is not the end of the road. Under IC 6-1.1-25-4, the standard redemption period is one year from the date of the tax sale. During that year, the owner, or anyone with a legal interest such as a mortgage lender, can redeem by paying the full redemption amount.

To redeem, you generally must pay:

• 110% of the minimum bid if you redeem within six months of the sale, or 115% if you redeem after six months but within one year
• 5% annual interest on any amount the purchaser bid above the minimum
• Any later taxes the purchaser paid on the property, plus 5% annual interest
• Applicable costs and fees certified under the statute

The Auditor's office recalculates redemption amounts daily and generally requires certified funds, so get a current figure before paying (IC 6-1.1-25-2). The longer you wait within the window, the more it costs.

What happens if you do not redeem?

If the redemption period expires and no one redeems, the tax sale purchaser can petition the circuit court for a tax deed, with notice to interested parties. If the court issues the deed, ownership transfers and the previous owner's rights are extinguished. The surplus-fund claim above may be the only remaining way to recover any money.

What if nobody bids on the parcel?

When a parcel receives no bid, the county executive acquires the lien. The county can later sell its certificates, sometimes for less than the minimum sale price, at a commissioner certificate sale.

An unsold parcel does not mean you are safe, and the timeline can be shorter. When the county acquires the lien, or sells its certificate at a commissioner certificate sale, the redemption period is generally 120 days, not one year (IC 6-1.1-25-4). Some vacant or abandoned parcels have no redemption period. Ask the Auditor which rule applies to your parcel.

Who do you call in Clark County?

• Clark County Treasurer's Office: pay delinquent taxes and get a payoff figure. Clark County Government Center, 300 Corporate Drive, Suite 105, Jeffersonville, IN 47130. (812) 285-6205.
• Clark County Auditor's Office: tax sale list, redemptions, and deduction filings. 300 Corporate Drive, Suite 106. (812) 285-6211.
• Clark County Assessor's Office: assessed values and appeals. 300 Corporate Drive, Room 104. (812) 285-6225.
• Confirm hours and numbers on the Clark County website before you visit.

You can look up your tax bill and payment status through the Treasurer's online tax search on the Clark County website or by calling the Treasurer's office.

What can you do if you cannot pay before the sale?

Ask for a written payment arrangement

Ask the Clark County Treasurer whether a written payment arrangement is available. Under IC 6-1.1-24-1.2, a parcel can be removed from the tax sale list if the delinquency is paid in full, or if the taxpayer and treasurer sign a written arrangement that the statute allows. A missed payment can void the arrangement and put the parcel back on the list. Get the terms and deadline in writing.

Check your deductions and credits

Some owners pay more than they need to because a deduction was never filed or lapsed after a deed change. In Indiana, these include:

• Homestead Deduction and Credit: Indiana's homestead benefits are changing under Senate Enrolled Act 1 (2025). The flat standard deduction is being phased down to zero by the 2030 assessment date, while the percentage-based supplemental deduction rises each year. Homesteads also receive an automatic credit of 10% of the homestead tax bill, up to $300. You must own the home and use it as your primary residence. See the DLGF summary for the current year's figures.
• Over 65 Credit: Under SEA 1, qualifying homeowners age 65 or older may receive a credit of up to $150, subject to income limits. A separate Over 65 Circuit Breaker Credit may also apply. Apply through the county auditor.
• Disabled Veteran Deductions: deductions remain available for qualifying veterans with service-connected disabilities.
• Property Tax Cap (Circuit Breaker): Indiana caps property taxes at 1% of assessed value for homesteads, 2% for other residential and agricultural property, and 3% for all other property.

The Auditor's office can check your deduction status. If your deed changes, you generally need to re-file. A homestead deduction lowers the bill, but it does not protect the property from a tax sale if the bill goes unpaid.

Appeal the assessment

If your property is assessed well above what you believe it is worth, you can appeal. The process starts with the Clark County Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals (PTABOA) and can go to the Indiana Board of Tax Review. A successful appeal lowers future bills; it will not usually erase back taxes already owed.

Sell the property before the sale

For some owners, the most practical option is to sell before the tax sale. The delinquent taxes are paid from the proceeds at closing, and any remaining equity goes to you. A traditional listing takes time. A direct sale may move faster in some cases, but title work, lien payoffs, and the tax sale date all control the timeline, so start early.

Do surrounding counties work the same way?

Yes. The process is set by state statute, so Floyd, Harrison, Scott, Washington, and Jefferson County, Indiana follow the same steps: certified delinquent list, public notice, auction, redemption period, and possible tax deed. Each county sets its own sale date and has its own offices, so if you own property in more than one county, check with each Treasurer. A delinquency in one county will not alert you to a problem in another.

Common misunderstandings about Indiana tax sales

"They cannot sell my property. I never got a notice."

Indiana law requires mailed notice to the owner of record at the address in the county's records. Failure to receive the mailed notice generally does not invalidate the judgment, so keep your mailing address current with the Clark County Auditor's Office.

"I only owe a small amount, so they will not bother."

The threshold is low. A parcel can be listed once the delinquent amount is more than $25 (IC 6-1.1-24-1). The county does not weigh whether the amount is "worth it."

"If someone buys my tax certificate, they own my house immediately."

No. A tax sale certificate is not a deed. The purchaser holds a certificate that may become a deed only after the redemption period expires and the court process is completed. You still have time.

"I can let it go to tax sale and buy it back myself."

Owners who owe the delinquent taxes may not bid on their own parcel. You can redeem during the redemption period, but that costs more than paying the delinquent taxes before the sale.

Where to check current dates

Spring property taxes are due May 10 and fall taxes November 10 (IC 6-1.1-22-9), and the Treasurer posts the exact due dates each year. The county publishes the tax sale date, parcel list, and bidder information each year through SRI Services and the legal notice in a local newspaper. For a payoff figure or to confirm whether a parcel is still listed, call the Clark County Treasurer at (812) 285-6205.

What this means if you need to sell

If the taxes have gotten away from you and the house needs work, or you simply do not want to carry it any longer, selling before the sale can clear the delinquency and keep whatever equity is left in your pocket. Roger Choate buys houses as-is in Jeffersonville, Clarksville, Charlestown and the rest of Clark County. He reviews the property and the county records, gets the current tax payoff, and gives you a written offer. There is no seller company fee or agent commission.

Closing runs through a title company, and you choose the date, subject to title work and payoffs. The delinquent taxes, any mortgage, other liens, prorations, and settlement items come out of the proceeds. A direct offer removes the buyer-financing and inspection contingencies, not the title, lien, or signature requirements, and Roger cannot guarantee a closing before a sale date. Get the Treasurer's payoff first, then compare paying, a payment arrangement, and a sale on real numbers. If the taxes are already a recorded lien, see selling a house with tax liens in Indiana.

Frequently asked questions

Facing a tax sale? Get the current payoff from the Treasurer, then call (502) 528-7273 or Get My Cash Offer and Roger will review the property and the figures with you. General information only, not legal or tax advice; tax-sale law changes often, so confirm amounts and deadlines with the Clark County Treasurer and Auditor and an Indiana attorney.