Clark County, Indiana Tax Sales: 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, Clark County offers tax sale certificates on parcels with unpaid property taxes. If your name is on the delinquent tax list, or you suspect it might be, you need to understand how the Indiana tax sale process works, what deadlines apply, and what options you still have.

Here is a straightforward breakdown of how the Clark County tax sale works, what state law says, and the steps you can take to protect your property.

How the Indiana Tax Sale Process Works

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.

Here is the basic timeline, step by step:

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 county certifies the list of parcels eligible for the tax sale. The Auditor's office reviews each parcel, confirms the amounts owed, and prepares the legal documentation required under Indiana law.

3. Public Notice Is Published

Indiana law requires the county to publish a public notice of the tax sale in a newspaper published in the county. The notice runs once a week for three consecutive weeks, at least 21 days before the application for judgment, and 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, take it seriously immediately.

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.

The Redemption Period: Your Window to Save Your Property

A tax sale is not the end of the road. Indiana law gives property owners a redemption period after the sale during which they can pay and keep the property.

How Long Do You Have?

Under IC 6-1.1-25-4, the standard redemption period is one year from the date of the tax sale. During this period, the property owner (or anyone with a legal interest in the property, 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 redemption window, the more expensive it gets.

What Happens If You Do Not Redeem?

If the redemption period expires and no one redeems the property, 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.

Once a tax deed is issued, the previous owner's rights to the property are extinguished. The surplus-fund claim described above may be the only remaining way to recover any money.

When Properties Do Not Sell

Not every property attracts a bidder at the annual tax sale. 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.

For property owners, a parcel going unsold 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.

Clark County: Who to Contact and Where to Go

If your property is on the delinquent list or you have received a tax sale notice, these are the offices to contact:

• 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 If You Cannot Pay? Options Before the Tax Sale

If you are behind on your Clark County property taxes and the tax sale is approaching, you still have options:

Payment Arrangements

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.

Property Tax Deductions and Credits

Some property owners qualify for deductions or credits that reduce their tax bill. 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.

If you have not filed for the homestead deduction, your bill may be higher than it needs to be. The Auditor's office can check your deduction status. If your deed changes, you generally need to re-file.

Assessment Appeals

If your property is assessed at a value significantly higher than what you believe it is worth, you have the right to appeal. The appeals process starts at the county level with the Clark County Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals (PTABOA) and can go to the Indiana Board of Tax Review if necessary.

A successful appeal that lowers your assessed value will reduce your ongoing tax obligation, though it typically will not erase back taxes already owed.

Selling the Property Before the Tax Sale

For some property owners, the most practical option is to sell the property before the tax sale happens. A sale can pay the delinquent taxes from the proceeds, with any remaining equity going to the seller.

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.

What Happens to Homesteaded Properties?

Does having a homestead deduction protect your property from tax sale? No. A homestead deduction reduces your tax bill, but it does not protect you from collection if you fail to pay what you owe.

Tax Sales in Surrounding Counties

The tax sale process works essentially the same across all Indiana counties because it is governed by state statute. If you own property in Floyd County, Harrison County, Scott County, Washington County, or Jefferson County, the same statutes apply.

Each county sets its own tax sale date, and the offices you contact will differ, but the underlying process (delinquent list certification, public notice, auction, redemption period, and potential tax deed) follows the same Indiana Code provisions.

If you own property in multiple Southern Indiana counties, check with each county's Treasurer individually. A delinquency in one county will not necessarily alert you to problems in another.

Common Misconceptions About Indiana Tax Sales

Here are common misconceptions about tax sales:

"They cannot sell my property — I did not get 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."

This is wrong. A tax sale certificate is not a deed. The purchaser holds a certificate that may eventually become a deed, but only after the redemption period expires and the court process is completed. You still have time.

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

Owners who owe the delinquent taxes may not bid on their own parcel at the tax sale. You can redeem it during the redemption period, but the redemption cost will be higher than paying your 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.

The Bottom Line

A tax sale is one of the most serious threats to property ownership in Indiana, but it does not come without warning. Clark County follows a defined, public process with notice steps and, generally, a redemption period after the sale.

If you are behind on your property taxes in Clark County, the worst thing you can do is nothing. Contact the Treasurer's office, ask about a payment arrangement, check your deductions, and, if necessary, consider whether selling the property before the tax sale makes more financial sense than losing it.

General information only; not legal or tax advice. Tax-sale law changes often; confirm amounts and deadlines with the Clark County Treasurer and Auditor and an Indiana attorney.