Madison County Treasurer's Office

Tax Sale Information for Current Owners

Here is a brief description of how the tax sale works: After the Spring installment due date (usually May 10th), the Treasurer certifies a list of parcels with delinquent property taxes to the Auditor (Usually on July 1st). In order to qualify for this list, the parcel's taxes must be 3 installments or more delinquent. After the list is certified, notices are sent to the property owner of record and three notices are printed in local newspapers. At least 15 days before the sale, the Auditor and Treasurer apply for a judgment against the properties on the sale. A court hearing is set for at least 7 days before the sale. Then a court order is entered at least 3 days before the sale permitting the sale. Our tax sale in Madison County is typically in early October (subject to change).

In order to not be on the tax sale list, prior to certification a property owner can pay the part of the delinquent taxes that are 3 installments behind. Once the list is certified, the taxes must be brought completely current to be removed.

In Madison County, here are the only ways you can be removed from the tax sale:

• Pay all delinquent taxes by the Friday before the day of the tax sale


• Make a payment arrangement on the delinquent taxes. Please note by Indiana law the arrangement must say that you must make monthly payments and have the entire amount paid by July 1st of the next year or the agreement is made invalid. If the agreement is invalid, you may be added back to the tax sale list for the current sale or be added to next year's list if it is after current year's tax sale date. Also, by Indiana law you can only have a payment arrangement once every five years, so use it carefully. It is better to pay before the date to keep your future options open.


• Appear before the judge at the hearing on objections. To get more information about this, you may call the court information desk at (765) 641-9503

Once a tax certificate is sold at tax sale, the property owner has 1 year to redeem the property. This is handled by the Auditor's office. Please contact them at (765) 641-9419 for more information.

Properties that did not sell at the tax sale will be eligible for the Commissioner's Certificate Sale early the next year. The procedure is similar to a tax sale except the timing is faster and the starting bid is much lower. To be removed from the sale, all past due taxes must be paid in full.

For more information about tax sale please contact our tax sale vendor SRI Incorportated, at www.sri-taxsale.com