Colorado
CO
The investor buys a lien on the property. The owner keeps title and can redeem by paying the lien plus interest or penalty.
Sale type
Tax lien
Redemption
36 mo
Interest / penalty
Flat rate · 9%
Sale timing
Annual
Rules in plain English
Sale type
Tax lien
The investor buys a lien on the property. The owner keeps title and can redeem by paying the lien plus interest or penalty.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 39-11-115(1)
“the tax liens on such lands offered at public auction at the times provided by law shall be sold to the persons who pay therefor the taxes, delinquent interest, and fees then due thereon”official source ↗
Redemption period
36 mo
36 months (3 years) from the sale date
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 39-11-120(1)
“any time after the expiration of the term of three years from the date of the sale of any tax lien on any land”official source ↗
Interest / penalty
Flat rate · 9%
9% flat per year.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 39-12-103(3)
“The annual rate of redemption interest shall be nine percentage points above the discount rate, which discount rate shall be the rate of interest a commercial bank pays to the federal reserve bank of Kansas City”official source ↗
Bid method
Premium bid
The winner is the highest premium bid above the amount owed.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 39-11-115(1)
“sold to the persons who pay therefor the taxes, delinquent interest, and fees then due thereon or who further pay the largest amount in excess of said taxes, delinquent interest, and fees”official source ↗
Sale schedule
Annual
Sales are held about once a year.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 39-11-109
“The public auction of tax liens on lands upon which taxes remain delinquent shall commence on or before the second Monday in December of each year.”official source ↗
Redemption detail
- Base period
- 36 months (3 years)
- Starts from
- the sale date
- Notice days
- Not documented
- Exceptions
- Not documented
Bidder process
- 01Watch for the treasurer's delinquent list, published at least four weeks before the sale and posted in the treasurer's office (39-11-102(1)); the sale commences on or before the second Monday in December (39-11-109)
- 02Register with the county treasurer or its auction provider per the treasurer's bidding rules, posted at least two weeks before the sale if the sale is held over the internet (39-11-102(2)(d), 39-11-115(4))
- 03Bid at the sale, which may be held in person at the treasurer's office or another designated location in the county, or over the internet (39-11-108(1)-(2))
- 04The lien goes to the person who pays the taxes, delinquent interest, and fees then due, or the largest amount in excess of those amounts (premium bidding) (39-11-115(1))
- 05Pay in a form accepted under the treasurer's bidding rules (39-11-111)
- 06The treasurer prepares, signs, and delivers a certificate of purchase, and the purchaser pays a fee per certificate (39-11-117)
- 07If unredeemed after three years and proof of notice compliance, present the certificate and receive a tax deed from the treasurer (39-11-120(1), 39-11-128)
- Registration
- Not documented
- Registration mode
- Not documented
- Registration deadline
- internet bidding rules for the sale must be posted on the auction medium at least two weeks before the date of sale (39-11-115(4))
- Registration fee
- Not documented
- Deposit required
- Not documented
- Deposit amount
- Not documented
- Deposit percent
- Not documented
- Deposit refundable
- Not documented
- Sale format
- hybrid
- Payment deadline
- Not documented
- Payment methods
- cash, certified_funds, wire
- Residency required
- Not documented
- Purchaser pays a fee to the treasurer for each certificate of purchase delivered (39-11-117)
- A tax lien may not be sold to an elected or appointed county official, a county employee, a member of their immediate family, or their agent while the official or employee holds office or is employed (39-11-151)
C.R.S. 39-11-115(1)
“When the taxes levied for the preceding year or years on any lands remain unpaid, the tax liens on such lands offered at public auction at the times provided by law shall be sold to the persons who pay therefor the taxes, delinquent interest, and fees then due thereon or who further pay the largest amount in excess of said taxes, delinquent interest, and fees.”official source ↗
C.R.S. 39-11-111
“When the treasurer sells any tax lien on any lands or lots for delinquent taxes, the treasurer may accept payment of the purchase price in the form of cash, negotiable paper, or electronic funds transfer, subject to the treasurer's bidding rules.”official source ↗
C.R.S. 39-11-116
“If a person bidding fails to pay the amount due, the treasurer may again offer the tax lien on such land for sale if the public auction has not closed ... In a public auction conducted by means of the internet or other electronic medium, if a person bidding fails to pay the amount due, the treasurer may offer the tax lien, without additional advertisement, to another bidder, whether or not the public auction has closed ... The treasurer may prohibit a person who fails to pay the amount due from bidding on sales under this article for up to five years.”official source ↗
C.R.S. 39-11-109
“The public auction of tax liens on lands upon which taxes remain delinquent shall commence on or before the second Monday in December of each year.”official source ↗
C.R.S. 39-11-102(1)
“the treasurer shall cause the notice described in subsection (2) of this section to be published in the newspaper selected pursuant to section 39-11-105, the first publication being at least four weeks before the date of sale, and shall post a written or printed notice in a conspicuous place in the office of the treasurer for not less than four weeks before the date of sale.”official source ↗
C.R.S. 39-11-108(1)-(2)
“The public auction shall be held at the treasurer's office or at another location in the county designated by the treasurer ... except that the public auction may be conducted by means of the internet or other electronic medium.”official source ↗
C.R.S. 39-11-117
“The treasurer shall prepare, sign, and retain for safekeeping or deliver to the purchaser of a tax lien on any real property sold for the payment of delinquent taxes a certificate of purchase describing the property on which the taxes and fees were paid by the purchaser ... For each certificate so delivered, the purchaser shall pay a fee to the treasurer as provided in section 30-1-102, C.R.S.”official source ↗
C.R.S. 39-11-151(1)(a)-(b)
“No property for which a tax lien is sold for delinquent taxes under this article shall be conveyed to an elected or appointed county official, to a county employee, or to a member of the immediate family of any such person or to the agent of any such county official or employee ... No tax lien shall be sold to an elected or appointed county official, to a county employee, or to a member of the immediate family of such person or to the agent of any such county official or employee during the time the official or employee holds office or is employed.”official source ↗
Notes
Official Colorado Revised Statutes (leg.colorado.gov); DORA Division of Banking sets the annual redemption rate under CRS 39-12-103 (banking.colorado.gov). Tax lien sold to highest bidder/premium (39-11-115). | Prose: lien | federal discount rate + 9 percentage points, rounded (annual redemption interest) | 3 years (deed issued after 3 years from sale) | bid premium - largest amount in excess of taxes, interest, and fees | on or before the second Monday in December