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Real Property Tax Sale

2025 Annual Real Property Tax Lien Sale

The District of Columbia’s in-person Annual Tax Lien Sale will take place this July at a new venue, One Judiciary Square (441 4th Street, NW), conveniently located near the Judiciary Square Metro station. Please note that this marks a change from the event location used in previous years.

Participation in the Tax Lien Sale is subject to specific eligibility requirements, and all interested parties must register in advance. To support prospective participants, OTR will host four virtual seminars. These sessions are designed to provide essential information about the tax lien sale process and address any questions from the public. The Annual Tax Lien Sale is a statutorily mandated auction of delinquent real property tax liens. It is the District's enforcement mechanism for real property tax compliance and provides a path for vacant, blighted, or tax-delinquent properties to be restored to productive use.

Purchasing a real property tax lien is not the equivalent of purchasing a property. However, purchasers may have the ability to foreclose on the purchased liens if the homeowners do not redeem their properties within the legally required timeframe.

This upcoming June, OTR will publish specific details about participation requirements, including the exact date, time, address of the event and properties impacted by the tax lien sale. Information will be available on our website.

Over-the-Counter Tax Sale

Pursuant to DC Code § 47-1353(a), an Over-the-Counter (OTC) Sale allows purchasers an opportunity to buy specific tax liens to properties that were presented but not sold to third-party purchasers at the annual real property tax sale. Such tax liens can now be purchased for the amount for which the real property was bid-off to the District, plus accrued interest.

Important information:

  • OTC tax liens may be purchased online Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), from 8 am to 3 pm.

  • Payment in full of the bid-off lien amount is due on the same day of the OTC tax lien purchase. Payment may be made at OTR’s Cashier’s Office or via electronic wire.

  • OTR’s Cashier’s Office’s accepts cash, certified check, cashier’s check, and postal money order. Operating hours are, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

  • Certificates of Sale will be mailed to the respective purchasers.

  • Block-out periods apply to purchase OTC tax liens around the scheduled annual, First-Come-First-Serve, and Discount tax sale events, at OTR’s discretion.

  • A tax lien purchaser acts at their own risk and must exercise due diligence in selecting real properties upon which to purchase in good faith.

To register, view and purchase OTC tax liens, view the resource document.

Vacant and Blighted Real Property Classification Status

To verify current Vacant and/or Blighted Real Property classification status, please visit the DC Department of Buildings (DOB) public Vacant Properties Map.

To dispute/appeal current Vacant and/or Blighted Real Property classification status, please send a message to vacantbuildings@dc.gov with the property address and SSL in the subject line. A representative from DOB will be assigned for further assistance.

Financial Resource - Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF)

You may be eligible for the DC Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) program if you are behind on your mortgage or other housing expenses, including property taxes. HAF uses funding from the American Rescue Plan to provide grants to income-eligible District Homeowners who have been affected by COVID-19. To apply for HAF or find out additional information on eligibility criteria, please visit haf.dc.gov.

Office of the Real Property Tax Ombudsman

Homeowners and other interested parties may be eligible for assistance from the Real Property Tax Ombudsman. If you need assistance with a tax sale or related property tax matters, contact the Real Property Tax Ombudsman at (202) 727-1529 or via email to realpropertytax@dc.gov.

Technical and Legal Assistance Resource – Heirs Property Assistance Program

A DC government partnership between Legal Counsel for the Elderly and the DC Affordable Law Firm provides support to homeowners seeking clear title to their home following the passing of a family member. Heirs may be able to obtain both technical and need-based legal assistance for their probate matters through the program. To be eligible for the Heirs Property Assistance Program, you must be a district resident and have a legal claim to a District residence.

To qualify for the need-based legal assistance component of the program, you must:

  • Earn at or below 80% of the District's Median Family Income
  • Plan to-
    • Move into the property after probate, or
    • Sell the property and use the profits to benefit District residents. This may include selling to a DC resident or business, or another action you and the DC Department of Housing and Community Development agree to.

Please contact either the DC Affordable Law Firm at (202) 844-5430 or the Legal Counsel for the Elderly's hotline at (202) 434-2120 for more information about eligibility and resources, or visit the DHCD website for more information.

2024 Tax Sale Listing

2024 Tax Sale Notices

2023 Discount Tax Sale

2023 Tax Sale Listing

2023 Tax Sale Notices

2022 Tax Sale Listing

2022 Tax Sale Notices

2021 Tax Sale Listing

2021 Tax Sale Notices

2020 Tax Sale Notices

2019 Tax Sale Listing

2019 Tax Sale Notices

2018 Tax Sale Notices

2017 Tax Sale Notices

2017 Tax Sale Listing

2017 Discount Tax Sale

2016 Tax Sale Listing

2016 Tax Sale Notices

2015 Tax Sale Listing

2015 Tax Sale Notices

Buyers Books

Additional Resources

Bid Back to the District

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