Tax Sale Information

Cecil County holds an annual Tax Sale on the first Monday in June at 10 AM EDST.  Tax lien certificates for properties with delinquent taxes, water or sewer bills, or other liens will be auctioned to the highest bidder.  On March 1, the County will send a delinquent notice to all property owners with delinquent bills.  We will also advertise in the local newspaper and on the internet at www.tlcol.com/mdcc for four consecutive weeks prior to the sale.
 
The sale is held in the County Administration Building, 200 Chesapeake Blvd., (Elk Room), Elkton, MD.  Prospective bidders may register for the sale at the County Administration Building beginning at 9AM the day of the sale or via the internet at www.tlcol.com/mdcc.  You must be present at the sale to bid.   All bidders must establish their eligibility for bidding by presenting satisfactory evidence of the legal existence of the bidding entity and identify a single agent to bid for that entity.
 
The County will use the Bid Premium method per Section 14-817(b)(2)(i) of the Tax Property Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
 
On the day of tax sale, successful bidders must pay all taxes and fees then due, including any applicable bid premium.  The Treasurer's Office must receive the balance of bid prior to issuance of a deed.  The successful bidder will earn interest at the rate of 1%per month (12% per year) from day of tax sale until the property is redeemed.  Any property not sold at Tax Sale is, by law, purchased by the County.  These properties may be purchased directly through the Board of County Commissioners.  The County does not publish a list of such properties, nor does it maintain a mailing list.  

Effective June 1, 2007, applying to all properties sold at tax sale thereafter, the rate of redemption on properties sold at Cecil County's annual tax sale shall be 12% (1% per month).
 
Property owners may redeem their property any time prior to the issuance of a court decree foreclosing the right of redemption.  All redemption fees must be paid by cash, certified check, money order or Discover card.  For properties sold after June 1, 2007, if the property is redeemed between the date of tax sale and June 30, the property owner must pay the amount paid by the bidder at tax sale plus 1% interest.  Property owners who choose to redeem after June 30, must pay all fees from tax sale, additional interest at the rate of 1% per month and any new taxes that have accrued. 

If you redeem your property more than four (4) months after the date of tax sale, and before an action to foreclose the right of redemption is filed, the holder of the certificate of sale may be reimbursed for:

(1)    Attorney's fees for recording the certificate of sale;
(2)    A title search fee, not to exceed $250; and
(3)    Reasonable attorney's fees, not to exceed $500.

If you redeem your property after an action to foreclose the right of redemption has been filed, the amount that shall be paid to redeem the property is the sum of: 

(1)    The total lien amount on the property at the time of sale, with interest;
(2)    Any taxes, interest, and penalties paid by the holder of the certificate of sale;
(3)    Any taxes, interest, and penalties accruing after the date of the tax sale; and
(4)    Attorney's fees and expenses to which the holder of the certificate of sale may be entitled under §14-843(A)(4) and (5).

We are further required to advise you of the provisions of §14-843(a) as it appears in the Code.

Purchasers can begin foreclosure proceedings six (6) months and one (1) day from the date of sale and have up to two (2) years to start these proceedings.