Scott Lunsford, Escambia County Tax Collector, announces the tax certificate sale for 2018 delinquent real estate taxes in Escambia County will be held on Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT at BidEscambia.com. Bidding opened May 3, 2019.
Property taxes unpaid as of 4:30 p.m. on May 31 will be eligible for a certificate. To prevent a certificate from being sold, property owners with delinquent taxes must make their payment by 4:30 p.m. May 31 either through the website, EscambiaTaxCollector.com, or in person at any of the four convenient tax collector offices. All late payments will be returned for additional fees.
The tax certificate sale is an annual online auction where bidders can purchase a delinquent taxpayer’s debt in exchange for an annual interest rate, ensuring the majority of unpaid taxes are collected and distributed to taxing authorities. Last year, more than 8,000 certificates were sold for a total of over $8.4 million, recovering 98.7 percent of delinquent taxes. Delinquent real estate accounts are published online at BidEscambia.com and in the Pensacola News Journal.
Registration for the sale is open at BidEscambia.com and will continue until the sale ends June 1. The sale is a reverse auction, with interest rates on individual certificates starting at 18 percent. Bidders compete for the lowest rate, and certificates are awarded to those with the lowest bid. All unsold certificates will be issued to Escambia County at 18 percent annual interest.
Taxpayers are encouraged to visit EscambiaTaxCollector.com to pay online 24 hours a day. Online services allow customers to pay their taxes, search records, print receipts, renew vehicle and vessel registrations and many other services. Customers who decide to visit one of the four convenient offices can join the line online at EscambiaTaxCollector.com and manage their time their way. Citizens select an office location and type of service, receive a message with approximate service time and then continue their regular activities until the service time approaches.
For more information about the tax certificate sale or other tax collector services, visit EscambiaTaxCollector.com or email ectc@EscambiaTaxCollector.com.
All tax collector offices will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday Monday, May 27.
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