Frequently Asked Questions

The tax sale is the 3rd Tuesday in May of each year and is held online at https://queenannes.marylandtaxsale.com/ .  Registration begins one month prior via the same website.

The notice of advertisement will be published weekly for the 3 weeks prior to the tax sale and beginning on the first of May on our online auction website at https://queenannes.marylandtaxsale.com/. The newspaper advertisement is not updated for payments received after advertisement, however the online postings are updated weekly up to the date of tax sale. Only 1 newspaper meets the requirement of “a newspaper that has a general circulation in the county in which the property is located” (Annotated Code of Maryland - Tax Property §14-813). The Record Observer can be reach by calling 410-758-1400.

Information will be available on the Queen Anne’s County website and updated weekly for the 3 weeks prior to the tax sale.

Register online at https://queenannes.marylandtaxsale.com/ beginning one month prior to the tax sale.  A nonrefundable $100 fee is required.

ACH only using a U.S. bank account.  Payments are made on the day of tax sale using our online auction service located at https://queenannes.marylandtaxsale.com/ .

We do not require a deposit, however we do require a one-time, non-refundable bidder registration fee of $100.

Bids are now placed online effective in 2021.  Visit https://queenannes.marylandtaxsale.com/ for full details.

Bidding starts at the sale amount. The sale amount is the sum of delinquent amounts owed to the County plus expenses incurred in making the sale. The tax sale lien is awarded to the highest bidder. All properties sold at tax sale are subject to a high bid premium (if applicable). Sale amount and high bid premium must be paid on the day of the auction.

High bid premiums are additional funds collected for a tax sale property whereby the highest bid exceeds the high bid threshold. The high bid threshold is 40% of the property’s assessed value except agricultural land. The collector of taxes determines the high bid threshold for agricultural land. The high bid premium is calculated as 20% of the amount that exceeds the high bid threshold. An example can be found under High Bid Premium Calculation Example. The County shall refund the high bid premium without interest to the holder of the tax sale certificate on redemption of the property for which the high bid was paid, or the plaintiff in an action to foreclose the right of redemption on delivery of a tax sale deed for the property for which the high bid premium was paid.

A bidder statement is sent to each successful bidder showing for each lien purchased: the bid amount, the sale amount, and the bid premium. The original Certificate of Sale is kept by Queen Anne's County. Certificates of Sale for any liens that have not been redeemed will be emailed to the bidder in September. 

Any liens that were not sold at the Tax Sale can be purchased over-the-counter from Queen Anne's County. A list of the available over-the-counter tax certificates can be found by visiting https://qac.org/598/Tax-Sale

If an owner fails to redeem a property from tax sale, the bidder may file a civil action case in Queen Anne’s County Circuit Court to foreclose the owner’s right of redemption. The action to foreclose the owner’s right of redemption must be filed no less than 6 months from the date of sale and no more than 2 years from the date of the sale.

If judgment is granted in favor of the bidder, the bidder may gain full title to the property by paying the balance of their bid, if any, any taxes and other fees that have accrued after the date of sale, after which a deed can be submitted to the Tax Collector. Payment must be made and deed submitted within 90 days or the Tax Collector will move to dismiss the judgment, see the Annotated Code of Maryland, Tax Property Article §14-847 (d).

If judgment is stricken, it is the same as if the bidder never filed civil action.