Houston County Tax Sale Auction Information

Houston County, Alabama, will hold its 2026 online tax lien auction on Monday, May 4, 2026, at 9:00 AM CDT through the GovEase platform. Registration opens April 3, 2026, at 9:00 AM CDT and closes April 30, 2026, at 4:30 PM CDT. Pre-bidding opens May 2, 2026, at 9:00 AM CDT. Houston County’s Revenue Office confirms that the sale will take place online, and GovEase’s auction guide confirms that Alabama online tax lien sales use a bid-down interest format.

Key Auction Details:

Date: May 4, 2026
Location: Online through GovEase
Time: 9:00 AM CDT
Registration Window: April 3, 2026, at 9:00 AM CDT through April 30, 2026, at 4:30 PM CDT
Pre-Bidding Opens: May 2, 2026, at 9:00 AM CDT

Terms of Sale:

Houston County will run this sale as a tax lien auction. In Alabama tax lien auctions, you buy the tax lien certificate, not the property itself. The bidding starts at 12% interest, and bidders compete by accepting a lower interest rate. The bidder who accepts the lowest rate wins that lien. Your certificate of purchase may allow later payment of subsequent delinquent taxes under Alabama law, so research each parcel before you bid.

GovEase requires every bidder to submit all registration forms and documents through the auction portal. Every bidder must also send a refundable deposit equal to 10% of the amount they want approval to spend. For example, a $12,000 bidding limit requires a $1,200 deposit. GovEase will not approve bidding until it receives and processes that deposit. Wire deposits can take 24 to 48 hours to process, so do not wait until the last minute. Credit cards and debit cards do not count as accepted deposit methods for this sale.

After the auction ends, winning bidders must pay within 24 hours. Refunds for unused deposits usually go out 7 to 10 business days after the sale fully ends and return through the same payment method the bidder used.

How to Participate:

Create a bidder account through GovEase, add the Houston County auction, complete the required forms, and send your deposit before the registration deadline. Review the parcel list from Houston County before bidding. Use the GovEase training page to understand Alabama’s bid-down tax lien format, bidder dashboard, pre-bidding tools, and payment steps. If you plan to fund by wire, request instructions from GovEase support early so your approval does not get delayed.

Links you might need for the Houston County, Alabama Tax Lien Auction:

• Houston County Tax Sale Information Link
• Houston County Revenue Commissioner
• Houston County In-Person Auction Site 
• How to Earn up to 12% Interest from Alabama’s Tax Lien Sales
• Learn How Does Tax Lien Investing Work
• Want to get started with Tax Liens? Click Here!
• Discover how to secure affordable properties through Alabama tax liens.

This Houston County tax lien auction gives investors a chance to compete for delinquent tax lien certificates in an online format with remote bidding access. The county already published the auction date and sale list, and GovEase provides training and bidder support for Alabama participants. Register early, review the parcel list, confirm your deposit amount, and understand that this sale gives you a lien position, not immediate ownership of the real estate

Sign up or log in to view the full content.