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Deschutes County, OR

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Deschutes County, Oregon — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

Local operations layer. The legal framework (redemption periods, surplus rights, statutes, case law) lives on the parent page → oregon. This page covers how Deschutes County actually runs it. Legal information, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

C0. Identity

  • County seat: Bend
  • Population: 198,253 (2020 Census; FIPS 41017). [Source: task brief / U.S. Census Bureau]
  • Recording unit: county — the County Clerk (Deschutes Services Building, Suite 202, Bend) is the recording authority; the Finance/Tax Division (same building, Suite 203) handles tax collection, foreclosure, and redemption; the Property Management department (14 NW Kearney Avenue, Bend) manages disposition of county-owned tax-title property.
  • FIPS: 41017
  • Parent legal framework: oregon — Oregon is a tax-deed-to-the-county state with no investor lien certificates; the county tax collector and district attorney bring an in rem judicial foreclosure under ORS ch. 312; property is ordered sold to the county and deeded after a two-year redemption period; post-Tyler surplus reform enacted by HB 2089 (2025) (ORS 312.500–312.560). Deschutes County inherits this framework; the sections below describe county-specific operational detail.

C1. Local Tax Sale

  • Conducts own sale? Yes — but this is not a public-investor lien auction. Oregon has no investor lien sale stage. Under ORS 312.100 the circuit court orders delinquent parcels sold directly to the county; the Deschutes County Finance/Tax Division administers the ORS ch. 312 foreclosure cycle. The post-foreclosure disposition — where the public may bid on county-owned tax-title property — is a separate program managed by the Property Management department. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/739 (Foreclosure Information page, retrieved 2026-06-02); oregon parent page — ORS 312.100]

  • Platform (post-foreclosure disposition): County-run, transitional. Deschutes County’s Property Management department (541-385-1414; 14 NW Kearney Avenue, Bend) manages disposition of tax-foreclosed parcels. The county’s official page states: “Due to changes initiated by House Bill 4056 and House Bill 2089, the process to sell real property acquired by tax deed has changed and further details will be provided on this webpage at a later date.” No specific auction vendor (Bid4Assets, GovEase, etc.) or broker-listing platform has been announced on official county pages as of last verification. Historically, the county held in-person public surplus auctions. [needs_verification: confirm current disposition platform — in-person, online, or broker-listing — per HB 2089 § 6 requirements] [Source: deschutescounty.gov/260 (Property Management page, retrieved 2026-06-02)]

  • Sale calendar (tax foreclosure cycle):

    • Delinquency trigger: taxes are delinquent if unpaid by May 15 of the tax year billed (e.g., taxes billed October 2022 are delinquent if unpaid by May 15, 2023). After three years of delinquency the property becomes subject to foreclosure. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/739 (retrieved 2026-06-02)]
    • Pre-publication payment deadline: July 16 — last day to pay with a personal check. August 7 at 5 p.m. — last day to pay and avoid publication in the Bend Bulletin and the 5% penalty; after this date only cash, money order, or certified funds are accepted. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/739]
    • Publication and judgment application: The foreclosure list is published in the Bend Bulletin newspaper on or after August 16, in the month of August. A 5% penalty is assessed on the total amount published. On the same day of publication, the district attorney files an application for General Judgment with the Deschutes County Circuit Court. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/739]
    • Judgment: the circuit court may issue the General Judgment approximately 30 days after the application is filed (ORS 312.090). Property may be removed from foreclosure by paying all delinquent taxes, interest, and the 5% penalty at any time up until the General Judgment is received. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/739]
    • Redemption period: two years from the date of judgment (ORS 312.120).
    • Post-foreclosure disposition date: [needs_verification — no upcoming tax-title disposition sale schedule is published on county official pages as of 2026-06-02, due to the HB 2089 process change]
    • Next known sale: not published as of 2026-06-02. [needs_verification]

  • Rate within statutory range: Oregon sets a statewide delinquency interest rate of 1⅓% per month (16% per year) under ORS 311.505(2); the county does not set a separate rate. [Source: oregon parent page — ORS 311.505(2)]

  • Registration and deposit (disposition sale): [needs_verification — the county has not published registration or deposit requirements for tax-title disposition sales on official pages as of last verification; the pre-HB-2089 in-person surplus auctions required cash or cashier’s check on sale day per county practice]

  • Bidder requirements (disposition sale): [needs_verification — see above; county practice is AS IS sale; buyers must investigate properties independently before bidding]

  • Delinquent list location:

    • Published in the Bend Bulletin newspaper annually in August. The publication includes property owner name, property identification, tax years delinquent, and amounts owed. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/739]
    • Individual account delinquency and balance information is available online through the DIAL property information portal at dial.deschutes.org and via the tax payment portal at store.deschutes.org/taxes/. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/720 (Property Tax Collection, retrieved 2026-06-02)]

C2. Local Redemption → framework: right-of-redemption

  • Where / how to redeem: Pay in full to the Deschutes County Finance/Tax Division at 1300 NW Wall Street, Suite 203, Bend, OR 97703 (in-person, cash / money order / cashier’s check). Mail to: Deschutes County Tax Collector, PO Box 7559, Bend, OR 97708-7559. Online payment portal at store.deschutes.org/taxes/ (credit/debit and eCheck accepted; convenience fees apply). Drop boxes available in Bend (1300 NW Wall Street), Redmond (behind Redmond City Hall, Deschutes Avenue entrance, seasonal), and La Pine (51340 Highway 97, seasonal). Phone payments: 866-871-5856 (24/7 credit/debit/ eCheck). [Source: deschutescounty.gov/736 (How to make a payment, retrieved 2026-06-02)]

  • Redemption amount formula: All taxes and interest for all delinquent years on the judgment + 5% penalty on the total judgment amount + interest on the judgment amount at 9% per year + $50 redemption fee (in the first year of redemption) OR a Lien and Encumbrances Report fee (whichever is greater, in the second year of redemption). [Source: deschutescounty.gov/739 (retrieved 2026-06-02)] [needs_verification: ORS 312.120 was amended by HB 2089 (2025); confirm whether the 9%/year post-judgment rate and fee schedule remain current as of 2026]

  • One-year redemption expiration notice: Per ORS 312.125 (as amended by HB 2089 § 2), when one year remains in the redemption period the county tax collector sends a notice by certified and first-class mail to owners and lienholders of record, warning of forfeiture and of the right to claim a surplus. [Source: oregon parent page — ORS 312.125; HB 2089 § 2]

  • Redemption contact:

    • Office: Deschutes County Finance/Tax Division
    • Address: 1300 NW Wall Street, Suite 203, Bend, OR 97703
    • Phone: 541-388-6540
    • Fax: 541-385-3248
    • Email: taxoffice@deschutes.org
    • Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/733 (Who to contact, retrieved 2026-06-02); deschutescounty.gov/736 (payment page, retrieved 2026-06-02)]

  • Deviations from state default: None identified. Deschutes County follows the standard ORS ch. 312 two-year redemption period. The county may invoke ORS 312.122 (30-day reduced-redemption for waste/abandoned property) but no local ordinance modifying the state default has been identified. [needs_verification: confirm whether ORS 312.122 reduced-redemption procedure has been applied locally]

C3. Local Surplus / Excess Proceeds → framework: surplus-funds

High surplus-volume jurisdiction: Oregon’s HB 2089 (2025) enacted a statewide assignment bar — any purported assignment of a surplus claim is void except protective assignments (bankruptcy, POA, guardianship/custodianship) (HB 2089 § 9(5)(b), ORS 312.500–312.560). See the oregon parent page for full third-party-recovery analysis.

Deschutes County Surplus Process

Under HB 2089 (2025) / ORS 312.500–312.560 (effective September 26, 2025), Deschutes County is now required to:

  1. Sell tax-foreclosed property — primary residences listed with a real estate broker; all other parcels by public high-bid auction (min. bid ⅔ FMV) — and determine the surplus within 60 days of depositing gross sale proceeds.
  2. Send a surplus notice to the former owner (and DOR, DOJ, Oregon State Treasury) within 60 days of the date a claim can be made.
  3. Deliver the surplus to the Oregon State Treasurer as unclaimed property within 30 days of determination.

The county’s Property Management page explicitly acknowledges: “Due to changes initiated by House Bill 4056 and House Bill 2089, the process to sell real property acquired by tax deed has changed,” and notes further details are forthcoming. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/260 (Property Management, retrieved 2026-06-02); oregon parent page — HB 2089 §§ 6, 8, 9, 10]

  • Claim filing venue (post-Sept. 26, 2025 sales): Claims are filed with the Oregon State Treasury — Unclaimed Property / Foreclosure Surplus program:

  • Claim form: Oregon State Treasury unclaimed property claim process (ORS 98.392, 98.396); accessed via unclaimed.oregon.gov. No separate county-specific claim form for post-HB-2089 surplus has been published. [needs_verification: whether Deschutes County published any interim or transitional surplus claim instructions on its website]

  • Local deadline notes: No county-imposed cutoff shorter than the state framework. Under Oregon’s Unclaimed Property regime (ORS 98.302–98.436), the former owner’s claim is not time-barred — the surplus is reclaimable indefinitely once deposited with the State Treasurer. The county must deliver surplus within 30 days of determination; the surplus amount must be determined within 60 days of the sale proceeds deposit. [Source: oregon parent page — HB 2089 §§ 8, 10]

  • Unclaimed list published? Yes — surplus becomes unclaimed property under ORS 98.302–98.436 and is searchable at unclaimed.oregon.gov. The county does not maintain a separate county-level surplus list post-HB-2089. [Source: oregon parent page — HB 2089 § 10]

  • County surplus / property management contact:

    • Office: Deschutes County Property Management
    • Address: 14 NW Kearney Avenue, Bend, OR 97703
    • Phone: 541-385-1414
    • Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. – noon and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/260 (Property Management, retrieved 2026-06-02)]

▸ For Investors / Operators — Deschutes County has no investor lien-certificate sale — Oregon’s ORS ch. 312 process conveys property directly to the county after a three-year delinquency and a two-year redemption period. Post-foreclosure disposition of county-owned tax-title property is managed by Property Management (14 NW Kearney Avenue, Bend; 541-385-1414), but the county’s disposition platform and sale schedule remain in flux as of last verification due to HB 2089 (2025) implementation changes. Judicial mortgage foreclosure sales are held by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Civil Unit (63333 W. Highway 20, Bend; 541-388-6640) with cash or cashier’s checks required and a $66 Certificate of Sale fee. Key tax-cycle dates: August 7 deadline to pay before publication; General Judgment issued ~30 days after August publication; two-year redemption thereafter.

▸ For Former Owners — Under HB 2089 (2025) / ORS 312.500–312.560 (effective September 26, 2025), Deschutes County delivers surplus proceeds to the Oregon State Treasurer within 30 days of determination, and the surplus is reclaimable through the Oregon State Treasury Unclaimed Property program (unclaimed.oregon.gov) with no expiration of the claim right. The county must send surplus notice to the former owner within 60 days of the sale proceeds deposit. Any purported assignment of a surplus claim is void under HB 2089 § 9(5)(b), except protective assignments (bankruptcy, POA, guardianship). Contact the Finance/Tax Division (541-388-6540; taxoffice@deschutes.org) for redemption and foreclosure payoff information.

C4. Offices & Contacts

OfficeNameAddressPhoneURL
Finance / Tax Division (Tax Collector, foreclosure, redemption)— (no individual name listed)1300 NW Wall Street, Suite 203, Bend, OR 97703; Mail: PO Box 7559, Bend, OR 97708-7559541-388-6540; Fax: 541-385-3248https://www.deschutescounty.gov/finance
Assessor’s Office— (no individual name listed)1300 NW Wall St, 2nd Floor, Bend, OR 97703; Mail: PO Box 6005, Bend, OR 97708-6005541-388-6508; Fax: 541-389-7947https://www.deschutes.org/assessor
Clerk / Recorder (Real Property Recording)—1300 NW Wall Street, Suite 202, Bend, OR 97703; Mail: PO Box 6005, Bend, OR 97708541-388-6549https://www.deschutescounty.gov/274/Clerks-Office
Property Management (post-foreclosure disposition, surplus)—14 NW Kearney Avenue, Bend, OR 97703; Mail: PO Box 6005, Bend, OR 97708-6005541-385-1414https://www.deschutescounty.gov/260/Property-Management
Sheriff’s Office (judicial mortgage foreclosure sales)—63333 W. Highway 20, Bend, OR 97703541-388-6640 (civil / property sales); 541-388-6655 (main)https://sheriff.deschutes.org/services/civil/property-sales/

[Sources: deschutescounty.gov/733 (Who to contact); deschutescounty.gov/274 (Clerk); deschutescounty.gov/260 (Property Management); sheriff.deschutes.org (property sales); deschutes.org/assessor — all retrieved 2026-06-02]

C5. Local Procedure Notes

  • Tax foreclosure cycle timeline. Taxes become delinquent May 16. After three consecutive years of delinquency, the property is subject to foreclosure. Key dates:

    • May 16 of year 3: foreclosure eligibility.
    • July 16: last day personal checks accepted.
    • August 7 at 5 p.m.: last day to pay (certified funds only after this date) and avoid newspaper publication and 5% penalty.
    • On or after August 16 in August: foreclosure list published in the Bend Bulletin; district attorney files application for General Judgment with Deschutes County Circuit Court.
    • ~30 days after publication: General Judgment issued.
    • Two-year redemption period begins at judgment.
    • ~1 year before redemption expires: county mails ORS 312.125 notice (certified
      • first class) to owners and lienholders of record, now including surplus notice.
    • End of redemption: Tax Collector deeds the property to the county; all redemption rights terminate. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/739; deschutescounty.gov/737; oregon parent page ORS 312.010, 312.040, 312.090, 312.100, 312.120, 312.125, 312.200]

  • Removing property from foreclosure. Paying the full delinquent amount before the August 7 deadline avoids publication and the 5% penalty entirely. After publication but before the General Judgment (~30 days post-publication), paying all delinquent taxes + interest + the 5% penalty removes the parcel from the foreclosure list. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/739]

  • HB 2089 / HB 4056 implementation. Deschutes County has acknowledged the change but as of 2026-06-02 has not yet published updated auction procedures or a disposition sale schedule for tax-title properties. The Property Management department is the county body responsible for post-foreclosure disposition under the new HB 2089 § 6 framework (broker listing for primary residences; public high-bid auction for others). [Source: deschutescounty.gov/260; oregon parent page — HB 2089 § 6]

  • Judicial mortgage foreclosure sales (Sheriff’s Office). The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office — Civil Unit — conducts real property judicial sales at 63333 W. Highway 20, Bend under ORS ch. 18. Current sale schedules are posted at salesweb.civilview.com/Sales/SalesSearch?countyId=30 and on the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) website (oregonsheriffssales.org/county/deschutes/). Notices of sale are published in a county newspaper for four consecutive weeks.

    • Bidding: cash or cashier’s checks payable to “Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office”; verified funds required before participation; arrive 15–30 minutes early (30–45 minutes if paying cash).
    • Certificate of Sale fee: $56.00 +$10.00 notary fee = $66.00.
    • Sheriff’s Deed: issued after the redemption period expires; $66.00 fee; must be recorded at the Deschutes County Clerk’s Office. Processing: 7–10 days for check settlement + 7–10 days for refund checks.
    • Written creditor bids must be submitted at least 48 hours before sale via property.sales@deschutes.org. [Source: sheriff.deschutes.org/services/civil/property-sales/ (retrieved 2026-06-02)]

  • Non-judicial trustee sales. Most residential mortgage foreclosures are non-judicial trustee’s sales under ORS 86.705–86.815, not handled by the Sheriff. Research notices via the County Clerk’s recording office at recording@deschutescounty.gov or 541-388-6549. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/260]

  • Warn of scams. The county website specifically warns residents that fake foreclosure letters demand payment; the Tax Division (taxoffice@deschutes.org / 541-388-6540) is the only legitimate point of contact for delinquent tax matters. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/720 (retrieved 2026-06-02)]

  • Personal property taxes. Not subject to real property foreclosure; collected via delinquency notices, tax warrants, liens on real property, bank garnishment, and seizure. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/737]

C6. Records Access

  • Parcel search / property information / GIS / tax maps: DIAL — Deschutes Interactive Assessor Lookup — https://dial.deschutes.org/Real/InteractiveMap — search by address, owner name, tax lot number, or tax account number; provides interactive GIS map, property details, value history, tax statements and balance due, tax maps, links to payment portal. Free public access; “Dial Enhanced” available with registration for advanced features. [Source: dial.deschutes.org (retrieved 2026-06-02); deschutescounty.gov/assessor (retrieved 2026-06-02)]

  • Recorder / deed search (1983–present): Digital Research Room — http://recordings.deschutes.org/search.asp — Official Records index (documents recorded 1983 to present); search by name; image scanned for retrieval; terms-of-service acceptance required. Also accessible via recordings.deschutes.org. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/530 (Records Research); weblink.deschutes.org (Digital Research Room); deschutescounty.gov/466 (Recording) — all retrieved 2026-06-02]

  • Historical records (1871–1982): Available through the Deschutes County Records Research page and WebLink Grantor/Grantee index books. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/530]

  • GIS data / tax maps: https://data.deschutes.org/ (Deschutes County Data Portal — taxlot GIS data, maps, open data). Tax maps also accessible via DIAL. [Source: data.deschutes.org (retrieved 2026-06-02); deschutescounty.gov/GIS-Data]

  • Tax payment portal: https://store.deschutes.org/taxes/ — accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover; credit cards 2.5% (min $2); Visa/MC debit$3.95 flat; other debit 2.5% (min $2); eCheck$2 (up to $500k),$20 (over $500k). Phone: 866-871-5856 (24/7). [Source: deschutescounty.gov/736 (retrieved 2026-06-02); deschutescounty.gov/720 (retrieved 2026-06-02)]

  • Property account / tax information: https://dial.deschutes.org/ — balance due, payment history, mailing address, tax statements. [Source: deschutescounty.gov/720]

  • Sheriff’s sale listings: https://salesweb.civilview.com/Sales/SalesSearch?countyId=30 and https://oregonsheriffssales.org/county/deschutes/ [Source: sheriff.deschutes.org/services/civil/property-sales/ (retrieved 2026-06-02)]

C7. Meta

  • parent_state: oregon

  • last_verified: 2026-06-02

  • confidence: 0.80

  • completeness_score: 0.82

  • gap_score: 10

  • sources:

  • needs_verification:

    • Current post-foreclosure disposition platform — no auction vendor, broker, or sale schedule published by Deschutes County Property Management on official pages as of 2026-06-02; confirm whether sales are now conducted in-person, via an online platform (Bid4Assets/GovEase), or via broker listing per HB 2089 § 6.
    • Next scheduled tax-title disposition sale date — not announced on county website as of last verification.
    • Post-judgment redemption interest rate — the county’s foreclosure page states 9%/year on the judgment amount; ORS 312.120 was amended by HB 2089 (2025); confirm whether 9%/year post-judgment rate remains current or was changed.
    • Redemption fee structure confirmation — county page states “$50 redemption fee in first year OR Lien and Encumbrances Report fee (whichever is greater) in second year”; confirm this is still current under post-HB-2089 ORS 312.120.
    • Individual staff names for Tax Division, Clerk, and Property Management — no named officials were published on official pages reviewed.
    • Whether Deschutes County’s pre-HB-2089 surplus claim process (if any county-run process existed) is still available for transitional claims or is fully superseded by the Oregon State Treasury process.
    • ORS 312.122 (30-day reduced-redemption for waste/abandonment) — no evidence found that Deschutes County has applied this locally; not confirmed or denied.
    • Registration/deposit requirements for post-HB-2089 disposition sales — not published on county pages reviewed.
    • Confirm the Deschutes County Circuit Court is the specific court handling ORS ch. 312 general judgments (expected from jurisdiction, not fetched from court- specific source).

  • cross_links: oregon, right-of-redemption, surplus-funds, third-party-recovery-rules, tyler-v-hennepin-county, due-process-notice, sheriff-sale, treasurer-sale, bankruptcy-automatic-stay, void-vs-voidable

  • changelog:

    • 2026-06-02 — Initial page drafted. Key sources retrieved: Finance/Tax Division foreclosure page (Bend Bulletin August publication, Aug 7 deadline, 5% penalty, ~30-day judgment, 2-year redemption, $50/$lien-report fee, 541-388-6540, taxoffice@deschutes.org); Property Tax General Information (same timeline with Aug 16 publication date); Payment options (store.deschutes.org/taxes/, drop boxes, phone 866-871-5856); Who-to-contact (Tax 541-388-6540, Assessor 541-388-6508); Property Management (14 NW Kearney, 541-385-1414, HB2089 process changed/details TBD); Assessor (1300 NW Wall 2nd Floor, 541-388-6508); Clerk (1300 NW Wall Suite 202, 541-388-6549, recording@deschutescounty.gov); Recording fees ($97+$5/page, July 2026 increase to $102); Sheriff civil sales (salesweb.civilview.com countyId=30, cash/cashier's check,$66 cert fee, property.sales@deschutes.org); OSSA (two June 18 2026 sheriff sales); DIAL (dial.deschutes.org interactive map); Records Research/Digital Research Room (recordings.deschutes.org); Data Portal (data.deschutes.org). All legal framework deferred to oregon parent page. HB 2089 confirmed applicable; surplus claim venue = Oregon State Treasury (unclaimed.oregon.gov).

▸ For Investors / Operators — Deschutes County has no investor lien-certificate sale — Oregon’s ORS ch. 312 process conveys property directly to the county after a three-year delinquency and a two-year redemption period. Post-foreclosure disposition of county-owned tax-title property is managed by Property Management (14 NW Kearney Avenue, Bend; 541-385-1414), but the county’s disposition platform and sale schedule remain in flux as of last verification due to HB 2089 (2025) implementation changes. Judicial mortgage foreclosure sales are held by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Civil Unit (63333 W. Highway 20, Bend; 541-388-6640) with cash or cashier’s checks required and a $66 Certificate of Sale fee. Key tax-cycle dates: August 7 deadline to pay before publication; General Judgment issued ~30 days after August publication; two-year redemption thereafter.

▸ For Former Owners — Under HB 2089 (2025) / ORS 312.500–312.560 (effective September 26, 2025), Deschutes County delivers surplus proceeds to the Oregon State Treasurer within 30 days of determination, and the surplus is reclaimable through the Oregon State Treasury Unclaimed Property program (unclaimed.oregon.gov) with no expiration of the claim right. The county must send surplus notice to the former owner within 60 days of the sale proceeds deposit. Any purported assignment of a surplus claim is void under HB 2089 § 9(5)(b), except protective assignments (bankruptcy, POA, guardianship). Contact the Finance/Tax Division (541-388-6540; taxoffice@deschutes.org) for redemption and foreclosure payoff information.

Legal information, not legal advice. This page summarizes Deschutes County operational procedures for research purposes. Statutes, county procedures, sale dates, and contact information change; verify against the cited primary sources and consult a licensed Oregon attorney before acting. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

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