State Foreclosure Law Library

franklin-oh

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Franklin County, Ohio — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

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

C0. Identity

  • County seat: Columbus, OH
  • Population: approx. 1,323,807 (2020 Census)
  • Recording unit: county
  • FIPS: 39049
  • Parent legal framework: ohio
  • Note — Columbus metro seat: Franklin County is Ohio’s most populous county and the seat of state government. All major offices are concentrated in the Franklin County Government Center at 373 South High Street, Columbus, with the Common Pleas Courthouse at 345 South High Street.

C1. Local Tax Sale

Judicial / Mortgage Foreclosure Sheriff Sales (online platform)

  • Conducts own sale? Yes — the Franklin County Sheriff conducts judicial foreclosure (mortgage and tax) sales under court order.
  • Platform: State-provided online auction system at the county-specific subdomain https://franklin.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov — all regular sales are conducted online through this platform. In-person sales occur only when specifically ordered by the court; they are held in the First Floor Press Room/Auditorium, 373 S. High Street, Columbus, OH 43215. Source: Web search results citing reoclose.com blog (2024-03-25) quoting Franklin County Sheriff’s Office documentation; and https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/Services/Real-Estate-Sales (retrieved 2026-06-02; page returned 403 but URL confirmed by multiple secondary sources citing its content).
  • Sale calendar: Sales are held every Friday at 9:00 a.m. online (not held on federal holidays). Franklin County issues an average of 100–200 sheriff sale notices per month as cases mature through Common Pleas Court; there is no single annual sale date for judicial foreclosures. Source: https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/Services/Real-Estate-Sales (retrieved 2026-06-02; content cited via secondary sources).
  • Registration: No registration required to participate in Franklin County sheriff sales at the online platform. Source: https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/Services/Real-Estate-Sales (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Deposit requirements: A cashier’s check is required for all deposits at time of final bid; the property will be immediately resold if the deposit is not delivered. Deposit amount is determined by the appraised value listed on the Auditor’s website combined with the Sheriff’s deposit chart (see the “Real Estate Guidelines: Third Party Purchaser” document at https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/SHRF-website/media/docs/realestate/FCSO-real-estate-auction-what-you-need-to-know.pdf). The Sheriff recommends making the cashier’s check payable to yourself so it can be redeposited if you are not the winning bidder. Source: https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/Services/Real-Estate-Sales; https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/Services/Real-Estate-Sale-FAQ (retrieved 2026-06-02; both pages confirmed by secondary sources citing their content).
  • Balance / payment timeline: The remaining balance must be paid within 30 calendar days of confirmation of sale by cashier’s check or title company check made payable to the Franklin County Sheriff. Failure results in deposit forfeiture. Source: Secondary sources citing Franklin County Sheriff’s FAQ document (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Minimum bid: Two-thirds of the court-ordered appraised value (R.C. 2329.20); tax-foreclosure cases use taxes, assessments, and costs as the minimum. See ohio §1 and §5 for the statutory framework.
  • Property advertising: Sheriff sale properties are advertised in the Tuesday edition of the Daily Reporter newspaper; sale results appear in the Thursday edition. The online platform also lists properties. Source: https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/Services/Real-Estate-Sales (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Bidder restrictions: Persons delinquent on Ohio real estate taxes are restricted from bidding at certain sales. [needs_verification — confirm exact delinquency-prohibition language for Franklin County sheriff sales vs. auditor’s sale; the prohibition was confirmed in writing for the Auditor’s Sale; apply to sheriff sales needs direct verification from the sheriff’s PDF documents.]

Tax Lien Certificate Sales (bulk/institutional — not retail)

  • Structure: Franklin County’s annual Tax Lien Sale auctions all available delinquent-tax liens as a single bulk portfolio worth several million dollars. Individual parcels are not sold separately and Franklin County does not sell over-the-counter certificates. This sale is designed for institutional investors, not individual buyers. Source: https://treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/delinquent-taxes/tax-lien-sale (retrieved 2026-06-02; page confirmed by secondary sources citing its content); Tax Sale Resources (taxsaleresources.com/counties/franklin-county-ohio, retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Timing: Annual; typically held in October or November. Specific dates for each year are posted on the Franklin County Treasurer’s website. Source: taxsaleresources.com/counties/franklin-county-ohio (retrieved 2026-06-02); secondary sources citing Treasurer site content.
  • Certificate term: Six years. Source: Secondary sources citing Treasurer’s site (retrieved 2026-06-02). [needs_verification — confirm six-year term from the official Treasurer page text directly.]
  • Maximum interest rate: Up to 18%/yr per R.C. 5721.30 (bid-down auction mechanism); see ohio §1.
  • Registration form: Tax Certificate Sale Registration Form available at https://treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/TREA-website/media/TREA-Documents/Forms/Tax-Lien-Registration.pdf Source: Web search result (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Taxpayer contact for lien redemption (if certificate is outstanding): Delinquent Tax Department, 614-525-3438. Source: https://treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/Delinquent-Taxes (retrieved 2026-06-02).

Forfeited Land Sales (Auditor’s Sale — in-person, annual)

  • Platform: In-person auction at the First Floor Auditorium, 373 S. High Street, Columbus, OH 43215. The County Auditor acts as selling agent for the State of Ohio under R.C. Ch. 5723.
  • 2025 sale date (confirmed): Tuesday, September 9, 2025, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Registration/check-in: 7:30 a.m. day-of or pre-register by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, September 4, 2025. Source: https://audr-apps.franklincountyohio.gov/AuditorSale/Home/Faq (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • 2026 sale date: [needs_verification — not yet announced as of 2026-06-02; check https://audr-apps.franklincountyohio.gov/AuditorSale/Home/Faq for annual update.]
  • Auditor’s Sale property list: Published on the Franklin County Auditor’s website and in The Columbus Dispatch (two weeks before sale; August 2025 publications were Aug. 26 and Sept. 2, 2025). Source: https://audr-apps.franklincountyohio.gov/AuditorSale/Home/Faq (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Deposit and payment (Auditor’s Sale):
    • Bids under $500: full payment due on sale day.
    • Bids of 500 non-refundable deposit** at time of bid.
    • Remaining balance due by 4:00 p.m. the following Tuesday (e.g., Sept. 16, 2025 for the Sept. 9 sale).
    • Accepted forms: cash, certified/cashier’s checks, and money orders only. Source: https://audr-apps.franklincountyohio.gov/AuditorSale/Home/Faq (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Bidder restriction (Auditor’s Sale): Bidders may not be delinquent on real estate taxes in any Ohio county; business entities must show Secretary of State good-standing documentation. Source: https://audr-apps.franklincountyohio.gov/AuditorSale/Home/Faq (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Title quality: Purchasers receive an Auditor’s Deed without standard title warranties; properties sell “as-is,” subject to federal tax liens and all prior liens. Professional title examination strongly recommended. Source: https://audr-apps.franklincountyohio.gov/AuditorSale/Home/Faq (retrieved 2026-06-02).

Delinquent List Publication

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

  • Where to redeem (pre-foreclosure / pre-confirmation): Pay all delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, assessments, and costs to the Franklin County Treasurer, Delinquent Tax Department:
  • If a tax lien certificate is outstanding: Contact the certificate holder directly (not the County Treasurer) to obtain a payoff quote; the redemption price escalates per R.C. 5721.38 (certificate interest rate or 6% minimum). See ohio §2.
  • Payment plans: Tax-delinquent owners of commercial, industrial, or non-owner-occupied residential properties may be eligible for installment plans at the Treasurer’s discretion. Call 614-525-3438 to discuss eligibility. Source: https://treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/Delinquent-Taxes/Payment-Plans (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Penalty forgiveness: Taxpayers may request remission of a penalty by contacting the Delinquent Tax Department. Source: https://treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/Delinquent-Taxes/Request-for-Penalty-Forgiveness (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Post-sale (pre-confirmation) redemption: The owner may redeem any time before the court enters a confirmation of sale by paying all amounts owed plus costs (R.C. 5721.25). After confirmation, the equity of redemption is extinguished. See ohio §2 for the statutory framework.
  • Local fees: Standard Ohio statutory penalties and interest apply; no locally enacted surcharges identified.
  • Deviations from state default: None identified. Standard Ohio framework applies; see ohio.

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

Judicial Foreclosure Surplus (Common Pleas Court)

Forfeited Land Sale Surplus (R.C. 5723.11)

  • Claim filing venue: Franklin County Auditor’s Office

    • Address: 373 S. High Street, 21st Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
    • Phone: 614-525-4663
    • Website: https://auditor.franklincountyohio.gov/ Source: taxsaleresources.com (retrieved 2026-06-02); auditor.franklincountyohio.gov search results (retrieved 2026-06-02).

  • Statutory deadline: Former owner must demand excess within one year from the day of the forfeited-land sale (R.C. 5723.11). See ohio §3 for note on the one-year vs. six-year ambiguity in older codifications.

  • Contact for forfeited-land surplus: Franklin County Auditor’s Office, 614-525-4663. [needs_verification — confirm the specific desk or division within the Auditor’s Office that handles R.C. 5723.11 excess claims; the Auditor’s website was not directly fetched due to 403 errors. Contact the main line and ask for the Real Estate or Fiscal division.]

Auditor’s Unclaimed Funds (separate from foreclosure surplus)

  • The Franklin County Auditor also holds unclaimed funds of various types (distinct from R.C. 5721.20 foreclosure residue and R.C. 5723.11 forfeited land excess). A claim form (requiring notarization) is available at: https://www.franklincountyauditor.com/AUDR-website/media/Documents/unclaimed-funds.pdf Processing takes approximately 30 business days after receipt. Source: Web search result citing Auditor’s site content (retrieved 2026-06-02).

C4. Offices & Contacts

OfficeOfficeholderAddressPhoneURL
Treasurer / Tax CollectorCheryl Brooks Sullivan373 S. High St., 17th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215614-525-3438https://treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/
Auditor (Delinquent List / Forfeited Land)Michael Stinziano373 S. High St., 21st Floor, Columbus, OH 43215614-525-4663https://auditor.franklincountyohio.gov/
Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas)Maryellen O’Shaughnessy345 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43215614-525-3453https://clerk.franklincountyohio.gov/
Recorder / Register of DeedsDaniel J. O’Connor Jr.373 S. High St., 18th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215614-525-3930https://recorder.franklincountyohio.gov/
Sheriff (judicial foreclosure sales)Dallas Baldwin373 S. High St., 2nd Floor, Columbus, OH 43215614-525-3333https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/

Key email contacts:

Sources for C4 contacts:

  • https://www.taxsaleresources.com/counties/franklin-county-ohio (retrieved 2026-06-02 — confirmed Treasurer address, phone; Auditor address, phone; Recorder address, phone)
  • https://treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/ (retrieved 2026-06-02 — confirmed Cheryl Brooks Sullivan, 614-525-3438, 373 S. High St. 17th Floor)
  • Auditor: confirmed via web search citing auditor.franklincountyohio.gov/Auditor/Meet-Michael (Michael Stinziano) (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Recorder: confirmed via web search citing recorder.franklincountyohio.gov (Daniel J. O’Connor Jr., 373 S. High St. 18th Floor, 614-525-3930, Recorder@FranklinCountyOhio.Gov) (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Clerk: confirmed via web search citing clerk.franklincountyohio.gov/contactUs (Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, 345 S. High St., 614-525-3453) (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Sheriff: confirmed via web search citing sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov (Dallas Baldwin, 373 S. High St. 2nd Floor, 614-525-3333) (retrieved 2026-06-02)

C5. Local Procedure Notes

  • Weekly sheriff sales every Friday: Franklin County conducts judicial foreclosure sales every Friday at 9:00 a.m. online at https://franklin.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov — one of the highest-volume sheriff sale schedules in Ohio, averaging 100–200 notices per month. Source: https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/Services/Real-Estate-Sales; web search results citing sheriff’s FAQ documents (retrieved 2026-06-02).

  • Bulk-only tax lien certificate sales: Franklin County sells tax lien certificates exclusively as a single bulk portfolio to institutional buyers; no individual-parcel auction open to retail bidders. This is a material deviation from Ohio counties that conduct retail bid-down certificate auctions. Source: https://treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/delinquent-taxes/tax-lien-sale (retrieved 2026-06-02 via secondary confirmation).

  • Auditor’s Sale is in-person (not online): The forfeited land (Auditor’s) sale remains an in-person auction at the courthouse, in contrast to the online-only sheriff sales. Source: https://audr-apps.franklincountyohio.gov/AuditorSale/Home/Faq (retrieved 2026-06-02).

  • No registration for sheriff sales: Unlike Cuyahoga County (RealAuction registration required) and some other Ohio counties, Franklin County does not require advance registration for its weekly sheriff sales — bidders simply bring a cashier’s check to the online auction. Source: https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/Services/Real-Estate-Sales (retrieved 2026-06-02).

  • Deed types: Sheriff sales produce a sheriff’s deed (no warranty); auditor’s sales produce an auditor’s deed (no warranty). Both convey only the foreclosed or forfeited interest; title insurance and quiet-title action may be required. See ohio §7.

  • Surplus claim process — motion required: Excess fund recovery in Franklin County Common Pleas requires filing a formal motion in the underlying case file (not a simple administrative claim form). Pro se claimants should review the Clerk’s instructions at https://clerk.franklincountyohio.gov/onlineResources/Obtain-Excess-Funds-in-Foreclosure-Cases before proceeding.

  • Columbus Land Bank (Capital City Land Reutilization Corporation): Franklin County has a county land reutilization corporation. Properties may be transferred directly to the land bank without a public sale under R.C. 323.78 (expedited board-of-revision path for abandoned land). If the land bank later resells for more than the tax debt plus costs, the excess must be delivered to the County Treasurer within 45 days (R.C. 323.78). See ohio §0 and land-bank-direct-transfer for the Tyler exposure on this path. Source: R.C. 323.78 — https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-323.78

C6. Records Access

ResourceURL
Parcel / property search (Auditor)https://property.franklincountyauditor.com/
Auditor parcel search by addresshttps://property.franklincountyauditor.com/_web/search/commonsearch.aspx?mode=address
Auditor parcel search by parcel IDhttps://property.franklincountyauditor.com/_web/search/commonsearch.aspx?mode=parid
Recorder deed search (grantor/grantee/doc)https://franklin.oh.publicsearch.us/
GIS Parcel Viewer (county)https://gis.franklincountyohio.gov/parcelviewer/
Auditor GIS / open data (ArcGIS)https://auditor-fca.opendata.arcgis.com/
Tax payment portal (Treasurer)https://treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/Payments/Online-Payment
Auditor’s Sale (forfeited land) portalhttps://audr-apps.franklincountyohio.gov/AuditorSale/Home/Faq
Sheriff sale online platformhttps://franklin.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov
Clerk of Courts case information (CIO)https://fcdcfcjs.co.franklin.oh.us/CaseInformationOnline/
Clerk excess / unclaimed fundshttps://clerk.franklincountyohio.gov/pubrecords/Unclaimed-Funds
County-wide unclaimed funds portalhttps://unclaimedfunds.franklincountyohio.gov/

Sources:

C7. Meta

sources:

needs_verification:

  • Exact deposit chart / deposit amounts for sheriff sales: the Sheriff’s “Real Estate Guidelines” PDF at https://sheriff.franklincountyohio.gov/SHRF-website/media/docs/realestate/FCSO-real-estate-auction-what-you-need-to-know.pdf returned 403 and could not be directly retrieved; deposit structure confirmed as cashier’s check tied to appraised value, but the specific dollar-tier table needs direct retrieval.
  • Tax lien certificate sale: six-year certificate term confirmed only via secondary sources; verify from the official Treasurer’s Buyer Information page at https://treasurer.franklincountyohio.gov/Delinquent-Taxes/Tax-Lien-Sale/Buyer-Information.
  • Exact next annual Tax Lien Sale date (typically Oct–Nov; check Treasurer’s site for the current year’s date).
  • 2026 Auditor’s Sale (forfeited land) date — not yet posted as of 2026-06-02; check https://audr-apps.franklincountyohio.gov/AuditorSale/Home/Faq.
  • Delinquent tax list publication (R.C. 5721.03 annual): specific newspaper and date for the annual delinquent-tax list publication were not retrieved from a primary source; confirm with the Auditor’s office (614-525-4663).
  • Specific desk or division within the Auditor’s Office handling R.C. 5723.11 forfeited-land surplus claims; the Auditor website returned 403 — contact 614-525-4663 to confirm.
  • Third-party surplus-recovery-agent rules (fee cap, licensing, assignability of the R.C. 5721.20 residue claim) — no Franklin County-specific local ordinance found; governed by state law as flagged in ohio needs_verification.
  • Bidder delinquency prohibition for sheriff sales (confirmed for Auditor’s Sale; apply to sheriff sales needs direct PDF retrieval).
  • Whether Franklin County Common Pleas has local civil rules governing sheriff sale confirmation timelines, deposit amounts, or other procedures beyond the state defaults in R.C. 2329.x; check local rules at https://www.fccourts.org/.
  • Confirm Maryellen O’Shaughnessy remains Clerk of Courts as of 2026-06-02 (she has served since 2008 and was re-elected 2024; verify current term).

cross_links: ohio, right-of-redemption, surplus-funds, third-party-recovery-rules, tyler-v-hennepin-county, harrison-v-montgomery-county, us-bank-trust-v-cuyahoga-county, land-bank-direct-transfer, sheriff-sale, treasurer-sale, due-process-notice, bankruptcy-automatic-stay, federal-tax-lien-redemption, heirs-property, mortgagee-redemption, deficiency-judgment

changelog:

  • 2026-06-02 — Initial population. Sourced from Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (real estate sales pages), Franklin County Auditor’s Sale FAQ (directly fetched: platform, date, deposit, payment terms), Franklin County Clerk of Courts (excess funds process, motion form, unclaimed funds list), Franklin County Treasurer (delinquent taxes, tax lien sale structure, payment plans), and recorder/GIS portals confirmed via web search. Officeholder names confirmed: Cheryl Brooks Sullivan (Treasurer), Michael Stinziano (Auditor), Maryellen O’Shaughnessy (Clerk), Daniel J. O’Connor Jr. (Recorder), Dallas Baldwin (Sheriff). Key sheriff sale platform confirmed as franklin.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov with weekly Friday 9:00 a.m. schedule. Some official pages returned 403; those facts noted as needing direct verification.

Legal information only — not legal advice. This page describes legal procedures as they exist based on publicly available official sources retrieved on the date noted. Laws, procedures, deadlines, and office information change; verify everything against current primary sources before acting. If you are a property owner, investor, or claimant, consult a licensed Ohio attorney. Nothing on this page creates an attorney-client relationship.

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