State Foreclosure Law Library

palm-beach-fl

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Palm Beach County, Florida — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

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

C0. Identity

  • County seat: West Palm Beach · Population: ~1.58 million (2024 estimate; Florida’s third-most-populous county) · Recording unit: county.
  • FIPS: 12099.
  • Parent legal framework: florida (Ch. 197 tax certificates / tax deeds; Ch. 45 mortgage foreclosure; Ch. 717 unclaimed property).

C1. Local Tax Sale

Two distinct sales operate in Palm Beach County, both following the Ch. 197 framework on florida:

(a) Tax-certificate sale — run by the Constitutional Tax Collector

  • Conducts own sale? Yes, online. · Platform: RealTaxLien (RealAuction / Grant Street Group) — palmbeachfl.realtaxlien.com.
  • Calendar: annual, bid-down auction conducted on or before June 1 (per Fla. Stat. § 197.402); the 2026 certificate-sale bidding period opened 05/04/2026 and runs for 24 days. (Constitutional Tax Collector — Tax Certificates and Deeds; FL DOR 2026 Tax Cert Sale PDF)
  • Registration: Bidders must register at palmbeachfl.realtaxlien.com before purchasing. (pbctax.gov)
  • Deposit: Not separately specified on the Tax Collector page beyond RealAuction registration — needs_verification of exact deposit amount at certificate sale.
  • Delinquent list location: The Tax Collector publishes an interactive Delinquent Property Tax List viewer on the Tax Collector’s website at pbctax.gov/taxes/property-tax/tax-certificates-and-deeds/. Under Florida Statute § 197.402, the delinquent list is also published in a local newspaper within 45 days after April 1 delinquency date — needs_verification of the specific newspaper of record for Palm Beach County for 2026. (pbctax.gov)
  • County-held certificates: Unsold certificates struck to the county at 18% remain available for purchase at any time before a tax-deed application is filed; purchasable in person at 301 N. Olive Ave., 3rd Floor, West Palm Beach; by mail/wire with certified funds; or through RealAuction supplemental-sale notifications. (pbctax.gov)

(b) Tax-deed auction — run by the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller

  • Conducts own sale? Yes. · Platform: ClerkAuction® (Grant Street Group) — mypalmbeachclerk.clerkauction.com. (First launched June 13, 2012 as the county’s first online tax-deed platform; Grant Street Group press release confirmed.) Palm Beach County uses ClerkAuction® for tax-deed sales, distinct from the RealTaxLien platform used by the Tax Collector for certificate sales.
  • Tax-deed search system: taxdeed.mypalmbeachclerk.com — searchable by certificate number, case number, parcel ID, owner name, sale date range, and status. Contact for certified copies: (561) 355-2962 or in person at 205 N. Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.
  • Calendar: monthly — tax deed sales are conducted online on designated Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m., once per month. Confirmed upcoming 2026 sale dates on the tax-deed search system include: October 14, 2026; November 18, 2026; December 16, 2026. (taxdeed.mypalmbeachclerk.com)
  • Registration: Bidders must register at the ClerkAuction® site — mypalmbeachclerk.clerkauction.com. Proxy bidding may begin as soon as a tax certificate appears on the auction calendar. (mypalmbeachclerk.com — Tax Deed Sales FAQ)
  • Deposit: Bidders must advance the greater of 5% of intended maximum bid or $200, deposited via ACH transfer at least three (3) full business days before the auction; available online through the ClerkAuction® electronic platform. (mypalmbeachclerk.com — Sale Information)
  • Payment deadline: Full payment must be received by the Clerk by 2:00 p.m. the next business day after the sale; accepted by cash, official bank check, cashier’s check, or wire transfer. Wire transfers must be received by the Clerk’s bank by 2:00 p.m. the next business day. (mypalmbeachclerk.com — Sale Information)
  • No-bid certificates: If no bid is received at the public auction, the property is struck to the certificate holder, who pays the Clerk any amounts in the minimum bid not already paid (including half the homestead value for homestead property, documentary stamps, and recording fees). Payment is due within 30 days after the sale. (Addendum to Administrative Policy 93-5, mypalmbeachclerk.com)

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

  • Where/how to redeem (pre-deed): Certificate redemption is handled through the Constitutional Tax Collector’s office, not the Clerk. Payment must be made to the Palm Beach County Tax Collector — contact: (561) 355-2264, pbctax.gov, 301 N. Olive Ave., 3rd Floor, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. Email inquiries to taxsales@pbctax.gov. (pbctax.gov — Tax Certificates and Deeds)
  • Redemption amount: Certificate face amount + interest and charges; 5% mandatory minimum interest applies (§ 197.472). Confirm current amount by calling (561) 355-2264 or emailing taxsales@pbctax.gov.
  • Redemption deadline: Any time after certificate issuance until just before the tax deed is issued (see florida § 197.472(1)).
  • Post-deed redemption proceeds: After the tax deed is issued, the remedy shifts to claiming surplus (Module C3). Redemption payments for properties in the deed-sale process go to the Tax Collector — not the Clerk. (mypalmbeachclerk.com — Redemption; pbctax.gov)
  • Deviations from state default: None identified; Palm Beach County follows the Ch. 197 redemption framework. Tax-deed application triggers the § 197.502 notice process run by the Clerk.

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

Claim filing venue: Surplus from a Palm Beach County tax-deed sale is held by the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Tax Deeds Department.

  • Office / address: Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Tax Deeds Department, 205 N. Dixie Hwy., 3rd Floor, Room 3.2400, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. Mailing: P.O. Box 484, West Palm Beach, FL 33402-0484. Hours: Monday–Friday (except holidays) 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Phone: (561) 355-2962. (mypalmbeachclerk.com — Tax Deeds; search results confirming Tax Deeds dept. address and hours)
  • Claim form: “Claim to Surplus Proceeds of a Tax Deed Sale” — official PDF published by the Palm Beach County Clerk at mypalmbeachclerk.com/home/showpublisheddocument?id=356. Also accessible through the Tax Deeds Workshop Toolbox and the Free Forms A–Z library on mypalmbeachclerk.com.
  • Deadline: Claims must be filed within 120 days of the date of the Clerk’s mailed Notice of Surplus (§ 197.582). The former owner is not barred by the 120-day cutoff per § 197.582; other claimants who miss the deadline are barred. See florida for the full waterfall and Ch. 717 escheat mechanics.
  • Unclaimed-surplus list published? The Palm Beach County Clerk offers a purchasable “Current Tax Deed Surplus/Registry Report” through the Clerk’s Cart report system (Product Categories → General Public Record Requests → Current Tax Deed Surplus/Registry Report) at mypalmbeachclerk.com. A freely browsable public URL for the raw surplus list has not been confirmed — needs_verification of whether a freely searchable unclaimed-surplus page exists on mypalmbeachclerk.com (distinct from the purchasable Clerk’s Cart report).
  • Contact: Tax Deeds Department, (561) 355-2962, 205 N. Dixie Hwy., Rm. 3.2400, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. (mypalmbeachclerk.com — Tax Deeds)

C4. Offices & Contacts

OfficeNameAddressPhoneURL
Constitutional Tax Collector (certificate sale, redemption, tax payment)Anne M. GannonGovernmental Center, 301 N. Olive Ave., 3rd Floor, West Palm Beach, FL 33401(561) 355-2264pbctax.gov
Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller (tax-deed auctions, surplus, official records)Mike Caruso (appointed Aug. 19, 2025)Main Courthouse, 205 N. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach, FL 33401; Tax Deeds: Rm. 3.2400(561) 355-2962 (Tax Deeds); (561) 355-2996 (Public Records)mypalmbeachclerk.com
Recorder / Official Records (deed search)Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller (recorder function)205 N. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach, FL 33401(561) 355-2996erec.mypalmbeachclerk.com (Landmark Web)
Property Appraiser (ownership / assessment)Dorothy Jacks, CFA301 N. Olive Ave., 5th Floor, West Palm Beach, FL 33401(561) 355-2881pbcpao.gov
Sheriff (not applicable to tax deeds or mortgage foreclosures)n/a — Florida uses Clerk for Ch. 45 sales; no sheriff tax-deed sales———

C5. Local Procedure Notes

  • Standard Florida Clerk model. Unlike Broward County (see broward-fl), Palm Beach County follows the standard Florida pattern: the Clerk of the Circuit Court conducts tax-deed auctions and holds surplus proceeds. There is no special county-division role as in Broward.
  • Two platforms, two offices. The Tax Collector uses RealTaxLien (palmbeachfl.realtaxlien.com) for the annual certificate sale; the Clerk uses ClerkAuction® (mypalmbeachclerk.clerkauction.com) for monthly tax-deed auctions.
  • Club-membership addendum (notable quirk). The Palm Beach County Clerk has a published “Addendum to Judicial Sale and Tax Deed Sale Administrative Policies: Club Memberships” (mypalmbeachclerk.com). This warns bidders that properties located within gated communities and common-interest developments in Palm Beach County may be subject to mandatory club membership equity fees and annual dues that survive the tax deed and are not eliminated by the sale. It is the bidder’s sole responsibility to investigate before bidding. This is a practically important local risk in a county with many gated golf and country-club communities.
  • Administrative Policy 93-5 (Addendum). Effective July 1, 2014 (post-HB 797), the Clerk’s Tax Deed Sales Procedure was updated. For no-bid properties, the certificate holder receives the deed upon paying remaining minimum-bid components within 30 days; the deposit is non-refundable. (mypalmbeachclerk.com)
  • Redemption goes to Tax Collector, not Clerk. Confirmed local practice: redemption payments are directed to the Tax Collector’s office, not the Clerk’s office, even after a tax-deed application is filed.
  • Tax deed sales: Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. Monthly, not weekly (unlike some large Florida counties that hold multiple monthly dates).
  • Delinquent taxes cannot be paid online — delinquent real estate tax must be paid by wire transfer, in-person at a service center (reservation required), drop box, or mail. (pbctax.gov)

C6. Records Access

  • Parcel / property search (PAPA): Palm Beach County Property Appraiser Public Access — pbcpao.gov. Searchable by address, owner name, or 17-digit Property Control Number (PCN). Over 659,000 parcels. Free, no login required.
  • Recorder / deed search (Official Records — Landmark Web): erec.mypalmbeachclerk.com — Landmark database; deeds, mortgages, judgments, liens, marriage licenses, and other official records. Images available for records filed since January 1, 1968; free to view and print uncertified copies. Electronically certified copies purchasable online through clerkecertify.com.
  • GIS map: PAPA GIS (Property Appraiser) — gis.pbcgov.org/papagis. Aerial photography updated annually; over 100 data points per parcel. Also: County interactive GIS — maps.co.palm-beach.fl.us/cwgis/?app=pbc_interactive. Open data/parcel download: opendata2-pbcgov.opendata.arcgis.com.
  • Tax payment portal: pbctax.gov/pay-online/ — free eCheck (ACH) or credit/debit card (2.4% fee). Tax bills due March 31; discounts for early payment (4% in Nov, 3% in Dec, 2% in Jan, 1% in Feb). Note: delinquent taxes (after April 1) cannot be paid online — must use wire transfer, service center, drop box, or mail. (pbctax.gov)
  • Tax-deed case search: taxdeed.mypalmbeachclerk.com — search active and historical tax-deed cases by cert number, parcel ID, owner name, or sale date.

C7. Meta

Legal information, not legal advice. This page summarizes how Palm Beach County, Florida administers tax-certificate and tax-deed sales and surplus claims for research purposes only and may be incomplete or out of date. Procedures, platforms, office addresses, and deadlines change. Verify every figure, address, form, and deadline against the cited official sources and consult a licensed Florida attorney before acting. The legal framework lives on florida. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

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