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Richmond City, VA

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Richmond City, Virginia — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

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

C0. Identity

  • Type: Virginia independent city — one of Virginia’s 38 independent cities; not part of any surrounding county; operates its own Treasurer, Commissioner of the Revenue, Assessor, and Circuit Court for all tax-sale, land-records, and surplus-claim purposes. See independent-city-recording.
  • Population: ~226,610 (2020 Census).
  • Recording unit type: Independent city.
  • FIPS: 51760.
  • Seat of government: City Hall, 900 E. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
  • Parent legal framework: virginia. Core statutes: Va. Code §§ 58.1-3965 to 58.1-3969 (judicial tax sale); § 58.1-3975 (nonjudicial minimal-value track); §§ 55.1-320 to 55.1-324 (deed-of-trust foreclosure).
  • Collecting / initiating authority: City Treasurer (Nichole Richardson Armstead), 900 E. Broad St., Suite 107, Richmond, VA 23219; (804) 646-6474; treasurer@richmondgov.com. — source: Richmond City Treasurer, retrieved 2026-06-02.
  • Tax sale managing authority: The City Attorney’s Office manages and administers the Tax Sale Program for Richmond — it nominates properties, files bills in equity in the Circuit Court, and coordinates with the auction contractor. The Department of Finance’s Delinquent Collections Unit handles pre-suit collection efforts. — source: City of Richmond Audit Report 2021-10, “Delinquent Real Estate Tax Sale,” February 22, 2021, retrieved 2026-06-02 (hereafter “2021 Audit”).

C1. Local Tax Sale

  • Conducts own sale? Yes, through the judicial bill-in-equity process (Va. Code §§ 58.1-3965 to 58.1-3969). Richmond’s City Attorney’s Office manages the Tax Sale Program; an auction services contractor conducts the actual auction events. Motleys Accelerated Tax Sales (ATS) is identified as the auction contractor for Richmond City’s in-person/online tax sales. — source: 2021 Audit; Motleys ATS RVA Tax Sale page, retrieved 2026-06-02; web search results referencing Motleys ATS Richmond role, retrieved 2026-06-02.

    Note on TACS: The 2021 Audit also noted that as of 2018, Richmond “opted to use an outside legal firm [TACS] to assist in the Tax Sale Program.” This indicates TACS may serve a legal/special-commissioner role for certain cases while Motleys runs the auction events. The precise division of roles between TACS (legal/special commissioner) and Motleys (auction contractor) is (needs_verification from a current official Richmond source). — source: 2021 Audit; TACS Real Estate Tax Sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.

  • Platform / administrator:

    • Motleys Accelerated Tax Sales (ATS) — auction contractor.
    • TACS (Taxing Authority Consulting Services) — outside legal firm assisting the Tax Sale Program (special-commissioner function, 2018–present).

  • Sale calendar:

    • Frequency: Periodic (as suits ripen); no fixed annual date. Historically Richmond held multiple auctions per year, selling 981 properties total in FY2014–FY2023.
    • Suspension (FY2024–FY2025): In fiscal years 2024 and 2025, Richmond conducted zero auctions — the program was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic and had not been formally restarted as of mid-2025. Mayor Avula has indicated restarting the program is a priority.
    • Typical timeline (when active): ~1 year from referral to sale, per TACS statewide guidance.
    • How to monitor: Sign up for email alerts at https://www.motleys.com/allsales/rvataxsale; upcoming sales listed there as soon as the property list is public.
    • (Next known Richmond sale date — needs_verification; no sale currently posted as of 2026-06-02.) — source: The Richmonder, “How Richmond’s tax sale fund swelled to $9M”, retrieved 2026-06-02; Motleys ATS listing page, retrieved 2026-06-02.

  • Delinquency trigger:

    • Standard: Taxes delinquent as of December 31 after the 2nd anniversary of the date they were due (Va. Code § 58.1-3965). Richmond’s City Attorney’s Office in practice has generally targeted properties delinquent 5+ years for the Tax Sale Program (per internal policy described in the 2021 Audit), though Virginia law permits action at 2 years.
    • Accelerated triggers (per state law): 1st anniversary for condemned / derelict / nuisance / blighted property; as few as 6 months for certain abatement-cost cases (§ 58.1-3965); PDR and Economic Development may also nominate properties. — source: virginia (§ 58.1-3965); 2021 Audit.

  • Pre-sale notice / delinquent list:

    • Notice of Intent Letter mailed by the City Attorney’s Office to the owner of record in the Assessor’s records.
    • Notice of Intent Publication in the Richmond Free Press and the Richmond Times-Dispatch; owners given 30 days from notice date.
    • Followed by filing of complaint in Richmond Circuit Court (bill in equity), order of publication, and guardian ad litem for unknown parties. — source: 2021 Audit; virginia (§§ 58.1-3965, 58.1-3967).
    • (URL for the published delinquent-tax list specific to Richmond’s online portal (data.richmondgov.com) — partially confirmed; specific auction-ready property list URL — needs_verification.)

  • Delinquent-tax data portal: Richmond publishes “Delinquent Real Estate Taxes (Six Months or More)” as an open dataset at https://data.richmondgov.com/Well-Managed-Government/Delinquent-Real-Estate-Taxes-Six-Months-or-More-/83t5-hbac — source: Richmond Open Data Portal, retrieved 2026-06-02.

  • Registration / deposit (auction terms):

    • Down payment: 20% of final price or $5,000, whichever is greater.
    • Final price = high bid + 10% buyer’s premium (payable to Motleys ATS).
    • The auction contractor (Motleys ATS) collects down payments at the auction; prepares sale contracts.
    • Doors open approximately 2 hours before sale start.
    • (Specific pre-registration URL, wire-transfer or cashier’s-check requirement, and balance-due timeline for Richmond sales — needs_verification from current Motleys RVA sale terms.) — source: 2021 Audit (20%/$5,000 and 10% premium); web search results describing Motleys ATS procedures, retrieved 2026-06-02.

  • Bidder requirements:

    • May not owe delinquent taxes to Richmond.
    • May not be a defendant in any delinquent tax suit filed by Richmond. — source: TACS Real Estate Tax Sales, retrieved 2026-06-02.

  • Rate within statutory range:

    • Real estate tax rate: $1.20 per$100 of assessed value (unchanged since 2008); taxes billed semi-annually, due January 14 and June 14.
    • Delinquency penalty: 10% one-time penalty per delinquent tax year (City Code § 26-361).
    • Delinquency interest: 10% annually (City Code § 26-361).
    • Administrative fee: $30 fee assessed to accounts mailed a second delinquent notice. — source: Richmond Finance — Real Estate, retrieved 2026-06-02; 2021 Audit (§ 26-361 citation).

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

  • Where/how to redeem locally: The owner (or heir/devisee/successor/assign) must pay all accumulated taxes, penalties, interest, reasonable attorney’s fees, and costs in full (including pro-rata publication costs) before the date of sale. Partial payment is not sufficient.

    • Before suit filed: Pay to the City Treasurer (900 E. Broad St., Suite 107; (804) 646-6474).
    • After suit filed / with TACS as special commissioner: Contact the City Attorney’s Office or pay to TACS at https://pay.taxva.com or (804) 545-2500. — source: 2021 Audit (redemption description); virginia (§ 58.1-3965); TACS, retrieved 2026-06-02.

  • Post-sale right of redemption: None. Virginia is a tax-deed state with no post-sale redemption period. Once the Richmond Circuit Court confirms the sale, title vests in the purchaser and the former owner cannot redeem. — source: virginia (§§ 58.1-3965, 58.1-3967).

  • Installment agreement: The City Treasurer may suspend the sale action by entering a ≤72-month installment agreement with the owner under Va. Code § 58.1-3965. The City’s internal payment-plan policy as of 2021 was more restrictive than state law (12 months, up to 18 with management approval; the 2021 Audit recommended aligning with the state’s then-36-month maximum). (Current Richmond payment-plan duration — needs_verification.)

    • Minimum balance to enter arrangement: $3,000 (per Finance policy, though not written in the formal policy as of 2021). — source: 2021 Audit; virginia (§ 58.1-3965).

  • Local fees: Attorney’s fees, court costs, title-report costs, publication costs, and TACS/special-commissioner fees are added to the redemption payoff. These are case-specific. (Exact TACS fee schedule for Richmond cases — needs_verification.)

  • Redemption contact:

  • Deviations from state default: Richmond’s Tax Sale Program internally targets properties delinquent 5+ years (more conservative than the 2-year state minimum), and historically excluded owner-occupied properties from auctions (unwritten policy noted in the 2021 Audit). No post-sale redemption exists.

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

  • Claim filing venue:

    • Under Va. Code § 58.1-3967, after court confirmation of a judicial tax sale, the City Attorney distributes proceeds to costs/taxes/liens, then deposits remaining surplus into the Richmond Circuit Court registry. Claimants petition the Richmond Circuit Court for release of registry funds.
    • The 2021 Audit confirms: “If a party cannot be located or has failed to file an answer to the complaint filed in the Richmond Circuit Court, funds are paid into the registry of the court.”
    • Court address: John Marshall Courts Building, 400 North 9th Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
    • Clerk: Hon. Edward F. Jewett, Clerk of the Circuit Court.
    • Civil Section: (804) 646-6536.
    • General: (804) 646-6505 · circuitcourtclerkinformation@rva.gov. — source: Richmond Circuit Court Clerk, retrieved 2026-06-02; 2021 Audit.

  • Claim form: No standardized state form — claimants petition the Richmond Circuit Court for release of registry funds. Proof of ownership/heirship or recorded lien required. (A court-specific petition template for the Richmond Circuit Court — needs_verification.) — source: virginia (§ 58.1-3967).

  • Claim deadline: 2 years from the date of court confirmation of the sale (Va. Code § 58.1-3967). “In the event that funds remain with the court two years after the date of the sale, the [City] may petition to have the funds distributed to the [City’s] general fund” (§ 58.1-3967; 2021 Audit). However, this escheat provision is constitutionally suspect where the City’s tax lien is already fully satisfied — see mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023 (Va. Sup. Ct. 2023, arising out of a Richmond tax sale). — source: virginia (§ 58.1-3967); 2021 Audit.

  • McKeithen impact (Richmond-specific): mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023 is a Richmond City case. The Supreme Court of Virginia held in 2023 that § 58.1-3967’s escheat-to-locality provision is unconstitutional as applied when the City’s tax lien is already fully satisfied. Surplus must flow to the former owner / junior lienors. This ruling directly binds Richmond’s Circuit Court and City practice. Any operator tracking post-sale surplus for pre-2023 (or post-2023) Richmond sales should treat the 2-year “escheat” window as constitutionally challenged and file regardless. — source: virginia (Module 3); mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023.

  • Tax Sale Special Revenue Fund: The 2021 Audit describes a “Tax Sale Program Special Revenue Fund” in which unclaimed surplus (paid to the City after 2 years per the old § 58.1-3967 text) was recorded. By FY2025 this fund had grown to ~$9.1 million, with City Council having designated up to$1 million/year for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (largely not transferred as of 2025). Post-McKeithen, the constitutionality of retaining these funds is in question. — source: 2021 Audit; The Richmonder, retrieved 2026-06-02.

  • Unclaimed-funds list published: (needs_verification — Richmond does not appear to publish a publicly searchable list of unclaimed tax-sale surplus held in the Circuit Court registry as of 2026-06-02.)

  • Contact:

▸ For Investors / Operators — Richmond’s City Attorney’s Office manages the Tax Sale Program; TACS serves as special commissioner and Motleys ATS conducts the auction events (Motleys: (804) 232-3300; motleys.com/allsales/rvataxsale). Deposit is 20% of the final price or $5,000, whichever is greater, plus a 10$1.20 per $100 of assessed value; delinquency triggers a 10% one-time penalty plus 10% annual interest. Richmond conducted zero auctions in FY2024–FY2025; sign up for Motleys alerts for restart notice. Richmond internally targets properties delinquent 5+ years (vs. the 2-year statutory minimum). Note that all sales are subject to Richmond Circuit Court confirmation and mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023 directly limits the City’s ability to retain post-confirmation surplus.

▸ For Former Owners — After court confirmation, surplus is deposited in the Richmond Circuit Court registry (John Marshall Courts Building, 400 N. 9th St., Richmond; Civil: (804) 646-6536; General: (804) 646-6505). Claimants petition the Circuit Court for release of registry funds. The statutory deadline is 2 years from the date of court confirmation (Va. Code § 58.1-3967); however, mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023 (Va. Sup. Ct. 2023, arising from a Richmond sale) held the § 58.1-3967 two-year escheat-to-city provision is unconstitutional where the City’s tax lien is already satisfied — file regardless of that window. The City’s ~$9.1M Tax Sale Special Revenue Fund represents accumulated unclaimed surplus now legally challenged under McKeithen.

C4. Offices & Contacts

OfficeNameAddressPhoneURL
City Treasurer (delinquent collections, payment arrangements)Nichole Richardson Armstead900 E. Broad St., Suite 107, Richmond, VA 23219(804) 646-6474https://rva.gov/treasurer
Department of Finance — Delinquent Collections Unit—900 E. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23219(804) 646-7000 / 311https://www.rva.gov/finance/delinquent-collections
City Attorney’s Office (Tax Sale Program manager)—900 E. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23219(804) 646-7000 (city main)https://www.rva.gov/city-attorney
Motleys ATS (auction contractor for tax sales)—Richmond area (auction location varies)(804) 232-3300https://www.motleys.com/allsales/rvataxsale
TACS (outside legal firm / special commissioner)—P.O. Box 31800, Henrico, VA 23294(804) 545-2500https://taxva.com
Clerk of Circuit Court (land records, court registry, surplus)Hon. Edward F. JewettJohn Marshall Courts Bldg., 400 N. 9th St., Richmond, VA 23219(804) 646-6505 / Civil: (804) 646-6536https://www.rva.gov/office-circuit-court-clerk
Assessor of Real Estate (assessment, property info)—900 E. Broad St., Room 802, Richmond, VA 23219(804) 646-7500https://www.rva.gov/assessor-real-estate
Sheriff (civil process; no tax-sale role)—1701 Fairfield Way, Richmond, VA 23223 / Civil Process: 400 N. 9th St., LL1(804) 646-4464 / Civil: (804) 646-6600https://rva.gov/sheriff

C5. Local Procedure Notes

  • Independent city — no county overlap: Richmond City is entirely separate from surrounding Henrico and Chesterfield counties. All tax-sale authority, land records, and court proceedings are within Richmond’s own offices.

  • City Attorney manages Tax Sale Program: Unlike many Virginia localities where the Treasurer (or a contracted firm like TACS) primarily drives the judicial process, Richmond’s City Attorney’s Office manages property nomination, legal proceedings, and coordination with the auction contractor. Finance’s Delinquent Collections Unit handles pre-suit collection; the City Attorney takes over once properties are nominated for the Tax Sale Program.

  • 5-year internal threshold (vs. 2-year statutory minimum): Richmond’s internal policy nominates properties delinquent 5 years or more (much more conservative than the 2-year statutory minimum under § 58.1-3965). This threshold is not required by state law and may change.

  • Owner-occupied exclusion: As of the 2021 Audit, Richmond had an unwritten policy to exclude owner-occupied properties from the Tax Sale Program; such accounts were handled only through the outsourced collection firm. The 2021 Audit flagged this as a disparity and recommended addressing it; (whether this policy has changed as of 2026 — needs_verification.)

  • Auction suspension FY2024–FY2025: Richmond conducted zero tax-sale auctions in FY2024 and FY2025 following COVID-related suspension. As of the reporting date (2026-06-02), no auction had been rescheduled, though Mayor Avula has indicated a restart is a priority.

  • Motleys ATS auction terms: 10% buyer’s premium added to winning bid; down payment of 20% or $5,000 (whichever is greater) collected at sale. All sales subject to court confirmation by the Richmond Circuit Court.

  • Proceeds waterfall: Per the 2021 Audit, proceeds flow:

    1. City Attorney’s Office fees and third-party costs.
    2. Taxes and other City liens (including City utilities at same priority).
    3. Secured creditors (in lien priority order).
    4. Unsecured creditors.
    5. Remaining surplus → former owner/heirs; if not located, to Circuit Court registry (§ 58.1-3967), subject to McKeithen constitutional limitation on subsequent escheat to the City.

  • Tax Sale Special Revenue Fund — $9.1M: Unclaimed surplus historically flowed into this fund; post-McKeithen, the City’s right to retain this accumulation is legally challenged.

  • No sheriff’s sale: Virginia tax sales are special-commissioner judicial sales; the Richmond Sheriff’s Office plays no role in delinquent real-estate tax auctions. The Sheriff serves civil process (400 N. 9th St., LL1).

  • Delinquency penalty & interest: 10% one-time penalty + 10% annual interest under City Code § 26-361, plus a $30 administrative fee on second notice. Confirmed from the 2021 Audit and rva.gov/finance/real-estate.

  • Nonjudicial minimal-value track (§ 58.1-3975): Available under state law for parcels assessed ≤$15,000 with 3+ years delinquency. (Whether Richmond uses this track — needs_verification.)

C6. Records Access

C7. Meta

  • parent_state: virginia

  • last_verified: 2026-06-02

  • confidence: 0.82

  • completeness_score: 0.76

  • gap_score: 11

  • sources:

  • needs_verification:

    • Whether tax-sale auctions have restarted in Richmond as of 2026 (zero auctions in FY2024–FY2025; Mayor has indicated restart is a priority but no confirmed restart date as of 2026-06-02).
    • Next known Richmond sale date — no auction currently listed on Motleys ATS RVA page as of 2026-06-02.
    • Precise division of roles between TACS (special commissioner / legal) and Motleys ATS (auction contractor) in current Richmond sales — confirmed separately from 2021 Audit and web sources but not from a single official current Richmond page.
    • Motleys ATS current sale terms — specific deposit amount, pre-registration URL, wire/cashier’s check policy, and balance-due timeline for Richmond sales (2021 Audit confirms 20%/$5,000 and 10% premium as of 2020; these may have changed).
    • Whether the owner-occupied exclusion policy remains in place as of 2026 (identified as an unwritten policy in the 2021 Audit; 2021 Audit recommended addressing this disparity).
    • Current payment-plan duration offered by Richmond Finance — 2021 Audit noted 12 months (up to 18 with approval); state law now allows 72 months (§ 58.1-3965 as amended); whether Richmond has updated its internal policy.
    • Whether Richmond uses the nonjudicial minimal-value track (§ 58.1-3975) for parcels ≤$15,000.
    • Unclaimed surplus list — whether the Richmond Circuit Court or City publishes a searchable list of unclaimed registry funds.
    • Specific petition form or template used in Richmond Circuit Court for surplus claims.
    • Post-McKeithen handling of the ~$9.1M Tax Sale Special Revenue Fund — how Richmond is responding to the constitutional ruling on the escheat provision.
    • City Attorney’s Office direct contact for Tax Sale Program (no dedicated web page or direct phone/email confirmed from an official Richmond source).

  • cross_links: virginia, right-of-redemption, surplus-funds, third-party-recovery-rules, treasurer-sale, due-process-notice, mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023, tyler-v-hennepin-county, jones-v-flowers, mullane-v-central-hanover, mennonite-v-adams, heirs-property, independent-city-recording, bankruptcy-automatic-stay, federal-tax-lien-redemption, void-vs-voidable

  • changelog:

    • 2026-06-02 — Initial population. Primary official sources: Richmond City Auditor Report 2021-10 (City Attorney Tax Sale Program structure; Motleys ATS as auction contractor; TACS engagement 2018; 20%/$5,000 down/10% premium; proceeds waterfall; court registry surplus; owner-occupied exclusion; City Code § 26-361 penalty/interest); Richmond City Treasurer page (Armstead, address, phone); Finance/Real Estate page$1.20 rate; 10% penalty/interest; Invoice Cloud portal); Circuit Court Clerk pages (Jewett; 400 N. 9th St.; land-records SRA; civil section phone); Assessor page (contact, GIS tools); Finance Online Payment page; Richmond Open Data delinquent-tax dataset. Secondary: Motleys ATS listing page (auction contractor identity, contact); TACS page (special commissioner role, bidder qualifications); The Richmonder article ($9.1M fund; FY2024-25 auction suspension; Mayor restart priority). Key Richmond-specific findings: City Attorney (not Treasurer or TACS alone) manages Tax Sale Program; Motleys ATS is auction contractor; TACS engaged 2018 as outside legal firm; 5-year internal delinquency threshold; no auctions FY2024-FY2025; McKeithen arose from Richmond tax sale and directly binds Richmond practice.

▸ For Investors / Operators — Richmond’s City Attorney’s Office manages the Tax Sale Program; TACS serves as special commissioner and Motleys ATS conducts the auction events (Motleys: (804) 232-3300; motleys.com/allsales/rvataxsale). Deposit is 20% of the final price or $5,000, whichever is greater, plus a 10% buyer’s premium (payable to Motleys ATS). The real-estate tax rate is $1.20 per $100 of assessed value; delinquency triggers a 10% one-time penalty plus 10% annual interest. Richmond conducted zero auctions in FY2024–FY2025; sign up for Motleys alerts for restart notice. Richmond internally targets properties delinquent 5+ years (vs. the 2-year statutory minimum). Note that all sales are subject to Richmond Circuit Court confirmation and mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023 directly limits the City’s ability to retain post-confirmation surplus.

▸ For Former Owners — After court confirmation, surplus is deposited in the Richmond Circuit Court registry (John Marshall Courts Building, 400 N. 9th St., Richmond; Civil: (804) 646-6536; General: (804) 646-6505). Claimants petition the Circuit Court for release of registry funds. The statutory deadline is 2 years from the date of court confirmation (Va. Code § 58.1-3967); however, mckeithen-v-city-of-richmond-2023 (Va. Sup. Ct. 2023, arising from a Richmond sale) held the § 58.1-3967 two-year escheat-to-city provision is unconstitutional where the City’s tax lien is already satisfied — file regardless of that window. The City’s ~$9.1M Tax Sale Special Revenue Fund represents accumulated unclaimed surplus now legally challenged under McKeithen.

Legal information, not legal advice. This page summarizes Richmond City, Virginia tax-sale operations from the cited primary sources as of the last_verified date. Statutes, rates, procedures, personnel, and program status change. Verify against current official Richmond City pages, the Code of Virginia (Title 58.1, Ch. 39), the applicable Motleys/TACS sale terms, the Richmond Circuit Court, and consult a licensed Virginia attorney before acting. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

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