Shelby County, Alabama — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

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

C0. Identity

• County seat: Columbiana · Population: ~223,024 (2020 census) · Recording unit: county
• Parent legal framework: alabama
• System in use: Shelby County adopted the Article 7 Sale of Tax Liens system and was the first county in Alabama to hold a tax lien auction under the new procedure, with its inaugural auction on April 2, 2019. Former Property Tax Commissioner Don Armstrong was the principal architect of Act 2018-577 (the enabling legislation). Properties delinquent before tax year 2019 may still appear in the ADOR state-held inventory (bid-in-for-State parcels) accessible through the ADOR price-quote process. — Source: Shelby County Reporter (2018-10-04), BiggerPockets forum (first 2019 auction confirmed); ptc.shelbyal.com; see alabama for dual-system framework.

C1. Local Tax Sale

Shelby County uses the Article 7 bid-down-interest online tax lien certificate auction under Ala. Code §§ 40-10-180 et seq. No traditional probate-court “sale of land” auction is conducted for post-2018 delinquencies.

• Conducts own sale? Yes — the Shelby County Property Tax Commissioner (Jacob Tidmore, sworn in March 2025; predecessor: Don Armstrong, ACTA) conducts the lien auction as the Tax Collecting Official under Ala. Code § 40-10-182. — ptc.shelbyal.com/about (retrieved 2026-06-02); Shelby County Reporter 2025-03-24 (retrieved 2026-06-02).
• Platform: GovEase.com — online auction at https://www.govease.com; investor registration and auction management through the GovEase portal. GovEase support: (769) 208-5050 / support@govease.com. — govease.helpscoutdocs.com/article/97-alabama-tax-lien-auction-overview (retrieved 2026-06-02).
• Sale calendar:
  • Annual cycle: taxes billed Oct. 1, delinquent after Dec. 31; delinquent-list publication and auction typically in spring (March–May), consistent with Ala. Code § 40-10-182’s March 1 – June 15 window.
  • First auction under current Article 7 system: April 2, 2019 (278 properties listed; $269,320.80 total due).
  • Specific annual dates for 2025–2026 are published by the Property Tax Commissioner’s office and on GovEase.com/auctions. needs_verification for the next specific auction date — contact the PTC office at (205) 670-6900 (option 1) or check govease.com/auctions.
  • Source: BiggerPockets.com/forums/531/topics/693060 (first 2019 auction); govease.helpscoutdocs.com/article/97-alabama-tax-lien-auction-overview (retrieved 2026-06-02).
• Bidding method: Bid-down interest. Opens at 12% per annum (statutory ceiling); bidders reduce in 1% increments; lowest bid wins. If multiple bidders reach 0%, winner is determined by random number generator (equivalent to random drawing / lots per Ala. Code § 40-10-184). — govease.helpscoutdocs.com/article/97-alabama-tax-lien-auction-overview (retrieved 2026-06-02); Ala. Code § 40-10-184.
• Rate within statutory range: The certificate’s interest rate is market-determined at auction (0%–12% simple interest per annum). No county-set floor above 0% or ceiling below 12%.
• Registration / deposit: Bidders must create a GovEase account during the county-designated registration window. A W-9 form is required. A 10% deposit of the estimated purchase amount may be required. — govease.helpscoutdocs.com/article/97-alabama-tax-lien-auction-overview (retrieved 2026-06-02); taxlienuniversity.com (secondary, retrieved 2026-06-02). needs_verification for Shelby County’s specific deposit amount and payment method (whether ACH/wire/e-check accepted via GovEase, as in Baldwin County, or paid directly to county office).
• Full payment deadline: needs_verification — Shelby County’s specific payment deadline after auction close was not confirmed from a directly-retrieved official page. Contact the PTC office.
• Bidder requirements: Internet access and a GovEase account with completed county-specific registration documents (including W-9). Registration must be completed during the county’s designated pre-auction registration window.
• Delinquent list location: Delinquent property search available at the Citizen Access Portal: https://ptc.shelbyal.com/DelqSearch — ptc.shelbyal.com/DelqSearch (retrieved 2026-06-02). For state-held parcels: https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/property-tax/tax-delinquent-property-and-land-sales/
• No surplus in Article 7 sales: Because the auction bids down the interest rate rather than up a cash price, there is no overbid/excess bid and thus no surplus from Shelby County’s current Article 7 tax lien auctions. Surplus issues relate only to pre-Article 7 sale-of-land auctions (pre-2019) in which a cash bid exceeded the probate decree amount. — alabama C1; Ala. Code § 40-10-184.

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

Shelby County uses Article 7; redemption is governed by Ala. Code §§ 40-10-193 and 40-10-197.

• Where to redeem: Shelby County Property Tax Commissioner’s office — 102 Depot Street (or 200 West College Street), Columbiana, AL 35051. Unless the certificate holder has commenced a § 40-10-197 foreclosure action in circuit court, all redemptions go through the PTC office. — shelbyal.com/Directory.aspx?did=39 (retrieved 2026-06-02); taxlienuniversity.com (secondary, retrieved 2026-06-02).
• Local fees: $10 redemption fee to the Tax Collecting Official (Ala. Code § 40-10-193), plus any administrative/origination/certificate fees included in the lien. Total redemption amount = delinquent taxes + interest + penalties + fees and costs + interest at the certificate's bid rate +$10 redemption fee. — Ala. Code § 40-10-193.
• Redemption window: Any time after the auction close until a judgment of foreclosure is entered in a § 40-10-197 circuit court action. The certificate holder cannot commence foreclosure before 3 years after the auction; the lien expires if not foreclosed within 10 years. — Ala. Code §§ 40-10-193, 40-10-197(a); alabama C2.B.
• After foreclosure action filed: A party with the right to redeem may still redeem before final judgment by paying the redemption amount into the Shelby County Circuit Court. — Ala. Code § 40-10-197(c).
• Redemption contact:
  • Office: Shelby County Property Tax Commissioner
  • Phone: (205) 670-6900 (option 1 for tax lien auction/redemption questions)
  • Address: 102 Depot Street, PO Box 1269, Columbiana, AL 35051 (also: 200 West College Street, Columbiana, AL 35051)
  • Web: https://ptc.shelbyal.com/
• Deviations from state default: None identified. Shelby County operates under the standard Article 7 framework. For pre-2019 sale-of-land parcels still held by the State, redemption runs through the ADOR price-quote process at https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/property-tax/tax-delinquent-property-and-land-sales/. — sold-to-state.

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

Important: Shelby County’s current Article 7 lien auctions generate no surplus (bid-down interest, no cash overbid). The following applies only to pre-Article 7 “sale of land” tax sales (pre-2019 delinquencies) in which a cash bid above the probate court decree amount occurred.

• Background — Shiloh Creek case: Shelby County was directly involved in a landmark Alabama Supreme Court decision (June 2022). In 2011, the county sold Shiloh Creek LLC’s property (owed $1,882.73 in taxes) for$25,882.73 at a tax sale and retained the $24,000 surplus. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that counties must return surplus funds to property owners for sales before the August 2013 statutory amendment. — governing.com/finance/alabama-counties-must-return-extra-money-to-property-owners (retrieved 2026-06-02).
• Current surplus framework (§ 40-10-28, as amended): For sale-of-land auctions occurring in 2014 and later, the surplus is released to the former owner only upon proof of redemption (see alabama Module 3). The County Commission holds funds in a separate account. For sales in calendar year 2016 and later, unclaimed surplus becomes county property after 10 years if no proof of redemption is presented. — Ala. Code § 40-10-28 (2017 amendment per ACCA Act 2017-130); alabama Module 3.
• Claim filing venue: Under Ala. Code § 40-10-28, the Shelby County Commission holds and is the releasing authority for excess bids from sale-of-land tax auctions. No dedicated Shelby County online surplus-claim form page was retrieved from a directly-fetched official page.
  • Shelby County Commission: 200 West College St., Room 123, Columbiana, AL 35051 · (205) 670-6550
  • Shelby County Property Tax Commissioner: 102 Depot Street, Columbiana, AL 35051 · (205) 670-6900
• Claim form: needs_verification — No Shelby County-specific excess-bid claim form was located on a directly-retrieved official page. Contact the County Commission or PTC office directly for the current claim form and procedure.
• Local deadline notes: For post-2013 sale-of-land sales: surplus is released only upon proof of redemption within the 3-year statutory period (or by circuit court order evidencing redemption after the period). For sales in 2016+: 10-year outer limit; funds become county property if unclaimed. The § 40-10-28 “redeem-to-claim” design is flagged as constitutionally questionable post-Tyler v. Hennepin County (2023). — Ala. Code § 40-10-28; tyler-v-hennepin-county; alabama Module 3.
• Unclaimed list published: needs_verification — No public listing of unclaimed excess bids from pre-2019 sale-of-land auctions was located on a directly-retrieved Shelby County official page.
• Contact:
  • Shelby County Commission: 200 West College St. Rm 123, Columbiana, AL 35051 · (205) 670-6550 · https://www.shelbyal.com/93/County-Commission
  • Shelby County Property Tax Commissioner: (205) 670-6900 · https://ptc.shelbyal.com/

▸ For Investors / Operators — Shelby County was Alabama’s first Article 7 county (inaugural auction April 2, 2019) and uses GovEase (govease.com) for its annual online bid-down-interest lien auction; interest opens at 12% per annum and is bid down in 1% increments, with ties broken by random number generator. Because the auction bids down interest rather than up a cash price, no surplus is generated from current (post-2018) auctions — there is no overbid pool to monitor. The certificate holder cannot commence foreclosure before 3 years from the auction; the lien expires if not foreclosed within 10 years (Ala. Code §§ 40-10-193, 40-10-197). For pre-2019 sale-of-land parcels still held by the State, the ADOR price-quote process applies — but those conveyances do not give clear title.

▸ For Former Owners — Surplus claims apply only to pre-2019 sale-of-land tax sales (before Shelby County adopted Article 7). Under Ala. Code § 40-10-28, excess bids from those sales are held by the Shelby County Commission (200 West College St., Room 123, Columbiana, AL 35051; (205) 670-6550). For sales in 2016 and later, unclaimed surplus becomes county property after 10 years. The § 40-10-28 “redeem-to-claim” design is flagged as constitutionally questionable post-Tyler v. Hennepin County (2023). Contact the Commission or the Property Tax Commissioner (205-670-6900) for current claim procedures; no standard county form was confirmed from official pages. Under the current Article 7 system, redemption runs through the Property Tax Commissioner’s office (102 Depot Street, Columbiana; 205-670-6900).

C4. Offices & Contacts

Note: In Alabama, the Probate Court’s Recording Division performs register-of-deeds functions (recording deeds, mortgages, liens, plats). Deed records from 1819 are available free online at probaterecords.shelbyal.com. — shelbyal.com/1143/Recording (retrieved 2026-06-02).

C5. Local Procedure Notes

• Article 7 pioneer: Shelby County was the first county in Alabama to hold a tax lien auction under Act 2018-577 (now codified at Ala. Code §§ 40-10-180 et seq.). The inaugural auction (April 2, 2019) had 278 properties listed totaling $269,320.80 in delinquencies; 31 properties received no bids and reverted to the county. Former PTC Don Armstrong co-authored the enabling legislation with Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner Teddy Faust. — BiggerPockets.com/forums/531/topics/693060 (retrieved 2026-06-02); Shelby County Reporter 2018-10-04.
• Current commissioner: Jacob Tidmore was sworn in as the new Shelby County Property Tax Commissioner in March 2025, succeeding Don Armstrong. — Shelby County Reporter 2025-03-24.
• Pre-2019 parcels / State-held land: Properties delinquent before tax year 2019 that were bid in for the State may still be available for purchase through the ADOR price-quote process. The ADOR publishes transcripts of state-held parcels (updated weekly). Neither an ADOR assignment nor a tax deed from the State gives clear title. — https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/property-tax/tax-delinquent-property-and-land-sales/; sold-to-state.
• ADOR service center (Jefferson/Shelby): 250 Riverchase Parkway East, 4th Floor, Hoover, AL 35244; Mailing: PO Box 1927, Pelham, AL 35124; Phone: (205) 733-2740; Hours: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. This center handles Jefferson and Shelby County ADOR property-tax matters. — revenue.alabama.gov/service-centers/jackson-shelby/ (retrieved 2026-06-02).
• No surplus from current lien auctions: Because Article 7 bids down interest rather than cash, there is no overbid mechanism and no surplus pool for auctions held since 2019. Surplus claims exist only for pre-2019 sale-of-land tax years.
• Stiff v. Equivest legacy: For any pre-2019 sale-of-land parcels in Shelby County, verify that each sale was conducted at the proper exterior courthouse location per Ala. Code § 40-10-15. The Alabama Supreme Court voided a similarly-situated Bessemer/Jefferson County sale in stiff-v-equivest-financial-2020 (Ala. 2020). Under Article 7 (current system), this in-person location issue is moot for new lien auctions.
• Shiloh Creek LLC case: Shelby County was directly litigated in a 2022 Alabama Supreme Court case holding that surplus from pre-August-2013 sale-of-land auctions must be returned to property owners. This case established precedent applied statewide. — governing.com (retrieved 2026-06-02); alabama Module 3.

C6. Records Access

• Parcel / property search: Citizen Access Portal — https://ptc.shelbyal.com/ (search by owner name, address, or parcel; includes property valuation, tax information, land/building details, deed information, building sketches, and GIS maps). Parcel viewer specifically at https://ptc.shelbyal.com/parcelviewer/
• Recorder / deed search: Shelby County Probate Court Recording Room Records Search — http://probaterecords.shelbyal.com (deed records free to search from 1819 to present, no fee to view). — shelbyal.com/1143/Recording (retrieved 2026-06-02).
• GIS map: Shelby County GIS Public Website — https://maps.shelbyal.com/ (ArcGIS-based; search by owner name, street address, parcel number, or subdivision). ArcGIS web app: https://maps.shelbyal.com/html5/
• Tax payment portal: Citizen Access Portal — https://ptc.shelbyal.com/ (online tax payment available through the portal).
• Delinquent list search: https://ptc.shelbyal.com/DelqSearch
• GovEase auction / investor registration: https://www.govease.com/auctions (specific Shelby County dates published there when available).
• State-held delinquent property (ADOR): https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/property-tax/tax-delinquent-property-and-land-sales/ (Shelby County transcript for parcels held by the State).

C7. Meta

sources:

• {type: official, url: https://ptc.shelbyal.com/, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “Citizen Access Portal — Property Tax Commissioner Jacob Tidmore; parcel search, tax payment, delinquent search; 102 Depot Street and 200 West College Street, Columbiana AL 35051; (205) 670-6900”}
• {type: official, url: https://www.shelbyal.com/Directory.aspx?did=39, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “Staff Directory — PTC office: 102 Depot Street PO Box 1269 Columbiana AL 35051; phone (205) 670-6900; fax (205) 670-6915”}
• {type: official, url: https://www.shelbyal.com/285/Probate-Court, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “Probate Court — Judge Allison S. Boyd; 112 N. Main Street Room A101 / PO Box 825, Columbiana AL 35051; judicial phone (205) 670-5210; recording phone (205) 670-5220; hours Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm”}
• {type: official, url: https://www.shelbyal.com/1143/Recording, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “Recording office — documents: deeds, mortgages, UCC, plats, liens; deed search at http://probaterecords.shelbyal.com; marriage licenses; recording address: 200 West College Street, Columbiana AL 35051”}
• {type: official, url: http://probaterecords.shelbyal.com, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “Shelby County Probate Court deed/recording records search — free access from 1819 to present”}
• {type: official, url: https://shelby.alacourt.gov/, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “Circuit Clerk Mary H. Harris; 112 North Main Street Room 1F, PO Box 1810, Columbiana AL 35051; (205) 669-3760; hours Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm (open during lunch)”}
• {type: official, url: https://shelbyso.com/, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “Sheriff John Samaniego; PO Box 1095, Columbiana AL 35051; (205) 670-6000; fax (205) 669-3865”}
• {type: official, url: https://www.shelbyal.com/93/County-Commission, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “County Commission — Chair Jon Parker (District 3); 200 West College St. Rm 123, Columbiana AL 35051; Commissioners: Kevin Morris (D1), Tommy Edwards (D2), Jon Parker (D3), Ward Williams (D4), Elwyn Bearden (D5), Josh Sisk (D6), Lindsey Allison (D7), Rick Shepherd (D8), Robbie Hayes (D9 Vice Chair)”}
• {type: official, url: https://maps.shelbyal.com/, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “Shelby County GIS Public Website; ArcGIS-based; parcel/owner/address/subdivision search”}
• {type: official, url: https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/service-centers/jackson-shelby/, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “ADOR Jefferson/Shelby service center; 250 Riverchase Pkwy East 4th floor, Hoover AL 35244; Mailing: PO Box 1927 Pelham AL 35124; (205) 733-2740; 8am-5pm”}
• {type: official, url: https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/property-tax/tax-delinquent-property-and-land-sales/, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “ADOR state-held delinquent property — Shelby County transcript for pre-2019 parcels bid in for State; price-quote process; no clear title from assignment or deed”}
• {type: secondary, url: https://govease.helpscoutdocs.com/article/97-alabama-tax-lien-auction-overview, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “GovEase Alabama tax lien auction overview — bid-down 12%→0% in 1% increments; W-9 required; registration window; GovEase support (769) 208-5050; payment through county or GovEase depending on county”}
• {type: secondary, url: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/531/topics/693060-shelby-county-alabama-new-tax-lien-auction-procedure, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “First Shelby County Article 7 auction April 2, 2019; 278 properties / $269,320.80 total due; 31 unsold; ~20 active bidders; bid-down 12% in 1% increments; random drawing at 0% tie”}
• {type: secondary, url: https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2018/10/04/local-officials-push-to-change-unfair-delinquent-property-tax-process/, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “2018 news article — Don Armstrong pioneered Act 2018-577; Shelby County to be first AL county to hold tax lien auction; new system eliminates overbid problem for property owners; 39 states use lien auctions”}
• {type: secondary, url: https://www.governing.com/finance/alabama-counties-must-return-extra-money-to-property-owners, retrieved: 2026-06-02, note: “Alabama Supreme Court June 2022 — Shiloh Creek LLC (Shelby County): property sold 2011 for $25,882.73 ($1,882.73 owed in taxes); county kept $24,000 surplus; court ordered return; applies to sales before August 2013 amendment”}
• {type: statute, url: https://mobilecopropertytax.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/40-10-197-Action-to-foreclose-the-right-to-redeem-and-quiet-title-notice-requirements-effect-of.pdf, retrieved: 2026-06-01, note: ”§ 40-10-197 full text — 3-yr minimum / 10-yr maximum foreclosure window; 30-180 day certified-mail pre-filing notice; redemption into circuit court before judgment; tolling; clerk’s deed — retrieved per alabama.md log”}
• {type: secondary, url: https://www.jdsupra.com/post/fileServer.aspx?fName=1e385993-3104-404d-9c1f-cb88c57ad088.pdf, retrieved: 2026-06-01, note: “Burr & Forman 2020 — Alabama dual-system framework; § 40-10-28 surplus mechanics; § 40-10-182/184 lien auction procedure — retrieved per alabama.md log”}

needs_verification:

• Specific annual auction date and registration window for Shelby County’s 2025/2026 GovEase auction — check govease.com/auctions or call (205) 670-6900 (option 1).
• Shelby County’s specific registration deposit amount and payment method for the GovEase auction (10% assumed by analogy to Baldwin/Mobile counties and secondary sources, but no directly-fetched official Shelby County page confirmed this).
• Full payment deadline after auction close (specific to Shelby County).
• Any administrative fee per lien certificate (e.g., $20 origination +$20 auction + $5 certificate, as in Baldwin County; or$45 as in Mobile County) — specific Shelby County fee schedule not confirmed from a directly-retrieved page.
• Specific excess-bid / surplus claim form for pre-2019 sale-of-land tax sales — no official Shelby County form page retrieved; contact County Commission at (205) 670-6550.
• Whether Shelby County publishes a public listing of unclaimed excess bids from pre-2019 sale-of-land sales.
• Whether any 2024–2025 Alabama legislation cured the § 40-10-28 “redeem-to-claim” surplus design post-Tyler v. Hennepin County (2023) — see alabama needs_verification.
• Specific address/URL for taxlienauction.shelbyal.com pages — the site timed out on direct fetch; supplementary information confirmed via indirect sources.
• Current office hours for the Property Tax Commissioner’s office (hours not confirmed from a directly-retrieved page).
• Whether the Citizen Access Portal (ptc.shelbyal.com) has a functional separate page at ptc.shelbyal.com/collection with tax collection procedures — the page returned only a portal header on direct fetch.

cross_links: alabama, right-of-redemption, surplus-funds, tyler-v-hennepin-county, stiff-v-equivest-financial-2020, sold-to-state, bankruptcy-automatic-stay, due-process-notice, third-party-recovery-rules

changelog:

• 2026-06-02 — Initial population (autoresearch). Shelby County confirmed as Alabama’s first Article 7 tax lien county (April 2, 2019 inaugural auction). Commissioner Jacob Tidmore (sworn March 2025). Platform (GovEase), bidding method (bid-down 12% in 1% increments), delinquent search portal, and all four offices (PTC, Probate, Circuit Clerk, Sheriff, County Commission) with verified phone/address confirmed from directly-retrieved official pages. GIS map and deed-search portals confirmed. Pre-2019 sale-of-land surplus framework documented (Shiloh Creek LLC case, § 40-10-28 mechanics) with gaps flagged. No surplus from current Article 7 auctions confirmed.

▸ For Investors / Operators — Shelby County was Alabama’s first Article 7 county (inaugural auction April 2, 2019) and uses GovEase (govease.com) for its annual online bid-down-interest lien auction; interest opens at 12% per annum and is bid down in 1% increments, with ties broken by random number generator. Because the auction bids down interest rather than up a cash price, no surplus is generated from current (post-2018) auctions — there is no overbid pool to monitor. The certificate holder cannot commence foreclosure before 3 years from the auction; the lien expires if not foreclosed within 10 years (Ala. Code §§ 40-10-193, 40-10-197). For pre-2019 sale-of-land parcels still held by the State, the ADOR price-quote process applies — but those conveyances do not give clear title.

▸ For Former Owners — Surplus claims apply only to pre-2019 sale-of-land tax sales (before Shelby County adopted Article 7). Under Ala. Code § 40-10-28, excess bids from those sales are held by the Shelby County Commission (200 West College St., Room 123, Columbiana, AL 35051; (205) 670-6550). For sales in 2016 and later, unclaimed surplus becomes county property after 10 years. The § 40-10-28 “redeem-to-claim” design is flagged as constitutionally questionable post-Tyler v. Hennepin County (2023). Contact the Commission or the Property Tax Commissioner (205-670-6900) for current claim procedures; no standard county form was confirmed from official pages. Under the current Article 7 system, redemption runs through the Property Tax Commissioner’s office (102 Depot Street, Columbiana; 205-670-6900).

Legal information, not legal advice. This page summarizes Shelby County, Alabama tax sale operations from official sources as of the last_verified date. Shelby County uses the Article 7 tax lien certificate system (the first county in Alabama to do so) for tax year 2019 and later delinquencies; pre-2019 properties follow Alabama’s sale-of-land framework. Law changes; verify against the current Code of Alabama 1975 (Title 40 Ch. 10 Art. 7), county official sites, and counsel before acting. Last verified: 2026-06-02.