St. Johns 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 St. Johns County actually runs it. Legal information, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

C0. Identity

• County seat: St. Augustine
• Population: ~273,425 (2020 Census)
• Recording unit: county
• FIPS: 12109
• Parent legal framework: florida

C1. Local Tax Sale

Tax Certificate Sale (annual lien auction):

• Conducts own sale? Yes — the St. Johns County Tax Collector conducts the annual tax certificate sale independently.
• Platform / vendor: Zeus Auction at www.zeusauction.com. Technical support via SRI: 1-800-800-9588. (Source: sjctax.us/tax-certificate-sales/, retrieved 2026-06-02)
• Calendar:
  • Frequency: Annual (on or before June 1, per Florida Statute § 197.432).
  • 2026 sale: Registration opened May 1, 2026; auction began May 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM.
  • Delinquent-tax payment deadline to avoid certificate issuance: May 28, 2026 at 5:00 PM (online payments suspended at that time; certified funds only thereafter).
• Rate within statutory range: Bidding starts at the statutory maximum of 18% per year and is bid down in 0.25% increments; winning bid is the lowest rate accepted. Minimum guaranteed return to certificate holder: 5% (unless the bid was 0%). Consistent with Florida’s statewide framework (§ 197.432, § 197.472).
• Registration: All bidders must register at www.zeusauction.com before participating. Registration for the 2026 sale opened May 1, 2026.
• Deposit / payment: Payment for certificates must be made via ACH within 48 hours of sale conclusion. No deposit amount separately specified on the Tax Collector’s page beyond the ACH requirement.
• Bidder requirements: Active Zeus Auction account; ACH payment capability. Delinquent taxpayer payments in person must be made with certified funds only (no personal/business checks or cards).
• Delinquent list location: The St. Johns County Delinquent Real Estate Tax list for real estate and tangible personal property is published online (link to be confirmed at sjctax.us at time of sale); newspaper notice of the sale date is also published. (Source: sjctax.us/tax-certificate-sales/, retrieved 2026-06-02)
• Certificate life: Certificates remain valid for 7 years from issuance; tax-deed application may be made between years 2 and 7. (Per § 197.502, § 197.482; see parent florida page.)

Tax Deed Sale (auction for the property itself):

• Platform: In-person only — no online platform. Bidders must be physically present at the auction. (Source: stjohnsclerk.com/foreclosure/tax-deeds-2/, retrieved 2026-06-02; FAQ confirmed physical presence required)
• Conducted by: Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller (Brandon J. Patty), consistent with § 197.542.
• Location: Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084.
• Timing: Generally held several times per month on Wednesdays at 12:00 PM EST. Notice of pending tax deed sales published in the St. Augustine Record four weeks prior to the sale date. (Source: stjohnsclerk.com/foreclosure/tax-deeds-2/frequently-asked-questions/, retrieved 2026-06-02)
• Deposit at sale: Greater of $200 or 5% of the highest bid (non-refundable); accepted in cash or certified funds only — no personal checks or credit/debit cards. (Per § 197.542(2); confirmed by stjohnsclerk.com/foreclosure/tax-deeds-2/, retrieved 2026-06-02)
• Balance due: Full remaining balance payable within 24 hours of sale (excluding weekends/holidays); non-payment results in deposit forfeiture and potential ban from future sales.
• No registration required for tax deed sales — arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled auction. (Source: FAQ page, retrieved 2026-06-02)
• Online tax deed search portal: apps.stjohnsclerk.com/TaxSmart (search pending sales, surplus cases; note: portal returned HTTP 403 when accessed directly by this research agent — access may require a browser session).

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

• Where to redeem: Tax certificates are redeemed through the St. Johns County Tax Collector’s Office. The owner or any person with a legal or equitable interest may redeem at any time before the tax deed is issued (§ 197.472).
• Offices (4 locations):
  • Main: 4030 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084 — (904) 209-2250
  • Dupont Center: 6658 US1 South, St. Augustine, FL 32086
  • Julington Creek: 725 Flora Branch Blvd, St. Johns, FL 32259
  • Ponte Vedra: 151 Sawgrass Corners Dr., Ste. 100, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
  • All branches share the main line: (904) 209-2250
• Online payment for delinquent taxes: www.stjohnstax.us (online payments suspended at May 28 deadline before the certificate sale).
• Local fees: Standard statutory redemption amount: face value of certificate + accrued interest + costs; subject to 5% mandatory minimum per § 197.472(2). No additional county-specific fee identified beyond statutory requirements.
• Deviations from state default: None identified. The Tax Collector notes that delinquent taxpayers paying in person after the online deadline must use certified funds only (no personal checks or cards).
• Contact: (904) 209-2250 | taxcollector@sjctax.us | sjctax.us

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

• Claim filing venue: Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller — Tax Deeds Division, Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084.
• Claim form: “Tax Deed Surplus Form” (also titled “NOTICE OF SURPLUS” on the form itself). Available for download at: stjohnsclerk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Tax-Deed-Surplus-Form-8-2025.pdf (updated August 2025). (Source: stjohnsclerk.com/courtforms/, retrieved 2026-06-02)
• Surplus occurs when: The final selling price at the tax deed sale exceeds the opening bid amount; excess proceeds are held per Florida Statute § 197.582.
• Local deadline notes: The clerk stated that claimants must “file a claim with the clerk no later than the date that the Clerk reports the funds as unclaimed.” The state-law baseline is 120 days from the clerk’s mailed notice (§ 197.582(2)–(3)); after that window, only the owner of record as of the lis pendens may claim. Contact the clerk’s office directly to confirm whether St. Johns applies any local procedures beyond the statutory minimum. (needs_verification: exact local deadline language confirmed from clerk vs. statute only)
• Clerk fee for surplus: $10 (per § 28.24(22); confirmed by stjohnsclerk.com/foreclosure/tax-deeds-2/, retrieved 2026-06-02).
• Surplus cases listed: Within the TaxSmart system at apps.stjohnsclerk.com/TaxSmart — a “Surplus Funds” tab is accessible through the tax deed search.
• Unclaimed-list published: Not separately published as a standalone list; surplus cases appear within TaxSmart. (needs_verification: whether clerk publishes a separate unclaimed surplus list beyond TaxSmart)
• Contact:
  • Phone: (904) 819-3600
  • Email: taxdeeds@stjohnsclerk.com
  • Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

▸ For Investors / Operators — St. Johns County is notably in-person only for tax deed auctions (Wednesdays at noon at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center — no online platform), unlike many Florida counties. The deposit is 5% or $200 (whichever is greater) in cash or certified funds; balance is due within 24 hours. The annual certificate sale uses Zeus Auction (not RealAuction/Grant Street); certificates remain valid 7 years and the deed application window opens 2 years after issuance. Mortgage foreclosure sales, by contrast, are online via RealForeclose/RealAuction. Title companies routinely require a quiet title action before insuring a St. Johns tax deed, given Florida’s strict-notice case law.

▸ For Former Owners — If a tax deed sale exceeds the amount owed, surplus is held by Clerk Brandon J. Patty’s Tax Deeds Division (904-819-3600; taxdeeds@stjohnsclerk.com). The claim form is the “Tax Deed Surplus Form” (August 2025 version), downloadable from stjohnsclerk.com/courtforms/; the $10 clerk fee applies (§ 28.24(22)). Under § 197.582 the general deadline is 120 days from the clerk’s mailed notice; after that window only the record owner as of the lis pendens may claim. Surplus cases are searchable through the TaxSmart portal at apps.stjohnsclerk.com/TaxSmart.

C4. Offices & Contacts

Note on Sheriff: In Florida, the Clerk of the Circuit Court (not the Sheriff) conducts both tax deed sales and mortgage foreclosure sales. The Sheriff serves notices on in-county occupants as required by § 197.522(2) (directory only, per dawson-v-saada-1992).

C5. Local Procedure Notes

• Tax deed sales are in-person only at the courthouse — unlike many Florida counties that have migrated to online platforms (RealAuction/Grant Street Group). Bidders must be physically present at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center. Cell phones must be silenced; no interruptions once bidding begins.
• Mortgage/foreclosure sales are online via RealForeclose / RealAuction platform. Contact for plaintiff access: customerservice@realauction.com | (877) 361-7325. Online registration required; ACH deposit of 5% of estimated high bid per property; balance due by 2:00 PM EST next business day via wire transfer ($15 wire fee). Clerk charges$70 sale fee + $70 electronic service charge per sale. (Source: stjohnsclerk.com/foreclosure/foreclosure-sales/, retrieved 2026-06-02)
• Sale publication: Tax deed notices published in the St. Augustine Record four weeks prior. (Consistent with § 197.522’s 4-consecutive-week publication requirement.)
• Properties sold AS IS, BUYER BEWARE — the Clerk’s Office explicitly cannot provide legal advice or assist with property research. Title insurance companies typically require quiet title before insuring.
• Payment accepted at tax deed sales: Cash or certified funds only. No personal checks, credit cards, or debit cards.
• Surplus trustee (mortgage foreclosure): Under § 45.033, if no surplus claim is filed within 60 days of certificate of disbursements, the clerk appoints a surplus trustee from a qualified list.

C6. Records Access

C7. Meta

sources:

• {type: official, url: https://sjctax.us/tax-certificate-sales/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Zeus Auction platform, 2026 sale dates, registration, interest rate, delinquent list, ACH payment, Tax Collector Jennifer Pomar Ravan
• {type: official, url: https://sjctax.us/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Tax Collector main page; phone 904-209-2250
• {type: official, url: https://sjctax.us/contact/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Tax Collector office locations (main + 3 branches), addresses, hours
• {type: official, url: https://stjohnsclerk.com/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Clerk of Court Brandon J. Patty; address 4010 Lewis Speedway; phone (904) 819-3600
• {type: official, url: https://stjohnsclerk.com/contact/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Clerk contact details, division emails including taxdeeds@stjohnsclerk.com
• {type: official, url: https://stjohnsclerk.com/foreclosure/tax-deeds-2/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Tax deed sale procedure, in-person only, fees table, surplus per § 197.582, $10 surplus clerk fee, TaxSmart portal reference
• {type: official, url: https://stjohnsclerk.com/foreclosure/tax-deeds-2/frequently-asked-questions/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — No registration required, Wednesdays 12pm EST, in-person required, 24-hr payment deadline, deposit terms, surplus defined
• {type: official, url: https://stjohnsclerk.com/foreclosure/foreclosure-sales/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Mortgage foreclosure sales via RealForeclose/RealAuction online; deposit 5%; wire transfer balance; $70 +$70 clerk fees; surplus refund process
• {type: official, url: https://stjohnsclerk.com/courtforms/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Tax Deed Surplus Form link found in Recording/Tax Deeds subsection
• {type: official, url: https://stjohnsclerk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Tax-Deed-Surplus-Form-8-2025.pdf, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — “NOTICE OF SURPLUS” form; PDF accessible; fields confirmed (lienholder, titleholder, dates); updated August 2025
• {type: official, url: https://stjohnsclerk.com/recording/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Official records search via Landmark portal (apps.stjohnsclerk.com/Landmark); e-recording via Simplifile/CSC
• {type: official, url: https://stjohnsclerk.com/foreclosure/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Foreclosure page; surplus claims deadline language (“no later than date Clerk reports funds as unclaimed”); only owner of record as of lis pendens may claim after unclaimed report
• {type: official, url: https://www.sjcpa.gov/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Property Appraiser Eddie Creamer, CFA; phone (904) 827-5500; email sjcpa@sjcpa.gov; QPublic parcel search and GIS map links
• {type: official, url: https://www.sjcpa.gov/contact/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — PA address: 4030 Lewis Speedway, Suite 203, St. Augustine, FL 32084
• {type: official, url: https://www.sjcpa.gov/mappingownership/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — QPublic parcel search URL and GIS map URL confirmed; GIS Dept: 904-827-5503 / GIS@sjcpa.gov
• {type: official, url: https://www.sjso.org/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — Sheriff Robert A. Hardwick; address 4015 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084; phone (904) 824-8304
• {type: official, url: https://www.sjcfl.us/, retrieved: 2026-06-02} — County government portal; constitutional officers confirmed (Tax Collector sjctax.us, Clerk stjohnsclerk.com, PA sjcpa.gov)

needs_verification:

• Whether the exact local deadline language for surplus claims at the Clerk’s office matches the § 197.582 120-day window, or whether St. Johns applies any additional local notice/procedure steps. The foreclosure page states “no later than the date that the Clerk reports the funds as unclaimed” without specifying the 120-day trigger explicitly.
• Whether the Clerk publishes a separate unclaimed surplus list beyond the TaxSmart portal tab; no standalone published list was found during research.
• Deposit/registration requirements for Zeus Auction — no dollar-amount deposit was specified for the certificate sale (only ACH payment within 48 hours). Confirm if a pre-deposit is required before bidding.
• TaxSmart portal (apps.stjohnsclerk.com/TaxSmart) returned HTTP 403 — full functionality for searching active surplus cases and pending sales not verified by direct fetch; presumed to require a browser session.
• Delinquent list URL — the Tax Collector states the list “will be published online” but the specific URL was not confirmed (verify at sjctax.us at time of sale).
• 2027 sale dates — only 2026 dates confirmed (May 29, 2026). Confirm future year dates with Tax Collector.
• Property Appraiser address — confirmed as 4030 Lewis Speedway, Suite 203, consistent with Tax Collector main office same street address; confirm they are distinct suites in the same building.

cross_links: florida, right-of-redemption, surplus-funds, third-party-recovery-rules, tyler-v-hennepin-county, dawson-v-saada-1992, vosilla-v-rosado-2006, cricket-properties-v-nassau-pointe-2013, bankruptcy-automatic-stay, due-process-notice, heirs-property

changelog:

• 2026-06-02 — Initial population (autoresearch wave 1). All 8 county modules filled. Key local findings: tax deed sales are IN-PERSON only (not online), held Wednesdays at noon at the courthouse; certificate sales use Zeus Auction (not RealAuction/Grant Street); mortgage foreclosure sales online via RealForeclose. Surplus claim form confirmed available (August 2025 version). Tax Collector: Jennifer Pomar Ravan; Clerk: Brandon J. Patty; PA: Eddie Creamer.

▸ For Investors / Operators — St. Johns County is notably in-person only for tax deed auctions (Wednesdays at noon at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center — no online platform), unlike many Florida counties. The deposit is 5% or $200 (whichever is greater) in cash or certified funds; balance is due within 24 hours. The annual certificate sale uses Zeus Auction (not RealAuction/Grant Street); certificates remain valid 7 years and the deed application window opens 2 years after issuance. Mortgage foreclosure sales, by contrast, are online via RealForeclose/RealAuction. Title companies routinely require a quiet title action before insuring a St. Johns tax deed, given Florida’s strict-notice case law.

▸ For Former Owners — If a tax deed sale exceeds the amount owed, surplus is held by Clerk Brandon J. Patty’s Tax Deeds Division (904-819-3600; taxdeeds@stjohnsclerk.com). The claim form is the “Tax Deed Surplus Form” (August 2025 version), downloadable from stjohnsclerk.com/courtforms/; the $10 clerk fee applies (§ 28.24(22)). Under § 197.582 the general deadline is 120 days from the clerk’s mailed notice; after that window only the record owner as of the lis pendens may claim. Surplus cases are searchable through the TaxSmart portal at apps.stjohnsclerk.com/TaxSmart.

Legal information, not legal advice. This page summarizes St. Johns County, Florida tax and mortgage foreclosure procedures for research purposes only. It may be incomplete or out of date. Statutes, local rules, and sale calendars change. Consult a licensed Florida attorney before acting. Verify every figure, deadline, and platform detail against the cited primary sources and the county offices directly. Last verified: 2026-06-02.