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Washington County, MN

17 min read

Washington County, Minnesota — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

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

C0. Identity

  • County seat: City of Stillwater (pop. 19,394 per 2020 census), on the west bank of the St. Croix River in the Minneapolis–St. Paul east metro. — Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stillwater,_Minnesota (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • County population: ~267,568. FIPS: 27163.
  • Recording unit: County. Most property in Washington County is Abstract; owners may convert to Torrens (registered land) through land registration. Recorder/Registrar of Titles functions are consolidated in Property Records & Taxpayer Services. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/721/Land-Records-and-Recording (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Parent legal framework: minnesota — Minnesota is a forfeiture-to-state / tax-deed jurisdiction (Minn. Stat. ch. 281–282). No lien certificates are sold to investors. The county auditor/Property Records & Taxpayer Services Department administers the forfeiture process; the county sheriff conducts mortgage-foreclosure sales by advertisement (Minn. Stat. ch. 580).

C1. Local Tax Sale

  • Conducts own sale? Yes — the Property Records & Taxpayer Services (PRTS) Department (which encompasses the statutory county auditor function) administers tax-forfeited land sales under Minn. Stat. ch. 282.
  • Platform / conduct: Sales are held in-person OR by online auction, with the format indicated per sale; recent practice has been in-person physical auctions at the Government Center (no third-party online vendor was identified as in use for the current cycle). Absentee bidding is prohibited; bidders must present valid picture ID to obtain a bidding card. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/1140/Tax-Forfeited-Land (retrieved 2026-06-02); https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/faq.aspx?TID=30 (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Auction location: Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082 (recent sales held in Meeting Room LL13). — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/CivicSend/ViewMessage/message/282295 (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Sale calendar: No fixed statewide calendar; the County Board / PRTS sets the schedule. Newly forfeited property is offered at an initial public auction within six months of the later of the forfeiture date or the date the property was vacated. Notice of each sale is published on the county site at least 30 days prior, and subscribers to the free email list are notified 3 weeks prior. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/1140/Tax-Forfeited-Land (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Next known sale: A single-parcel sale (6317 165th St N, Hugo; parcel 08.031.21.41.0013) was noticed for March 6, 2026, 1:00 p.m., with a second sale April 6, 2026, 1:00 p.m. if unsold, in-person at the Government Center (Meeting Room LL13). An earlier auction ran December 20, 2024, 2:00 p.m. at the Government Center. As of the last-verified date the county’s page showed “None at this time” for additional scheduled auctions. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/CivicSend/ViewMessage/message/282295 (retrieved 2026-06-02); https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/faq.aspx?TID=30 (retrieved 2026-06-02); https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/1140/Tax-Forfeited-Land (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Minimum bid: The initial public auction is a two-part sale — the parcel is first offered at the most recent estimated market value as the starting bid; if unsold after 30 days, the starting bid drops to the amount of delinquent taxes, special assessments, penalties, interest, and costs. Inventory auctions use appraised value plus special assessments levied after forfeiture. Consistent with Minn. Stat. 282.01 subd. 3/7. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/1140/Tax-Forfeited-Land (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Registration / deposit: No pre-registration deposit was published for in-person auctions; bidders register on-site with valid photo ID to obtain a bidding card. Online-auction registration terms would be specified per sale. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/faq.aspx?TID=30 (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Buyer’s fees at closing (in addition to winning bid): State deed tax; $25.00 state deed issuance fee; $5.00 county conservation fee; $46.00 recording fee. (A $250 repurchase fee applies to former-owner repurchases — see C2.) After full payment the Minnesota Dept. of Revenue issues a State Deed, which is recorded with county property records. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/1140/Tax-Forfeited-Land (retrieved 2026-06-02); https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/faq.aspx?TID=30 (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Bidder requirements: Any member of the public may bid. County employees are generally prohibited from purchasing under Minn. Stat. 282.016, with limited exceptions. Former owners who could have repurchased may not purchase the same parcel below the tax-debt amount (Minn. Stat. 282.01 subd. 7). — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/faq.aspx?TID=30 (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Delinquent list location: The Delinquent Tax List (parcel numbers, owner names, addresses, descriptions, amounts owed) is published in newspapers and posted at the Property Records office; a PDF is posted on the county site (e.g., https://washingtoncountymn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/47301/Delinquent-Tax-List-pdf). — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/706/Delinquent-Property-Taxes (retrieved 2026-06-02)

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

  • Redemption period: Three (3) years from the date the land is sold to the State at the tax judgment sale; the first year of delinquency begins the three-year redemption period (Minn. Stat. 281.17). The period does not expire automatically — the county must serve a Notice of Expiration of Redemption; the period ends 60 days after service and filing of proof. See minnesota §2. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/706/Delinquent-Property-Taxes (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Where to redeem: PRTS — Taxation Division, Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd Street North (PO Box 6), Stillwater, MN 55082-0006. Pay all delinquent taxes, special assessments, penalties, interest, and costs in full. Contact the Taxation Division for the exact payoff before expiration; online tax payment at https://mn-washington.publicaccessnow.com/. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/706/Delinquent-Property-Taxes (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Local fees: A $25 delinquency fee is added when delinquency proceedings begin (publication/notification), and a $150 fee is added to cover publication, notification, and sheriff service of the expiration notice. Formal certified-mail notice and newspaper publication typically issue in April; the 2026 redemption payment deadline referenced by the county was July 17, 2026. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/706/Delinquent-Property-Taxes (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Redemption contact:
  • Deviations from state default: None identified. Standard Minn. Stat. 281.17 three-year period with 60-day post-notice extension applies.
  • Repurchase (post-forfeiture / pre-sale): Former owner / heirs may repurchase under Minn. Stat. 282.241; the county treats repurchase as permitted prior to the public sale (“prior” = by the end of the business day before the sale, 4:30 p.m.). Repurchase payment must be by cashier’s check, money order, or certified check, and includes state deed tax, a $250 repurchase fee,$25 state deed issuance fee, $5 county conservation fee, and$46 recording fee. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/1140/Tax-Forfeited-Land (retrieved 2026-06-02); https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/faq.aspx?TID=30 (retrieved 2026-06-02)

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

Reflects the post-Tyler 2024 rewrite of Minn. Stat. 282.005. See tyler-v-hennepin-county and minnesota §3 for the legal framework. Washington County’s public tax-forfeiture pages did not, as of the last-verified date, publish a standalone surplus-claims notice or claim-form link; the statutory auditor-administered process governs. Direct surplus-claim page/form URL → needs_verification.

  • Claim filing venue: County Auditor / PRTS — Taxation Division, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082, per Minn. Stat. 282.005. Contested claims are deposited in Washington County District Court (Tenth Judicial District) via Rule 67 interpleader per Minn. Stat. 282.005 subd. 6(c). Court: Washington County Courthouse, 14949 62nd Street North, PO Box 3802, Stillwater, MN 55082; phone 651-413-8030. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/470/Property-Records-and-Taxpayer-Services (retrieved 2026-06-02); https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/washington (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Claim form: Under Minn. Stat. 282.005 the county auditor mails the surplus notice and claim form to interested parties within 60 days of the sale (certified mail to parties of record; first-class to occupants); a second notice is sent 90–120 days after the sale if no claim is filed. No standalone downloadable Washington County claim form was located. See minnesota §3.
  • Local deadline notes: Six (6) months from the date of first mailing of the notice (Minn. Stat. 282.005 subd. 6(a)). After the deadline, proceeds return to the county’s forfeited tax sale fund (§282.005 subd. 9). For pre-2024 forfeitures, former owners may check the MN Tax Forfeiture (Tyler class) Settlement at https://www.mntaxforfeituresettlement.com/ — that claim deadline was June 6, 2025 and the window is now closed.
  • Unclaimed list published? No standalone surplus/unclaimed-proceeds list was located on the county site as of the last-verified date. → needs_verification.
  • Contact:

▸ For Investors / Operators — Washington County sells no lien certificates; the State takes fee title at the tax judgment sale and the county later conveys forfeited land by state deed at an initial two-part public auction (estimated market value, then a reduced minimum bid after 30 days). Acquisition-relevant facts: the three-year redemption period and the 60-day Notice-of-Expiration trigger before forfeiture (minnesota §2 — Minn. Stat. 281.17, 281.21, 281.23); the path to marketable/insurable title (§5b — a 559.01 quiet-title action or Torrens registration, the 284.28 one-year challenge bar, the 40-year ch. 541.023 Marketable Title Act); and which liens survive the state deed (§7b — federal tax liens / IRS § 7425 120-day redemption, the limited six-month MCIOA § 515B.3-116 HOA priority, CERCLA). The post-Tyler 282.005 surplus process is freshly reformed (2024).

▸ For Former Owners — When tax-forfeited land sells for more than the minimum bid (delinquent taxes, assessments, penalties, interest, and costs), the surplus belongs to interested parties — the former owner and other interest holders — under the 2024 post-Tyler rewrite (Minn. Stat. 282.005). The county auditor (PRTS — Taxation Division) must mail notice and a claim form by certified mail within 60 days of the sale; the claim is filed with the county auditor within six months of that first notice, with disputes resolved in Washington County District Court by Rule 67 interpleader. A former owner / heir may instead repurchase the parcel before the public sale (Minn. Stat. 282.241; $250 repurchase fee).

C4. Offices & Contacts

OfficeName/RoleAddressPhoneURL
Property Records & Taxpayer Services (Auditor / Treasurer / Recorder / Registrar of Titles / Assessor functions consolidated)Director Amy Stenftenagel14949 62nd St N, Stillwater, MN 55082651-430-6175 (general); 651-430-6155 (Tax-Forfeited Land)https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/470/Property-Records-and-Taxpayer-Services
District Court (surplus interpleader / tax judgment / quiet title)Washington County District Court — Tenth Judicial District14949 62nd St N, PO Box 3802, Stillwater, MN 55082651-413-8030https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/washington
Recorder / Registrar of TitlesPRTS — Recorder / Registrar of Titles14949 62nd St N, Stillwater, MN 55082651-430-6175https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/721/Land-Records-and-Recording
Examiner of Titles (Torrens)F. Joseph Taylor, Examiner of Titles8063 Hadley Ave S, Cottage Grove, MN 55046651-459-6644https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/721/Land-Records-and-Recording
Sheriff — Civil Unit (mortgage foreclosure sales by advertisement)Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Civil UnitLaw Enforcement Center, 15015 62nd St N, Stillwater, MN 55082651-430-7675https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/3203/Civil-Unit

Note: Washington County consolidates the statutory County Auditor, County Treasurer, County Assessor, County Recorder/Registrar of Titles, and tax functions into a single Property Records & Taxpayer Services (PRTS) Department at the Government Center, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater. The general PRTS line is 651-430-6175; the Tax-Forfeited Land desk is 651-430-6155.

C5. Local Procedure Notes

  • Tax forfeiture timeline: Taxes due Year 1 → delinquent → first year of delinquency begins the 3-year redemption period → parcel “sold to the State” at tax judgment sale → Notice of Expiration of Redemption served (certified mail + newspaper, typically April) → forfeiture absolute 60 days after service → county classifies land → initial public auction within six months of forfeiture/vacancy. A $25 delinquency fee and a$150 notice/sheriff-service fee are added during the process. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/706/Delinquent-Property-Taxes (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Two-part initial auction: The parcel is first offered at estimated market value; if unsold after 30 days, the minimum drops to the delinquent-tax/cost amount.
  • Absentee bidding prohibited; photo ID required to obtain a bidding card.
  • Sold “as is”: Tax-forfeited land is sold without warranty (state deed character); the buyer takes subject to any easements/encumbrances not extinguished by forfeiture.
  • Repurchase cutoff: Former-owner repurchase is allowed only up to 4:30 p.m. the business day before the sale ($250 repurchase fee + state deed/recording fees).
  • County-employee bar: Minn. Stat. 282.016 generally bars county employees from buying tax-forfeited parcels (limited exceptions).
  • Mortgage foreclosure sales: Sheriff’s foreclosure sales (by advertisement, Minn. Stat. ch. 580) are held at the Law Enforcement Center, 15015 62nd Street North, Stillwater, Monday–Friday at 10:00 a.m. (excluding holidays). Successful bidders pay cash or certified funds (cashier’s check) payable to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at the time of sale. Notices are posted in local newspapers’ legal section; the county does not maintain a standing list of upcoming sales. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/3203/Civil-Unit (retrieved 2026-06-02)

C6. Records Access

C8. Title & Quiet Title

  • Title type issued: Tax deed (state deed) — after full payment the Minnesota Dept. of Revenue issues a State Deed conveying the State’s title without warranties (quitclaim character), recorded with county property records. Minn. Stat. 282.01. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/faq.aspx?TID=30 (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Quiet title — abstract property: Not statutorily required, but the county’s FAQ advises consulting an attorney to clear title; tax forfeiture creates a chain-of-title break. For abstract property, buyers typically pursue a quiet title action (action to determine adverse claims under Minn. Stat. 559.01) in Washington County District Court, Tenth Judicial District, 14949 62nd Street North, PO Box 3802, Stillwater, MN 55082, phone 651-413-8030. See minnesota §5b. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/faq.aspx?TID=30 (retrieved 2026-06-02); https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/washington (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Torrens (registered land) — post-forfeiture title procedure: Because most county property is abstract but Torrens registration is available, registered-land parcels are cleared through the Examiner of Titles (F. Joseph Taylor, 8063 Hadley Ave S, Cottage Grove, MN 55046; 651-459-6644) via an Examiner directive (memorialized Certificate-of-Expiration ≥ 10 years; Minn. Stat. 508.67) or a Proceeding Subsequent to Initial Registration / Petition after Tax Forfeiture in District Court for shorter periods. The Examiner’s published approval and directive fees are $200 each. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/721/Land-Records-and-Recording (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • SOL to challenge: One year from the forfeiture certificate filing — after which the claimant is “conclusively presumed to have abandoned all right, title, and interest” (Minn. Stat. 284.28). See minnesota §5b.
  • Typical timeline: Abstract quiet title — roughly 3–6 months for an uncontested action (general MN District Court experience); Torrens directive — days to a few weeks; proceeding subsequent — weeks to a few months. No Washington-specific timeline figure retrieved → needs_verification.
  • Typical cost range: Attorney fees at market rate (no statutory schedule) plus court filing fees and recording fees ($46 per document); Examiner directive/approval$200. Full quiet-title cost figures not confirmed from a Washington-specific source → needs_verification.
  • Title insurers active locally: No Washington-specific underwriter list was retrieved. Major national underwriters (Old Republic, Stewart, First American, Fidelity/Chicago) are generally active in the Minneapolis–St. Paul east metro. Specific active underwriters for Washington County tax-deed titles → needs_verification.

C9. Purchaser Obligations

  • Subsequent tax payment office: After the sale the parcel returns to the tax rolls (land sold on or before December 31 is placed on that year’s assessment rolls for taxes payable the following year). The new owner pays property taxes through PRTS — Taxation Division, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082 (651-430-6175); online at https://mn-washington.publicaccessnow.com/. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/1140/Tax-Forfeited-Land (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Notice to owner procedure (surplus): Under Minn. Stat. 282.005 it is the county auditor (PRTS — Taxation Division), not the purchaser, who gives required surplus notice to the former owner within 60 days of sale. The purchaser has no separate statutory notice obligation under the Minnesota tax-forfeiture framework. See minnesota §3.
  • Redemption payment office: During the three-year redemption period the former owner (or any interested party) redeems by paying all delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, and costs to PRTS — Taxation Division, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082 (651-430-6155). Online at https://mn-washington.publicaccessnow.com/. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/706/Delinquent-Property-Taxes (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Occupancy and access during redemption: The State holds title during the redemption period and the former owner typically remains in possession; post-forfeiture (after the state deed issues to the buyer), the buyer pursues possession through normal judicial process. No Washington-specific local rule on possession during redemption was identified — governed by state law. → needs_verification.

C10. Local Restrictions

  • Right of first refusal / withhold active? The municipality/town board where a parcel sits must approve classification and sale and may request a parcel be withheld from sale for up to six months to evaluate acquisition for authorized public use (Minn. Stat. 282.01 subd. 1a; deemed approved if no disapproval within 60 days). No Washington County ordinance granting additional ROFR beyond the state statute was identified. — Source: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/282.01 (retrieved 2026-06-02)
  • Land bank: No dedicated Washington County land bank program was identified from official county sources. No active land bank confirmed → needs_verification.
  • Entity / insider restrictions: County employees are generally barred from buying tax-forfeited parcels (Minn. Stat. 282.016). Former owners who could have repurchased under Minn. Stat. 282.012 / 282.241 may not purchase the same parcel below the tax-debt amount (Minn. Stat. 282.01 subd. 7). No Washington-specific additional insider restrictions identified beyond state law. — Source: https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/faq.aspx?TID=30 (retrieved 2026-06-02)

C7. Meta

Legal information, not legal advice. Minnesota’s tax-forfeiture and surplus law was substantially rewritten in 2024 after Tyler v. Hennepin County. Verify all procedures against the cited primary sources and consult a licensed Minnesota attorney before acting. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

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