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Yavapai County, AZ

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Yavapai County, Arizona — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

Local operations layer. The legal framework (16% bid-down interest, 3-year redemption / 10-year foreclosure window, § 42-18204 excess-proceeds reform, § 33-812 trustee-sale surplus, statutes, and case law) lives on the parent page → arizona. This page covers how Yavapai County actually runs it. Legal information, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

C0. Identity

  • County seat: Prescott · Recording unit: county (FIPS 04025) · Population: ~236,211. Recorder maintains offices in Prescott and Cottonwood; Superior Court sits in Prescott and Camp Verde.
  • Parent legal framework: arizona — Arizona is a tax-lien-certificate state; Yavapai auctions certificates of purchase (CPs), not deeds. A Supervisors’ deed issues later only on tax-deeded (state-held) parcels.

C1. Local Tax Sale

  • Conducts own sale? Yes — the Yavapai County Treasurer conducts an annual delinquent tax-lien sale (sale of certificates of purchase) on real property held in the name of the State of Arizona by the Treasurer. [Source: yavapaiaz.gov Treasurer’s Tax Lien Sale page (via official-site search); hometaxsale.com]
  • Platform: RealAuction (RealTaxLien) — conducted entirely online at https://yavapai.arizonataxsale.com. The site’s masthead identifies it as “Yavapai AZ — RealTaxLien” hosted by Realauction.com; the site is taken offline between annual sales. [Source: yavapai.arizonataxsale.com (retrieved 2026-06-02); facebook.com/YavapaiCountyTreasurer]
  • Calendar: annual, in February. The most recent sale was held February 10, 2026; the next scheduled sale is February 9, 2027. For the 2026 cycle the RealAuction site opened for registration/deposits/research, and the last day to initiate a deposit was February 2, 2026 (deposit deadline ~8 days before sale). [Source: facebook.com/YavapaiCountyTreasurer post (RealAuction open / 2/2/2026 deposit deadline / 2/10/26 sale); hometaxsale.com (Feb 10 2026); yavapaiaz.gov news (Feb 9 2027)]
  • Rate within statutory range: bid-down interest starting at the 16% statutory ceiling, bid down in 1% increments; the CP is struck to the bidder accepting the lowest rate. (Statutory framework → arizona.) [Source: yavapaiaz.gov Tax Lien Sale page (via official-site search); hometaxsale.com]
  • Registration / deposit: bidders must register on the RealAuction site to bid at the annual auction (and to buy over-the-counter liens throughout the year). Payment may only be made online by wire transfer — no cash, checks, or money orders accepted; PayMac (third-party processor) receives all payments for Yavapai County. A deposit (a percentage of the face amount the bidder intends to win) must be initiated by the deposit-deadline date. (Exact deposit percentage / minimum dollar amount for Yavapai — needs_verification.) [Source: yavapaiaz.gov Tax Lien Sale / Investor Information (via official-site search); facebook.com/YavapaiCountyTreasurer]
  • Bidder requirements: registered bidder account on the RealAuction platform, funded wire/PayMac deposit initiated by the deposit deadline, and a non-refundable $10.00 processing fee per the auction terms. [Source: hometaxsale.com (Yavapai detail, citing county auction terms)]
  • Delinquent list location: the delinquent-parcel list/notice is published (statutory newspaper publication) ahead of the February sale and posted on the Treasurer’s tax-lien-sale page; parcels are viewable through the county Treasurer parcel-inquiry portal (https://taxinquiry.yavapaiaz.gov) and the county GIS parcel viewer. [Source: yavapaiaz.gov Treasurer’s Tax Lien Sale page (via official-site search); dcourier.com sale notices]

Tax-deeded land (separate from the lien sale): parcels whose liens are foreclosed to the State of Arizona become “Over the Counter Parcels” (OCP) held by State Deed and offered year-round. Offers (full purchase price by cash, cashier’s check, or money order payable to the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors) are mailed to the Board of Supervisors Office, Room 310, Yavapai County Administrative Services Building, 1015 Fair Street, Prescott, AZ 86305; if accepted, a Supervisors’ Deed is recorded and mailed within ~2 weeks. The OCP list is maintained by the Clerk of the Board — (928) 771-3200; hard copies $0.25/page. [Source: yavapaiaz.gov “Over the Counter Tax Deed Procedures” + “Over the Counter Tax Sale List” PDFs (via official-site search)]

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

  • Where/how to redeem locally: redeem through the Yavapai County Treasurer (the office that issues the certificate of redemption). Per the county: “To redeem a real property tax lien, a person must pay to the county treasurer the amount for which the real property tax lien was sold, with interest at the rate stated in the certificate of purchase.” The 3-year redemption period, who may redeem, and the amount formula are statutory and live on arizona. [Source: yavapaiaz.gov Tax Lien Sale page (via official-site search)]
  • Local fees: standard statutory redemption amount (lien price + CP-rate interest + endorsed subsequent taxes + statutory fees). A non-refundable $10.00 processing fee applies on the purchase/auction side. (Any Yavapai-specific redemption-processing add-on fee — needs_verification.) [Source: hometaxsale.com]
  • Redemption contact: Yavapai County Treasurer, (928) 771-3233, 1015 Fair Street, Prescott, AZ 86305; parcel/redemption inquiry portal https://taxinquiry.yavapaiaz.gov. [Source: yavapaiaz.gov Treasurer contact (via official-site search); countyoffice.org]
  • Deviations from state default: none identified — Yavapai follows the A.R.S. Title 42 Ch. 18 framework (3-year redemption; CP expires/foreclosure window 10 years; § 42-18202 pre-suit notice 30–180 days). [Source: hometaxsale.com / county auction terms restating § 42-18201/-18202 timeline]

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

  • Two distinct surplus tracks (legal mechanics → arizona):
    • (A) Trustee’s-sale / mortgage-foreclosure surplus (A.R.S. § 33-812). Excess proceeds from a deed-of-trust foreclosure are deposited with the Yavapai County Treasurer; release is obtained by application/civil action in the Yavapai County Superior Court.
    • (B) Tax-lien foreclosure excess-proceeds sale (A.R.S. § 42-18204, post-Tyler tyler-v-hennepin-county). Requested by the owner in the Superior Court action to foreclose the right to redeem.
  • Claim filing venue: Clerk of the Superior Court of Yavapai County (civil filing) — 120 S. Cortez St., Prescott, AZ 86303 (and the Camp Verde division at 2840 N. Commonwealth Dr., Camp Verde, AZ 86322). The Treasurer holds deposited § 33-812 funds; the application/release is adjudicated by the Superior Court. [Source: courts.yavapaiaz.gov Clerk / Superior Court Divisions (via official-site search)]
  • Claim form: Arizona has no statewide standardized § 33-812 / § 42-18204 excess-proceeds form; the filing is an Application for Release of Excess Proceeds filed as a civil matter in Superior Court (cf. the Maricopa Law Library “CVEP1” packet, used as a template statewide). (A Yavapai-specific local form / packet was not located on an official Yavapai source — needs_verification.) [Source: framework → arizona §3/§3b; azleg.gov §33-812]
  • Local deadline notes: statutory — § 33-812 trustee-sale surplus deposited with the Treasurer is presumed abandoned after 2 years with no pending application (then escheats per § 33-812; see arizona). No Yavapai-specific shortened deadline identified.
  • Unclaimed-funds list published? (No dedicated Yavapai Treasurer “unclaimed/excess sale proceeds” web list located — needs_verification.) Owners should contact the Treasurer (deposited funds) and the Clerk of Superior Court (case filing) directly.
  • Contact: Treasurer’s Office (928) 771-3233 (deposited funds); Clerk of Superior Court, Prescott (928) 771-3312 (civil filing). (Named excess-proceeds desk contact — needs_verification.)

▸ For Investors / Operators — Yavapai is a tax-lien-certificate (certificate of purchase) state county; the lien is struck to the bidder accepting the lowest interest rate (bid down from 16% on RealAuction at yavapai.arizonataxsale.com), and payment is wire/PayMac only. Historically foreclosure of the right to redeem vested the whole parcel in the CP holder with no surplus; post-Tyler (tyler-v-hennepin-county), A.R.S. § 42-18204 lets the owner request an excess-proceeds sale. Before committing capital, weigh redemption risk (§2/2b on arizona — the 3-year redemption running until a deed/judgment, plus CP/assignment mechanics), the path to marketable/insurable title (§5b — a § 12-1103 quiet title in Yavapai County Superior Court; the deed issues ministerially after the foreclosure judgment but is not immediately insurable), and which liens survive (§7b — Title 48/§ 9-276 assessment liens survive under § 42-18115; IRS § 7425 120-day redemption applies; Arizona HOA liens are not super-priority).

▸ For Former Owners — When a Yavapai tax-lien foreclosure proceeds, A.R.S. § 42-18204 lets you request the Superior Court to order an excess-proceeds sale, and the court shall find it reasonable where the price is likely to exceed the CP holder’s costs by more than $2,500; the judgment “does not extinguish the property owner’s interest in the excess proceeds.” For a trustee’s-sale surplus, the § 33-812 application-and-response procedure applies (file a response within 45 days of the latest mailing); funds sit with the Yavapai County Treasurer and are presumed abandoned after 2 years.

C4. Offices & Contacts

OfficeNameAddressPhoneURL
Treasurer / Tax CollectorChip Davis, Treasurer1015 Fair Street, Prescott, AZ 86305(928) 771-3233https://www.yavapaiaz.gov/Mapping-and-Properties/Property-Taxes/Treasurers-Office
Clerk of Superior CourtDonna McQuality, Clerk120 S. Cortez St., Prescott, AZ 86303 (Camp Verde div.: 2840 N. Commonwealth Dr., Camp Verde, AZ 86322)(928) 771-3312 (Prescott); (928) 567-7741 (Camp Verde)https://courts.yavapaiaz.gov/Departments/Clerk
RecorderMichelle M. Burchill, County Recorder1015 Fair Street, Room 228, Prescott, AZ 86305 (Cottonwood: 10 S. 6th St., Cottonwood, AZ 86326)(928) 771-3244https://www.yavapaiaz.gov/Mapping-and-Properties/Recorders-Office
Board of Supervisors (tax-deeded land / Clerk of the Board)Clerk of the BoardRoom 310, 1015 Fair Street, Prescott, AZ 86305(928) 771-3200https://www.yavapaiaz.gov/Mapping-and-Properties/Property-Taxes/Tax-Deed-Sales
Sheriffn/a — tax-lien foreclosure is judicial (Superior Court); trustee’s sales are non-judicial. Sheriff conducts judicial-foreclosure/execution sales only.———

C5. Local Procedure Notes

  • Tax-lien sale is online via RealAuction (yavapai.arizonataxsale.com) — not in-person; bidders pre-register and fund a wire/PayMac deposit initiated by the deposit deadline (2/2/2026 for the 2/10/2026 sale). A non-refundable $10 processing fee applies.
  • Over-the-counter (OCP) liens: certificates that receive no bid at the annual auction become available for purchase over-the-counter throughout the year via the same RealAuction registration. [Source: yavapaiaz.gov news “Over the Counter Lien Purchases” (via official-site search); hometaxsale.com]
  • Tax-deeded land (state-deed parcels) is sold separately by the Board of Supervisors (over-the-counter offer → Supervisors’ Deed), not on the RealAuction lien platform — payment by cash/cashier’s check/money order to the Board.
  • Surplus is bifurcated: trustee-sale surplus → § 33-812 deposit with the Treasurer + Superior Court release; tax-foreclosure surplus → § 42-18204 excess-proceeds sale requested in the foreclosure action. (Framework → arizona, surplus-funds.)
  • No Yavapai-specific ordinance deviating from state tax-foreclosure procedure identified.

C6. Records Access

C8. Title & Quiet Title → framework: arizona §5b

  • Title type: tax lien certificate (certificate of purchase); a Supervisors’ / treasurer’s deed issues only after foreclosure or on state-held OCP parcels.
  • Quiet title action: required (practically) for marketable/insurable title on a tax-foreclosure / state-deed parcel; judicial action under A.R.S. §§ 12-1101 to 12-1103 filed in Yavapai County Superior Court (Prescott or Camp Verde division), in the county where the property sits. [Source: azleg.gov §12-1101–1103 → arizona; courts.yavapaiaz.gov divisions]
  • Typical timeline: ~4–12 months uncontested; longer if service by publication. (No Yavapai-specific quiet-title timeline published — needs_verification; range per arizona §5b.)
  • Typical cost range: ~$2,000–$6,000 attorney fees + court costs uncontested. (No official Yavapai cost schedule — needs_verification; range per arizona §5b.)
  • Deed seasoning / title insurers: treasurer’s/Supervisors’ deeds are quitclaim-quality; major underwriters (Fidelity National, First American, Old Republic, Stewart) operate in Yavapai but commonly require a quiet-title judgment (or seasoning) before insuring tax-deed parcels. (Specific underwriter practice for Yavapai parcels — needs_verification.) [Source: arizona §5b title-industry practice]

C9. Purchaser Obligations During Redemption → framework: arizona §10b

  • Subsequent-tax payment office: the Yavapai County Treasurer — the CP holder may pay and endorse subsequent years’ taxes (“subs”) onto the certificate, which then earn interest at the CP rate and are added to the redemption amount (A.R.S. § 42-18121). Paid via the Treasurer / taxinquiry portal. [Source: yavapaiaz.gov Treasurer (via official-site search); §42-18121 → arizona]
  • Notice to owner: before foreclosing the right to redeem (allowed only after the 3-year mark), the CP holder must mail the § 42-18202 notice of intent to foreclose by certified mail, 30–180 days before filing the Superior Court action — this is jurisdictional in Arizona (Advanced Property Tax Liens v. Othon; see advanced-property-tax-liens-v-othon-2023). [Source: hometaxsale.com (restating § 42-18202 timeline); §42-18202 → arizona]
  • Redemption payment office: the Yavapai County Treasurer (issues the certificate of redemption); redemption remains available until a deed is delivered or judgment is entered. [Source: yavapaiaz.gov Tax Lien Sale page (via official-site search)]
  • Occupancy/access: the CP holder acquires no possessory right during the redemption period; the lien is a security interest, not title. (Local possession practice — n/a until deed issues.)

C10. Local Restrictions → framework: arizona §11b

  • Right of first refusal exercised locally? No dedicated municipal/land-bank ROFR identified for Yavapai tax sales — unsold liens go over-the-counter and state-deed parcels are offered to the public via the Board of Supervisors. [Source: yavapaiaz.gov Tax Deed Sales / OCP procedures (via official-site search)]
  • Land bank: none identified operating in Yavapai County. (needs_verification — no Yavapai land-bank entity located on an official source.)
  • Entity / insider notes: Arizona imposes no general bidder-residency or entity restriction on CP purchasers (broad “any person who pays,” § 42-18114/-18122 → arizona §2b); standard conflict-of-interest rules bar county officers/employees from purchasing at their own sale. No Yavapai-specific insider restriction located. (needs_verification.)

C7. Meta

Legal information, not legal advice. This page summarizes Yavapai County, Arizona tax-sale and surplus procedure as of the last_verified date and may be incomplete or out of date. Verify against the cited county sources and the parent arizona statutes, and consult a licensed Arizona attorney before acting.

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