Property taxes in Duval County are not optional. They’re a first-priority lien on your property — meaning they take precedence over your mortgage, your home equity loan, and virtually every other claim against the property. When you stop paying, the consequences follow a specific and escalating timeline that ends with the potential loss of your home.
If you’re behind on your Jacksonville property taxes — or worried you might be soon — here’s exactly what happens at each stage and what you can do about it.
How Property Taxes Work in Duval County
The Duval County Tax Collector (duvalcountytaxcollector.com) bills property taxes annually. The tax year runs from January 1 through December 31, but the bill isn’t mailed until November 1 of that year. Here’s the payment timeline:
November 1: Tax bills mailed. If you pay in November, you receive a 4% discount.
December: Payment with a 3% discount.
January: Payment with a 2% discount.
February: Payment with a 1% discount.
March 31: Deadline. Taxes are due in full with no discount.
April 1: Taxes become delinquent. The county adds 1.5% interest per month (18% annually) on the unpaid balance, plus advertising and collection costs.
June 1: Delinquent tax certificates are sold at the Duval County Tax Certificate Sale.
For a typical Jacksonville home assessed at $200,000 with an effective tax rate of 1.01%, the annual tax bill is approximately $2,020. Miss the March 31 deadline on that amount, and the interest and penalties start compounding immediately.
The Tax Certificate Sale: What It Means for Your Property
This is where most Jacksonville homeowners get confused — and scared. The Duval County Tax Certificate Sale sounds like the county is selling your house. It’s not — at least, not yet. Here’s what actually happens.
What a tax certificate is
When property taxes go delinquent, the Duval County Tax Collector doesn’t foreclose on your home immediately. Instead, the county sells a tax certificate to a third-party investor at the annual Tax Certificate Sale (held each June). The investor pays your delinquent taxes to the county, and in return receives a certificate that:
- Earns interest (the rate is set through a bidding process — investors bid the interest rate down, typically landing between 0.25% and 18%)
- Becomes a lien against your property
- Gives the investor the right to apply for a tax deed if you don’t redeem the certificate within a set period
What happens to you as the property owner
After a tax certificate is sold on your property:
- Your property taxes are paid (the investor paid them to the county on your behalf)
- You now owe the investor instead of the county — the certificate amount plus interest
- You still own your home — nothing changes in terms of occupancy or ownership
- You have time to pay — the certificate holder cannot force a sale for at least 2 years
The tax certificate is essentially a forced loan secured by your property. You didn’t ask for it, but it’s now attached to your title.
The Redemption Period: Your Window to Pay
After a tax certificate is issued, you enter the redemption period. During this window, you can pay off (redeem) the certificate by paying the Duval County Tax Collector:
- The original delinquent tax amount
- Interest accrued at the certificate rate
- Any additional delinquent taxes from subsequent years (if you miss more than one year)
- Fees and costs
The redemption period lasts a minimum of 2 years from the date of the tax certificate sale. After 2 years, the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed — which is where the real danger begins.
Redemption cost example
Say you owe $2,020 in 2025 property taxes. The certificate sells in June 2026 at a 5% interest rate.
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original delinquent tax | $2,020 |
| Interest (5% for 1 year) | $101 |
| County fees and costs | $200–$400 |
| Redemption cost after 1 year | ~$2,321–$2,521 |
If you miss a second year of taxes, a second certificate is issued, and the redemption cost roughly doubles. After 3 years of missed taxes with accumulated interest and fees, you could owe $7,000–$9,000 to redeem — on a home with an original annual tax bill of $2,020.
The Tax Deed Application: When You Can Lose Your Home
Here’s where the stakes escalate dramatically. After the 2-year redemption period expires, the tax certificate holder can file an application for a tax deed with the Duval County Clerk of Courts. This initiates a process that can result in your property being sold at public auction.
The tax deed process timeline
| Step | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Certificate holder applies for tax deed | After year 2 of certificate |
| Duval County Clerk verifies application and title search | 2–4 weeks |
| Notice mailed to property owner and lienholders | Required by law |
| Publication of sale notice in Jacksonville newspaper | 4 consecutive weeks |
| Tax deed sale (public auction) | Approximately 3–4 months after application |
What happens at the tax deed sale
The property is auctioned to the highest bidder at the Duval County Courthouse. The minimum bid must cover:
- All outstanding tax certificates
- All accrued interest and fees
- The costs of the tax deed application
- Any outstanding current-year taxes
If the winning bid exceeds the total amount owed, the surplus goes to the former property owner — but only if they file a claim. Many former owners never claim the surplus, losing thousands of dollars.
If no one bids at the auction, the tax certificate holder receives the property for the amount of their certificates and costs.
The critical point
A tax deed sale extinguishes your ownership. Unlike a mortgage foreclosure, which goes through the court system with opportunities to defend and delay, a tax deed sale is an administrative process. Once the sale is complete and the deed is issued, your ownership is gone. The new owner can evict you under Florida law.
How Delinquent Property Taxes Affect Selling Your Home
If you’re thinking about selling a Jacksonville property with delinquent taxes, the tax situation directly impacts your sale in several ways:
Title issues
Delinquent taxes and tax certificates show up on the title search. A title company won’t issue clear title insurance until all tax obligations are satisfied. This means:
- Cash buyers will factor the delinquent taxes into their offer (reducing your proceeds)
- Financed buyers can’t close until the taxes are paid (the lender requires clear title)
- Any buyer will discover the tax delinquency during due diligence
Reduced buyer pool
Properties with tax delinquencies create uncertainty for traditional buyers. Even though the taxes get paid at closing from the sale proceeds, many buyers and their agents view tax delinquency as a red flag that suggests other deferred obligations (maintenance, insurance, code violations).
Compounding costs
Every month you delay selling adds interest on the tax certificates and potentially another year of taxes coming due. A property on the Westside (32210) or Northside (32208, 32218) with two years of delinquent taxes might have $5,000–$8,000 in tax certificates plus interest. That amount comes directly out of your equity at closing.
What to Do If You’re Behind on Jacksonville Property Taxes
Your options depend on how far behind you are:
If taxes are delinquent but no tax certificate yet (April–May)
Pay immediately. The penalties are relatively small at this stage — 1.5% per month interest plus fees. If you can scrape together the payment, this is the cheapest time to resolve the issue. The Duval County Tax Collector accepts partial payments through installment plans in some cases. Contact them directly at (904) 255-5700.
If a tax certificate has been sold but you’re within the 2-year redemption period
You have time, but it’s expensive time. Interest is accruing on the certificate, and if you miss additional years, the total climbs fast. Options:
- Redeem the certificate: Pay the full amount owed to the Tax Collector
- Sell the property: Use the sale proceeds to satisfy the certificate at closing. A cash buyer can close in 7–14 days, stopping the interest clock immediately
- Negotiate a loan: Some lenders offer property tax loans, though the interest rates are typically 8–12% — still better than losing the property
If a tax deed application has been filed
This is urgent. Once the tax deed process begins, you have approximately 3–4 months before the property goes to auction. At this stage:
- Redeem the certificate immediately if you have the funds. You can redeem right up until the auction.
- Sell the property before the auction date. A cash sale can close in 7–14 days. The sale proceeds pay off the certificates, interest, and costs at closing. You keep whatever equity remains.
- Consult a Jacksonville real estate attorney. There may be procedural defenses if the notice requirements weren’t properly followed.
If the property has already been sold at tax deed auction
If the sale has occurred and the deed has been issued to the new owner, your options are extremely limited. Florida law provides a narrow window to challenge a tax deed sale based on procedural errors, but successfully overturning a completed sale is rare and expensive.
The Connection Between Tax Delinquency and Other Financial Stress
In our experience buying Jacksonville properties, delinquent property taxes rarely occur in isolation. Homeowners who fall behind on taxes are often dealing with one or more additional financial pressures:
- Behind on mortgage payments: The same financial strain causing missed tax payments often leads to missed mortgage payments — creating a dual threat of tax deed sale and mortgage foreclosure
- Deferred maintenance: Properties where taxes are unpaid typically also have deferred maintenance, leading to code violations and additional city liens
- Insurance lapses: If insurance premiums aren’t being paid, the property is uninsured — one storm, fire, or flood away from total loss
- Inherited properties: Heirs who inherit a Jacksonville property often don’t realize they’re also inheriting the property tax obligation. An inherited home with 2–3 years of unpaid taxes is a common scenario in Arlington and the Westside
When multiple financial problems stack up on a single property, selling for cash is often the fastest way to resolve everything at once. The tax certificates, any mortgage arrearage, code violation liens, and other encumbrances all get paid from the sale proceeds at closing. Whatever remains is your equity — clean, with no trailing obligations.
Preventing Tax Delinquency
If you’re current on taxes but worried about falling behind:
Set up escrow: If you have a mortgage, most lenders will escrow your property taxes — collecting 1/12th of the annual tax bill with each monthly mortgage payment and paying the tax collector on your behalf. This prevents delinquency as long as you’re current on your mortgage.
Use the early payment discount: Pay in November for the 4% discount. On a $2,020 tax bill, that’s $81 saved — and more importantly, it’s paid and off your plate for the year.
Challenge your assessment: If your Duval County Property Appraiser assessed value seems high, you can file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board by September 15 of the tax year. A successful challenge reduces your tax bill going forward.
Apply for exemptions: Florida offers a $50,000 homestead exemption for primary residences (reducing assessed value by $50,000), plus additional exemptions for seniors (65+), veterans, disabled persons, and widows/widowers. If you haven’t applied for all applicable exemptions, you may be overpaying. Contact the Duval County Property Appraiser’s office to check your exemption status.
The Bottom Line
Delinquent property taxes in Duval County follow a predictable escalation: late fees → tax certificate sale → interest accrual → tax deed application → auction → loss of property. At every stage, the cost of resolution increases. The cheapest time to act is always today.
If you’re behind on property taxes and considering selling your Jacksonville home, request a free cash offer. We factor in delinquent taxes, tax certificates, and any other liens — so the number you see is your true net after everything is satisfied at closing. No surprises, no trailing tax obligations, and no risk of a tax deed auction taking your equity.