How Tax Sales Work in Colorado

Updated 2026-09-29T00:00:00Z. Sources: data-warehouse/tax_sale_calendar.json (states.CO); C.R.S. Sec. 39-11-101 et seq., Sec. 39-11-120, Sec. 39-12-103, Sec. 12-10-217.

How tax sales work in Colorado

Mechanism: lien certificate. County treasurers auction tax lien

certificates, usually online. Buying a certificate does not give you

title -- after the redemption period, the certificate holder may apply for

a treasurer's deed. (C.R.S. Sec. 39-11-101 et seq.)

Redemption and rates

• The redemption period is 3 years from the sale date before the

certificate holder may apply for a deed (Sec. 39-11-120).

• The interest rate is set annually by statute -- 9 percentage points

above the federal discount rate as of September 1 each year (Sec.

39-12-103). This is a real, cited formula, but the resulting *number*

changes every year -- verify the current published rate before relying

on it.

When and where

Auctions run annually, commonly in October or November, and are

scheduled county by county (Denver and El Paso County are our two Colorado

counties on file, both typically November).

Assigning a contract in Colorado

No Colorado statute specifically prohibits wholesaling. The general

licensing trigger is acting for another for compensation (12-10-217). The

one Colorado-specific wrinkle to know: the state's **Foreclosure

Protection Act** is one of the strictest in the country and specifically

captures purchases from owners in default -- if any of your Colorado leads

are pre-foreclosure rather than tax-delinquent, that Act applies on top of

the general brokerage rule.

This is general information, not legal advice -- verify current rules at

the statutes cited above before acting.

This is general information, not legal advice. Verify current rules at the statute cited above before acting. Entity: Elite AI Holdings LLC.

Entity: Elite AI Holdings LLC. Correction / opt-out.