Georgia's tax sale redemption period

This is a general summary of Georgia law for orientation, not legal advice. Statutes are amended and every property has its own facts, so read the current code section and talk to a Georgia attorney before bidding, redeeming or claiming funds.

The right to redeem: at least 12 months

Under O.C.G.A. § 48-4-40, whenever property is sold at a tax sale, the defendant in fi. fa. (the owner whose taxes were unpaid), anyone with a recorded right, title, interest or lien in the property, their heirs, and any creditor of the owner may redeem it. Redemption is available at any time within 12 months from the date of the sale, and it stays available after that until the purchaser forecloses the right with the notice described below. Georgia's rule is unusual: the clock does not simply run out at a year. It runs until the tax deed holder acts.

During the redemption period the tax deed purchaser holds a defeasible title. The purchaser is generally not entitled to possession or to rents, cannot deliver marketable title, and can lose the property to redemption at any moment. That is why many Georgia tax sale buyers plan for the premium rather than the house.

What redemption costs: § 48-4-42

The redemption price is set by statute (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-42). It is the sum of:

1. the amount paid for the property at the tax sale;
2. any taxes the purchaser paid on the property after the sale, and any special assessments on the property paid by the purchaser;
3. a premium of 20% of items 1 and 2 for the first year or fraction of a year between the sale and the redemption, plus 10% for each year or fraction of a year after that; and
4. if redemption happens more than 30 days after the barment notice in § 48-4-45 has been given, the sheriff's cost of serving the notice and the cost of publishing it.

"Or fraction of a year" matters: a redemption one week after the sale owes the full 20%, and a redemption 12 months and one day after the sale owes 30%. The premium is simple, not compounded. Payment is made to the purchaser (or the purchaser's successor), who must then execute a quitclaim deed back to the defendant in fi. fa. (§ 48-4-44). When a creditor or lienholder redeems rather than the owner, the amount paid becomes a first lien on the property in their favor (§ 48-4-43).

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Estimate only, under O.C.G.A. § 48-4-42 as written on October 24, 2026. It excludes taxes and assessments the purchaser paid after the sale, notice costs, and anything a court orders. Confirm the exact figure with the county and a Georgia attorney.

Ending the right to redeem: the barment notice, § 48-4-45

After the 12 months have passed, the tax deed holder can foreclose the right of redemption by giving notice under O.C.G.A. § 48-4-45. The notice must go to the defendant in fi. fa., the current occupant, and everyone holding a recorded interest or lien on the property, and it must state a date, at least 30 days after service, by which the property must be redeemed. Service follows § 48-4-46: personal service by the sheriff where possible, and publication in the legal organ once a week for four weeks for anyone who cannot be found. This whole step is commonly called barment, because once the deadline in the notice passes without redemption, the right to redeem is barred and the purchaser's title is freed of it.

Barment is the purchaser's choice and expense. If a purchaser never serves the notice, the tax deed holder's title instead ripens by prescription four years after the deed is recorded (§ 48-4-48), provided no one has redeemed in the meantime.

Practical timeline

• Sale day (first Tuesday, at the courthouse): purchaser pays and receives a tax deed. See the sale calendar.
• Months 1 to 12: owner or lienholders may redeem for the price plus 20%. Purchaser pays the next tax bills to protect the investment and adds them to the redemption price.
• Month 12 onward: premium rises to 30%, then 40%, and so on, one step per year or part of a year. Purchaser may serve the barment notice.
• Notice deadline passes: right to redeem is barred. Purchaser usually files a quiet-title action and obtains title insurance before reselling.
• Year 4 without barment: title ripens by prescription (§ 48-4-48).

Where to check the law

O.C.G.A. § 48-4-40 through § 48-4-48 are the redemption sections. Read the official text through the Georgia General Assembly or the free copy on Justia. For how a property gets to the sale in the first place, start with how Georgia tax sales work; for the money left over after a sale, see excess funds.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the redemption period after a Georgia tax sale?

At least 12 months from the date of the sale (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-40). The right does not end automatically at 12 months: it continues until the tax deed holder forecloses it with the notice in § 48-4-45, or until the tax deed title ripens by prescription after four years (§ 48-4-48).

How much does it cost to redeem?

The amount paid at the tax sale, plus any taxes the purchaser paid on the property after the sale, plus a premium of 20% of that amount for the first year or fraction of a year after the sale and 10% for each year or fraction of a year after that (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-42). If redemption comes more than 30 days after a barment notice, the purchaser's costs of that notice are added too.

Who can redeem a property sold at a Georgia tax sale?

The former owner, anyone with a recorded interest in the property (such as a mortgage lender), their heirs, or a creditor of the owner (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-40). Payment goes to the tax deed purchaser, and the purchaser must then issue a quitclaim deed back to the owner (§ 48-4-44).