Palm Beach County, Florida

Hybrid1,582,055 residentsLive auctions →

County research last verified 2026-07. Office holders, platforms, and deposit rules change — re-confirm anything time-sensitive.

Sale typestate default

Hybrid

Redemption periodstate default

Lien: 2 years before deed application allowed. Deed: none once issued.

Investor returnstate default

Lien: 5–18% (bid-down, 5% minimum return rule)

Governing statutestate default

Florida Statutes Ch. 197

Notes

Florida hybrid: Tax Collector sells certificates; Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller runs online tax deed auctions on designated Wednesdays. Buyer-beware; tax deeds generally are not marketable title without further curative work.

Auction logistics

Format

Online

Frequency

Designated Wednesdays starting 9:30 a.m.; proxy bidding opens when a certificate appears on the auction calendar. Confirm dates on the Clerk auction calendar (no sales on designated holidays).

Platform

Palm Beach County Clerk — Online Tax Deed Auction ↗

Deposit rules

Register on the Clerk online auction site (no registration fee). Advance deposit = greater of 5% of maximum intended bid or $200. ACH online deposits must be submitted at least three full business days before the auction; or cash/official bank check/cashier's check to Tax Deeds by 4:00 p.m. the day before. Final payment by 2:00 p.m. the next business day (cash, official bank check, cashier's check, or wire — not ACH/personal check). Forfeiture triggers re-auction within 30 days.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale

A Florida tax deed extinguishes most private mortgages and liens, but does not clear governmental liens (code enforcement, municipal liens) or IRS liens (120-day federal redemption). Run a municipal/code-enforcement lien search before bidding.

Quiet title

Under Fla. Stat. §95.192, continuous ownership and tax payment for 4+ years after the deed often supports marketable title without suit. For faster insurable title, a quiet title action with final judgment is standard. Clerk notes tax deeds are generally not marketable title.

Deal maths for Florida

Assessment ratio: 0.85× of market value
Typical quiet title: $1,800–$5,000 · 5 mo
Recording and transfer: $500

Florida assesses at just value, but Save Our Homes / Amendment 1 caps compress assessed below market on long-held homesteads.

Offices and records

Tax collector

Palm Beach County Tax Collector ↗

Clerk of court

Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller — Tax Deeds ↗

Property appraiser

Palm Beach County Property Appraiser (PAPA) ↗

GIS / parcel map

Palm Beach County Property Appraiser GIS Map Search ↗

Areas trending up

Directional read from dated market analysis — not a guarantee, and not a substitute for your own comps.

Downtown West Palm Beach

CBD employment, waterfront redevelopment, and multifamily absorption keep core demand elevated into 2026

Lake Worth Beach

Relative coastal value versus Palm Beach/West Palm cores with ongoing main-street revitalization

Wellington / western PBC

School and equestrian-driven western county demand with continued residential expansion