Fayette County, Kentucky

Tax Lien329,437 residents

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

Sale typestate default

Tax Lien

Redemption periodstate default

1 year from sale (certificate of delinquency)

Investor returnstate default

12% per annum statutory

Governing statutestate default

Kentucky Revised Statutes Ch. 134

Notes

Kentucky certificate-of-delinquency (tax lien) system. Fayette County Sheriff collects current-year taxes only; after April 15 unpaid bills transfer to Fayette County Clerk for collection and third-party sale under KRS Ch. 134. Clerk conducts annual certificate sale each summer for prior-year delinquencies; unsold bills remain available over-the-counter year-round. Certificate is not ownership. Court-ordered sales of real property (including tax-related) run through the Master Commissioner (faycom.info), not the Sheriff tax desk.

Auction logistics

Format

In-person / Clerk certificate sale (format per annual notice); Master Commissioner for court-ordered deeds

Frequency

Clerk certificate sale each summer (state window mid-July–October; majority mid-July–August); Master Commissioner sales ongoing per faycom.info calendar

Platform

Fayette County Clerk — Certificates of Delinquency; Master Commissioner for deed sales ↗

Deposit rules

Certificate purchase terms set by County Clerk sale notice (contact 859-253-3344). Master Commissioner sales: live at Robert F. Stephens Courthouse or online per advertised terms; typically substantial deposit same day in certified funds — confirm each sale notice. Neither Sheriff nor Clerk provides legal advice on lien rights.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale

Certificate of delinquency is a lien with statutory interest/fees; does not convey possession. Senior/federal interests and other liens require counsel analysis before foreclosure of the certificate. Master Commissioner deeds are court-ordered and still need title review.

Quiet title

After certificate foreclosure or Master Commissioner tax-related deed, quiet title or curative work is commonly needed for marketable insurance.

Deal maths for Kentucky

Assessment ratio: 1× of market value
Typical quiet title: $3,000–$7,000 · 9 mo
Recording and transfer: $200

Section 172 of the Kentucky Constitution requires all non-exempt property to be assessed at 100% of fair cash value — the price it would bring at a fair voluntary sale — as of 1 January (see also KRS 132.190).

Offices and records

Tax collector

Fayette County Sheriff — current property taxes; Clerk — delinquencies ↗

859-252-1771

Clerk of court

Fayette County Clerk (delinquent certificates / recording) ↗

859-253-3344

Property appraiser

Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) ↗

859-246-2722

GIS / parcel map

Fayette PVA / LFUCG GIS resources ↗

Areas trending up

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

Downtown Lexington / Distillery District edge

Urban employment and entertainment density supporting multifamily absorption

Hamburg / northeast corridor

Major retail-medical node with strong suburban single-family liquidity

Beaumont / southwest suburbs

School-driven demand and relative resilience versus softer outer-rural Fayette pockets