Franklin County, Ohio

Hybrid1,356,303 residents

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

1 year from lien certificate sale (varies); forfeiture-to-deed track has no redemption once complete

Investor returnstate default

Lien: up to 18% per annum, county-set

Governing statutestate default

Ohio Revised Code Ch. 5721

Notes

IMPORTANT for retail investors: Franklin County sells ALL available tax lien certificates as a single bulk/negotiated block (several million dollars) — individual liens are NOT sold to retail investors and there is no over-the-counter retail book. 2025 sale scheduled Nov 3, 2025; annual late-Oct/early-Nov pattern. Certificate interest is bid; admin fee $350/lien. Owner redemption right: 1 year. Not designed for individual investors per Treasurer.

Auction logistics

Format

Negotiated bulk sale (institutional)

Frequency

Annually, late October–early November (details posted early September)

Platform

Franklin County Treasurer — Tax Lien Sale (bulk) ↗

Deposit rules

Refundable $500 registration deposit (cashier’s/certified check or money order to Franklin County Treasurer) + W-9; additional 10% of portfolio purchase price due day before sale. Bank letter verifying funds capacity required. Balance via wire within 3 business days after sale. Call 614-525-3438 for registration form and expected portfolio size.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale

Buyer receives a portfolio of tax lien certificates, not deeds. Owner may redeem for 1 year with interest. Foreclosure under ORC 5721.37 only after the statutory period (sooner if vacant/abandoned). Federal liens and some assessments can survive later foreclosure.

Quiet title

Certificate path requires statutory foreclosure after redemption period; quiet title still common for resale after deed issues. Retail investors generally cannot access this sale.

Deal maths for Ohio

Assessment ratio: 0.35× of market value
Typical quiet title: $1,800–$5,000 · 5 mo
Recording and transfer: $150

R.C. 5715.01: taxable value is the percentage of true value the tax commissioner sets by rule, capped at 35%. The rule has been at the 35% ceiling for decades and applies uniformly statewide, with no classification by property type and no county overrides.

Offices and records

Tax collector

Franklin County Treasurer — Delinquent Taxes / Tax Lien Sale ↗

Clerk of court

Franklin County Recorder (records certificates) ↗

Property appraiser

Franklin County Auditor — Property Search ↗

GIS / parcel map

Franklin County Auditor property map / search ↗

Areas trending up

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

Short North / Italian Village

Urban core multifamily and retail demand adjacent to downtown employment

Dublin / Powell / northwest suburbs

Employment and school-driven demand with relatively tight inventory

Franklinton / West Side redevelopment

Active adaptive-reuse and investor rehab corridor near downtown