Clackamas County, Oregon

Tax Deed425,857 residents

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

Sale typestate default

Tax Deed

Redemption periodstate default

None once the county forecloses (3-year delinquency threshold before that)

Investor returnstate default

N/A — outright deed transfer

Governing statutestate default

Oregon Revised Statutes Ch. 312

Notes

Oregon redeemable-deed / tax-foreclosure then surplus-sale county (ORS ch. 312 foreclosure; ORS ch. 275 disposition). After judicial tax foreclosure, Clackamas County DTD Property Disposition holds public oral auctions of county-held surplus parcels (not a monthly sheriff tax-deed list). Multiple 2025 sales published (e.g. July 8, Sept 16, Dec 18, 2025 — 48 parcels at Dec sale). Registration limited (historically 100 bidders), online advance registration required. Sold AS IS with no title insurance or buildability warranty; subject to Tyler surplus-proceeds claims by prior owners. Separate from mortgage sheriff sales on oregonsheriffssales.org.

Auction logistics

Format

In-person (public oral auction)

Frequency

Periodic Board-authorized public oral auctions when inventory is ready (multiple sales per year when parcels accumulate; not a fixed monthly calendar)

Platform

Clackamas County Property Disposition — Surplus Real Property Auction ↗

Deposit rules

Pre-register online (registration caps apply; deadline typically several days before sale). On sale day bring cash or cashier's check equal to 20% of the listed minimum bid for each parcel you intend to buy (payable to Clackamas County). Deposit non-refundable once accepted; balance due within two business days. Personal/business checks and money orders not accepted. County employees/officials restricted under ORS 275.088.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale

County conveys only the interest it acquired by tax foreclosure; sales subject to easements, conditions, and restrictions of record. Federal tax liens and certain governmental interests can survive. Wetlands, EFU/TBR zoning, septic, and floodplain limits often control usability — no buildability warranty.

Quiet title

Title companies commonly require quiet title or extended curative work after an Oregon tax-foreclosure quitclaim/county deed before free-and-clear conventional financing.

Deal maths for Oregon

Assessment ratio: 0.536× of market value
Typical quiet title: $1,800–$5,000 · 5 mo
Recording and transfer: $200

Oregon has no statutory assessment ratio. Measure 50 (Or. Const. art. XI, § 11) set each property's maximum assessed value at 90% of its 1995-96 real market value and caps growth at 3% a year, so assessed value is the lesser of MAV and real market value and drifts below market over time. 0.536 is the statewide ratio of assessed value to real market value the Department of Revenue reports for FY 2025-26, up from 0.526 in FY 2024-25.

Offices and records

Tax collector

Clackamas County Assessment & Taxation / Property Disposition (DTD) ↗

503-742-4384

Clerk of court

Clackamas County Clerk / Circuit Court records ↗

Property appraiser

Clackamas County Assessment & Taxation ↗

GIS / parcel map

Clackamas County CMap parcel viewer ↗

Areas trending up

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

Happy Valley / Damascus east metro edge

Portland job-access suburbs with continued single-family absorption and stronger resale liquidity than outer rural Clackamas

Oregon City / I-205 corridor

County seat amenities and freeway access supporting steady workforce housing demand

Wilsonville / Canby industrial-residential belt

Employment anchors and relative affordability versus inner Multnomah/Washington cores