Tax Certificate Sale Buyer Information is the brochure the Escambia County Tax Collector publishes for people who want to buy tax certificates at the county's online sale of unpaid real estate taxes. It is one of the Escambia County property tax documents aimed at investors: it covers registration, deposits, bidding, payment, printouts, redemptions and certificate expiration. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original brochure is published by the Escambia County Tax Collector at the official URL below.
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What is Tax Certificate Sale Buyer Information – Escambia County, FL?
Tax Certificate Sale Buyer Information is the Escambia County Tax Collector's brochure explaining how buyers register for, deposit funds toward, bid on, pay for and hold the tax certificates sold at the county's online sale of unpaid real estate taxes.
The edition on this page describes the 2018 Tax Certificate Sale for unpaid 2017 real estate taxes, held online at BidEscambia.com as a one-day sale that began Friday, June 1, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. CDT, with bidding opening May 4, 2018. The printed revision date is 04/25/17.
The brochure sets out the rules a buyer works under:
- Registration at BidEscambia.com, where electronic completion of Federal Form W-9 enters the buyer into the secure site and assigns a bidder number.
- A deposit made by ACH before the last batch closes.
- Bidding by interest rate, where the lowest rate wins the certificate.
- Payment by ACH of the balance due, and printouts of purchases.
- Redemption by taxpayers, cancellation or correction of certificates, and expiration seven years from the date of issue.
It also warns what the sale is not. You are not buying property: you are buying a tax certificate, which acts as a superior lien. Tax certificates are not risk-free investments, and the interest you earn is reported to the Internal Revenue Service.
Who needs to file Tax Certificate Sale Buyer Information – Escambia County, FL?
Anyone who wants to bid on tax certificates at the Escambia County tax certificate sale uses the information in this brochure. The brochure states that all buyers must be registered.
- New buyers must register online at BidEscambia.com before the sale.
- Previous buyers must activate their existing bidder registration at that site before the sale begins, and must not register as a new bidder.
- Buyers who want to protect an unredeemed certificate from expiring can use the tax deed application route the brochure describes at Escambia.DeedExpress.net.
- Certificate holders who may acquire property by tax deed may be required to register with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Division of Florida Land Sales, Condominiums, and Mobile Homes.
The brochure is not written for property owners paying delinquent taxes: taxpayers redeem certificates through the tax collector's office. It also makes clear that buying a certificate is not buying the property.
When to file Tax Certificate Sale Buyer Information – Escambia County, FL
Register before the sale: the brochure says new buyers must register online at BidEscambia.com prior to the certificate sale, and previous buyers must activate their existing registration before the sale begins. For the 2018 sale, the delinquent tax list went online May 4, 2018, which began the bidding process, and the one-day sale began June 1, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. CDT. The deposit had to be made by ACH by the close of the last batch. After the sale, payment of the balance due had to be received by 3:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, June 5, 2018, or the deposit was forfeited and the bid cancelled. Verified printouts are issued within two weeks of the conclusion of the sale and the balancing of all monies. These dates belong to the 2018 sale; ask the Tax Collector for the schedule of the current sale.
Documents you need
- Federal Form W-9, completed electronically on BidEscambia.com during buyer registration; this is how buyer information is entered into the secure site and a bidder number is assigned.
How to fill out Tax Certificate Sale Buyer Information – Escambia County, FL
Review the sale details
Read the sale year, the online location (BidEscambia.com), the date and time the one-day sale begins and the date bidding opens, as printed on the brochure's cover.
Register at BidEscambia.com
New buyers register online before the sale. Complete Federal Form W-9 electronically on the site so your information is entered and a bidder number is assigned.
Activate an existing registration
If you bought before, activate your existing bidder registration at the site before the sale begins. Do not register again as a new bidder.
Check the delinquent tax list
Review the list on EscambiaTaxCollector.com and BidEscambia.com, and the item numbers advertised in The Pensacola News Journal, since certificates are auctioned by those item numbers.
Make your deposit by ACH
Deposit for anticipated purchases by ACH, as specified in the county's Bidding Rules, by the close of the last batch. Buyers are responsible for tracking purchases and funds on deposit.
Place your interest rate bids
Bid the interest rate you will accept, from 0% up to the maximum, in 1/4 percent increments. Bids are placed before the sale and can be adjusted as groups of certificates are awarded.
Pay the balance due by ACH
After the results are verified you are notified by email of the balance due. Pay by ACH before the stated deadline or the deposit is forfeited.
Request printouts of your purchases
Obtain printouts through BidEscambia.com. Written requests to the tax collector are needed for printouts beyond the free ones the brochure describes.
Note redemption and expiration rules
Taxpayers redeem through the tax collector's office and registered buyers receive funds by ACH. Certificates expire seven years from the date of issue unless a tax deed application is filed.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check your entries, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and keep it with your registration records.
How to submit Tax Certificate Sale Buyer Information – Escambia County, FL
Nothing in this brochure is mailed in as an application. Participation runs through BidEscambia.com, the Tax Collector's office and, for payments, ACH.
- Online registration: register or activate your bidder registration at BidEscambia.com; completing Federal Form W-9 electronically there assigns your bidder number.
- Deposits and payment: both are made by ACH as specified in the county's Bidding Rules at BidEscambia.com. You are notified by email of the balance due after the results are verified.
- Printouts: obtain them through BidEscambia.com. Further printouts beyond the free ones can be requested in writing to the Tax Collector, and a fee applies; ask the office for the current amount.
- Contact: Escambia County Tax Collector, Post Office Box 1312, Pensacola, FL 32591-1312; phone 850-438-6500 x3252; fax 850-434-0535; email [email protected]; web EscambiaTaxCollector.com.
- Offices: Downtown, 213 Palafox Place; Marcus Pointe, 6451 North W Street; Molino, 6440 Highway 95-A North, Suite A; Warrington, 4051 Barrancas Avenue, Suite A. Hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., with an after-hours drop box at all locations.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; participation in the sale follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Bidding without being registered; the brochure states all buyers must be registered at BidEscambia.com before the sale.
- Registering as a new bidder when you already have a bidder registration; previous buyers must activate their existing registration instead.
- Skipping the deposit for anticipated purchases; without it you will not be awarded the certificates you prevailed on.
- Paying the balance after the deadline (3:00 p.m. CDT on June 5, 2018 for the 2018 sale), which forfeits the deposit and cancels the bid.
- Paying or depositing by a method other than ACH; the brochure requires ACH as specified in the county's Bidding Rules.
- Assuming you are buying the property; a tax certificate is a superior lien, not ownership.
- Expecting interest at a 0% bid; certificates bid at 0% earn no interest.
- Sending warning letters to the property owner before two years from the delinquency date, which Florida Statutes prohibit for certificate holders.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find Escambia County property tax certificate sale information?
The Escambia County Tax Collector publishes this Tax Certificate Sale Buyer Information brochure and runs the sale online at BidEscambia.com. For escambia county property tax certificate questions, call 850-438-6500 x3252 or email [email protected].
Do I need to register to buy tax certificates in Escambia County?
Yes. The brochure says all buyers must be registered. New buyers register online at BidEscambia.com by completing Federal Form W-9 electronically; previous buyers activate their existing registration before the sale instead of registering again.
How do I pay the deposit and the balance for tax certificates?
Both are paid by ACH, as specified in the county's Bidding Rules at BidEscambia.com. The deposit is 10% for anticipated purchases, due by the close of the last batch; the balance is due after you are emailed the amount.
What happens if I miss the payment deadline?
Your deposit is forfeited and the bid is cancelled. In the 2018 sale, payment had to be received by 3:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, June 5, 2018. Check the Tax Collector for the deadline of the current sale.
How does bidding work at the Escambia tax certificate sale?
You bid the interest rate you are willing to accept, from 0% to a maximum of 18%, in 1/4 percent increments. The lowest rate wins. Certificates earn an automatic minimum 5%, except those bid at 0%, which earn no interest.
When does a tax certificate expire?
Certificates expire seven years from the date of issue. A holder protects an unredeemed certificate by filing a tax deed application, which can be started online at Escambia.DeedExpress.net no sooner than two years from the delinquency date and no later than expiration.
Am I buying the property when I buy a tax certificate?
No. The brochure states you are buying a tax certificate, which acts as a superior lien, not the property. It also cautions that certificates are not risk-free and that your interest earnings are reported to the Internal Revenue Service.
Can I fill out Tax Certificate Sale Buyer Information on FillingPDF?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service: it does not register you, take deposits, place bids or file anything with the Tax Collector, which all happen through BidEscambia.com.
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