The Affidavit to Bid on Behalf of an Individual is the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer's notarized bidder affidavit, headed "Bidder Affidavit, Individual Purchaser," in which a purchaser authorizes another person to bid for them at the Cuyahoga County Forfeited Land Sale. It belongs to the forfeited land sales the Fiscal Officer runs for properties seized for unpaid real estate taxes, a corner of Cuyahoga County property tax administration. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original PDF is published by the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer.
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What is Affidavit to Bid on Behalf of an Individual – Cuyahoga County, OH?
The Affidavit to Bid on Behalf of an Individual, printed as "Bidder Affidavit, Individual Purchaser," is the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer form in which an individual purchaser names a designee and authorizes that person to bid on the purchaser's behalf at a Cuyahoga County Forfeited Land Sale.
The form is a single sworn statement. The purchaser (called the "Purchaser/Designator") writes their own name, the printed name of the designee and the date of the sale. The purchaser then certifies, under penalty of perjury, that they were authorized to designate that person to bid for them. A signature and date follow.
Below the signature is a notary acknowledgment headed State of Ohio, County of Cuyahoga. A notary public records the day, month and year, the name of the person who personally appeared and acknowledged signing the affidavit, and signs with an official seal.
The sale itself is run by the Fiscal Officer, who the agency's Forfeited Lands page describes as the selling agent for the State of Ohio and the keeper of the list of properties seized for nonpayment of real estate taxes. That page also warns that all purchases are "buyer beware." The affidavit covers only the designation of a bidder; it is not a bid, a registration or a claim for excess sale proceeds.
Who needs to file Affidavit to Bid on Behalf of an Individual – Cuyahoga County, OH?
An individual purchaser who wants someone else to bid for them at the Cuyahoga County Forfeited Land Sale signs this affidavit. The form is written for an "Individual Purchaser," and the purchaser is the person who designates the bidder.
- Purchaser (designator): enters their own name, the designee's name and the sale date, signs and dates the form, and certifies under penalty of perjury that they were authorized to make the designation.
- Designee: the person named on the form as authorized to bid on the purchaser's behalf. The designee's printed name appears twice, once in the authorization line and once in the certification.
- Notary public: completes the acknowledgment block after the purchaser personally appears and acknowledges the signing.
If you plan to bid in person yourself, the form does not apply to you. The form says nothing about other kinds of purchasers or about who else may sign for the purchaser, so ask the Forfeited Lands Department if your situation differs.
When to file Affidavit to Bid on Behalf of an Individual – Cuyahoga County, OH
You use this affidavit when you decide to have a designee bid for you at a specific Cuyahoga County Forfeited Land Sale, because the form names the date of that sale. No separate due date is printed on it.
The Fiscal Officer's Forfeited Lands page lists the 2026 sale for Tuesday, September 1, Wednesday, September 2 and Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland (Atrium Ballroom), 1 St. Clair Ave. NE, Cleveland, OH 44114. Registration and check-in begin at 8:00 a.m., and the sale begins at 9:30 a.m. Because the form needs a notary's acknowledgment, prepare it before the sale day. For a deadline on presenting it, call the Forfeited Lands Department.
How to fill out Affidavit to Bid on Behalf of an Individual – Cuyahoga County, OH
Enter the purchaser's name
In the opening line, "I, ____, AUTHORIZE," write the name of the purchaser or designator, meaning the individual who is authorizing someone else to bid.
Enter the designee's printed name
In the same sentence, enter the printed name of the designee, the person who will bid on your behalf.
Enter the sale date
In the line "HELD ON ____," write the date of the Cuyahoga County Forfeited Land Sale at which the designee will bid.
Repeat the designee's name in the certification
In the certification that the purchaser was authorized to designate the bidder, write the designee's printed name again, matching the earlier entry.
Sign and date as purchaser
Sign on the Purchaser's Signature line and enter the date. The form is sworn under penalty of perjury, so sign only when every entry is correct.
Have the notary complete the acknowledgment
Take the signed form to a notary public. The notary fills in the day, month and year, the name of the person who appeared, and signs and seals under State of Ohio, County of Cuyahoga.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that both names match and that the sale date is correct. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, then have it notarized and present it as described under How to submit.
How to submit Affidavit to Bid on Behalf of an Individual – Cuyahoga County, OH
The form prints no delivery address, portal or appointment rule, so the Fiscal Officer's Forfeited Lands Department is the contact for how and where to present the notarized affidavit.
- Phone: 216-443-7420, Option 5.
- Email: [email protected].
- Sale location: the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland (Atrium Ballroom), 1 St. Clair Ave. NE, Cleveland, OH 44114. For the 2026 sale, registration and check-in start at 8:00 a.m. and the sale begins at 9:30 a.m.
Before you present the form, make sure it is signed and dated by the purchaser and that the notary has completed and sealed the acknowledgment. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the Fiscal Officer's channels, which the department can confirm.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the designee's printed name blank in either the authorization line or the certification line; the name is requested in both places.
- Omitting the date of the Cuyahoga County Forfeited Land Sale in the "HELD ON" line.
- Signing for the purchaser without the purchaser's authority, even though the purchaser certifies under penalty of perjury that the designation was authorized.
- Skipping the notary: the form includes a State of Ohio, County of Cuyahoga acknowledgment that a notary public must complete and seal.
- Filling in the notary's day, month, year and signature yourself instead of leaving the acknowledgment block for the notary public.
- Forgetting to sign and date the purchaser's signature line above the notary block.
- Entering the designee's name differently on the two lines where it appears.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Affidavit to Bid on Behalf of an Individual?
It is a notarized Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer form, headed "Bidder Affidavit, Individual Purchaser." The purchaser authorizes a named designee to bid for them at the Cuyahoga County Forfeited Land Sale and certifies the authorization under penalty of perjury.
Does the affidavit to bid have to be notarized?
The form includes a State of Ohio, County of Cuyahoga notary acknowledgment, in which a notary public records that the signer personally appeared and acknowledged signing. The notary completes and seals that block, so plan to have the signed form notarized before it is used.
Who signs the Affidavit to Bid on Behalf of an Individual?
The purchaser signs and dates it, certifying that they were authorized to designate the bidder. The designee's name is printed on the form but the form has no designee signature line. A notary public signs the acknowledgment.
When is the Cuyahoga County forfeited land sale?
The Fiscal Officer's page lists the 2026 sale for September 1, 2, and 3, 2026, at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland (Atrium Ballroom). Registration and check-in begin at 8:00 a.m. and the sale begins at 9:30 a.m.
How does this form relate to Cuyahoga County property tax?
The Fiscal Officer sells forfeited properties as selling agent for the State of Ohio; they were seized for nonpayment of real estate taxes. This affidavit only authorizes a designee to bid at that sale. It does not pay taxes or claim excess proceeds.
Where do I turn in the bidder affidavit?
The form names no address or portal. Call the Forfeited Lands Department at 216-443-7420, Option 5, or email [email protected] to confirm how the notarized affidavit should be presented for the sale you plan to attend.
Can I fill out the Affidavit to Bid on Behalf of an Individual online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not notarize or file the form; you still need a notary and must present it through the Fiscal Officer's channels.
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