Lucas County, Ohio Tax Delinquent Properties for Sale List

Key Takeaways

• Goliath's records show 18 tax-delinquent properties in Lucas County, Ohio as of May 25, which is Goliath's count and not the size of the county's delinquent roll.
• The Lucas County Treasurer's 2026 tax certificate page shows 398 parcels and a $3,640,138.24 delinquent balance in one preliminary schedule, as of October 23, 2026.
• The Lucas County Auditor has set the 2026 forfeited land sale for Thursday, December 3, 2026.
• Lucas County tax certificate sale proposals are due November 13, 2026, and the earliest closing is December 2, 2026.
• Goliath is data and software, not a lead seller, and its Lucas County counts come from signals such as tax delinquency and probate.

Goliath Data publishes this guide, and the property counts below come from Goliath's records. County and state rules were checked on official Lucas County and Ohio sites on November 5, 2026, and can change.

Lucas County delinquent property taxes reach buyers through three separate doors, not one list: monthly online tax foreclosure sheriff sales, the Auditor's forfeited land sale on December 3, 2026, and a one-time tax certificate sale that closes no earlier than December 2. This Lucas County, Ohio tax delinquent properties for sale list starts with what our records show, then points you to the office behind each door.

Lucas County, Ohio tax delinquent properties for sale list: our records

Lucas County, Ohio currently has 18 tax-delinquent properties on record, according to Goliath's records as of May 25, with the data below current as of June 29, 2026.

Source: Goliath's records, as of the dates shown.

Read that 18 as our count on those dates, not as the size of the county's delinquent roll. The Lucas County Treasurer's 2026 tax certificate page shows 398 parcels and a $3,640,138.24 delinquent balance in one preliminary schedule, as of October 23, 2026. For a complete picture, use the county's records.

Where do Lucas County delinquent properties get sold?

Most individual investors will use the sheriff sale and forfeited land sale rows. The Lucas County tax certificate sale is built for a very different buyer, as you will see below.

How do you get the official Lucas County delinquent list?

Ohio splits the job. Under Revised Code 5721.011, the county auditor compiles the delinquent land list and certifies a duplicate to the treasurer. Section 5721.03 has the auditor compile the delinquent tax list and publish it twice within sixty days of that delivery: first in a newspaper of general circulation, then in a newspaper or on a county web site.

Practical ways to pull it:

1. Ask for the record. The Treasurer takes public records requests in person, by phone, email, mail or online form. Inspection is free, and copies can carry the actual cost of reproduction. Be specific about the list and date you want.
2. Call the right desk. The Treasurer's delinquency line is 419-213-4055 and the Auditor's office is 419-213-4406.
3. Read the auction calendar. Parcels going to sheriff sale appear on the official sale site.
4. Open the certificate schedule. The Treasurer says its RFP package includes an Exhibit A parcel schedule, free to download from the same certificate page.

Then check each parcel in AREIS, the county's real estate lookup. For the wider method, our Ohio list guide and the national list page cover other counties.

How do you bid at a Lucas County tax foreclosure sheriff sale?

Tax foreclosure sales moved online on March 12 and no longer happen at the courthouse. The rules on the Treasurer's page are specific:

• Deposit: 10% of the starting bid, with a $1,000 minimum and a $5,000 maximum, under a local court rule.
• Starting bid: the delinquent taxes and costs.
• Affidavit: a notarized Delinquent Tax Affidavit, due by 10:00 a.m. on the Wednesday before the Thursday auction. It covers whether you own property in any Ohio county with unpaid delinquent taxes. Miss it and you are not eligible to purchase, even if the platform lets you click a bid.
• Time: sales start at 10:00 a.m. Mortgage foreclosure auctions run separately on Wednesdays, and the Treasurer has no role in those.

Want a specific vacant or underused parcel pushed toward sale? The Foreclosure Request Program lets eligible purchasers ask. Approved requestors put up a $5,000 deposit per parcel, refunded if the property is redeemed or you do not win. Approval sits at the Treasurer's sole discretion, and a request promises nothing.

What is the Lucas County forfeited land sale?

The Auditor has set the 2026 sale for December 3 in the Commissioners' Hearing Room at One Government Center, with registration details still to come. Last year's rules give a good preview, though they may change: pre-registered bidders only, minimum bids of $300 for land and $1,000 for improved parcels, deposits in cash on sale day, and final payment within five business days.

The Auditor gives no warranty of title and no representation about possession, demolition orders, code issues or federal tax liens. Sales run on the parcel number, because the county does not rely on street addresses. Winning bidders with delinquent taxes elsewhere in Ohio will not obtain title.

What is the Lucas County tax certificate sale?

The 2026 certificate sale is a negotiated, all-or-nothing deal for one purchaser. Initial certificates have a four-year term and a $300 administrative fee each. The Treasurer's FAQ says a negotiated rate may run from 0% to 18% simple interest per year, and that a purchaser acquires the lien, not the property.

The screening is the useful part for everyone else. The office typically looks for at least a $1,000 balance, at least $25,000 in assessed value, and debt of no more than about 75% of value. It generally leaves out owner-occupied homes and homestead parcels, so do not read the schedule as a list of struggling residents. If you are still sorting out the two models, see tax lien versus tax deed investing.

How does tax redemption work in Ohio?

Section 5721.25 lets a person entitled to redeem pay what is due before foreclosure starts. After a case is filed, redemption remains open until an entry of confirmation of sale is filed, or until an alternative redemption period under section 323.78 ends where that applies. So the window in that section closes around confirmation, instead of running for months after it. Ask your attorney which path a given parcel is on, and treat this as general information, not legal advice.

Can you contact Lucas County owners before a sale?

Some owners would rather sell than lose a property at auction, and a probate or preprobate record can overlap with unpaid taxes. If you reach out, assume your calls and texts are covered by telemarketing rules. Whether an offer to buy a house counts is a question for your lawyer. The FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule guide tells covered callers to sync their lists with the national registry every 31 days.

Goliath is data and software, not a lead seller. Its lists are built from signals like tax delinquency and probate, each record keeps the source behind it, and refresh timing varies by source and market. The price is on the pricing page. The county's sale pages stay the final word on any parcel.

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy from the Treasurer directly?

No, the Lucas County Treasurer does not sell parcels at a counter. Parcels go through a sheriff sale or the Auditor's forfeited land sale, and certificates go through the RFP.

When is the next auction?

The next Lucas County tax foreclosure auction date is set by the Sheriff's Office each month. Check the sale calendar, then count back to your affidavit deadline.

How do I know my deposit is right?

The Lucas County deposit is 10% of the starting bid, with the $1,000 floor and $5,000 ceiling applied. On a $20,000 starting bid, that example works out to the $2,000 you would submit electronically through the platform.