How do I start tax sale investing in Pennsylvania?

Learn the system first: Pennsylvania sells tax deeds under Real Estate Tax Sale Law, 72 P.S. § 5860.101 et seq.; Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law, 53 P.S. § 7101 et seq. (Philadelphia, Allegheny County and electing jurisdictions). Register with the county or its auction platform before the sale, post any required deposit, research each parcel in the property appraiser and clerk records, and set your max number before bidding.

Pennsylvania Tax Sale Investing Guide — Buy the property itself at the county sale

Investing guides / Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania tax sale investing: buy the property itself at the county sale

Quick answerPennsylvania sells tax deeds for unpaid property taxes. Redemption: No post-sale redemption after an upset or judicial sale under the Real Estate Tax Sale Law (72 P.S. § 5860.607(g)) in the 65 counties that use it. Exception: in proceedings under the Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law (53 P.S. § 7293), the owner may redeem within 9 months of acknowledgment of the sheriff's deed — 3 months if the property is located in a city of the second class or a county of the second class or a municipality therein (i.e. Pittsburgh / Allegheny County) — on payment of the bid amount, costs, taxes/claims actually paid, and interest at 10% per annum on each payment (the 10% applies in both cases). Philadelphia (first class) falls under the 9-month rule Sales: Upset sale annually in the statutory September window (no earlier than the second Monday in September, 72 P.S. § 5860.601; e.g. Erie County Sept. 28, 2026), followed by judicial sales and repository sales later in the year Governing law: Real Estate Tax Sale Law, 72 P.S. § 5860.101 et seq.; Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law, 53 P.S. § 7101 et seq. (Philadelphia, Allegheny County and electing jurisdictions).

How it works in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania the county sells the property itself at a tax deed auction. Win the bid and the deed is yours — along with the due diligence burden, because sales are as-is and buyer beware.

Interest / penalty: n/a — under the Real Estate Tax Sale Law no lien certificate is sold and no post-sale redemption interest is paid to the buyer; in proceedings under the Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law, a redeeming owner pays interest at 10% per year on each amount paid (53 P.S. § 7293) — under both the general 9-month redemption and the 3-month second-class city/county redemption

Redemption: No post-sale redemption after an upset or judicial sale under the Real Estate Tax Sale Law (72 P.S. § 5860.607(g)) in the 65 counties that use it. Exception: in proceedings under the Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law (53 P.S. § 7293), the owner may redeem within 9 months of acknowledgment of the sheriff's deed — 3 months if the property is located in a city of the second class or a county of the second class or a municipality therein (i.e. Pittsburgh / Allegheny County) — on payment of the bid amount, costs, taxes/claims actually paid, and interest at 10% per annum on each payment (the 10% applies in both cases). Philadelphia (first class) falls under the 9-month rule

When sales happen: Upset sale annually in the statutory September window (no earlier than the second Monday in September, 72 P.S. § 5860.601; e.g. Erie County Sept. 28, 2026), followed by judicial sales and repository sales later in the year

Where sales run: GovEase (online — e.g. Bucks, Erie, Armstrong, York, Lawrence and Indiana counties), Bid4Assets (online — e.g. Cumberland, Fayette and Monroe counties), mostly in-person in counties that have not moved online

Governing law: Real Estate Tax Sale Law, 72 P.S. § 5860.101 et seq.; Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law, 53 P.S. § 7101 et seq. (Philadelphia, Allegheny County and electing jurisdictions)

The investor's edge

Your edge is the max bid: value the property from county records and recent sales, subtract title-clearing and repair reality, and write the number down before the auction opens.

Pennsylvania's two-law split is the trap: RETSL upset-sale deeds are sold subject to surviving mortgages and liens, judicial-sale deeds are sold free and clear, and neither carries a redemption period — while MCTLA sheriff sales carry a redemption (9 months generally; 3 months in second-class cities/counties such as Pittsburgh/Allegheny). Buyer-beware and strict-notice challenges (petition to set aside within 30 days of confirmation) are the main post-sale risks.

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Full legal reference: Pennsylvania tax sale laws. Verified 2026-10-30 against the sources on that page. Educational only, not investment advice.