How do I start tax sale investing in Virginia?

Learn the system first: Virginia sells tax deeds under Code of Virginia § 58.1-3965 et seq. (judicial sales); § 58.1-3975 (nonjudicial sales of low-value parcels). 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.

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

Investing guides / Virginia

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

Quick answerVirginia sells tax deeds for unpaid property taxes. Redemption: No post-sale redemption after court confirmation and issuance of the deed. Owner may redeem by paying all taxes, penalties, interest and costs at any time before the sale (judicial sales, § 58.1-3965; nonjudicial sales, § 58.1-3975 — redeemable at any time prior to the date of sale). Land generally becomes sale-eligible when taxes are delinquent on December 31 following the 2nd anniversary of the due date (1 year for condemned/nuisance/derelict/blighted property) Sales: No fixed statewide annual date; judicial and nonjudicial sales are scheduled as needed, year-round, by locality / special commissioner Governing law: Code of Virginia § 58.1-3965 et seq. (judicial sales); § 58.1-3975 (nonjudicial sales of low-value parcels).

How it works in Virginia

In Virginia 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 — pure tax deed state; no lien certificate is sold. Delinquent taxes themselves bear locality penalty/interest owed to the locality, not a return to the deed buyer

Redemption: No post-sale redemption after court confirmation and issuance of the deed. Owner may redeem by paying all taxes, penalties, interest and costs at any time before the sale (judicial sales, § 58.1-3965; nonjudicial sales, § 58.1-3975 — redeemable at any time prior to the date of sale). Land generally becomes sale-eligible when taxes are delinquent on December 31 following the 2nd anniversary of the due date (1 year for condemned/nuisance/derelict/blighted property)

When sales happen: No fixed statewide annual date; judicial and nonjudicial sales are scheduled as needed, year-round, by locality / special commissioner

Where sales run: Bid4Assets, For Sale At Auction, county-specific / Taxing Authority Consulting Services (TACS), in-person commissioner sales

Governing law: Code of Virginia § 58.1-3965 et seq. (judicial sales); § 58.1-3975 (nonjudicial sales of low-value parcels)

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.

Two tracks: court-supervised judicial sales (special commissioner, sale confirmed by the court, typically a special warranty / commissioner's deed) and treasurer-run nonjudicial sales for lower-value parcels. Judicial sales commonly require a 25% or $1,000 deposit and a buyer's premium in many localities.

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