Hill County

Sale typeWhat you actually buy. A lien sale gives you a claim on the property and the owner keeps it for now; a deed sale transfers the property itself. A redeemable deed transfers ownership but still gives the former owner time to pay you back. See the full glossary for more terms.

hybrid

MCA 15-17-323

Interest / penaltyWhat you earn when the owner redeems. Interest is a rate paid over time; a penalty is usually a one-time percentage of the tax or redemption amount. A rate that is bid down during the auction is still interest. See the full glossary for more terms.

10%/yr (5/6 of 1%/mo) + 2% penalty

MCA 15-16-102

RedemptionHow long the former owner has to repay the debt and keep the property after the sale. Your money stays tied up until this window closes, so a long period can mean a multi-year wait on a lien. See the full glossary for more terms.

3 years (2 yrs for certain unsubdivided lots)

MCA 15-18-111

Bid methodHow the winner is chosen: bidding the interest rate down, bidding a premium above the amount owed, a random or rotating draw, or simply buying at the minimum bid. See the full glossary for more terms.

public auction for tax deed (fixed opening bid)

MCA 15-18-220

Sale timingWhen sales are typically held. Many counties publish sale lists only a few weeks ahead, and some sell continuously or on their own schedule. See the full glossary for more terms.

none; deed auction within 60 days of deed application

MCA 15-18-220

Auction platforms

No platform listing found yet.

Parcels in this county

No parcels listed yet.

1. 1.Acquire the tax lien by assignment: the county treasurer must assign the tax lien to any person who, after providing proof of mail notice to the person assessed, pays the county the delinquent taxes, including penalties, interest, and costs (Mont. Code Ann. 15-17-323(1)(a))
2. 2.Before paying, send the person assessed the property notice of the proposed payment by certified mail, mailed at least 2 weeks before payment and not earlier than August 15 or more than 60 days before purchasing the assignment, and provide proof of mailing (Mont. Code Ann. 15-17-323(5))
3. 3.If the lien is not redeemed during the redemption period and you apply for a tax deed, the county treasurer must hold a public auction within 60 days, publishing notice that includes the date, time, location, legal description, deposit requirement, minimum opening bid, and domestic-entity proof requirement (Mont. Code Ann. 15-18-220(1))
4. 4.Bid at the auction, which may be conducted electronically; the opening bid equals the redemption amount, amounts paid on the application, tax deed and recording fees, and half of the most recent assessed value (or half of an appraised value), and no bid below the opening bid is accepted (Mont. Code Ann. 15-18-220(2), (6))
5. 5.The high bidder who is not the assignee must post with the county treasurer a nonrefundable deposit of 5% of the bid or $200, whichever is greater, at the time of sale (Mont. Code Ann. 15-18-220(3)(a))
6. 6.Pay the full purchase price and auction costs within 24 hours of the sale, excluding weekends and legal holidays; if you fail to pay, the county treasurer cancels your bid and allows the next highest bidder to purchase (Mont. Code Ann. 15-18-220(3)(c))
7. 7.An entity must provide written proof of domestic entity status; a county treasurer may not sell to a foreign entity (Mont. Code Ann. 15-18-220(7))
8. 8.Upon full payment, the county treasurer issues the tax deed and distributes the funds, including surplus, as provided by law (Mont. Code Ann. 15-18-220(5))

RegistrationSigning up as a bidder before the sale. Counties set the deadlines and paperwork, which may include an application, identification, and a no-delinquent-taxes statement. See the full glossary for more terms.

Required: UnknownUnknown

Not verified from a source yet.

DepositMoney you must post before or at the sale, often a flat amount or a percentage of your bid. It is usually applied to the purchase price if you win and is often non-refundable if you fail to pay. See the full glossary for more terms.

Required: YesUnknown$2005% of amount owed

at the time of sale (high bidder who is not the assignee posts the deposit)

FormsPaperwork a county may collect before you can bid, such as a bidder ID card or a W-9 for tax reporting. See the full glossary for more terms.

Bidder ID card: UnknownW-9: Unknown

EligibilityRules about who may bid. Some counties restrict non-residents or bar anyone who owes delinquent taxes from participating. See the full glossary for more terms.

Montana is a tax lien state with no auction of the lien itself: the county attaches the tax lien and a private investor acquires it only by assignment from the county treasurer, after paying the delinquent taxes and proving the required certified-mail notice to the assessed owner (Mont. Code Ann. 15-17-323). The public bidding stage comes later, when the assignee (or any third party) can obtain a tax deed only through a county treasurer's public auction, which may be held electronically; the high bidder must beat an opening bid that includes half the assessed or appraised value and must post a nonrefundable deposit of 5% of the bid or $200, whichever is greater, with full payment within 24 hours (15-18-220). Foreign entities are barred and entities must show proof of domestic entity status (15-18-220(7)). The statute does not create a bidder registration system or fee, does not name accepted payment instruments, and does not require bidder identification, a W-9, or residency, so those fields are left unknown.