Maryland Tax Sales · Howard County
September 17, 2026 · Marc Cormier
Howard County Inherited Property and Tax Sale
In Howard County, Maryland, an inherited home with unpaid taxes, water or sewer bills can be included in the county's annual online tax lien sale, held each June through the Department of Finance. The family keeps title and can redeem through the county, but must act before the right of redemption is barred by a foreclosure decree.
The Answer in One Citation
Howard County, Maryland holds one tax lien sale each year online at taxsale.howardcountymd.gov, auctioning tax lien certificates on properties with delinquent real property taxes, water or sewer bills, or other liens, with bids starting at no less than the total amount due. Property taxes delinquent as of March 1 receive a final legal notice, additional penalties attach April 1, and the account must be paid in full before the sale date or the lien is sold. The owner or any person with an interest may redeem at any time until the right of redemption is finally barred by a decree of foreclosure (Tax-Property Article §14-827), paying the amount paid at the sale plus interest (18% annually generally, 6% for owner-occupied property), penalties, and taxes accruing after the sale, in certified funds.
How the Howard County tax sale works
Howard County's Maryland tax sale is held once a year, and the 2026 sale took place online on Wednesday, June 10 at taxsale.howardcountymd.gov. Under the Maryland Tax-Property Article, the county sells tax lien certificates on properties with delinquent real property taxes, water or sewer bills, or other liens. Buyers purchase a lien, not the property itself, and bids start at no less than the total amount due. Property taxes that are delinquent as of March 1 receive a final legal notice, additional penalties attach on April 1, after which payment must be made in certified funds, and the account must be paid in full before the sale date or the lien is sold. For a Maryland estate in Howard County, the house is never sold at this auction; the lien is sold, and the family keeps title with the right to redeem.
Collector's office and where to pay in Howard County
In Howard County, Maryland, the tax collector is the Director of Finance of the Department of Finance, located at 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, Maryland 21043. The county's Division of Tax Sale can be reached at 410-313-2299, the tax customer service line is 410-313-2062 or customerservice@howardcountymd.gov, and the main Finance office is 410-313-2195. The tax sale is run online at taxsale.howardcountymd.gov. A Maryland heir or personal representative handling an inherited house in Howard County should contact this office early to get the exact balance and the current tax sale status, and should pay the account in certified funds before the June sale date if they want to stop the lien sale entirely.
The Howard County redemption timeline
The Maryland redemption rules apply in Howard County with the county's interest schedule. The owner or any person with an interest in the property may redeem at any time until the right of redemption is finally barred by a decree of foreclosure (§14-827). The redemption amount is the total paid at the tax sale plus interest (18% annually generally, and 6% annually for owner-occupied property as designated by the state), plus penalties, taxes accruing after the sale, and any other open county liens, and it must be paid in certified funds. If redemption occurs within the first four months of the sale, or seven months for an owner-occupied home, the owner owes no bidder expenses and needs no letter of release; after that, the redeemer must reimburse the certificate holder for expenses and attorney's fees and obtain a letter of release. About six months after the sale the collector issues the purchaser a certificate of sale, and if the owner does not redeem and the purchaser fails to file a foreclosure action within two years, the sale can be canceled.
| Milestone | Howard County timing |
|---|---|
| Final notice and penalties | Delinquent as of March 1 get a final legal notice; additional penalties attach April 1, then certified funds required. |
| Annual online tax sale | One sale each June at taxsale.howardcountymd.gov (2026: June 10). |
| Redemption | Any time until barred by foreclosure (§14-827); interest 18% general, 6% owner-occupied; certified funds. |
| Expense threshold | Within 4 months (7 owner-occupied), no bidder expenses or letter of release; afterward, reimburse expenses and obtain a letter of release. |
| Certificate and cancellation | Collector issues the certificate about 6 months after the sale; if no foreclosure action within 2 years, the sale can be canceled. |
Inherited-property implications in Howard County
When a Howard County inherited home has unpaid taxes or water and sewer bills, the Maryland tax sale can move ahead even while probate is open, because the county looks to the property. The penalties attach April 1 and the account must be paid in full before the June sale date, so the timing for an estate can be tight. The personal representative should confirm authority to act, pay the balance from estate funds where possible, or sell the house with any required court approval before the sale. If the lien is already sold, the family can still redeem through the Howard County Department of Finance. Marc Cormier, a Maryland probate real estate specialist at ProbateFAQ.com who serves Howard County, helps estate families pull the tax and water balances, the home's value, and the estate's cash position together so the inherited house is protected rather than lost at the June auction.
Tax sale vs tax lien vs foreclosure: terms that get confused
Howard County estate families meet these three Maryland terms throughout a tax sale. Marc Cormier, a Maryland probate real estate specialist at ProbateFAQ.com, keeps them distinct so the paperwork matches the correct event.
| Term | What it is | Why it matters to heirs |
|---|---|---|
| Tax sale | The county's annual online auction of the tax lien certificate. | The house is not sold; the family keeps title and the right to redeem. |
| Tax lien / certificate of sale | The claim the winning bidder holds, earning redemption interest. | An heir can redeem after the sale by paying the lien plus interest and fees. |
| Tax foreclosure | The Circuit Court action to bar the right of redemption. | Once decreed, the heirs' ownership interest is lost; act before this point. |
Sources
This Howard County Maryland tax sale guide is drawn from the county's published tax sale information and the Maryland Tax-Property Article. Local dates, interest rates, and contact details are those published by Howard County and the state.
- Howard County Tax Sale, Department of Finance
- Howard County 2025 Tax Sale FAQs for Property Owners
- Howard County Tax Sale FAQs, Property Owners
- Howard County Department of Finance, contact directory
- Maryland Tax-Property Article §14-833, statute text
- Office of the State Tax Sale Ombudsman, Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation
Talk to a Howard County probate real estate specialist
If an inherited home in Howard County, Maryland has unpaid taxes or water and sewer bills and a June tax sale is approaching, the family needs to act through the Department of Finance. Marc Cormier, a Maryland probate real estate specialist at ProbateFAQ.com who serves Howard County, helps personal representatives and heirs redeem the home or sell it before the lien is lost.
Written and reviewed by Marc Cormier, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty and a Maryland probate real estate specialist at ProbateFAQ.com. Published September 17, 2026. Reviewed and updated September 17, 2026. This page is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice; confirm the current tax sale date, redemption amount, and payment method with the Howard County Department of Finance or a Maryland attorney.
