Free Tool · Pinellas & Hillsborough
Pick the tax year that went unpaid. The timeline shows each step under Florida law, where you are today, and the next deadline.
The short answer
Florida taxes go delinquent April 1, a tax certificate is sold by June 1, and two years later the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed. Until the deed is issued you can still redeem — or sell and pay the taxes at closing.
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The tax year printed on the bill (billed in November of that year).
If the Clerk has set a sale date, enter it to count the days you have left.
General information from the Florida Statutes and the Tax Collectors’ published rules, not legal advice. Exact dates in your case come from the Tax Collector and the Clerk.
The timeline follows the published rules of the Hillsborough County Tax Collector and Florida Statutes §197.472 and §197.502. Pinellas runs on the same state law. For the full story, read behind on taxes in Pinellas or behind on taxes in Hillsborough, and check the current auction dates.
Two years after April 1 of the year the tax certificate was issued, the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed under Florida Statutes 197.502. For unpaid 2024 taxes, that is generally April 1, 2027.
Yes. A tax certificate can be redeemed any time before the tax deed is issued (Florida Statutes 197.472). The Tax Collectors ask owners to pay before the sale, so treat the auction date as the deadline. Selling and paying the taxes at closing before that day works too.
No. The certificate is a lien that earns the investor interest. You still own the property until a tax deed is issued after a separate application and auction.
AL Cakici · Owner, HomeSellerCashOffer (Tampete Homes LLC)
AL buys houses in Pinellas and Hillsborough for his own account and has personally purchased and assisted with 100+ transactions over 10+ years across the country. He is not an attorney; this page is general information drawn from the sources linked below, not legal advice. Facts checked against those sources on October 8, 2026.
“I was skeptical at first when these guys approached me about my home, but they were very knowledgeable and straightforward. They did all the work. These guys know what it means to do good business, which is unfortunately rare nowadays.”
“Working with HomeSellerCashOffer has been nothing but a positive experience. Al is extremely professional, transparent, and always a pleasure to work with. He communicates clearly, keeps the process smooth, and goes above and beyond to make sure everything stays on track”
“As an investor myself, I get bombarded from people trying to buy my houses. AL and his team were miles above anybody else that’s approached me, super knowledgeable, professional and transparent. Recommend to anyone that wants top tier service.”
Straight answers first. If selling isn’t your best move, he’ll say so.
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