Alabama surplus funds list
Unclaimed overages from tax deed and foreclosure sales.
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Alabama surplus funds rules
- Sales that create surplus
- tax sale (county auction of tax lien/tax certificate; tax lien certificate foreclosure action under the 2019+ tax lien auction article (court-ordered surplus to the owner; non-judicial power-of-sale mortgage foreclosure (surplus to mortgagor/junior liens
- Who holds the money
- County commission/county treasury, in a separate account (the tax collector or revenue commissioner processes it). For a tax lien foreclosure, the court distributes the surplus.
- Unclaimed funds go to
- Stays with the county. For tax sales in 2016 or later, excess and interest become county property if no proof of redemption or release-and-waiver arrives within 10 years of the sale (11 years for 2015 sales, 12 for 2014). It does not go to state unclaimed property. Tax lien foreclosure surplus follows the unclaimed property law (40-10-197).
- How owners claim
- Within 3 years: prove redemption to the county commission, using an excess-funds voucher. From 3 to 10 years after the sale: (1) a circuit court order granting redemption, (2) proof of negotiated redemption from the purchaser with recorded deeds, or (3) as owner at the time of sale or a later owner with a recorded deed, sign a release and waiver of all interest and the right to redeem, record it with the probate judge, and claim the excess without redeeming. — deadline: 10 years after a 2016+ sale (11 for 2015, 12 for 2014).
- Agent / finder fee cap
- None in 40-10-28 for county-held excess. For property held by the State Treasurer, finder compensation is capped at 10% (Ala. Code 35-12-93(e)), which does not reach county excess funds.
- Waiting period
- None for county excess. Under 35-12-93(a), owner agreements to locate abandoned property are void from the date it is presumed abandoned until 24 months after delivery to the Treasurer (applies only to state-held property).
- Registration
- None found. Counties may set extra requirements; Houston County, for example, allows indemnity agreements.
- Getting the list
- County by county (revenue commissioner/tax collector or county commission). Few counties post lists online; most require an open records request (Ala. Code 36-12-40). Jefferson County AL online list (not found). Houston County has a written excess-funds policy. verify
Law: Ala. Code 40-10-28 (as amended by Act 2024-261, eff. Oct. 1, 2024); 40-10-197; 35-12-93
Questions
Is there a free Alabama surplus funds list?
Counties publish or provide lists on request; Surplus Funds HQ links to the official sources and is adding Alabama lists.
Who gets surplus funds in Alabama?
The former owner first (and lienholders in order of priority). The money is held by: County commission/county treasury, in a separate account (the tax collector or revenue commissioner processes it). For a tax lien foreclosure, the court distributes the surplus..
What is the recovery agent fee cap in Alabama?
None in 40-10-28 for county-held excess. For property held by the State Treasurer, finder compensation is capped at 10% (Ala. Code 35-12-93(e)), which does not reach county excess funds.