Maryland delinquent tax lists by county
Short answer: Maryland is a lien state, so a winning bidder gets a tax lien certificate, which pays interest if the owner redeems and can be foreclosed into ownership if they do not. Spring county tax lien sales at county-set rates (commonly 6 to 24%) with at least a 6 month redemption. Each county publishes its own delinquent roll through the County Director of Finance. Below is every Maryland county we cover, with the live count of distressed owners in each.
Counties covered
24
Every one has its own ranked list and county-level rules page.
Flagged owners statewide
21,501
Carrying at least one distress signal in public records, refreshed daily.
Sale type
Lien
Spring county tax lien sales at county-set rates (commonly 6 to 24%) with at least a 6 month redemption.
Every Maryland county we cover
Sorted largest first. Each county page carries the official list source, the sale rules and the live ranked list of owners under pressure right now.
| County | County seat | Population | Flagged owners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | Rockville | 1,060,000 | 3,094 |
| Prince George's County | Upper Marlboro | 956,000 | 4,739 |
| Baltimore County | Towson | 855,000 | 2,887 |
| Anne Arundel County | Annapolis | 594,000 | 1,860 |
| Baltimore City | Baltimore | 565,000 | 2,034 |
| Howard County | Ellicott City | 335,000 | 839 |
| Frederick County | Frederick | 279,000 | 760 |
| Harford County | Bel Air | 262,000 | 653 |
| Carroll County | 177,108 | 375 | |
| Charles County | 174,478 | 755 | |
| Washington County | 157,228 | 347 | |
| St. Mary's County | 116,469 | 604 | |
| Wicomico County | 106,329 | 438 | |
| Cecil County | 106,305 | 278 | |
| Calvert County | 94,913 | 532 | |
| Allegany County | 67,097 | 149 | |
| Worcester County | 54,337 | 208 | |
| Queen Anne's County | 53,688 | 208 | |
| Talbot County | 38,244 | 198 | |
| Caroline County | 34,248 | 146 | |
| Dorchester County | 33,138 | 159 | |
| Garrett County | 28,393 | 104 | |
| Somerset County | 25,241 | 90 | |
| Kent County | 19,557 | 44 |
Maryland tax sale rules
| Tax sale system | Maryland is a lien state. A winning bidder gets a tax lien certificate, which pays interest if the owner redeems and can be foreclosed into ownership if they do not. |
|---|---|
| Rate and cadence | Spring county tax lien sales at county-set rates (commonly 6 to 24%) with at least a 6 month redemption. |
| Who publishes the list | The County Director of Finance in each county. |
| Foreclosure path | Non-judicial, typically 4 to 7 months from filing to sale. |
| Deficiency after sale | Allowed. |
| Local note | Power-of-sale foreclosures are docketed with the court, a hybrid unique to Maryland. |
The Maryland delinquency clock
Maryland delinquent tax list FAQ
Is Maryland a tax lien or tax deed state?
Maryland is a lien state. A winning bidder gets a tax lien certificate, which pays interest if the owner redeems and can be foreclosed into ownership if they do not. Spring county tax lien sales at county-set rates (commonly 6 to 24%) with at least a 6 month redemption.
Where do I find the Maryland delinquent tax list?
Each county publishes its own list through the County Director of Finance, usually as a PDF before a scheduled sale. Pick your county below for the official source plus the year-round ranked list of distressed owners in that area.
How long does an owner have to redeem in Maryland?
Spring county tax lien sales at county-set rates (commonly 6 to 24%) with at least a 6 month redemption. That window is the single biggest thing separating a good tax-sale trade from a bad one, because it decides how long your money sits before you can act.
How many tax-delinquent properties are there in Maryland?
Across the 24 Maryland counties we track, roughly 21,501 properties currently carry at least one distress signal in public records, including tax delinquency, foreclosure filings, vacancy and long-distance ownership. The counts refresh daily.
Can I buy Maryland tax-delinquent property before the auction?
Yes. The delinquency appears in the public record months before any sale is scheduled, and during that window the owner can still sell normally. That is the whole opportunity: no bidding war, an inspection is possible, and an owner with equity walks away with money instead of nothing.