410 Melbourne St

How the Auction Works

Every sale on this list follows the rules set by the Boone County Collector of Revenue:

How you bid

A tax certificate sale under Chapter 140 of Missouri law: you bid on the tax lien, not the home, and bidding starts at the taxes, penalties, and costs owed. In person only. Buyers sign an affidavit that they owe no delinquent taxes; non-residents need the collector's approval before the sale.

Where

County Commission Chambers, Roger B. Wilson Boone County Government Center, 801 E. Walnut St., Columbia, MO, next to the Boone County Courthouse.

When sales run

Once a year, on the fourth Monday in August at 10:00 a.m. The 2026 sale is Monday, August 24, 2026. The property list runs in a local newspaper for three weeks before the sale and on the collector's own site.

Due if you win

The full bid amount, immediately at the close of the sale, at the collector's office; there is no deposit taken earlier. Cashier's check, money order, bank draft, or cash; personal checks and credit or debit cards are not accepted.

Balance due

There is no later balance; the whole price is paid when the sale closes. If a winning bidder does not pay, the county can charge a penalty of 25% of the bid plus a prosecuting attorney's fee.

After the sale

The winner gets a certificate of purchase, not a deed. The owner or any lienholder has one year to redeem by repaying the bid plus 10% annual interest; if nobody redeems, the certificate holder can apply for a collector's deed after required notices and a title search. Liens survive the sale.