Union County, New Jersey Tax Sales

Counties / New Jersey counties / Union County

Quick answerUnion County, New Jersey follows New Jersey tax sale law: the state sells tax lien certificates for delinquent property taxes. Rate / penalty: Up to 18% per year, bid down from 18% (N.J.S.A. 54:5-32); when bidding reaches 0%, bidders compete by premium instead (see notes). Redemption: 2 years from the date of sale — a third-party certificate holder may not file a foreclosure complaint until 2 years after the sale (N.J.S.A. LienToDeed is verifying this county's own sale-list source; the state rules below are the law that governs its sales.

How tax sales work in Union County, New Jersey

New Jersey law controls every tax sale in Union County — the county runs the sale, but what is sold, what it pays and how long the owner can redeem are all set by the state:

What New Jersey sells	Tax lien certificates
Interest / penalty	Up to 18% per year, bid down from 18% (N.J.S.A. 54:5-32); when bidding reaches 0%, bidders compete by premium instead (see notes). Additional statutory penalties on larger certificates and interest on subsequent taxes paid are governed by §§ 54:5-32 to 54:5-34 and 54:5-58 to 54:5-60
Redemption period	2 years from the date of sale — a third-party certificate holder may not file a foreclosure complaint until 2 years after the sale (N.J.S.A. 54:5-86); redemption remains available until foreclosure judgment
When sales happen	Each of New Jersey's 564 municipalities must hold a tax sale at least annually if it has delinquencies; dates are set municipality by municipality, year-round, with many sales in the fall
Governing law	N.J.S.A. 54:5-1 et seq. (Tax Sale Law), esp. §§ 54:5-19, 54:5-32, 54:5-33, 54:5-86
County (Census)	Union County — county, New Jersey · FIPS 34039

Premium bidding is central: once interest is bid to 0%, the highest premium wins, the premium earns no interest, is held by the collector, is returned to the purchaser only if redemption is made, and escheats to the municipality if there is no redemption within 5 years (§ 54:5-33). Sales are municipal, not county — there is no single statewide calendar or registration.

The process, step by step

1 · The list publishes. New Jersey sales run on this rhythm: Each of New Jersey's 564 municipalities must hold a tax sale at least annually if it has delinquencies; dates are set municipality by municipality, year-round, with many sales in the fall The county's sale list — the parcels actually being sold — is published ahead of the sale by the county office that runs it, and in many New Jersey counties also through the state's sale channels (RealAuction (state-approved electronic tax sale vendor used by many municipalities); mostly in-person for municipalities that have not adopted electronic sales).

2 · Register and fund — before sale day. Registration and bidder deposits are handled by the county or its sale platform and close before the sale, in most counties the day before. The amount and ID requirements are set in the county's own sale notice, not in state law — confirm them on the current published notice before you rely on them.

3 · Research every parcel. Compare the taxes owed against assessed value and recorded sales, check property type and occupancy signals, and price in the state's redemption rule above: it decides whether your money comes back with the statutory return, or your path runs to the property itself.

4 · Bid the number you wrote down. Set your max bid (deeds) or floor rate (liens) from the research, before the sale opens. The state's return is paid on the tax obligation — not on whatever extra a bidding war adds on top of it.

5 · After the sale. Owners redeem inside the window above; lists change as they do. Track the parcels you care about, because a watched property redeeming or withdrawing is information you want before — not after — you wire a deposit for the next sale.

What Union County publishes — and our verification status

Under New Jersey law, the county publishes its sale list as a public record ahead of each sale. What we have not done is guess at this county's exact channel: which office posts the list, in what format, and on what posting schedule are being verified county by county against the county's own publications. Until that check is complete, this page carries the verified state rules — not a live Union County sale list — and says so plainly.

Coverage status: Union County — verification in progress

Alerts activate county by county as each county's published list is verified. Join the New Jersey watchlist and you are first in line when Union County alerts switch on — plus you get the free New Jersey sale calendar and law guide today.

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County facts (name, state, FIPS 34039) from the US Census Bureau county list; state rules verified 2026-10-30 — sources on the New Jersey law page. Educational only, not investment advice.