Montana tax sales
lien state
Montana does not auction tax liens. If property taxes are still delinquent, the county treasurer attaches a tax lien to the parcel no later than the first working day in August, and the county holds it. Investors can then take an assignment of that lien from the county treasurer by paying the delinquent taxes, penalty, interest and costs after sending the owner a certified notice; when more than one person wants the same lien, each county treasurer's own policy decides (most large counties use a lottery). Delinquent taxes carry a 2% penalty and interest of 5/6 of 1% a month. The owner can redeem until the first working day in August three years after the lien attached (two years for certain vacant subdivided lots), after which the assignee may seek a tax deed.
Based on: mca.legmt.gov, mca.legmt.gov, mca.legmt.gov, mca.legmt.gov, mca.legmt.gov, mca.legmt.gov, mca.legmt.gov, mca.legmt.gov
We track 11 counties in Montana. None has posted a date we can confirm yet; see each one below for its schedule.
Information only, not investment or legal advice. Sale dates, terms and deadlines change; always confirm with the county before you register or bid.
Upcoming dated sales in Montana
No dated sales posted by these counties yet. Check each county below for its schedule.
Counties
| County | Type | Format | Next sale | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butte-Silver Bow | lien | Unknown | No assignment dates posted; the Treasurer takes tax lien assignments except in November and May, resuming once current postmarked mail is processed. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Cascade | lien | Unknown | No assignment dates or procedure posted; the Property Tax page says to contact the office for assignment and tax deed information. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Flathead | lien | Unknown | No dated assignment sale or lottery is posted; the page gives the yearly rules only (notices postmarked not earlier than August 15). | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Gallatin | lien | Unknown | No 2026 or 2027 assignment dates posted; the county's timeline is an example from 2022 (lists due August 30 at noon, first purchase day August 31, lottery September 1). | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Hill | lien | Unknown | No assignment dates posted; the Treasurer's page says a tax lien attaches to all real property delinquent on August 1, 2026 and that a third party may then purchase the lien from the county. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Lake | lien | Unknown | No assignment dates posted; the Treasurer's page still shows the 2025 lien-attachment notice (liens attached August 1, 2025). | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Lewis and Clark | lien | Unknown | No assignment dates posted; the Treasurer takes tax sale assignments except in November and May, resuming once current postmarked mail is processed. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Madison | lien | In person | No sale date is posted. The county's page covers buying county-held tax liens by assignment; contact the County Treasurer. | Oct 28, 2026 |
| Missoula | lien | Unknown | No 2026 or 2027 assignment dates posted; the page says liens attach the first business day in August and investors purchase in late August. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Park | lien | Unknown | No assignment dates or procedure posted; the Treasurer's page links a 2025 delinquent tax list (dated 10/27/26) and a notice of pending tax assignment form. | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Yellowstone | lien | In person | Process starts at 10:00 am on August 29th (2026 ONLY: August 31st) | Oct 27, 2026 |
Montana tax sale questions
Does Montana sell tax liens or tax deeds?
Montana does not auction tax liens. If property taxes are still delinquent, the county treasurer attaches a tax lien to the parcel no later than the first working day in August, and the county holds it. Investors can then take an assignment of that lien from the county treasurer by paying the delinquent taxes, penalty, interest and costs after sending the owner a certified notice; when more than one person wants the same lien, each county treasurer's own policy decides (most large counties use a lottery). Delinquent taxes carry a 2% penalty and interest of 5/6 of 1% a month. The owner can redeem until the first working day in August three years after the lien attached (two years for certain vacant subdivided lots), after which the assignee may seek a tax deed.
When is the next tax sale in Montana?
None of the Montana places we track has posted a date we can confirm yet. 1 sell on a recurring schedule, quoted on each county's page.
Are Montana tax sales online or in person?
Of the 11 places we track, 2 in person and 9 haven't said. Each county page shows the format and the auction site, if there is one.
Where do these dates come from?
Each date is read from the county's own page or a legal notice the county must publish. We link that page next to the sale and show the day we last checked it.
Get the free weekly preview
The nearest registration deadlines and how many sales are coming up, every week. Free, one click to unsubscribe.