Live data — updated November 4, 2026
Etowah County, AL State-Held Tax Land (2026): 592 Parcels Sold by the State
Find my research setup · 3 questions, no signup
Quick answer: The State of Alabama, not the county, holds 592 parcels in Etowah County that it bought at past county tax sales, and sells them over the counter by price quote from the Alabama Department of Revenue. By the DOR's own rule it sells a tax deed or a certificate depending on how long it has held the parcel: 592 it has held more than three years, which it sells as a State tax deed.
Etowah County OTC inventory snapshot
Of the 592 county-held listings DeedFlex tracks in Etowah County, 592 show a listed amount. They run from $18 to $16,592, with a median of $204; 516 are under $1,000 and 585 under $5,000.
What is on the list: 531 land parcels, 35 not yet classified, 19 single-family homes, 5 multifamily.
By listed amount: 488 under $500; 28 $500 to $999; 69 $1,000 to $4,999; 7 $5,000 to $24,999.
Median listed amount by type: land parcels $200 (531 listed); not yet classified $238 (35 listed); single-family homes $247 (19 listed); multifamily $253 (5 listed).
Lowest listed amounts right now:
- $18 — land parcel
- $18 — land parcel
- $20 — land parcel
- $20 — land parcel
- $22 — land parcel
- $23 — land parcel
- $23 — land parcel
- $23 — land parcel
Source: the county-held list as published by the county or its collection office, last checked 2026-10-27. Counts and prices are from the listings on this page and change as the county sells or adds parcels. How we check our sources.
What you are buying. The Alabama Department of Revenue: "If the state has held a tax sale certificate less than three years, the purchaser will be issued an assignment of the certificate. If the state has held the tax sale certificate over three years, a tax deed will be issued to the purchaser. Note: neither an assignment nor a tax deed gives the holder clear title to the parcel." (Tax Delinquent Property and Land Sales; Code of Ala. 1975, Title 40, Chapter 10, 40-10-132 et seq.). Each listing names which one applies, from the year the State bought it.
The full Alabama rules for county-held property, with the statute citations, are on the Alabama over-the-counter page. See also this county's tax-sale overview.
Frequently asked questions
What do county-held properties cost in Etowah County?
DeedFlex tracks 592 county-held listings in Etowah County; their listed amounts run $18 to $16,592 (median $204).
How do I buy state-held land in Alabama?
Request a price quote from the Alabama Department of Revenue by its electronic application. The quote is emailed to you and payment must be postmarked within 10 calendar days of the quote date. The amount on our listings is the bid at the original tax sale, not the quote. Expect it to be slow and competitive. The Department of Revenue can take a long time to answer, other investors apply for the same parcels, and a parcel can go to whoever pays first -- applicants have been told a property was "no longer available because they received money order from another applicant".
Do I get a deed or a certificate?
It depends on how long the State has held the parcel. Under three years the State assigns its tax-sale certificate; over three years it issues a tax deed. Neither gives clear title, according to the Department of Revenue.