Property-tax help · DC · MD · VA
Property-tax lookup.
Direct links to every DMV tax office — and a plain-language explanation of what happens when property taxes go unpaid, up to and including tax sale. Nothing on this page collects your address; every link opens the county or city's official site.
Before the lookup
What happens to unpaid property taxes.
Step 1 · Bill goes unpaid
In DC, MD, and VA, real property taxes are assessed annually. If the bill isn't paid by the due date, interest and penalties start accruing per the local rate schedule (typically 1–1.5% per month).
Step 2 · Statutory lien attaches
An unpaid property tax bill is a lien on the property from the moment it comes due, in every DMV jurisdiction. You don't receive a separate "lien filing" — the debt automatically attaches to the property and follows the property, not the person, at any future sale.
Step 3 · Tax sale
If the tax remains unpaid past the statutory grace period, the jurisdiction can hold a tax sale where a third-party bidder buys the tax certificate. This is not a foreclosure yet — you keep title and a redemption window to pay off the certificate (plus interest, penalties, and any statutory fees). In Maryland, the redemption period is typically 6–9 months; DC is 6 months; Virginia counties vary.
Step 4 · Foreclosure on the tax certificate
If the redemption window closes without payment, the certificate holder can foreclose — this is a real foreclosure that ends with a court-ordered transfer of title. From tax sale to loss of the house is typically 12–24 months in the DMV, but the clock is state- and county-specific.
Selling with a tax lien
Good news: a tax lien doesn't stop a sale.
At settlement, the title company orders a payoff figure from the taxing authority and pays it out of the sale proceeds before anything reaches the seller. What's left is yours (or covers other liens in the priority order). Cash sales work well here because there's no lender appraisal or approval to wait on while the redemption clock ticks.
If a tax sale has already happened, the redemption window is shorter than most homeowners expect — that's where speed matters.
Look up your jurisdiction
Official tax-office links.
22 DMV jurisdictions covered. Each link opens the official government site — use their search or online-payment portal from there.
Washington, DC
DC handles real property tax citywide through the Office of Tax and Revenue.
Washington, DC
DC Office of Tax and Revenue handles real property tax citywide.
Maryland
Assessments are set at the state level by SDAT; billing and collection happen at the county (or Baltimore City) level.
Anne Arundel County, MD
Baltimore City, MD
Independent city (not part of Baltimore County).
Baltimore County, MD
Carroll County, MD
Charles County, MD
Frederick County, MD
Howard County, MD
Montgomery County, MD
Prince George's County, MD
Maryland statewide (SDAT)
State Department of Assessments and Taxation — search assessments statewide.
Virginia
Real estate tax is administered at the county or independent-city level. Assessment and billing are usually split between the Commissioner of the Revenue and the Treasurer's office.
Alexandria (city), VA
Independent city (not part of any county).
Arlington County, VA
Fairfax (city), VA
Independent city, separate from Fairfax County.
Fairfax County, VA
Falls Church (city), VA
Independent city.
Fauquier County, VA
Loudoun County, VA
Manassas (city), VA
Independent city.
Prince William County, VA
Spotsylvania County, VA
Stafford County, VA
Sources & disclaimers
- Maryland tax sale process: Md. Code Ann., Tax-Prop. §§ 14-808 through 14-854. Six-month minimum redemption for owner-occupied homes; nine months for others (some counties longer). MD Tax-Prop. § 14-833
- DC tax sale process: D.C. Code §§ 47-1330 through 47-1385. Six-month redemption window plus judicial foreclosure process. D.C. Code Title 47, Ch. 13A
- Virginia delinquent-tax sale process: Va. Code §§ 58.1-3965 through 58.1-3975. Locality-driven judicial process; redemption up to the sale date once suit is filed. Va. Code Title 58.1, Ch. 39
- Jurisdiction links point to each government's own site as of the last update below. If a link is broken or moved, tell us at thelaneassociates@gmail.com and we'll fix it same day.
Not legal or tax advice. Real property tax rules vary by jurisdiction, program (owner-occupied vs. investment, senior/disabled exemptions, hardship deferrals), and how far along the enforcement process is. Consult a real-estate attorney or the taxing authority directly for guidance on your specific situation. Last reviewed: October 2026.