Lien Sale

A tax lien is a legal claim placed on your property by the City due to unpaid property taxes, water and sewer charges, and other property-related charges.

If you don’t resolve your debt, the City will sell the lien to an authorized buyer. When the City sells a lien, it’s not selling your property. The lien holder buys the right to collect the money that you owe the City. Liens are never offered for sale to the general public.

If the taxes and/or charges are not paid or resolved, the new lienholder can begin a foreclosure proceeding in court.

If the City places a lien on your property, the Department of Finance will mail you warning notices before your property is included in a lien sale.

There are resources available to property owners who need help to avoid the lien sale. If you receive a warning notice that your property may be included in an upcoming tax lien sale because you have unpaid property tax, you can get help understanding property liens.

Online

Learn more about the lien sale.

In Person

For dates and locations, visit the Department of Finance Public Events page.

By Phone

Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for help.

Need more help?

If you have already contacted the Department of Finance about an issue and were unable to resolve it, visit the Taxpayer Advocate page to learn how to get help.

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