The Kanawha County delinquent property tax list is compiled by the Kanawha County Sheriff, posted at the front door of the courthouse in Charleston, and published as a legal notice in a local newspaper of general circulation. You can also look up an individual tax ticket and its payment status through the Sheriff’s online portal, or visit the Sheriff’s Tax Division at the courthouse in person.1Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office If your name or property is on that list, interest and fees are already adding to what you owe, and a tax lien auction is scheduled unless you pay.
Where to Find the List
State law requires the Sheriff to post a copy of the delinquent list at the front door of the county courthouse at least two weeks before the county commission reviews it, and to publish it as a legal advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the county.2West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 11A-2-13 – Publication and Posting of Delinquent Tax Lists The newspaper version runs as a public notice and can stretch across many pages depending on the number of delinquent accounts that year.
For most people, the fastest check is the Kanawha County Sheriff’s website, which lets you search individual tax tickets and see whether an account is current or delinquent.1Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office The Sheriff’s Tax Division at the Kanawha County Courthouse in Charleston also keeps records you can review in person, and staff can explain what the entries mean.
When a Bill Becomes Delinquent
West Virginia property taxes are billed in two halves. The first half is due by September 1 and becomes delinquent on October 1. The second half is due by March 1 of the following year and becomes delinquent on April 1.3West Virginia Tax Division. Property Tax Due Dates The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office states it plainly: pay the first half before October 1 and the second half by April 1 to avoid interest charges.4Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Tax Office Frequently Asked Questions
Once a payment slips past a delinquency date, interest accrues at nine percent per year on the unpaid balance.3West Virginia Tax Division. Property Tax Due Dates A $20 charge is added per delinquent item to cover preparing and publishing the list.2West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 11A-2-13 – Publication and Posting of Delinquent Tax Lists Those fees stack quickly.
What the List Shows
There are two different publications with different levels of detail. The first, published under West Virginia Code 11A-2-13, is bare-bones. It shows only the aggregate amount of taxes owed by each person, without individual parcel descriptions or ticket numbers.2West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 11A-2-13 – Publication and Posting of Delinquent Tax Lists It notifies the public that you owe, not what you owe on.
The second publication provides more. By September 10 each year, the Sheriff prepares a list of all real estate still delinquent as of September 1, together with a formal notice of sale. It includes the name of the person charged with the taxes, the quantity of land, a local description of the property, and the total amount of taxes, interest, and charges due.5West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 11A-3-2 – Notice of Sale The notice also states that unredeemed properties will be certified to the State Auditor on October 31 for disposition through public auction.
Paying Off a Delinquency Before the Sale
You can stop the process by paying the full delinquency before the tax lien sale. A taxpayer may redeem the lien up to the close of business on the day before the sale, so acting before the November auction clears your account and keeps the property out of it.
The payoff is more than the original tax bill. It includes the unpaid taxes, nine percent annual interest from the delinquency date, the $20 publication charge per delinquent item, and any administrative costs.3West Virginia Tax Division. Property Tax Due Dates Because interest keeps accruing, call the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Tax Division for an exact figure rather than working from an older quote.
Have your tax ticket number or parcel identification number ready. Payment goes to the Sheriff’s office in Charleston, and for delinquent accounts the office may require guaranteed funds such as a cashier’s check or money order rather than a personal check. Online payments through the Sheriff’s website post as paid immediately.1Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
What Happens at the November Tax Lien Sale
Every November, the Kanawha County Sheriff holds a public auction of delinquent real estate tax liens. The Sheriff’s office reports offering roughly 2,100 liens each year out of a total ticket population of around 100,000, with the sale typically generating between $2.5 and $3.0 million in total tax collections.6Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Collection Enforcement
Each lien is sold to the highest bidder, with a minimum bid equal to the taxes, interest, and charges due as of the sale date.5West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 11A-3-2 – Notice of Sale The winning bidder does not receive a deed. They receive a tax lien certificate, which represents the right to collect the delinquent taxes, interest, and fees from the property owner. Ownership does not transfer at the auction.
Redemption After the Sale
A tax lien sale is not the end of the road. West Virginia law gives you a redemption period to reclaim the property by paying off the full amount owed. Owners have until April 1 of the year following the sale to redeem. For a lien sold at a November 2026 auction, that deadline would be April 1, 2027.
Redemption is expensive. You must repay the purchaser’s bid amount, all other taxes the purchaser has since paid on the property, reasonable expenses up to $500 for title examination and preparing the list of parties to be notified, and interest at one percent per month on those amounts from the dates they were paid.7West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 11A-3-58 – Distribution of Funds Upon Redemption The purchaser also recovers all statutory costs paid. The total is often substantially more than the original delinquent taxes.
What Delinquency Can Do to Your Mortgage
If you have a mortgage, letting property taxes go delinquent creates problems beyond the tax bill. Most mortgage agreements require borrowers to stay current on property taxes. When taxes go unpaid, the mortgage servicer will usually pay them even if your escrow account cannot cover the amount, add that cost to your loan balance, and raise your monthly escrow payment.
If you have no escrow account, the servicer may still pay the taxes and demand reimbursement. Failing to repay can trigger foreclosure on the mortgage itself, meaning you could lose the home to your lender over unpaid property taxes rather than through the county’s tax lien process. In the worst case, a mortgage lender may invoke an acceleration clause, making the full remaining balance due at once.
Tax liens no longer appear on consumer credit reports. As of April 2018, all three major credit bureaus removed tax liens from credit files.8Experian. Tax Liens Are No Longer a Part of Credit Reports They remain public records, though, and lenders reviewing your background for a new mortgage or refinance can find them through a title search. A delinquent tax lien on your property signals financial distress and can lead to higher interest rates or loan denials.