The short answer
Until the close of business the day before the sale; no redemption after the sale except for minors and legally incompetent persons
How the clock works
Any property on which a certificate of delinquency has been issued may be redeemed at any time before the close of business the day before the day of the sale. Washington has no general post-sale redemption period: once the treasurer sells the parcel, the sale is final for a competent adult owner. The one exception protects minors and persons adjudicated legally incompetent, whose property may be redeemed at any time within three years after the date of sale, on payment of the amount for which the property was sold plus interest at the statutory delinquent-tax rate from the date of sale, plus the reasonable value of improvements made in good faith on the property, less the value of their use. No fee may be charged for any redemption.
Who can redeem
Before the day of sale, any person owning a recorded interest in the property, in person or through an agent with notarized proof of the agency, may pay the taxes, interest, and costs due, and receives a receipt or certificate of payment plus a lien on the property for the amount paid. After the sale, only a minor or legally incompetent owner, or someone acting for them, may redeem, within three years of the sale date.
What the owner pays to redeem
Before the sale: all taxes, interest, and costs due on the property, with interest at 9 percent per year on residential real property with four or fewer units and 12 percent per year on other property, plus the 3 percent and 8 percent penalties where they apply. Amounts deferred under chapter 84.37 or 84.38 RCW need not be paid unless they have become payable. After the sale (minors and legally incompetent persons only): the sale amount plus statutory-rate interest from the date of sale and the value of good-faith improvements, less the value of their use.
What sends a parcel to the sale
Three years after the date of delinquency, the county treasurer must issue a certificate of delinquency to the county on every parcel still on the tax rolls, file it with the clerk of the superior court, and foreclose the tax lien. The owner is served notice and has thirty days to defend the action or pay the amount due. The treasurer may not file a certificate when the delinquency is one hundred dollars or less excluding interest and penalties, unless the parcel has been declared a nuisance, and may not sell property that is eligible for tax deferral under chapter 84.38 RCW without requiring a deferral declaration first.
In Washington the owner's ordinary redemption right closes before the sale rather than running against the winning bidder; check the rule above for any exception, and note that a federal tax lien can carry its own 120-day IRS redemption right. See how redemption periods work across states. Winning the tax deed sale still does not convey marketable title on its own, so budget for a quiet title action.
Verified Aug 16, 2026 against Washington statutes.
Tax Sale Atlas publishes educational information about public tax sale processes. This is not legal, financial, or investment advice. Rules, dates, and fees change; confirm with the county office before you bid.