Delinquent property tax
Behind on Michigan property taxes? Start here.
Call the county treasurer or other foreclosing governmental unit on the notice today. Ask for the exact amount needed to redeem the property, the last date it can be paid, and every assistance or payment option still open at your stage.
Action list
Four calls can happen on the same day
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1
County treasurer or FGU
Get the exact payoff, redemption date, hearing status, and available agreement or hardship paths.
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2
MI Bridges and MDHHS
Apply for State Emergency Relief if the household may qualify. The program has limits, so keep working the other paths.
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3
Housing counselor
Ask a HUD-certified counselor to help organize the tax, mortgage, budget, and application papers.
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4
Legal help
If a hearing or final deadline is close, contact a Michigan attorney or legal-aid office immediately and bring every notice.
Michigan timeline
Delinquent, forfeited, and foreclosed are different stages
First March 1: Michigan Treasury says unpaid real-property tax is generally returned delinquent to the county treasurer. Fees and monthly interest begin adding to the amount.
Second March 1: The property is generally forfeited to the foreclosing governmental unit, which adds a forfeiture fee and continues the court-notice process. The owner can still redeem before the controlling deadline.
Third year: Treasury's standard county timeline says the circuit court may enter a foreclosure judgment by March 30 and redemption rights generally expire March 31. Contested cases and the actual court order can differ, so rely on the notice and the foreclosing unit for the exact date.
Help routes
Use more than one door
Treasury resources
Find the foreclosing unit and the state's current assistance and remaining-proceeds paths.
Emergency Relief
Check MDHHS eligibility and current limits for a qualifying home-ownership emergency.
Housing counselor
Use MSHDA's route to a HUD-certified counselor; counseling does not pause a deadline.
Next steps
Keep the rest of the property picture visible
Tax foreclosure can overlap with an assessment problem, mortgage trouble, or an estate.
- Local Find your place Open the local place page and county path for the property. Find the place ->
- Tax Open the property-tax directory See assessments, PRE, bills, appeals, and the homestead credit. Open property taxes ->
- Assessment Check the appeal path A value appeal is separate from paying or redeeming delinquent taxes. Open the appeal guide ->
- Estate Handle a home after a death Find the deed and probate path when the owner has died. Open the estate guide ->
Michigan tax-foreclosure questions
Does forfeiture mean the county already owns my house? +
No. Michigan law says forfeiture does not itself give the foreclosing governmental unit possession or an ownership interest. It moves the delinquent taxes into the court-foreclosure stage. The deadline is still serious, so ask for the exact redemption amount and date immediately.
Who handles delinquent Michigan property taxes? +
Start with the county treasurer or other foreclosing governmental unit named on the notice. Current-year taxes begin with the city or township treasurer, but delinquent real-property taxes generally move into the county process. Detroit and a few situations can have a different named unit, so use the notice.
Is tax foreclosure the same as mortgage foreclosure? +
No. Tax foreclosure is based on unpaid property taxes and runs through the foreclosing governmental unit. Mortgage foreclosure is based on the loan and lender. A household can face both, and each has its own payoff, notices, deadlines, and help route.
Can I claim extra sale proceeds after a tax foreclosure? +
Michigan Treasury's taxpayer-resources page describes a claim process for remaining proceeds and says Form 5743 generally goes to the foreclosing governmental unit by July 1 after the foreclosure's effective date. Use the current official instructions and ask about your exact deadline.
Sources and review
Where the foreclosure path comes from
Michigan Treasury explains the standard county process and taxpayer resources. The notice, foreclosing governmental unit, and circuit-court order control the property-specific dates.
- Data used
- Current Michigan Treasury, MDHHS, MSHDA, and Michigan Compiled Laws guidance
- Last reviewed
- July 19, 2026
- Michigan Treasury - property-tax foreclosure process for the delinquency, forfeiture, court-foreclosure, and redemption sequence.
- Michigan Treasury - taxpayer resources for foreclosing governmental units, assistance paths, counseling, and remaining-proceeds information.
- Michigan Legislature - MCL 211.78 for what forfeiture means and the authority to seek foreclosure.
- Michigan MDHHS - Home Ownership Services for State Emergency Relief information for qualifying property-tax and home-ownership emergencies.
- Michigan MSHDA - foreclosure help for the HUD-certified housing-counselor route.
Use this carefully: Do not treat a general timeline as your deadline. Contact the foreclosing governmental unit and qualified legal help immediately when a hearing, judgment, or redemption date may be close.
Rules, rates, forms, office practices, and local facts can change. When the answer matters, confirm it with the current official source, the responsible office, or a qualified Michigan professional before acting.