- Who sends it
- The chancery clerk, served by the sheriff or a constable, also mailed by certified mail and published in a newspaper
- What it starts
- The final countdown to the redemption deadline printed in the notice
- Do this first
- Call the chancery clerk and ask for the exact amount to redeem and the last day
What this document is in Mississippi
Under Miss. Code § 27-43-1, the chancery clerk must, within 180 days and not less than 60 days before the redemption period ends, issue a notice to the record owner. The notice reads in part: "You will take notice that (the land) assessed to you or supposed to be owned by you, was, on the (date) sold to (buyer) for the taxes of (year), and that the title to said land will become absolute in (buyer) unless redemption from said tax sale be made on or before (date)."
Under Miss. Code § 27-43-3, the sheriff or a constable serves it on you in person, or leaves it with someone over 16 at your home, or posts it on your door. The clerk also mails a copy by registered or certified mail and publishes your name and the property in a county newspaper at least 45 days before redemption ends.
What it does and does not mean
- Your land was already sold at a tax sale, usually the one held in August (Mississippi extras file).
- You can still redeem until the date in the notice by paying the chancery clerk, regardless of the buyer's bid, the taxes the land sold for, the costs of sale, 5 percent damages on the taxes and interest of 1.5 percent a month, plus later costs with interest (Miss. Code § 27-45-3).
- The buyer does not get the right to possess your home during the redemption period (Mississippi extras file).
- If you do not redeem, the chancery clerk gives the buyer a tax deed with the right of possession (Miss. Code § 27-45-23, per the Mississippi extras file).
The deadline it starts and how to count it
Under Miss. Code § 27-45-3, you can redeem "at any time within two (2) years after the day of sale." The notice states the exact last day. Use that printed date, and pay before the clerk's office closes that day.
If the land sold for more than the taxes and costs and you do not redeem, you can ask the county for the excess within two years after the redemption period ends (Miss. Code § 27-41-77, per the Mississippi extras file). See property tax foreclosure in Mississippi.
What to do this week
- Call or visit the chancery clerk. Ask for the full redemption amount good through a specific date and how you can pay.
- Pay with a method the clerk accepts and get a receipt.
- If you cannot pay it all, ask the clerk and legal aid right away what options exist. Do not wait for the last day.
- Check whether you qualify for the homestead exemption for future years (apply January 1 to April 1).
- If someone else holds title or you inherited the home, tell the clerk. Special rules apply to minors and people of unsound mind.
State help and scam warnings
Free legal help: North Mississippi Rural Legal Services at 1-800-898-8731 and Mississippi Center for Legal Services at 1-800-498-1804. See the Mississippi foreclosure help page.
- Pay the chancery clerk directly. Do not pay a third party who says it will redeem for you.
- Be careful with offers to buy your home cheaply "before the state takes it." Get advice first.
The rest of the Mississippi process
See how foreclosure works in Mississippi, the timeline, ways to stop it and free help in Mississippi, or read the national guide to this letter.
Common questions
How long do I have to redeem after a Mississippi tax sale?
Two years after the day of the sale (Miss. Code § 27-45-3). The chancery clerk's notice states the exact last day.
How will I get the Mississippi tax redemption notice?
Under Miss. Code § 27-43-3, by the sheriff or a constable in person, left at your home, or posted on your door, plus registered or certified mail and a newspaper notice at least 45 days before the deadline.
Who do I pay to redeem my Mississippi property?
The chancery clerk of the county where the land is (Miss. Code § 27-45-3).
Other Mississippi letters
- Notice of Substitute Trustee's SaleIn Mississippi, the notice of sale is the main foreclosure notice the law requires. It is published in a county newspaper and posted at the courthouse for three weeks in a row before the sale. State law does not require a mailed copy, but your deed of trust may. You can still catch up on what is past due and stop the sale until the sale is completed.
- Substitute Trustee's DeedAfter a Mississippi trustee's sale, the substitute trustee signs a substitute trustee's deed to the buyer. No court has to approve the sale, and the state files found no right to buy the home back. The buyer still has to go to court to remove you, and you may owe a balance or be owed a surplus.
- Complaint for Unlawful Entry and Detainer (eviction after foreclosure)After a Mississippi foreclosure sale, the buyer usually sends a letter telling you to leave, then files a complaint for unlawful entry and detainer to get possession. The case is heard in county court, or in justice court where the county has no county court. It decides only who has the right to possession, not whether the foreclosure was valid.
- Deficiency lawsuit (suit on the note after foreclosure)If your Mississippi home sold for less than you owed, the lender may sue you for the rest. The foreclosing lender must sue on an installment note within one year after the sale. The Mississippi Supreme Court requires the lender to prove the home's fair market value and to satisfy the court that a deficiency is fair.