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Surplus funds in Alabama.

When a property in Alabama sells at a tax sale or a foreclosure sale for more than what was owed, the extra can belong to the former owner. Here is who holds it, the law behind it, and every county office linked so you can check for yourself, free.

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Foreclosure sales here

Non-judicial, trustee or power-of-sale.

Our fee here

We don't offer paid help in Alabama. You can claim surplus here yourself, free; see below.

Tax sale surplus

Excess from tax sales is claimable under Ala. Code §40-10-28. In the first 3 years it is paid only to someone who has redeemed the property. After 3 years it can be paid on a circuit court order granting redemption, proof of a negotiated redemption from the tax-sale buyer, or the owner's recorded release of the right to redeem. The county keeps the money if no proof is filed within 10 years after a sale in 2016 or later (11 years for 2015 sales, 12 for 2014 sales). Some counties sell tax liens instead of the property. If a lien holder sues to foreclose, anyone entitled to redeem can demand a court-run public auction, and any surplus is paid out as the court decides (Ala. Code §40-10-197). We tell you plainly if there's nothing to claim.

Foreclosure surplus

Foreclosure type
Non judicial
Who holds the surplus

The foreclosing mortgagee (or its attorney/auctioneer who conducts the power-of-sale auction). No public office holds it by statute.

Most Alabama foreclosures are out-of-court sales under the mortgage's power of sale (Ala. Code 35-10-12 to 35-10-16); judicial foreclosure is also possible (Ala. Code 35-10-15). We found no Alabama statute that sets a surplus claim procedure or deadline. The former owner should ask the foreclosing lender or its attorney, in writing, for an accounting of the sale and any surplus. Separately, the former owner can redeem the property within 180 days after the sale if it was residential property with a homestead exemption claimed that tax year, or within one year for other property (Ala. Code 6-5-248).

Fees and assignments. No specific statute found for mortgage/HOA foreclosure surplus. Alabama has no surplus-finder cap or assignment rule comparable to Florida 45.033 or Colorado 38-38-111.

Published surplus lists

These official Alabama pages publish lists or lookups of unclaimed surplus or excess proceeds. If your name or parcel appears, the office that runs the list can tell you how to claim, free.

Lists change often and may be out of date. Checked October 2026.

Claiming it yourself

We don't offer paid help in Alabama. You can claim surplus here yourself, free.

See the free self-filing steps →

Every Alabama county office(71)

Surplus is public record. Call the office that held the sale with the parcel or case number; in most places it will confirm whether a surplus exists, how much, and the deadline. Self-filing is free. Each entry links the county's tax office and court clerk where the directory lists them, plus the full set of county offices.

Each dot is a county below. Pick one from the list to see it up close.© OpenStreetMap contributors

Check this yourself

This page is plain-language orientation, not legal advice. Statutes were checked against official sources in October 2026, and county links come from the NETR public-records directory, an independent resource. Laws and county procedures change, so confirm with the office before you rely on any of it. You can always file a claim yourself with no recovery fee (a court or notary may charge a small fee).