Behind on Property Taxes in Cape Girardeau County: The Tax Sale Timeline

If your real estate taxes are behind in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the Cape Girardeau County tax sale follows a calendar set by state law. Taxes unpaid on January 1 become delinquent. Delinquent parcels then go to the county collector's sale on the fourth Monday in August. The 2026 sale was set for August 24, 2026, at 10:00 AM on the third floor of the County Administration Building in Jackson (Cape Girardeau County Collector's Office, read October 2026).

This guide is the local version: the collector, the dates, the notices, redemption, city tax bills, the county tax credit, and your choices if you want to sell. For the full walk-through of Missouri's three tax sale systems, see our Missouri property tax sale guide.

What happens when Cape Girardeau County taxes go unpaid?

Real estate taxes still unpaid on January 1 become delinquent, and the county collector must then enforce the state's lien on the land (RSMo 140.010). That lien attaches to the parcel itself. It stays with the land until the taxes, penalty, interest, and costs are paid.

Cape Girardeau County bills arrive in the fall. The county says bills are "due upon receipt and the last day to pay without late charges is December 31 each year" (Cape Girardeau County, Homestead Tax Credit page, read October 2026). Miss that date, and the bill is delinquent the next morning.

Missouri law then adds a penalty to each year's delinquent taxes. For land redeemed before a sale, that penalty cannot exceed 2% a month (RSMo 140.100). The collector's office tells mail payers to postmark payments "on or before the end of the month you are paying in to avoid additional interest and penalties."

Who runs the sale

Cape Girardeau County sells delinquent parcels under the Jones-Munger Act, RSMo Chapter 140. The collector's page tells buyers to "become very familiar with Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 140." That law runs the sale by newspaper publication, with no lawsuit filed first. The collector is Barbara Gholson, and her office has two locations:

• Jackson: County Administration Building, One Barton Square, Suite 303, Jackson, MO 63755. Phone (573) 243-4476.
• Cape Girardeau: 2311 Bloomfield Road, Suite 102, Cape Girardeau, MO 63703. Phone (573) 335-2606.

Both offices are open 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, except holidays (Cape Girardeau County Collector's Office, read October 2026). Phone and online payments carry a service fee.

Which collector bills your house: Cape Girardeau County or Scott County

The parcel decides which county collector sends the tax bill. The Census Bureau places the City of Cape Girardeau in two counties: Cape Girardeau County and Scott County (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 place-by-county file). This guide describes the Cape Girardeau County Collector's process.

If your parcel sits in the Scott County part of the city, the Scott County Collector bills it and enforces it. That office sets its own notices, office hours, and parcel lists. This guide gives no Scott County dates, so confirm them with that collector before you rely on any deadline.

Your tax bill names the county that sent it. The Cape Girardeau County Assessor's parcel search can also confirm where a parcel sits.

The Cape Girardeau County tax sale timeline

The Cape Girardeau County tax sale timeline runs on a fixed yearly calendar, from the December 31 bill deadline to the August sale and the redemption windows after it.

The 2026 sale

The collector's office set the 2026 sale for Monday, August 24, 2026. It was scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM on the third floor of the County Administration Building in Jackson. Before the sale, the county posted a parcel list and map viewer. It noted the list was "subject to change based on taxes being paid" (Cape Girardeau County Collector's Office, read October 2026).

For parcels sold at the August 25, 2025 sale, the office tells owners to call (573) 243-4476 about redeeming. It adds: "A redemption will be calculated for the date you plan to redeem." Owners whose parcels sold in August 2026 can call the same number for a figure.

By the calendar, the next sale falls on August 23, 2027. The county had not posted a 2027 notice when this guide was written.

The notices you should receive

Missouri requires a mailed notice before your parcel is published, a newspaper listing before the sale, and a separate notice from any purchaser before a deed can issue.

Before the sale

The collector sends the first notice to the owner of record by first class mail (RSMo 140.150). A second notice goes by certified mail if the assessed value is over $1,000. If that certified letter comes back unsigned, the collector mails notice to both the owner and the occupant before the sale.

The collector also prints the delinquent list in a county newspaper for three consecutive weeks. The last printing must run at least 15 days before the fourth Monday in August (RSMo 140.170). The notice says the sale starts at 10:00 AM and continues day to day until every parcel has been offered.

After the sale

A purchaser cannot take a collector's deed right away. At least 90 days before the purchaser is authorized to acquire the deed, the purchaser must notify the owner of record of the right to redeem (RSMo 140.405). Recorded lienholders, such as a mortgage lender, get the same notice.

Those notices go by both first class mail and certified mail. A purchaser who skips these steps loses all interest in the real estate under the same section.

How long do you have to redeem after the Cape Girardeau County collector tax sale?

After a first or second offering, the owner has an absolute right to redeem for one year after the Cape Girardeau County collector tax sale (RSMo 140.340). After that year, the right continues. It ends once the purchaser acquires the deed.

Third and later offerings

A parcel offered for two years without a qualifying sale goes to a third offering. Under the current text, as amended by SB 973 in 2026, that sale must bring at least the taxes, interest, penalties, and costs. The redemption window after a third offering is 90 days (RSMo 140.250).

Parcels still unsold after a third offering are offered again every 30 days. Those later sales carry no redemption period at all.

What redeeming costs

Redeeming means paying the collector the amount on the certificate of purchase, the costs of sale, and interest (RSMo 140.340). Interest on the certificate amount is capped at 10% a year. Taxes the purchaser paid after the sale come back with 8% interest.

Any amount paid above the taxes and the collector's costs earns no interest. The collector calculates the final figure for the date you plan to pay.

Selling during redemption

Missouri requires an owner who plans to transfer ownership after a tax sale to redeem first (RSMo 140.405). An owner who skips that step must reimburse the purchaser's full certificate amount and the costs of sale. A closing can typically be arranged so the redemption is paid out of the sale proceeds. Ask the title company to confirm that sequence with the collector.

Surplus after a sale

If a parcel sells for more than the taxes and costs, the extra is surplus. The collector pays it into the county treasury. There it is held for former lienholders of record first, by priority, and then for the former owner (RSMo 140.230).

A claim must be filed in writing with the county commission within 90 days after the redemption period expires. The county pays no interest on it. Funds left unclaimed after three years go to the county school fund.

City weed and dangerous-building bills are separate liens

City of Cape Girardeau abatement charges are liens separate from county property taxes, and they can follow the house to closing. When the city cuts weeds or cleans up a nuisance the owner did not fix, it issues a special tax bill against the parcel. That bill "shall be a lien on the property until paid" and carries interest at 8% a year (Cape Girardeau Code of Ordinances, Sec. 13-28).

The city's weed rule covers growth taller than ten inches on average near a building or an improved street (Sec. 13-25). Unpaid abatement bills can also lead to a denied license or a water or sewer disconnection (Sec. 13-28).

Dangerous buildings follow a similar path. If an owner does not meet a repair or demolition order within 30 days, the city may repair, vacate, or demolish the building (Sec. 7-353). The cost goes on a special tax bill that is a lien, or it is added to the annual real estate tax bill. The city's condemnation page says a demolition tax bill "will be a lien against the property."

A title search typically turns up these liens, and a sale can pay them at closing. Our guide to selling a vacant or condemned house in Cape Girardeau covers condemnation orders and abatement in more detail.

Delinquent property taxes in Cape Girardeau County and the tax credit

Delinquent property taxes in Cape Girardeau County can cost you the county's new real estate tax credit. Voters approved two credits on April 7, 2026. Proposition A covers owners 62 and older, and Proposition B covers primary residences generally (Cape Girardeau County, Homestead Tax Credit page, read October 2026).

The county lists "Real estate taxes must not be delinquent" as a condition. Its FAQ says "No tax credit will be granted to a taxpayer that owes delinquent taxes, interest, or penalties." It also lists "Taxes become delinquent" as a reason to remove someone from the program.

The credit limits certain increases above an initial credit year. It does not freeze the whole bill. The 2027 application window runs February 1 to April 15, 2027. The credit also does not pass to a buyer or to a new house. Our guide to the Cape Girardeau County property tax freeze and selling explains how that plays out at closing.

Can you sell a Cape Girardeau house with back taxes?

You can sell a Cape Girardeau house with delinquent taxes, because the taxes are a lien on the parcel and a sale can pay them from the proceeds. The title company orders a payoff from the collector and pays it at closing. The lien is then released. The timing matters: close before the sale date, or during redemption with the redemption paid first.

Your choices

• Pay the collector in full before the fourth Monday in August. That takes the parcel off the list.
• Ask the collector what the office accepts if you cannot pay in one step. The collector's page does not describe a payment plan, so get any arrangement in writing.
• List with a local agent if you have equity, time, and a house that shows well. Houses in Cape Girardeau took about 34 days to sell in the three months ending September 2026, down from 38 a year earlier (Redfin, September 2026). Closing time comes on top of that.
• Sell directly for cash if the calendar is short or the house needs work.

What the market says

Redfin reports a median sale price of about $223,043 in Cape Girardeau for the three months ending September 2026. That is up 3.7% from a year earlier (Redfin, September 2026).

Zillow's typical value for the city was about $219,276 in September 2026, up about 4.4% over the year (Zillow ZHVI, September 2026). The two sources measure different things, so read them separately.

Where Propcash fits

Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer. We buy houses in Cape Girardeau as-is, and we sign the purchase contract as the buyer. We make one transparent cash offer based on local market data and show you how we got to our number. Sellers pay no commissions or fees, and you pick the closing date.

A cash closing can happen in as few as 7 days after the contract is signed. The back taxes, any city tax bills, and any redemption amount can typically be paid from the proceeds at closing. Our offer stands, so you can take it to an attorney before you decide. If listing would serve you better, we will say so.

See our Cape Girardeau cash house buyer page for how a local sale works, or submit your house for a cash offer when you are ready. If a mortgage default is running alongside the taxes, our foreclosure situation page covers that second clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Cape Girardeau County tax sale held?

The Cape Girardeau County tax sale is held on the fourth Monday in August under RSMo 140.150. The 2026 sale was set for August 24, 2026, at 10:00 AM on the third floor of the County Administration Building in Jackson. By the calendar, the 2027 sale would fall on August 23, 2027, so confirm that date once the collector posts its notice.

How long do I have to redeem my house after a Cape Girardeau County tax sale?

After a first or second offering, the owner has an absolute right to redeem for one year, and the right continues until the purchaser acquires the deed (RSMo 140.340). After a third offering, the redemption window is 90 days (RSMo 140.250). Parcels sold after a third offering carry no redemption period. The collector calculates the redemption amount for the date you plan to pay.

Can I sell my Cape Girardeau house if I owe delinquent property taxes?

A Cape Girardeau house with delinquent property taxes can still be sold, because the taxes are a lien on the parcel rather than a bar to a sale. The title company gets a payoff from the collector and pays it from the proceeds at closing. If the parcel already sold at a tax sale, Missouri requires the owner to redeem before transferring ownership (RSMo 140.405), and the redemption can typically be paid as part of the closing.

Which collector do I pay if my house is in the Scott County part of Cape Girardeau?

The parcel decides which county collector sends the tax bill. The City of Cape Girardeau lies in both Cape Girardeau County and Scott County, so a parcel on the Scott County side is billed and enforced by the Scott County Collector. Check your tax bill or the assessor's parcel record, and confirm sale dates with that county's collector.

Do I lose the Cape Girardeau County property tax credit if my taxes are delinquent?

Delinquent taxes can cost you the county's real estate tax credit. Cape Girardeau County says no credit will be granted to a taxpayer who owes delinquent taxes, interest, or penalties, and it lists delinquent taxes as a reason for removal from the program. The credit also does not transfer to a buyer or to a new house.

Can a city weed or demolition bill become a lien on my Cape Girardeau house?

City abatement costs become liens on the parcel. Under the Cape Girardeau Code of Ordinances, a weed or nuisance abatement creates a special tax bill that is a lien until paid and carries 8% annual interest (Sec. 13-28). Dangerous-building repair or demolition costs go on a special tax bill or onto the annual real estate tax bill (Sec. 7-353).

What happens to extra money if my parcel sells for more than the taxes owed?

Surplus from a Cape Girardeau County tax sale is paid into the county treasury and held for former lienholders of record first, then the former owner (RSMo 140.230). A written claim must be filed with the county commission within 90 days after the redemption period expires. The county pays no interest, and funds unclaimed after three years go to the county school fund.