How to request a delinquent tax list in Minnesota
Every Minnesota county keeps a list of properties with unpaid taxes, and it is a public record. Ask for it under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act with the free letter below, or pick your county for a letter already addressed to it.
Minnesota at a glance
- Who to ask
- The office that collects property taxes in the county. Depending on the county that is the treasurer, tax collector or tax commissioner.
- The law
- The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.
- Response time
- Minnesota's law sets no single number of days. Ask the office for a date.
- Who can ask
- Anyone can ask. You do not need to live in Minnesota.
- Cost
- Offices can charge for copies or staff time on a large data pull. The letter asks for an itemized estimate first.
Your Minnesota records request letter
Type the county name and your details. It updates as you type.
Email subject: Public records request: delinquent property tax list, [County name], Minnesota
November 7, 2026 Records Custodian, [County name] property tax office [County name], Minnesota Subject: Public records request: delinquent property tax list, [County name], Minnesota Dear Records Custodian: Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, I request a copy of the current list of real property accounts with delinquent property taxes in [County name], Minnesota. Please include these fields, to the extent your office keeps them: - Parcel or account number - Owner name - Property (situs) address - Owner mailing address - Tax years that are delinquent - Amount owed (by year, if your office keeps it that way) I would like the list in electronic form (CSV or Excel), sent by email to [Your email]. A file your office already produces is fine. I am not asking you to create a new record. If there is a charge, please send me an itemized estimate first if it will be more than $25. If the list will take time to prepare, please let me know when I can expect it. If you withhold any part of the list, please tell me which exemption applies and send the rest. Thank you for your help. Sincerely, [Your name] [Your mailing address] [Your email]
How to send it
- Check what the county already posts. Many tax offices publish the delinquent list on their website or in a newspaper notice before a tax sale. If it is posted, you may not need a request at all.
- Find the records contact. Look on the tax office's website for an open-records email address or online request portal. If the office has its own form, you can paste this letter into it.
- Send the letter and keep a copy. Note the date you sent it. Minnesota's law sets no single day count, so if you hear nothing in two weeks, follow up politely and ask for a date.
- Approve or question the estimate. Large data pulls can carry a fee for staff or computer time. Ask what it covers before you pay.
Or skip the wait
For many Minnesota counties we already have the list. Each county page shows a free sample, and where we sell the list, the whole file for $27, or $39 with deal scores. See the Minnesota counties we have
Pick your Minnesota county
- Aitkin County
- Anoka County
- Becker County
- Benton County
- Big Stone County
- Brown County
- Carlton County
- Carver County
- Cass County
- Chippewa County
- Chisago County
- Clay County
- Clearwater County
- Cook County
- Crow Wing County
- Dakota County
- Douglas County
- Fillmore County
- Grant County
- Hennepin County
- Houston County
- Isanti County
- Itasca County
- Jackson County
- Koochiching County
- Lac Qui Parle County
- Lake County
- Lake Of The Woods County
- Lyon County
- Marshall County
- McLeod County
- Mille Lacs County
- Morrison County
- Mower County
- Murray County
- Norman County
- Olmsted County
- Otter Tail County
- Pennington County
- Pipestone County
- Polk County
- Pope County
- Ramsey County
- Red Lake County
- Renville County
- Rice County
- Scott County
- Sherburne County
- St. Louis County
- Stearns County
- Steele County
- Stevens County
- Traverse County
- Wabasha County
- Waseca County
- Washington County
- Wilkin County
- Winona County
- Wright County
- Yellow Medicine County