U.S. Foreclosure Laws by State

Apr 25, 2013 - 3 Min read
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Real Estate Expert
foreclosure law

The foreclosure process varies somewhat from state to state, and depends primarily on whether the state uses mortgages or deeds of trust for the purchase of real property. Generally, states that use mortgages conduct judicial foreclosures; states that use deeds of trust conduct non-judicial foreclosures. The principal difference between the two is that the judicial procedure requires court action on a foreclosed home.

The below table represents our current knowledge of which states use mortgages (judicial) or deeds of trust (non-judicial) or both. The table also includes estimated foreclosure timelines for each state. Please check with your local county government to verify this information. Inform us of any errors at info@realtytrac.com.

Compare all state foreclosure timelines on this simple one-page chart and click on any state name to read about detailed foreclosure procedures for that state.

State Judicial Non-Judicial Comment Process Period** Publish Sale** Redemption Period** Sale/NTS
Alabama Judicial rarely 49-74 21 365 Trustee
Alaska Judicial rarely 105 65 365* Trustee
Arizona Judicial rarely 90+ 41 30-180* Trustee
Arkansas Both 70 30 365* Trustee
California Judicial rarely 117 21 365* Trustee
Colorado Judicial rarely 145 60 None Trustee
Connecticut   Judicial only 62 NA Court Decides Court
Delaware   Judicial only 170-210 60-90 None Sheriff
Florida   Judicial only 135 NA None Court
Georgia Judicial rarely 37 32 None Trustee
Hawaii Both 220 60 None Trustee
Idaho Trustee Sale 150 45 365 Trustee
Illinois   Judicial only 300 NA 90 Court
Indiana   Judicial only 261 120 None Sheriff
Iowa Trustee Sale Voluntary 160 30 20 Sheriff
Kansas   Judicial only 130 21 365 Sheriff
Kentucky   Judicial only 147 NA 365 Court
Louisiana   Judicial only 180 NA None Sheriff
Maine   Judicial only 240 30 90 Court
Maryland   Judicial only 46 30 Court Decides Court
Massachusetts   Judicial only 75 41 None Court
Michigan   Non-Judicial only 60 30 30-365 Sheriff
Minnesota Non-Judicial mostly 90-100 7 180 Sheriff
Mississippi Non-Judicial mostly 90 30 None Trustee
Missouri Non-Judicial mostly 60 10 365 Trustee
Montana Trustee Sale mostly 150 50 None Trustee
Nebraska   Judicial only 142 NA None Sheriff
Nevada Trustee Sale mostly 116 80 None Trustee
New Hampshire   Non-Judicial only 59 24 None Trustee
New Jersey   Judicial only 270 NA 10 Sheriff
New Mexico   Judicial only 180 NA 30-270 Court
New York   Judicial only 445 NA None Court
North Carolina Non-Judicial mostly 110 25 None Sheriff
North Dakota   Judicial only 150 NA 180-365 Sheriff
Ohio   Judicial only 217 NA None Sheriff
Oklahoma Judicial mostly 186 NA None Sheriff
Oregon Trustee Sale mostly 150 30 180 Trustee
Pennsylvania   Judicial only 270 NA None Sheriff
Rhode Island  Non-judicial mostly 62 21 None Trustee
South Carolina   Judicial only 150 NA None Court
South Dakota Judicial mostly 150 23 30-365 Sheriff
Tennessee    Non-judicial only 40-45 20-25 730 Trustee
Texas  Non-Judicial mostly 27 NA None Trustee
Utah   Non-Judicial Only 142 NA Court Decides Trustee
Vermont   Judicial only 95 NA 180-365 Court
Virginia Trustee Sale mostly 45 14-28 None Trustee
Washington Trustee Sale mostly 135 90 None Trustee
Washington D.C.   Trustee Sale only 47 18 None Trustee
West Virginia   Trustee Sale only 60-90 30-60 None Trustee
Wisconsin Judicial mostly 290 NA 365 Sheriff
Wyoming Non-judicial mostly 60 25 90-365 Sheriff

 

* Judicial Foreclosures Only
** In days

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