Hamilton County surplus funds: how to check the list and claim what's yours

If a home in Hamilton County (county seat: Cincinnati) sold at a foreclosure or tax sale for more than was owed, the leftover money may belong to you. Here's exactly who holds it, how to check for free, and how to claim it.

County contacts verified July 2026
In Hamilton County, Ohio, surplus funds from a mortgage foreclosure sale are held by the Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas), and excess funds from a tax foreclosure are held by the Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas) — the County Treasurer refers tax-sale excess claimants to the Clerk. The money legally belongs to the former owner, but it is not mailed out automatically. You must file a claim, and you can check whether money exists for free by calling (513) 946-5656.
Mortgage foreclosure surplus
Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas)
Tax sale surplus funds
Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas) — the County Treasurer refers tax-sale excess claimants to the Clerk
County phone
(513) 946-5656
Cost to check yourself
$0. It's public record
How sales happen
Online via RealAuction — effective January 1, 2024, sheriff's sales occur online
Our cost to you upfront
$0. Attorney and filing costs are on us

Is there a Hamilton County surplus funds list?

Yes. The county publishes its official surplus funds list here (pdf). It shows sales that left money behind; look for your name or the property address. The county's file can be hard to read and is only updated periodically, so if you don't find yourself on it, that does not mean no money exists: call the Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas) — the County Treasurer refers tax-sale excess claimants to the Clerk at (513) 946-5661 and ask directly, or have us check the record for you free.

When are Hamilton County sheriff sales, and how do I see the results?

Online via RealAuction — effective January 1, 2024, sheriff's sales occur online. Wednesdays at 11:00 AM. Location: Online (historically Room 260, Hamilton County Courthouse; delinquent-tax sales may still be live at the courthouse). Sale listings and results are public. See the official Hamilton County sale site. Every result matters for one reason most people miss: if a home sold for more than the debt owed, the difference belongs to the former owner. That's the surplus funds this page is about. Full details: Hamilton County sheriff sale: schedule and results.

How to check if you're owed money from a Hamilton County sale

  1. Look up your foreclosure case for free: Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Records Search (by name or case number). Search by your name and note the case number and sale amount.
  2. Check the county's official surplus funds list: view the Hamilton County list (PDF). Look for your name or the property address.
  3. Call the county directly: the Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas) at (513) 946-5656 or the Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas) — the County Treasurer refers tax-sale excess claimants to the Clerk at (513) 946-5661. Ask whether excess or surplus funds are being held from your sale. This call is free, and you owe nothing to anyone for making it.
  4. Prefer someone to check for you? We'll review the public record at no cost: request a free review. No upfront costs, ever.

How mortgage foreclosure surplus works in Hamilton County

Excess funds from a Hamilton County foreclosure sale are held with the Clerk of Courts in your court case. To claim them yourself, you prepare an 'Application for the Distribution of Excess Funds' stating your claim and file it at the Civil Case Cost Desk in Room 315 of the courthouse (1000 Main St., Cincinnati); the Clerk offers free standardized Motion, Notice of Hearing, and Order forms online and at the Room 315 Civil Issue Desk. Check the Clerk's published excess funds list or call (513) 946-5656 to ask about your case.

According to publicly available Ohio statute (R.C. 2329.44), when a sheriff's sale brings in more than the judgment and costs, the balance belongs to the former owner, and the clerk must send notice when the surplus is $500 or more. The claim is made by motion in your original foreclosure case. You can confirm any of this directly with the county at (513) 946-5656. We encourage it.

Official form: Excess Funds Forms — standardized Motion, Notice of Hearing, and Order for Distribution of Excess Funds.

How tax-sale surplus funds work in Hamilton County

For tax-sale excess funds, Hamilton County's own Treasurer directs former owners to the Clerk of Courts at (513) 946-5661 and to the Clerk's excess funds forms page — the claim is filed in the tax-foreclosure court case, just like a mortgage surplus. In tax-foreclosure cases the excess proceeds are deposited with the Clerk and notice goes out by certified mail. According to Ohio R.C. 5721.20, tax-sale money is only claimable for a limited time before permanent forfeiture — you can confirm your deadline directly with the county, and we encourage it.

According to publicly available Ohio statute (R.C. 5721.20), excess from a tax foreclosure is held for the former owner, but unclaimed money can be permanently forfeited three years after it is paid into the county treasury. This is the one deadline in Ohio you cannot miss. You can confirm any of this with the Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas) — the County Treasurer refers tax-sale excess claimants to the Clerk at (513) 946-5661.

Official form: Excess Funds Forms (same standardized court forms as mortgage foreclosure).

You can do all of this yourself, for free.The county will never charge you to check, and you don't need anyone's permission to file your own claim. Where we help is when it gets complicated: a deceased owner, competing liens, missed deadlines, or a court hearing. Our licensed attorneys handle the entire claim with no upfront costs: attorney fees, filing fees, and court costs are on us, and you pay nothing unless money is recovered.

Good to know in Hamilton County

  • Hamilton County publishes an actual excess funds list as a PDF on the Clerk's site (courtclerk.org/forms/excess_funds_list.pdf) — one of the few Ohio counties where you can see held funds by name without a records request.
  • The Clerk's standardized excess-funds forms come with an explicit disclaimer that they are suggested forms and may not fit every case — filings happen in person at Room 315, Civil Case Cost Desk, 1000 Main St.
  • The Treasurer's office does not handle tax-sale excess directly: its FAQ sends claimants to the Clerk of Courts at (513) 946-5661 and to the excess funds forms page.
  • Sheriff's sales moved fully online on January 1, 2024 at hamilton.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov — deposits are $5,000 for residential property valued at $200,000 or less, $10,000 above that.
  • Per USA TODAY Network's 'Foreclosed and Fleeced' investigation, Hamilton County's clerk said it sends notices of surpluses in all foreclosure cases — if you moved after the sale, that notice may never have reached you.

We help former homeowners throughout Hamilton County, including Cincinnati, Norwood, Forest Park, Sharonville, Blue Ash, Springdale.

Related guides

Nearby counties: Butler County, Cuyahoga County, Delaware County, Franklin County, Lorain County, Lucas County, or see all of Ohio.

Hamilton County questions

Straight answers, before you ask.

The county publishes its official list at https://www.courtclerk.org/forms/excess_funds_list.pdf (pdf). Not finding your name doesn't always mean no money exists. Lists update periodically, so confirm by calling the Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas) — the County Treasurer refers tax-sale excess claimants to the Clerk at (513) 946-5661, or request a free record check from us.

Mortgage foreclosure surplus is held by the Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas) in the original foreclosure case (per publicly available Ohio statute R.C. 2329.44). Excess money from a tax foreclosure is handled through the Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas) — the County Treasurer refers tax-sale excess claimants to the Clerk (R.C. 5721.20). You can confirm either directly with the county at (513) 946-5656, and we encourage it.

It depends on which kind of sale it was. Mortgage-foreclosure surplus stays with the clerk until 90 days after the last notice, then moves to the county treasurer, who holds it for the owner; under R.C. 9.39, money unclaimed there for five years reverts to the county's general fund. Tax-foreclosure excess is stricter: according to R.C. 5721.20, it is permanently forfeited three years after it is paid into the county treasury. Don't wait. Confirm your dates with the county, and read our deadline guide.

Yes. You never need to pay anyone to find out if money exists or to file a claim. The county process is free apart from routine court costs. Our guide on claiming surplus funds yourself walks through it. Where claims get complicated (a deceased owner, competing liens, missed notices), our attorneys handle everything with no upfront costs, and you pay nothing unless money is recovered.

Heirs can usually claim, but the money is treated as part of the estate, so counties and courts typically require probate paperwork before paying anyone. See our guide for heirs. This is one of the situations where attorney help matters most, and ours costs nothing upfront.

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