State Judicial Non-Judicial Process Period (Days) Sale Publication (Days) Redemption Period (Days) Sale/NTS
Alabama x x 49-74 21 365 Trustee
Alaska x x 105 65 365 Trustee
Arizona x x 90+ 41 30-180 Trustee
Arkansas x x 70 30 365 Trustee
California x x 117 21 265 Trustee
Colorado x x 145 60 None Trustee
Connecticut x . 62 NA Court Decides Court
Delaware x . 170-210 60-90 None Sheriff
District of Columbia . x 47 18 None Trustee
Florida x . 135 NA None Court
Georgia x x 37 32 None Trustee
Hawaii x x 220 60 None Trustee
Idaho x x 150 45 365 Trustee
Illinois x . 300 NA 90 Court
Indiana x . 261 120 None Sheriff
Iowa x x 160 30 20 Sheriff
Kansas x . 130 21 365 Sheriff
Kentucky x . 147 NA 365 Court
Louisiana x . 180 NA None Sheriff
Maine x . 240 30 90 Court
Maryland x . 46 30 Court Decides Court
Massachusetts x . 75 41 None Court
Michigan . x 60 30 30-365 Sheriff
Minnesota x x 90-100 7 1825 Sheriff
Mississippi x x 90 30 None Trustee
Missouri x x 60 10 365 Trustee
Montana x x 150 50 None Trustee
Nebraska x . 142 NA None Sheriff
Nevada x x 116 80 None Trustee
New Hampshire . x 59 24 None Trustee
New Jersey x . 270 NA 10 Sheriff
New Mexico x . 180 NA 30-270 Court
New York x . 445 NA None Court
North Carolina x x 110 25 None Sheriff
North Dakota x . 150 NA 180-365 Sheriff
Ohio x . 217 NA None Sheriff
Oklahoma x x 186 NA None Sheriff
Oregon x x 150 30 180 Trustee
Pennsylvania x . 270 NA None Sheriff
Rhode Island x x 62 21 None Trustee
South Carolina x . 150 NA None Court
South Dakota x x 150 23 30-365 Sheriff
Tennessee . x 40-45 20-25 730 Trustee
Texas x x 27 NA None Trustee
Utah . . 142 NA Court Decides Trustee
Vermont x . 95 NA 180-365 Court
Virginia x x 45 14-28 None Trustee
Washington x x 135 90 None Trustee
West Virginia . x 60-90 30-60 None Trustee
Wisconsin x x 290 NA 365 Sheriff
Wyoming x x 60 25 90-365 Sheriff


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.

To foreclose in accordance with the judicial procedure, a lender must prove that the mortgagor (borrower/homeowner) is in default. Once the lender has exhausted its attempts to resolve the default with the homeowner, the next step is to contact an attorney to pursue court action. The attorney contacts the mortgagor to try to resolve the default. If the mortgagor is unable to pay off the default, the attorney files a lis pendens (lawsuit pending) with the court. The lis pendens gives notice to the public that a pending action has been filed against the mortgagor. The purpose of the action is to provide evidence of a default and get the court’s approval to initiate foreclosure.

Non-judicial foreclosures are based on deeds of trust that contain the power of sale clause. The clause enables the trustee to initiate a mortgage foreclosure sale without having to go to court. The trustee is typically required to issue a notice of default and notify the trustor (borrower/homeowner) accordingly about the default status. If the trustor does not respond, the trustee then initiates the steps for conducting the mortgage foreclosure sale of the home.

The above 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.
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