deedplatState guides / Nebraska / Lancaster County
Lancaster County property data
Where Lancaster County's property records live, how its tax and foreclosure sales work, and what Deedplat puts on one map, including Lincoln.
- 13Cities and towns
Where the records are
The county offices an investor deals with in Lancaster County, and what each one puts online.
Deeds and mortgages
Lancaster County Register of Deeds (part of the Assessor/Register of Deeds office). The document index is searchable online back to June 19, 1987, but viewing PDF images of recorded documents requires signing up as a registered user.
Owners and values
Lancaster County Assessor/Register of Deeds. The free online Property Search lists owner, 2026 valuation and property details by name, address or property ID, with a separate property transfer search.
Tax sales
Lancaster County Treasurer. The Treasurer posts tax sale information and registration forms online and lists unsold taxes and liens on its website after April 15.
Foreclosure sales
Lancaster County Sheriff's Office (Civil Division). The Sheriff lists upcoming court-ordered real estate sales on its website; trustee sales under deeds of trust are run by private trustees instead.
Parcel maps
Lincoln and Lancaster County Property Information Map (GIS Viewer). The joint city and county GIS viewer, linked from the Assessor's property search, shows parcels free online.
How property is sold here
Lancaster County follows Nebraska's rules, with its own calendar and offices. Read the Nebraska guide for how the state works.
Tax sales
Nebraska sells tax sale certificates, not the property: the buyer pays the delinquent taxes and earns 14% a year, and must hold the certificate three years before seeking a deed or foreclosing, with a shorter path for vacant and abandoned property. Lancaster County's Treasurer holds the public sale in person at 9:00 am on the first Monday of March (March 2 in 2026) in the County Council Chambers at 555 S 10th Street in Lincoln, using a round robin format with a $25 registration fee due about a week before. Delinquent taxes are advertised in the Lincoln Journal Star on three Saturdays in February, and unsold taxes are posted on the Treasurer's website after April 15.
Foreclosure sales
Court-ordered foreclosure sales are held by the Lancaster County Sheriff on Thursdays at 2:00 pm at the Sheriff's Office in the Hall of Justice, 575 S 10th Street, Lincoln, and are advertised once a week for four weeks in the Lincoln Journal Star and listed on the Sheriff Sales page. Most home loans in Nebraska use deeds of trust, so many foreclosures are trustee sales run by the lender's trustee after published notice instead.
Assessed values
Nebraska values all real property as of January 1 every year, and the Lancaster County Assessor has posted 2026 valuations for each property.
Transfer tax
Nebraska charges a documentary stamp tax on deeds, paid by the seller and collected by the Lancaster County Register of Deeds; since July 18, 2026 the rate is $3.32 for each $1,000 of value, and Lincoln adds no city transfer tax.
Worth knowing
The Assessor and Register of Deeds are one combined county office in Lancaster County; the Register of Deeds counter has temporarily moved to 500 West O Street in Lincoln during parking construction.
Worth knowing
Bidders at the March tax sale must be present, get a random bidding order the Friday before, and pay by check for each certificate, including a $20 sale fee per lien.
Worth knowing
The Nebraska documentary stamp tax rose to $3.32 per $1,000 on July 18, 2026, so older guides that list a lower rate are out of date.
Every town in Lancaster County
The cities, towns and townships inside the county line.
- Bennet village
- Davey village
- Denton village
- Firth village
- Hallam village
- Hickman city
- Lincoln city
- Malcolm village
- Panama village
- Raymond village
- Roca village
- Sprague village
- Waverly city
Questions
Where are deeds recorded in Lancaster County?
Deeds are recorded by the Lancaster County Register of Deeds, part of the combined Assessor/Register of Deeds office in Lincoln. Its index is online back to 1987, and document images need a registered user account.
When is the Lancaster County tax sale?
The Lancaster County Treasurer holds the tax sale at 9:00 am on the first Monday of March in the County Council Chambers at 555 S 10th Street, Lincoln. Bidders must register in advance and attend in person.
How do I find who owns a property in Lancaster County?
Search by name, address or property ID on the Lancaster County Assessor/Register of Deeds Property Search. It shows the owner, current value and past transfers.
Are Lancaster County property records online?
Yes. Owner and value data and GIS maps are free online, the deed index is online back to 1987, and document images are available to registered users.
Sources for this guide
Office hours, fees and sale dates change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.
- lancaster.ne.gov/DocumentCenter/View/640/Tax-Sale-Information-PDF
- lancaster.ne.gov/DocumentCenter/View/641/Tax-Sale-Purchasing-Information-PDF
- lancaster.ne.gov/1483/Register-of-Deeds
- lancaster.ne.gov/416/Sheriff-Sales
- orion.lancaster.ne.gov/
- lancastercountyne-recweb.tylerhost.net/lancasterrecorder/web/
- maps.lincoln.ne.gov/default/index.html?viewer=GISViewer
- revenue.nebraska.gov/PAD/documentary-stamp-tax
Every parcel in Lancaster County, on one map
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