§ 140.250 RSMo — Third offering of delinquent lands and lots, redemption — subsequent sale — collector's deed

1. Whenever any lands have been or shall hereafter be offered for sale for delinquent taxes, interest, penalty and costs by the collector of the proper county for any two successive years and no person shall have bid therefor a sum equal to the delinquent taxes thereon, interest, penalty and costs provided by law, then such county collector shall at the next regular tax sale of lands for delinquent taxes sell same to the highest bidder, except the highest bid shall not be less than the sum equal to the delinquent taxes, interest, penalties, and costs, and there shall be a ninety-day period of redemption from such sales as specified in section 140.405 .

2. A certificate of purchase shall be issued as to such sales, and the purchaser at such sales shall be entitled to the issuance and delivery of a collector's deed upon completion of title search action as specified in section 140.405 .

3. If any lands or lots are not sold at such third offering, then the collector shall advertise or offer such lands or lots for sale once every thirty days.

4. A purchaser at any sale subsequent to the third offering of any land or lots, whether by the collector or a trustee as provided in section 140.260 , shall be entitled to the immediate issuance and delivery of a collector's deed and there shall be no period of redemption from such post-third year sales; provided, however, before any purchaser at a sale to which this section is applicable shall be entitled to a collector's deed it shall be the duty of the collector to demand, and the purchaser to pay, in addition to the purchaser's bid, all taxes due and unpaid on such lands or lots that become due and payable on such lands or lots subsequent to the date of the taxes included in such advertisement and sale. The collector's deed or trustee's deed shall have priority over all other liens or encumbrances on the property sold except for real property taxes.

5. A purchaser at any sale subsequent to the third offering of any land or lots, whether by the collector or a trustee as provided in section 140.260 , may elect to proceed under subsection 1 of this section and subsection 6 of section 140.405 by giving notice to the collector prior to the issuance of a collector's deed.

6. In the event the real purchaser at any sale to which this section is applicable shall be the owner of the lands or lots purchased, or shall be obligated to pay the taxes for the nonpayment of which such lands or lots were sold, then no collector's deed shall be issued to such purchaser, or to anyone acting for or on behalf of such purchaser, without payment to the collector of such additional amount as will discharge in full all delinquent taxes, penalty, interest and costs.