§40-29-26. Sale of seized property.

(a) Notice of seizure. As soon as practicable after seizure of property, notice in writing shall be given by the Commissioner of Revenue or his delegate to the owner of the property (or, in the case of personal property, the possessor thereof), or shall be left at his usual place of abode or business. If the owner cannot be readily located, or has no dwelling or place of business within the state, the notice may be mailed to his last known address. Such notice shall specify the sum demanded and shall contain, in the case of real property, a description with reasonable certainty of the property seized.

(b) Notice of sale. The commissioner or his delegate shall as soon as practicable after the seizure of the property give notice to the owner, in the manner prescribed in subsection (a), and shall cause a notification to be published in some newspaper published or generally circulated within the county wherein such seizure is made, or if there be no newspaper published or generally circulated in such county, shall post such notice at the post office nearest the place where the seizure is made, and in not less than two other public places. Such notice shall specify the property to be sold, including both a legal description and a readily understandable layman's description, and the time, place, manner, and conditions of the sale thereof.

(c) Sale of indivisible property. If any property liable to levy is not divisible, so as to enable the commissioner or his delegate by sale of a part thereof to raise the whole amount of the tax and expenses, the whole of such property shall be sold. Such indivisible property shall include only property in which the taxpayer has at least 50 percent interest.

(d) Time and place of sale. All sales shall be held between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. In sale of personal property, the notice and advertisement of sale must be published at least 14 days prior to sale, but only one publication shall be necessary. In sales of real property, the publication in the newspaper must be once a week for three successive weeks prior to the sale.

(e) Manner and conditions of sale.

(1) MINIMUM PRICE. Before the sale the commissioner or his delegate may determine a minimum price for which the property shall be sold, and if such minimum price is determined, and if no person offers for such property at the sale the amount of the minimum price, the property shall be declared to be purchased at such price for the State of Alabama; otherwise the property shall be declared to be sold to the highest bidder.

(2) ADDITIONAL RULES APPLICABLE TO SALE. The commissioner or his delegate shall by regulations prescribe the manner and other conditions of the sale of property seized by levy. If one or more alternative methods or conditions are permitted by regulations, the commissioner or his delegate shall select the alternatives applicable to the sale. Such regulations shall provide:

a. That the sale shall not be conducted in any manner other than:

1. By public auction; or

2. By public sale under sealed bids.

b. In the case of the seizure of several items of property, whether such items shall be offered separately, in groups, or in the aggregate; and whether such property shall be offered both separately (or in groups) and in the aggregate, and sold under whichever method produces the highest aggregate amount.

c. Whether the announcement of the minimum price determined by the commissioner or his delegate may be delayed until the receipt of the highest bid.

d. Whether payment in full shall be required at the time of acceptance of a bid, or whether a part of such payment may be deferred for such period (not to exceed one month) as may be determined by the commissioner or his delegate to be appropriate.

e. The extent to which methods (including advertising) in addition to those prescribed in subsection (b) may be used in giving notice of the sale.

f. Under what circumstances the commissioner or his delegate may adjourn the sale from time to time (but such adjournments shall not be for a period to exceed in all one month).

(3) PAYMENT OF AMOUNT BID. If payment in full is required at the time of acceptance of a bid and is not then and there paid, the commissioner or his delegate shall forthwith proceed to again sell the property in the manner provided in this subsection. If the conditions of the sale permit part of the payment to be deferred, and if such part is not paid within the prescribed period, suit may be instituted against the purchaser for the purchase price or such part thereof as has not been paid, together with interest at the rate applicable to liabilities due the Department of Revenue from the date of the sale; or, in the discretion of the commissioner or his delegate, the sale may be declared to be null and void for failure to make full payment of the purchase price and the property may again be advertised and sold as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. In the event of such readvertisement and sale any new purchaser shall receive such property or rights to property free and clear of any claim or right of the former defaulting purchaser, of any nature whatsoever, and the amount paid upon the bid price by such defaulting purchaser shall be forfeited.

(Acts 1983, 4th Ex. Sess., No. 83-891, p. 128, §9; Acts 1992, No. 92-186, p. 349, §76.)