Foreclosure laws by state: process, timeline and rights in all 50 states
Foreclosure is governed by state law on top of a federal floor. 20 states require a court case, 25 let a trustee sell after notices, and 5 use both. Timelines run from about two months to several years; redemption rights, mediation programs and deficiency rules differ just as much. Pick your state.
Every page covers the same questions in the same order: how the process works, how long it takes, whether you can reinstate or redeem, what protections the state adds, whether a mediation program exists, what state assistance and counseling are available, and whether the lender can pursue you for a deficiency after the sale. Each table is followed by the full explanation and the related guides.
- Alabama non-judicial, 1 to 3 months
- Alaska judicial or non-judicial, 3 to 5 months
- Arizona non-judicial, 3 to 5 months
- Arkansas judicial or non-judicial, 3 to 5 months
- California non-judicial, 4 to 8 months
- Colorado non-judicial, 4 to 6 months
- Connecticut judicial, 8 to 16 months
- Delaware judicial, 6 to 12 months
- Florida judicial, 6 to 14 months
- Georgia non-judicial, 1 to 2 months
- Hawaii judicial, 10 to 24 months
- Idaho non-judicial, 5 to 7 months
- Illinois judicial, 9 to 18 months
- Indiana judicial, 5 to 12 months
- Iowa judicial, 6 to 12 months
- Kansas judicial, 4 to 8 months
- Kentucky judicial, 6 to 12 months
- Louisiana judicial, 2 to 6 months
- Maine judicial, 10 to 20 months
- Maryland non-judicial, 4 to 9 months
- Massachusetts non-judicial, 6 to 12 months
- Michigan non-judicial, 2 to 3 months
- Minnesota non-judicial, 2 to 4 months
- Mississippi non-judicial, 1 to 3 months
- Missouri non-judicial, 1 to 2 months
- Montana non-judicial, 4 to 6 months
- Nebraska judicial or non-judicial, 3 to 5 months
- Nevada non-judicial, 4 to 7 months
- New Hampshire non-judicial, 2 to 4 months
- New Jersey judicial, 12 to 36 months
- New Mexico judicial, 6 to 12 months
- New York judicial, 18 to 48 months
- North Carolina non-judicial, 3 to 6 months
- North Dakota judicial, 4 to 8 months
- Ohio judicial, 6 to 12 months
- Oklahoma judicial or non-judicial, 4 to 8 months
- Oregon non-judicial, 5 to 9 months
- Pennsylvania judicial, 6 to 14 months
- Rhode Island non-judicial, 3 to 6 months
- South Carolina judicial, 6 to 10 months
- South Dakota judicial or non-judicial, 3 to 7 months
- Tennessee non-judicial, 1 to 2 months
- Texas non-judicial, 2 to 3 months
- Utah non-judicial, 4 to 6 months
- Vermont judicial, 10 to 18 months
- Virginia non-judicial, 2 to 4 months
- Washington non-judicial, 5 to 9 months
- West Virginia non-judicial, 1 to 3 months
- Wisconsin judicial, 8 to 14 months
- Wyoming non-judicial, 2 to 3 months
Start with how foreclosure works step by step, then what to do in the first 72 hours. Free help: HUD-approved housing counselors.