26 CFR § 301.6339-1 - Legal effect of certificate of sale of personal property and deed of real property.
(a) Certificate of sale of property other than real property. In all cases of sale pursuant to section 6335 of property (other than real property), the certificate of such sale—
(1) As evidence. Shall be prima facie evidence of the right of the officer to make such sale, and conclusive evidence of the regularity of his proceedings in making the sale; and
(2) As conveyance. Shall transfer to the purchaser all right, title, and interest of the party delinquent in and to the property sold; and
(3) As authority for transfer of corporate stock. If such property consists of corporate stocks, shall be notice, when received, to any corporation, company, or association of such transfer, and shall be authority to such corporation, company, or association to record the transfer on its books and records in the same manner as if the stocks were transferred or assigned by the party holding the stock certificate, in lieu of any original or prior certificate, which shall be void, whether canceled or not; and
(4) As receipts. If the subject of sale is securities or other evidences of debt, shall be a good and valid receipt to the person holding the certificate of sale as against any person holding or claiming to hold possession of such securities or other evidences of debt; and
(5) As authority for transfer of title to motor vehicle. If such property consists of a motor vehicle, shall be notice, when received, to any public official charged with the registration of title to motor vehicles, of such transfer and shall be authority to such official to record the transfer on his books and records in the same manner as if the certificate of title to such motor vehicle were transferred or assigned by the party holding the certificate of title, in lieu of any original or prior certificate, which shall be null and void, whether canceled or not.
(b) Deed to real property. In the case of the sale of real property pursuant to section 6335—
(1) Deed as evidence. The deed of sale given pursuant to section 6338 shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated; and
(2) Deed as conveyance of title. If the proceedings of the district director as set forth have been substantially in accordance with the provisions of law, such deed shall be considered and operate as a conveyance of all the right, title, and interest the party delinquent had in and to the real property thus sold at the time the lien of the United States attached thereto.
(c) Effect of junior encumbrances. A certificate of sale of personal property given or a deed to real property executed pursuant to section 6338 discharges the property from all liens, encumbrances, and titles over which the lien of the United States, with respect to which the levy was made, has priority. For example, a mortgage on real property executed after a notice of a Federal tax lien has been filed is extinguished when the district director executes a deed to the real property to a purchaser thereof at a sale pursuant to section 6335 following the seizure of the property by the United States. The proceeds of such a sale are distributed in accordance with priority of the liens, encumbrances, or titles. See section 6342(b) and the regulations thereunder for provisions relating to the distribution of surplus proceeds. See section 7426(a)(2) and the regulations thereunder for judicial procedures with respect to surplus proceeds.