The sales tax levied by a county and any penalties or interest thereon shall constitute a lien in favor of such county from the date the sales tax is due and payable upon all real or personal property then belonging to or thereafter acquired by the person owing the tax, whether such property is employed by such person in the conduct of business or is in the hands of an assignee, trustee, or receiver for the benefit of creditors. The lien shall be coequal with all tax liens created by law, except for specific tax liens the Legislature by law declares to be first or prior liens. The liens created pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be prior, superior, and paramount to all other liens, claims, or encumbrances on the property of the person, firm, or corporation owing the tax. Such liens, however, shall be inferior to those of any bona fide mortgagee, pledgee, judgment creditor, or purchaser who has filed or recorded said mortgages or conveyances in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the property is located, and whose rights shall have attached prior to the date on which the notice of the lien of the claiming county is entered upon the district court judgment docket in the office of the court clerk in the county in which the property is located. Such sales tax, penalty, and interest owed the county shall, at all times, constitute a prior, superior, and paramount claim as against the claims of unsecured creditors. The lien of the county shall continue until the amount of the tax and penalty due and owing and interest subsequently accruing thereon is paid. In any action affecting the title to real estate or the ownership or right to possession of personal property, the county asserting a lien on such property may be made a party defendant for the purpose of determining its lien upon the property involved therein only in cases where notice of the lien of the county has been entered upon the district court judgment docket. In such action service of summons upon the county by serving the county clerk shall be sufficient service and binding upon the county.

Added by Laws 1983, c. 8, § 4, eff. Jan. 1, 1984.