How to buy a lighthouse from the government

Yes, really. When the Coast Guard no longer needs a lighthouse, the federal government finds it a new owner. Some are given away to towns and nonprofits; the rest are sold at public auction, where anyone can bid. Here's how it works, what they sell for, and the catch.

How a lighthouse gets sold

The Coast Guard reports a lighthouse it no longer needs, and the General Services Administration (GSA) takes over the sale.
Under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, it's first offered free to government agencies, nonprofits and schools that will preserve it and open it to the public.
If nobody takes it on, GSA sells it at an online public auction on realestatesales.gov.

Since the law passed, about 150 lighthouses have changed hands: roughly 80 given away and 70 sold at auction, which had raised more than $10 million by 2023.

What they sell for

Hooper Island Light, a caisson lighthouse in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, sold for $192,000 in September 2022.
Penfield Reef Lighthouse, an 1874 offshore lighthouse in Long Island Sound off Fairfield, Connecticut, went to auction in August 2025. Bidders had to register with a $10,000 deposit, bids went up in $10,000 steps, and only registered bidders could tour it.

The catch

Upkeep is on you. Many need serious restoration, and you pay property taxes like any other owner.
Getting there. Offshore lighthouses are reachable only by boat, and some sit on submerged land that needs a lease from the state.
The light may stay on. Some remain active aids to navigation, and the Coast Guard keeps the right to maintain the light.
Historic rules. Many are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the sale terms can limit changes.

Hear about the next one

Lighthouse sales are rare, and the good ones get attention fast. We watch GSA's announcements and list each new federal property auction here as soon as it's announced, with a link to the official sale.

Taxpayer Treasures is an independent guide and isn't affiliated with GSA or the Coast Guard. The official Invitation for Bids on realestatesales.gov always has the final terms.