Dane County Property Search
A Dane County property search refers to the process of investigating property records maintained by public authorities at the county level. The search uncovers publicly available information about a piece of land or land fixture, including existing liens or claims and details about the surrounding neighborhood.
Real estate is one of the more lucrative assets a person can own or have on their investment portfolio. As a result, several circumstances often necessitate the execution of a property search. For example, a property owner may look up property records to resolve real estate disputes, including boundary, title, and zoning disputes. At the same time, buyers or investors may perform a property search to clarify who owns a piece of property or verify the legitimacy of a real estate transaction, and so on.
Different government offices keep property records in Dane County, Wisconsin. However, the Register of Deeds Office is the central destination for Dane County property records. The office oversees the recording and preservation of real estate instruments per state statutes.
Are Dane County Property Records Public?
Yes, Dane County property records are public information. The legal authority providing general access to Dane County property records is the Wisconsin Open Records Law (WRPL), Sections 19.31-19.39 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Under this law, most materials created or kept by a public office are deemed Dane County Public Records. Consequently, any interested member of the public can inspect or copy property records held at the Dane County Register of Deeds Office (or another county public department).
Admittedly, not all records maintained by a public office qualify as public records. Some records are assigned confidential status by federal or state law. The WRPL clarifies information ordinarily exempt from public disclosure under Wis. Stat. §§ 19.35(1) and 19.36. Examples include:
- Personally identifiable information that would endanger an individual's life or safety if disclosed
- Records not indexed, organized, or automated such that they can be retrieved by an official custodian using a person's name, address, or another identifier
- Confidential business information, such as trade secrets
- Financial identifying information like credit/debit card numbers
- Records of specifications or plans for state buildings
What Do Dane County Property Records Contain?
The term "property records" encompasses a wide variety of legal documents generated from real property transactions, including the transfer, sale, taxation, and appraisal of real estate. Consequently, an individual can find different property records in Dane County. The details in a record will depend on the associated transaction and the government office that keeps the record on file.
For example, a person can find property records like deeds and liens at the Dane County Register of Deeds Office. A deed—a record of conveyance or sale of land—carries the grantor (seller) and grantee (buyer) names, the legal description of the property, the grantor's notarized signature, and the return address of the deed's recipient after recording. Meanwhile, a lien record will contain the name of the party who attached the lien, the debtor's name, the owed sum, and the due date.
Other records available at the Dane County Register of Deeds Office include mortgages, contracts, plats, certified survey map (CSM) images, affidavits, land contracts, and easements.
On the other hand, records maintained by the Land Information Office (LIO) contain general assessment information for properties in Dane County. An individual can find parcel numbers, ownership information (names and addresses), assessment summaries, tax information, and zoning details in such property records.
Where to Perform a Dane County Property Lookup
Interested members of the public have the following avenues to perform a Dane County property lookup:
- The Register of Deeds Office.
- A municipal assessor's office.
- Internet access portals on official websites. For example, the Dane County Register of Deeds Online Real Estate Records Search website, the LIO's Access Dane portal, a municipal assessor's property lookup tool, and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue's Real Estate Transfer Return (RETR) database.
These search methods are discussed below.
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Dane County
There are a few ways to retrieve real property ownership information (also called a title search) in Dane County. The first method involves visiting, contacting, or mailing the county's Register of Deeds Office. This office maintains land records for Dane County, including deed and lien information.
Most land records at the Register of Deeds Office can be viewed in person during business hours at no cost, but requesters who need copies must pay a fee, regardless of the search method. Generally, it costs $2 for the first page and $1 per additional page for uncertified copies, and $1 plus uncertified copy costs for certified copies. The fee is payable in cash only if requested in person (personal, business checks, and debit/credit cards are not accepted). Below is the Register of Deeds' physical address and phone line for real estate records searches.
City-County Building
Room 110
210 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: (608) 266-4144
Individuals can also submit a written request by mail if they know the document number, volume and page, recording year, and number of pages to calculate the applicable fee for copies. A stamped, self-addressed envelope and money order in the appropriate amount (addressed to the "Register of Deeds") should accompany the request. The processing time for mail requests is about two weeks. Below is the Dane County Register of Deeds mailing address:
P.O. Box 1438
Madison, WI 53701-1438
Note: While the Dane County Register of Deeds Office provides real estate (land) records, the office staff do not conduct title searches. One must either perform this activity themselves or enlist a local title insurance company or well-versed real estate attorney to assist them with an expansive search.
Other methods to find property ownership details in Dane County include searching internet public access portals (more on that below) or contacting/visiting a municipal assessor's office (if looking for records in a particular municipality).
How to Find Dane County Property Records Online
Different internet access portals are available to people who want to find Dane County property records online. These portals are available from government and third-party sources. Below are Dane County property records search tools maintained on government websites:
- The Dane County Register of Deeds Online Real Estate Records Search: With the search applications provided on the Register of Deeds website, members of the public can find property records stored in Dane County since January 1975.
- The Dane County Land Information Office's Access Dane portal: Individuals can obtain general assessment information for Dane County properties using this portal. Access Dane has two search options:
- Quick Search (also called "Parcel Search")
- Advanced Search (also called "Land Records Search")
The Quick Search tool can only be searched with a property owner's name, property address, or parcel number. The latter offers extra search parameters.
- A municipal assessor's property lookup tool: Several cities maintain/provide online databases on their official websites for looking up records from their local assessor's offices. Examples are the City of Madison Assessor's Office and the City of Middleton Assessor's Office. Usually, these databases are searchable with a property street address, parcel number, or owner's last name.
- The Wisconsin Department of Revenue's Real Estate Transfer Return (RETR) database: Individuals can retrieve property sales information from counties in Wisconsin, including Dane County.
Aside from the above portals, there are several third-party aggregate databases accessible to individuals who require access to Dane County property records. Some sites offer property records for free, and others require a fee from the user. However, individuals can typically search these independent sites with a parcel number, property address, or owner's last name.
How to Find Property Owner by Address for Free
An individual can use the Land Information Office's Access Dane portal to find a property owner by address for free in Dane County. Here's how to search for property owner details by address on Access Dane:
- Select the "Address" button under Parcel Search
- Type in a partial or full property address
- Select "Search".
At the same time, several cities offer property lookup tools on their websites, which can be searched by address to find ownership information.
Dane County Property Tax Lookup
A tax lookup unearths valuable information about a property's financial obligations and implications before a sale, purchase, or other real estate transaction. By looking up property tax information, an interested party can determine if a property has delinquent tax payments or liens and verify the property's assessed value for taxation. This allows them to plan for potential tax expenses, determine applicable tax exemptions, and challenge any discrepancies.
Interested persons who want to conduct a tax lookup in Dane County should visit the Land Information Office's Access Dane website. The platform also provides for online property tax payments collected by the Dane County Treasurer.
How to Find Dane County Property Appraiser
Property appraisers in Wisconsin are licensed or certified professionals who estimate the fair market value of real property. Appraisers determine real estate values for different purposes, including real estate transactions (sales and purchases), mortgage lending, investment analysis, and insurance. These professionals also prepare appraisal reports for clients, maintain up-to-date property data, and know regional and local market trends or factors that may influence a property's value.
Per Wis. Admin. Code Ch. SPS 85, Wis. Stat. Ch. 458, and other relevant statutes, property appraisers in Dane County require a license from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) to operate if engaging in "federally related transactions," as defined in 12 USC 3350. However, suppose the appraiser (who may be an individual, partnership, or corporate form) will engage in property assessment for taxation. In that case, the party requires an assessor certification from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR).
Individuals can contact the DSPS or access the Wisconsin Credential/License Search to find licensed property appraisers within Dane County. They can also speak to a local assessor's office.
Dane County Property Assessor
An assessor in Dane County is an official or administrator who values all non-manufacturing property within an assessment district for taxation purposes (The DOR annually assesses all manufacturing properties in the state.)
Although Wisconsin law permits the establishment of county assessors, Wisconsin counties do not have county assessors. Instead, municipalities employ assessors for their respective cities, towns, or villages. For this reason, Dane County has several municipal assessors. A municipal assessor has three primary duties: discovering, listing, and valuing all taxable property within a locality. The assessor also determines appropriate property tax exemptions.
The Department of Revenue publishes a comprehensive list of municipal assessors in Wisconsin. Persons seeking a municipal assessor in Dane County can review the list for relevant addresses and contact information. A municipality's official website will also contain information about the local assessor's office.
