Not a government site. We do not sell records or host personal data. About us

County Records Guide
Menu

Jefferson County, Wisconsin public records

In Jefferson County, deeds are recorded by the Register of Deeds; court files are kept by the Clerk of Courts.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Where to get each record
  2. Deeds and land records
  3. Property values, owners and tax bills
  4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
  5. Marriage records
  6. Divorce records
  7. Birth certificates
  8. Death certificates
  9. Probate records and wills
  10. Business names (DBA)
  11. Voter records
  12. Historical records
  13. Good to know about Jefferson County records
  14. Office addresses, phones and hours
  15. Records that are not online: public records requests
  16. Questions people ask
  17. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  18. Sources

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsRegister of Deeds5Search deeds23Fee charged$2 first page + $1 each additional page of each document4
Property values and owners—Property search6—
Property tax billsCounty Treasurer2Tax bill search2—
Court casesClerk of Courts2Circuit Court7Clerk of circuit court: copies (certified or not) $1.25 per page; search without case number $14 (raised from $5 by 2025 Wis. Act 179 eff. 11-1-26); civil filing fee $130 (from $75, eff. 11-1-26) plus surcharges.8
Marriage recordsCounty Clerk2—Certified copy fee: $20 first certified copy; $3 each additional copy of the same record issued at the same time (state and register of deeds).9
Divorce recordsFamily Court2—Certified copy fee: $20 first copy; $3 each additional copy issued at the same time (Certificate of Divorce). Court decree copies: $1.25/page from the clerk of circuit court.10
Birth certificatesRegister of Deeds2—County fee: $20.00 first copy; $3.00 each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time (birth, death, marriage, divorce, domestic partnership)11
Death certificatesRegister of Deeds2—$20 first copy; $3 each additional copy at the same time; fee not refundable if no record found.12
Probate and willsRegister in Probate2—Copies of probate records $1/page; certificates $10; search without case number $14; estate filing fee $36 if property subject to administration is $18,500 or less, else 0.2% of value (amounts per 2025 Wis. Act 179 eff. 11-1-26).8

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Jefferson County are recorded by the Register of Deeds.5

Online search
fidlar.com/laredo.aspx2Fee charged
Cost
Fee: monthly subscription (Laredo, paid to the Register of Deeds); pay-per-search alternative Tapestry at $8.95 per search3
Who runs it
Fidlar (Laredo)2
Years online
Grantor, grantee and tract index from 1/1/1983; document images from 11/21/18383
Copy fee
$2 first page + $1 each additional page of each document4
Certified copy fee
Copy fee ($2 first page + $1 each additional) plus $1 to certify4
Who holds it
County register of deeds (elected county officer) records all documents and keeps them and their indexes permanently.4
Earliest records
Real estate documents date back to 1838 (images from 11/21/1838)13

How deeds work in Wisconsin

Property values, owners and tax bills

The County Treasurer bills and collects the tax2.

Who does what
Assessment is done by each city, village and town (municipal assessor, state-certified; no Wisconsin county currently has a county assessor). The city, village or town prepares the tax bill and collects the initial payment (local treasurer); payments made later in the year go to the county treasurer, and owners with unpaid prior-year taxes deal with the county treasurer.14
Parcel search form
Public Parcel Search15
Parcel map (GIS)
arcg.is/1aCnTC26
GIS description
Public GIS Viewer6
Appealing a value
Talk to the assessor at Open Book, then file a written objection with the municipal Board of Review (Board of Assessors first in Milwaukee/cities that have one). Appeal a BOR decision by certiorari to circuit court (s. 70.47(13)) or to DOR under s. 70.85 (not available in Milwaukee).14

How property tax works in Wisconsin

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Circuit Court (unified)Unified state trial court: one level of circuit courts handles all case types (civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, traffic) in all 72 counties; records are kept by the elected clerk of circuit court in each county (probate by the register in probate). Municipal courts handle local ordinance cases separately.16Clerk of Courts (Clerk of Circuit Court)wcca.wicourts.gov Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA), - statewide public search of circuit court case summaries; case information is uploaded hourly.7
Fees
Clerk of circuit court: copies (certified or not) $1.25 per page; search without case number $14 (raised from $5 by 2025 Wis. Act 179 eff. 11-1-26); civil filing fee $130 (from $75, eff. 11-1-26) plus surcharges.8

Criminal records and background checks

Online search
wcca.wicourts.gov7
About this search
Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA), - statewide public search of circuit court case summaries; case information is uploaded hourly.7

How Wisconsin courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the County Clerk.2

Marriage license fee
$110.00 application; waiver fee $25.00 if applicable; cash or card, no checks17
State
License: county clerk (any Wisconsin county). Completed marriage document is filed with a register of deeds within 3 days of the ceremony; certified copies from any register of deeds or the State Vital Records Office (DHS), records from October 1907.18
Certified copy fee
$20 first certified copy; $3 each additional copy of the same record issued at the same time (state and register of deeds).9

Wisconsin marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Kept by the Family Court (Clerk of Courts).2

State
Divorce judgment/decree: clerk of circuit court in the county where granted. Certificate of Divorce (one-page summary): State Vital Records Office and registers of deeds.19
Certified copy fee
$20 first copy; $3 each additional copy issued at the same time (Certificate of Divorce). Court decree copies: $1.25/page from the clerk of circuit court.10

Wisconsin divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Kept by the Register of Deeds (birth, marriage, death records).2

State
DHS Wisconsin Vital Records Office (state registrar), plus 72 county registers of deeds and the Milwaukee and West Allis city health offices as local vital records offices.20
Fee
$20 first copy (certified or uncertified, long or short form); $3 each additional copy of the same record at the same time; $20 expedited service (statute). Mail searches by the state office: each search period has a $20 search fee and searching extra periods costs $20 each (nonrefundable). VitalChek adds its own fee.19
Who may order
Certified copy: only a person with a "direct and tangible interest" (registrant; immediate family incl. parent, sibling, current spouse, child, grandparent, registered domestic partner; legal custodian/guardian; authorized representative incl. attorney; or one who shows the copy is needed to determine/protect a personal or property right). Anyone else may get an uncertified copy.21
County fee
$20.00 first copy; $3.00 each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time (birth, death, marriage, divorce, domestic partnership)11
Mail to
Register of Deeds, 311 S. Center Avenue, Room C1030, Jefferson, WI 5354911

Ordering a Wisconsin birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the Register of Deeds (birth, marriage, death records).2

State
DHS Wisconsin Vital Records Office; county registers of deeds; Milwaukee and West Allis city health offices.19
Fee
$20 first copy; $3 each additional copy at the same time; fee not refundable if no record found.12
Who may order
Certified copy: direct and tangible interest (immediate family, etc.). Uncertified copies available to others; cause/manner of death and disposition ("Extended Fact of Death") only if 50 years have passed, or the applicant has a direct and tangible interest, or is a direct descendant.12

Ordering a Wisconsin death certificate

Probate records and wills

Kept by the Register in Probate.2

State
Register in probate of each county (appointed by the circuit judges); probate is a circuit court case type and appears on WCCA.22
Fees
Copies of probate records $1/page; certificates $10; search without case number $14; estate filing fee $36 if property subject to administration is $18,500 or less, else 0.2% of value (amounts per 2025 Wis. Act 179 eff. 11-1-26).8

Finding a will or probate case in Wisconsin

Business names (DBA)

State
Optional: a DBA name can be registered as a trade name/trademark with DFI ($15 per name or design, 10-year term). Not required; DFI's list is only partial.23

Voter records

Kept by the County Clerk, Elections.2

Public or restricted
Public: voter list data (name, address, voting history, absentee data) can be bought statewide through the WEC's Badger Voters site; no restriction on use. Date of birth, driver license and SSN are never released; confidential electors (s. 6.47) and protected judicial voters are excluded.24
Who holds it
Wisconsin Elections Commission (statewide WisVote list) sells data via badgervoters.wi.gov; fee $25 + $5 per 1,000 records (cap $12,500; minimum $30) under Wis. Stat. 6.36(6) and EL 3.50. Municipal clerks administer registration locally.24

Historical records

State
Wisconsin Historical Society (Library & Archives in Madison plus Area Research Centers) holds pre-October 1907 state-level vital records on microfilm, with an online index; prints require an in-person visit. Also original naturalization records for 70 of 72 counties.25
In office
Public may search records in the office 8:00 A.M.-4:30 P.M. Monday-Friday, no appointment; staff do not do searches, but will look for specific records requested by mail13

Good to know about Jefferson County records

  • Assessment is municipal, not county: no Wisconsin county has a county assessor14
  • Register of Deeds real estate documents date back to 1838; vital records to the mid 1800s13

Office addresses, phones and hours

Register of Deeds

Address
311 S. Center Avenue, C1030, Jefferson, WI 535492
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm2

County Treasurer

Address
311 S. Center Avenue, C1030 (city and ZIP not shown on the page)26

County Clerk

Address
311 S. Center Avenue, C2050, Jefferson, WI 5354927
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm (appointment recommended)27

Clerk of Courts (Clerk of Circuit Court)

Address
311 S. Center Avenue, Room C1080, Jefferson, WI 5354928
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm28

Clerk of Courts (Clerk of Circuit Court)

Address
311 S. Center Avenue, Room C1080, Jefferson, WI 5354928
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm28

Register in Probate

Address
311 S. Center Ave, C1110, Jefferson, WI 5354930
Phone
920-674-7245 (Probate)30
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm30

Family Court (Clerk of Courts)

Address
311 S Center Ave, Jefferson, WI 5354929

Sheriff's Office

Address
411 S. Center Avenue, Jefferson, WI 5354931

Register of Deeds (birth, marriage, death records)

Address
311 S. Center Avenue, C1030, Jefferson, WI 535492
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm2

County Clerk, Elections

Address
311 S. Center Ave, Room C2050, Jefferson, WI 53549 (County Clerk)32
Phone
920-674-8630 (County Clerk)27

Planning and Development, Land Information

Address
311 S. Center Avenue, Room C1040, Jefferson, WI 535496

Records that are not online: public records requests

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in Jefferson County?

The Register of Deeds keeps deed records. Plain copies: $2 first page + $1 each additional page of each document. Certified copies: Copy fee ($2 first page + $1 each additional) plus $1 to certify.54

Can I search Jefferson County land records online for free?

No, the official online search charges a fee. Fee: monthly subscription (Laredo, paid to the Register of Deeds); pay-per-search alternative Tapestry at $8.95 per search. The official search: fidlar.com/laredo.aspx32

How much is a birth certificate in Jefferson County?

$20 first copy (certified or uncertified, long or short form); $3 each additional copy of the same record at the same time; $20 expedited service (statute). Mail searches by the state office: each search period has a $20 search fee and searching extra periods costs $20 each (nonrefundable). VitalChek adds its own fee.19

How much does a marriage license cost in Jefferson County?

$110.00 application; waiver fee $25.00 if applicable; cash or card, no checks.17

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Jefferson County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Other counties in Wisconsin with a full guide: Brown County, Dane County, Dodge County, Eau Claire County, Fond du Lac County, Kenosha County, La Crosse County, Manitowoc County, Marathon County, Milwaukee County, Outagamie County, Ozaukee County, Racine County, Sheboygan County, St. Croix County, Walworth County, Washington County, Waukesha County, Winnebago County. Every county in the state: Wisconsin county list. Looking for another Jefferson County? Jefferson County, Alabama; Jefferson County, Colorado; Jefferson County, Kentucky; Jefferson County, Ohio; Jefferson County, Texas.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026
  2. Register of DeedsJefferson Countychecked November 8, 2026
  3. Register of Deeds: Property & Real Estate RecordsJefferson County, Wisconsinchecked November 8, 2026
  4. Wis. Stat. ch. 59 Counties (incl. s. 59.20, 59.43 register of deeds fees)Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau)checked November 8, 2026
  5. County Contacts: Wisconsin Land Information Officers & County WebsitesWisconsin Department of Administrationchecked November 8, 2026
  6. Land Records OnlineJefferson Countychecked November 8, 2026
  7. Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) home/termsWisconsin Court System (Director of State Courts)checked November 8, 2026
  8. Wis. Stat. ch. 814 Court Costs, Fees, and SurchargesWisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau)checked November 8, 2026
  9. Wis. Stat. ch. 69 Collection of Statistics (vital records, ss. 69.20-69.22)Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau)checked November 8, 2026
  10. F-05282 Wisconsin Divorce Certificate ApplicationWisconsin Department of Health Serviceschecked November 8, 2026
  11. Register of Deeds: Birth, Marriage & Death RecordsJefferson County, Wisconsinchecked November 8, 2026
  12. F-05280 Wisconsin Death Certificate ApplicationWisconsin Department of Health Serviceschecked November 8, 2026
  13. Register of Deeds: GenealogyJefferson County, Wisconsinchecked November 8, 2026
  14. 2026 Guide for Property Owners (PB-060, R. 1-26)Wisconsin Department of Revenuechecked November 8, 2026
  15. Land Records Search Form (Public Parcel Search)Jefferson Countychecked November 8, 2026
  16. Circuit Court: Function & overviewWisconsin Court Systemchecked November 8, 2026
  17. County Clerk: Marriage LicenseJefferson County, Wisconsinchecked November 8, 2026
  18. Wis. Stat. ch. 765 MarriageWisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau)checked November 8, 2026
  19. Vital Records: Requesting a Vital RecordWisconsin Department of Health Serviceschecked November 8, 2026
  20. Vital RecordsWisconsin Department of Health Serviceschecked November 8, 2026
  21. F-05291 Wisconsin Birth Certificate ApplicationWisconsin Department of Health Serviceschecked November 8, 2026
  22. Wis. Stat. ch. 851 Probate - Definitions and General Provisions (register in probate)Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau)checked November 8, 2026
  23. Trademark File OnlineWisconsin Department of Financial Institutionschecked November 8, 2026
  24. Badger Voters FAQWisconsin Elections Commissionchecked November 8, 2026
  25. Family History CollectionsWisconsin Historical Society (state agency)checked November 8, 2026
  26. County TreasurerJefferson County, Wisconsinchecked November 8, 2026
  27. County ClerkJefferson County, Wisconsinchecked November 8, 2026
  28. Clerk of CourtsJefferson County, Wisconsinchecked November 8, 2026
  29. Clerk of circuit court contact informationWisconsin Court Systemchecked November 8, 2026
  30. Register in ProbateJefferson County, Wisconsinchecked November 8, 2026
  31. Sheriff's OfficeJefferson County, Wisconsinchecked November 8, 2026
  32. County Clerk: ElectionsJefferson County, Wisconsinchecked November 8, 2026
  33. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026