Wisconsin Public Records in 2026

Start with the Wisconsin office that holds the record

Wisconsin's court system provides statewide access to circuit court case information through Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA. The Department of Justice maintains criminal history through Wisconsin Online Record Check System, WORCS, while the Department of Corrections operates the Offender Locator. These services answer different questions. A court case describes a proceeding, a criminal history response assembles reported arrest and disposition information, and the corrections locator concerns people sentenced to DOC incarceration or supervision.

The circuit court overview identifies 261 judges and nine judicial administrative districts across Wisconsin's 72 counties. Six counties share judges in three pairs: Buffalo and Pepin, Florence and Forest, and Shawano and Menominee. Court administration therefore does not always follow a simple one-county, one-circuit arrangement. Use the filing county and case number when requesting a document, even if a judge serves more than one county.

Vital records belong to the Department of Health Services' Vital Records Office and participating local offices. Land documents belong to the register of deeds where the property is located. Assessment, tax collection and zoning records may sit with another county department or a city, village or town. Business entity filings are maintained by the Department of Financial Institutions, DFI. A Wisconsin Secretary of State search is consequently not the starting point for an LLC's annual report or registered agent.

Choose the document before choosing a search box. A divorce certificate, divorce judgment, property tax bill and recorded deed are distinct records with different custodians. The vital records directory, property records directory and recorded document directory help separate those routes. Preserve identifiers from a useful result so the next office can locate the underlying record without repeating a broad name search.

Wisconsin public records law: deadlines, charges and denials

Wisconsin's public records framework appears in sections 19.31 through 19.39. Under section 19.35, a request must reasonably describe the records and have a reasonable limit on subject matter or time. An authority generally cannot refuse an ordinary public-record request because the requester will not identify themselves or explain their purpose. Exceptions include identification required for security, federal law or records kept at a private residence. Access to a restricted personal record can require separate proof of entitlement.

Section 19.35(4) requires an authority to provide records or give its denial and reasons as soon as practicable and without delay. It does not establish a universal ten-day production deadline. The Office of Open Government's 2025 report repeats DOJ's ten-working-day benchmark for a simple request. That benchmark is guidance, not a fixed statutory allowance for every request. A request involving a few identifiable documents differs from one requiring searches across years of email and extensive confidentiality review.

Reproduction and transcription charges generally must reflect actual, necessary and direct costs unless another law sets the fee. Location charges are allowed when locating the records alone costs at least $50. The threshold is not a blanket $50 charge added to every request. Prepayment can be required when total fees exceed $5. An authority may waive or reduce fees in the public interest. Ask for an itemized estimate and distinguish searching for records, reproducing them and mailing them.

Redaction requires particular care. Wisconsin generally does not permit ordinary redaction labor to be passed to the requester, but section 19.35(3)(h) authorizes certain law-enforcement audio and video redaction charges. The law includes exceptions for specified requests by people directly involved, their representatives, and records of an officer-involved shooting. It also establishes an exception involving the number of audio/video requests and an individual's certification against financial gain. A written fee estimate is required before fulfilling a request subject to that charge. Do not assume a body-camera request follows exactly the same pricing as a paper report.

A denial of a written request must be written and explain the reasons. It must also identify the review routes. Section 19.37 provides for mandamus proceedings and permits a written request to the district attorney or attorney general to bring an enforcement action. An oral records request is possible, but a request must be in writing before an enforcement action begins. Retain the request, delivery confirmation, fee correspondence and denial together so the record of what was sought is clear.

Court records: WCCA, municipal cases and document copies

Start a circuit court search at WCCA. Search results can identify the county, case number, parties, events and disposition needed for a document request. Read the disposition of each charge rather than treating the existence of a criminal case as a conviction. Similarly, a civil filing identifies a claim; the judgment and later docket entries establish what the court ordered and whether further proceedings followed. Use the Wisconsin court records directory when the appropriate court is uncertain.

WCCA's website display and the courthouse file are not interchangeable. The judiciary links its display-period information from the court system's homepage. A case's absence from a public website does not by itself establish that the clerk destroyed the file, that a court ordered expungement, or that DOJ removed a corresponding criminal history entry. Give the clerk the case number and ask about the particular judgment, complaint, order or exhibit needed.

The current circuit court fee schedule lists ordinary clerk-of-court copies at $1.25 per page and certification at $5 per document plus the copying charge. Register-in-probate copies are listed separately at $1 per page, with $3 for certification plus copying. These are distinct services; a certified probate document should not automatically be priced using the ordinary circuit clerk certification entry. Ask whether the recipient requires certification before ordering a large file.

Municipal ordinance matters may require a municipal court search. The Green Bay Municipal Court and Milwaukee Municipal Court provide their own local routes. New Richmond's Municipal Court is another separate office. A municipal citation should not be assumed to appear in the statewide circuit search merely because the person lives in Wisconsin. Check the court named on the citation or judgment before contacting the county clerk of circuit court.

Supreme Court and Court of Appeals materials are reached through the Wisconsin Court System, while federal district and bankruptcy cases use PACER. State and federal case numbers are not interchangeable. The judiciary's fee publication page also distinguishes the current schedule from a schedule labeled effective November 1, 2026. This guide was checked October 16; confirm the schedule applicable when placing a later order.

Criminal history checks through DOJ and WORCS

The Department of Justice's criminal background check page describes the state's central repository as demographic data, arrest and charge information, and final dispositions. Adult criminal history is publicly available for a fee through WORCS. It is broader than a list of convictions, but it is still a repository of reported information rather than a guarantee that every event involving a person appears. Juvenile information follows different disclosure rules.

For a paper request, use the official DJ-LE-250 single-name form. It lists $12 for a general-public request and $20 for a police certificate requiring a fingerprint card. Its statutory explanation identifies a $7 ordinary record-check fee and a $5 surcharge for a paper response. Caregiver processing has additional DHS charges and requires the correct purpose selection. The police certificate and an ordinary name check are therefore different products, even when requested by the same person.

Read identifying information before attributing a result. DOJ's record-reading guidance warns that a returned record must not automatically be assumed to concern the searched person. Aliases and similar names can produce misleading matches. The result is also current only through the date and time of the search. If an arrest lacks a final disposition, use the case information to obtain the court's outcome instead of describing the arrest as an unresolved conviction.

DOJ provides a criminal history challenge process using fingerprints and form DJ-LE-247. DOJ charges no fee for the challenge, although the agency taking fingerprints may charge for that service. A successful mistaken-identity challenge can result in a Wisconsin Unique Personal Identification Number, WiUPIN, which helps exclude the challenged record from later searches using that number. This process addresses identity matching; correcting a charge or disposition can require court documentation.

For employment, follow the DOJ employer notice and the required screening process for the position. Public availability does not itself establish that a particular use of arrest or conviction information is lawful. The criminal records directory distinguishes the repository from court and local sources, while the more detailed background-check guide below explains how the request products differ.

Arrest reports, jail bookings and state corrections

Recent custody information is often local. Columbia County's jail-booking page and Milwaukee County's in-custody search concern county detention, while a police incident report belongs to the investigating agency. A booking entry may help identify the date, agency and case, but it does not replace the narrative report or the court's eventual disposition. For a report involving Milwaukee Police, identify the incident and request the record from the police records custodian.

The DOC Offender Locator covers convicted people sentenced to DOC incarceration, supervision or both. DOC specifically says the database does not provide every possible offender record and does not cover people sentenced to county jail or adjudicated juveniles. Someone appearing in the locator may be under supervision rather than inside a prison. Conversely, an unsuccessful search does not prove that the person is in jail; it may reflect coverage limits, search details or the absence of a DOC record.

Warrants require another source. Columbia County's warrant information, Eau Claire County's warrant page, Portage County's active-warrant information and Sauk County's warrant list are local resources. Wood County's sheriff warrant page is a county source even when an older directory describes it using Marshfield's name. Confirm the issuing authority and current status instead of treating every similarly named list as a municipal court record.

Wanted-person publications are also distinct from booking lists. Columbia County's most-wanted page, Winnebago County's MEG most-wanted page and Racine Police's active-warrant page concern particular enforcement records. The Waukesha County Sheriff and Shawano County jail information provide their own agency routes. Use Wisconsin wants and warrants to identify an appropriate source, then verify any consequential interpretation with the office responsible for the record.

Child-support administration should not be mistaken for a general criminal-history service. Jefferson County Child Support and Milwaukee County's child-support questions explain their programs; a program contact page does not establish that everyone associated with a support case is wanted or jailed. Court case information, a current warrant and a custody entry describe separate legal events and should be read separately.

Birth, death, marriage and divorce records

The Wisconsin Vital Records Office accepts orders by mail and through VitalChek online or by telephone. Its in-person counter is closed. Local service remains available through 72 county register-of-deeds offices and the Milwaukee and West Allis city health offices, although the state warns that not every record is available at every local office. Check the event, date and office coverage before traveling or sending payment.

The state's record-ordering instructions list $20 for the first copy and $3 for additional copies of the same record. They estimate about ten business days after receipt for a mail order, excluding mailing time, and about five business days for online orders. VitalChek adds a service fee. Certified copies have eligibility requirements and security features; an uncertified copy is marked as unsuitable for legal or identification use. Choose the version required for the transaction.

Historical birth searches are priced by the state's index periods. A five-year search within the single-year indexes covering October 1907 through 1947 costs $20; a ten-year search across 1910 through 1919 therefore costs $40. The earlier records through September 1907 and the 1948-to-present multiyear index each count as their own search period. A broad date range can cost more than requesting a known certificate. The birth-certificate guide below works through this distinction in greater detail.

For a death certificate, decide whether Fact of Death or Extended Fact of Death is needed. The ordinary version omits cause, manner and final burial details. The extended version includes additional information, and access to recent extended records is restricted. DHS says most financial transactions need the ordinary certificate, while insurance benefit claims commonly need the extended version. Ask the receiving organization which product it requires before placing an order that may be unsuitable.

Use the official application page for the event-specific form and its eligibility, identification and payment instructions. For local service, Green Lake County's vital-record office, Iowa County's register of deeds, Langlade County's vital-record instructions and Winnebago County's register of deeds provide county routes. These local pages should be read for their present services rather than confined to an older directory's historical date label.

A marriage-license application is different from ordering a record of an already completed marriage. Adams County's marriage-license information concerns the licensing office and process. Likewise, DHS's divorce certificate is not the divorce judgment or decree. Request the actual judgment and related orders from the clerk of circuit court that handled the divorce. Knowing which document is needed prevents a valid certificate from being rejected because the recipient required the court's full order.

Property: tax parcels, maps and recorded instruments

A Wisconsin property search often begins with a parcel number from an assessor or tax system and continues with the register of deeds. AccessDane, Jefferson County's land-record system and Marathon County's property listing help identify the parcel to investigate. A tax account, assessment value or owner field is not a complete title examination. Carry the parcel number, legal description and relevant names into a separate search for deeds, mortgages and other recorded instruments.

The Barron County Register of Deeds, Columbia County real-estate records office and Douglas County real-estate records page identify recording services. Jefferson County's register of deeds, Langlade County's office and Manitowoc County's real-estate recording page are additional custodial routes. Ask about the date range covered online, document images, index availability and certified copies. A searchable recent index does not establish that older instruments have been digitized.

Some counties use LandShark, including Juneau County, Kenosha County, Taylor County and Walworth County. Each is a separate county portal. An account or subscription for one county should not be assumed to open another county's documents. Before paying, identify the instrument and determine whether the service provides an index entry, a viewable image, a downloaded copy or certification. These are separate products even when purchased through one website.

For further recording research, Marinette County's real-estate links, Richland County's register of deeds, Sauk County's office and St. Croix County's register of deeds provide local instructions. Trempealeau County's register of deeds, Washington County's office, Waukesha County's online document access and Waupaca County's register of deeds offer other county routes. Record a document number when an index provides one; it is more precise than asking staff for every instrument under a common surname.

Tax research follows its own sequence. Richland County's property-tax information, Vernon County's tax-parcel search, Juneau County's tax information and Manitowoc County's real-estate tax search concern assessment or collection records. The Rock County tax search, Sauk County property listing, Walworth County tax-bill information and Waukesha County tax portal can help identify the tax year and account. Confirm the collection authority and whether a displayed payment history reflects the period relevant to the inquiry.

Maps provide geographic context. Door County's maps and land records, Kenosha County's interactive mapping, Marathon County's map viewer and Oneida County's land-record system help locate parcels. Pierce County GIS, Shawano County's map viewer, Walworth County OneView and Waukesha County's interactive map serve similar local purposes. Map boundaries and aerial imagery help orient a search but do not replace a recorded legal description or a survey when exact boundaries matter.

Municipal records can add information absent from a county tax page. Milwaukee's assessment search and city parcel map concern city property information, while the Department of Neighborhood Services handles inspection-related matters. Glendale's tax roll, Hartland's GIS and property information, Menasha's property-tax page and South Milwaukee's parcel and assessment page are municipal routes. Use the correct municipality rather than relying on a mailing address that may name a different place.

For other local searches, Grand Chute's GIS information, Marshfield's GIS page, Winnebago County's GIS department and Waukesha's map applications help identify geographic resources. Black Earth's tax assessment roll, the Town of Milton's property-tax listing, Saukville's property-tax information and West Allis's property search answer different municipal questions. Start with the record's function so a useful tax result does not get mistaken for the recorded ownership instrument.

Business entities and professional credentials

The DFI corporate records search is the official starting point for entity filings. DFI's business FAQ explains that a status reflects the entity's position under filing law, not an assessment of financial strength or business practices. A registered agent receives official communications; the agent is not necessarily an owner. DFI expressly says entities are not required to disclose ownership to the department.

Domestic entities subject to annual reporting generally file during the calendar quarter containing their registration anniversary, beginning in the following year. Foreign entities follow a first-quarter schedule. The DFI fee schedule distinguishes online and paper charges: a domestic LLC annual report is $25 online and $40 on paper. Select the entity type before relying on a fee. A delinquent status commonly points to missing annual reporting, and curing it can require the current report and back fees.

For regulated occupations, use Wisconsin's credential lookup and the Department of Safety and Professional Services professions directory. Match the credential holder and license type, then review status and any linked restrictions or orders. A corporation's active DFI record does not establish that it has a contractor, health-care or other occupational credential. Conversely, an individual's valid professional credential does not identify every business entity through which that person works.

Financial services require the appropriate DFI program. Its adjustment-service company information, money-transmitter information, licensed financial-services search and payday-lender information distinguish regulated activities. Wisconsin banking-institution records and the National Credit Union Administration's credit-union research tool concern other institution types. The business name on a website may differ from the licensed legal name, so compare the entity and credential identifiers before concluding that a registration is missing.

Investment and charitable records also have separate routes. DFI provides broker-dealer guidance, investment-adviser guidance and a charitable organization and fundraiser search. Its notary search is a different registration system. The Appraisal Subcommittee's appraiser information and Department of Children and Families' licensed child-care directories cover their own fields. Use the Wisconsin license directory to select the regulator, then inspect the official record rather than treating one statewide business search as a universal license check.

The public sex offender registry

Wisconsin DOC's public sex offender registry is separate from its general offender locator and from WORCS. The registry link now leads to Wisconsin's public registry at WiStaySafe.gov. Search the registry for registration information, use the DOC locator for incarceration or supervision information, and use the court for the underlying judgment. These records may concern the same person while displaying different information because their purposes differ.

The reporting framework is in section 301.45. Registration can run for a statutory term or for life, depending on the applicable provisions. Do not calculate an end date simply by adding years to a conviction date without reviewing the person's qualifying category and discharge history. The registry guide below explains the reporting framework in more detail; the published registry entry remains the practical starting point for a public search.

For a question or possible error, the DOC contact page distinguishes questions about registered people, tips, and a registrant's own updates. A public search is not a method for submitting a required registration change. Check the displayed identifiers carefully, particularly where names are common, and avoid treating the absence of a map marker as proof that a person has no registration obligation.

Unclaimed property: search, proof and payment

Wisconsin's Department of Revenue administers unclaimed property. Its claim instructions walk through searching, selecting property and supplying claimant information. Search former names and addresses where relevant, then establish why the listed property belongs to you or to an estate you are authorized to represent. A matching name is a lead; payment requires the department's ownership verification.

The claim service allows a draft to be saved using a confirmation code, which its instructions say is valid for 60 days. Keep that code and the submitted claim number. The after-filing guidance says claims are processed in order received and typically take up to 12 weeks to be assigned for review. Assignment is not the same as approval. If approved, the department estimates another seven to ten days to receive payment.

The same guidance explains why a refund may be smaller than expected: DOR can apply it to qualifying debts owed to government agencies. The Notice of Claim Refund identifies the offset. Questions about that debt go to the collecting agency; the Unclaimed Property Unit does not hear an appeal of the offset. A request for additional documents, by contrast, concerns completing the ownership verification and should be answered through the claim process.

DOR's unclaimed-property FAQ describes financial property such as deposits, refunds, credits and securities. This service is not a property-tax or abandoned-real-estate search. Use the county land and tax offices for a parcel, and the DOR claim service for money or other property transferred into its unclaimed-property program.

Driving records and voter information

The Wisconsin DMV driving-record service offers an online copy of your own record for $5, with a payment-service fee for certain payment methods. The result is emailed. DMV says this product is not a certified record for court use and does not include the full driver history or certain confidential information. Confirm that an ordinary online record meets the receiving organization's requirements before paying.

For another person's driving record, DMV directs requesters to form MV2896, with $7 for a noncertified record or $12 for a certified record. The form and its disclosure requirements govern the request. This is not an unrestricted public name-search database. A public-records request to another agency should not be used as a substitute for the DMV process when the desired product is an official driver record.

Election information has a different purpose. MyVote Wisconsin and My Voter Info provide voter-facing services, while local election offices maintain other records. Brown County's election information, West Bend's polling-place information and Superior's polling-place page are local starting points. Use a current election-specific source for a polling location; a historical voter or address record does not establish where someone should vote in a later election. The Wisconsin voter records directory separates those public resources.

Writing a request that identifies the right records

Send a request to the authority holding the records, not automatically to the state attorney general. DOJ's request-records page concerns DOJ's own records. A town contract belongs with the town, a county tax record with the responsible county office, and a police report with the agency that created or maintains it. Identify the custodian through the office's public-records notice or contact page.

A useful request describes existing documents, dates and identifiers: for example, the final signed contract and amendments for a named county project during a specified period. For correspondence, name the subject, date range and relevant office or participants. For an incident, include the incident number if available. Asking why an agency acted may require an explanation it is not obligated to create; requesting the existing decision memorandum, correspondence and final order identifies records it can search for.

Specify electronic delivery when suitable and ask for an estimate before charges exceed a stated amount. Request available public portions if some material must be withheld. For police audio or video, identify the event and relevant time span, and address any applicable statutory fee exception accurately. A narrower time window may reduce both the search and the volume of footage requiring review, without surrendering a request for the specific event.

Keep a written copy even if initial contact is by telephone. If a response refers to an unavailable attachment, an unexplained charge or a missing period, identify the exact gap in a follow-up. A useful follow-up asks whether the search is complete, what remains under review and which authority supports a withholding. It does not need to restart the request or assume that Wisconsin supplies a fixed statutory deadline for every production.

Wisconsin guides for a more detailed search

The Wisconsin arrest records guide separates an arrest entry from a court outcome and explains where repository and court information diverge. The background check guide compares ordinary DOJ requests with purpose-specific screening and fingerprint products.

The birth certificate guide explains how historical index periods affect the cost of a search. The death records guide helps choose between the certificate versions before ordering.

The business search guide interprets DFI filing status, annual reporting and entity documents. The inmate search guide develops the distinction between DOC coverage and local custody, with practical facility information.

The people search guide explains how to compare identifiers across official systems without assuming that matching names identify one person. The public records law guide examines request wording, timing and enforcement in greater depth.

The sex offender registry guide explains registration terms and reporting obligations. The unclaimed property guide follows a claim from the initial match through review, payment and possible debt offsets.

County pages: follow the county and municipality together

The Milwaukee County page is useful when the search spans a county court, jail or register of deeds and a separate City of Milwaukee assessment or inspection office. Dane County and Waukesha County likewise combine county records with municipal services. Identify whether the record concerns a county agency or a city, village or town before sending a request.

For northeastern Wisconsin, the Brown County, Outagamie County and Winnebago County pages bring together local sources. A Green Bay municipal court matter and a Brown County circuit case are different proceedings; a city assessment and a county recorded instrument are different records. The county page is a routing aid, while the linked official office supplies the record.

The Racine County, Kenosha County and Rock County pages cover additional southern counties. Central and western routes include Marathon, Portage, La Crosse and Eau Claire. Use Dodge County or Sauk County for those jurisdictions rather than assuming a nearby larger county holds the file.

For a historical search, record both the present location and the jurisdiction at the time of the event. The current mailing address can help locate a property, but the recording county, event location or court of filing determines the next step. When contacting staff, provide those details and the known date range so a local-office inquiry does not become a search across unrelated counties.

What to check in 2025 and 2026

The judiciary announced a statewide restraining-order portal on October 1, 2026, following a pilot. It allows people in all 72 counties to prepare domestic-abuse and harassment temporary restraining-order petitions and supports submission through an eFiling account. Preparing forms without an account is also possible. Child-abuse and individual-at-risk petitions were not included in that portal at launch. This is a filing service, not a new unrestricted public search of protected case material.

The court fee publication page posts a separate schedule labeled effective November 1, 2026. As of this guide's October 16 review, that date is still ahead. Check the effective date instead of treating every published fee sheet as already operative. A filing charge, a copy charge and a criminal financial assessment are also different entries; select the service actually being requested.

DOJ's June 2025 records fee schedule expressly includes the law-enforcement audio/video redaction category and its general limits. That schedule applies to DOJ, not automatically to every Wisconsin municipality. DOR's after-filing guidance was updated in November 2025 and continues to distinguish assignment for review from payment after approval. These dated instructions are more useful than carrying forward an undated promise that every record or claim takes the same number of days.

What the FBI counted in Wisconsin in 2024

The FBI Crime Data Explorer counts offenses reported by local agencies, not convictions and not calls. For 2024 it recorded 16,005 violent offenses and 64,054 property offenses across 72 counties in Wisconsin, from 284 agencies that reported a full twelve months. Against the same count for 2023 that is down 5 percent in violent offenses and down 5 percent in property offenses, though the number of agencies reporting changes from year to year, which moves the totals on its own.

The count follows population, so the largest counties carry most of it. These reported the most violent offenses in 2024:

• Milwaukee County, 8,888 violent and 22,942 property offenses from 19 reporting agencies.
• Dane County, 1,111 violent and 7,839 property offenses from 17 reporting agencies.
• Brown County, 665 violent and 2,666 property offenses from 5 reporting agencies.
• Kenosha County, 443 violent and 1,454 property offenses from 3 reporting agencies.
• Racine County, 420 violent and 1,767 property offenses from 8 reporting agencies.
• Rock County, 298 violent and 2,346 property offenses from 7 reporting agencies.

A county total is the sum of what its agencies sent in, so a county whose agencies reported fewer months looks quieter than it is. Each county page on this site carries its own figures and names the offices that hold the underlying reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a WCCA search the same as a Wisconsin criminal background check?
No. WCCA provides circuit court case information. WORCS supplies DOJ criminal history from the state repository. Compare the identifiers and final disposition, and order the screening product required for the purpose rather than substituting one search for the other.

Does Wisconsin require a public-records response within ten days?
The general statute requires action as soon as practicable and without delay. DOJ's ten-working-day guidance for a simple request is not a universal statutory deadline. The scope of the request and necessary review affect the response, but a written denial must explain the reasons and identify review options.

What does a certified circuit court copy cost?
The current schedule reviewed October 16, 2026 lists $5 to certify a document plus $1.25 per page for clerk-of-court copying. Register-in-probate fees differ. Check the service and effective date on the judiciary's fee schedule before ordering.

Can I walk into the Wisconsin state vital records office?
The state counter is closed. State orders are accepted by mail or through VitalChek online or by telephone. County registers of deeds and the Milwaukee and West Allis city health offices provide local routes, with coverage that should be checked for the particular record.

Does an active DFI business record identify the company's owners?
Not necessarily. DFI explains that ownership disclosure is not required in its entity records. A registered agent, organizer or corporate officer should not automatically be described as the owner. Filing status also does not certify financial health or professional licensing.

Will Wisconsin pay an unclaimed-property claim within twelve weeks?
DOR says it typically takes up to twelve weeks for a claim to be assigned for review. Additional verification may follow. Once a claim is approved, payment is estimated at seven to ten days, and qualifying government-debt offsets can reduce the amount received.