Racine County property tax records are public and can be pulled up online through the County Treasurer’s tax inquiry portal or in person at the Treasurer’s Office on the first floor of the Racine County Courthouse, 730 Wisconsin Avenue. The portal shows assessed values, tax amounts, credits, payment history, and ownership for every parcel in the county. The Treasurer handles collection; the Real Property Lister maintains the ownership and parcel description data behind each record.1Racine County, WI. Real Property Listing
Search Records Online
The search tool lives at ascent.racinecounty.gov and is linked from the Tax Inquiry page on the county website.2Racine County, WI. Tax Inquiry You can search three ways: parcel ID (also called the tax key number), street address, or owner name. Use one field at a time, then click Find Now.
A few practical notes on each method. For parcel ID, enter only the last 12 digits with no dashes. A parcel numbered 151-01-01-02-123-123 is entered as 010102123123. That number is printed on prior tax bills, recorded deeds, and closing documents. Owner-name searches require exact spelling. Address searches work best when you include directional prefixes like North or South and skip unnecessary suffixes.2Racine County, WI. Tax Inquiry
When results come back, click the parcel ID in red to open the record. Use the Select Detail dropdown to switch views. Choose Taxes to see tax information, then click a year in red for the full payment history for that year. Anything on screen can be printed or saved as a PDF straight from your browser.2Racine County, WI. Tax Inquiry
What You’ll See on a Record
Assessed Value
Each record shows the assessor’s determination of what the land and improvements are worth for tax purposes, split into land value and improvement value. This is the number that drives the tax bill. It may be higher or lower than what the property would sell for on the open market, and it isn’t the same as a lender’s appraised value. The annual tax is the assessed value applied against the combined mill rate set by the county, municipality, school district, and any technical college or special districts covering the parcel.
Credits
Wisconsin bills carry two credits that reduce what you owe. The Lottery and Gaming Credit uses state lottery proceeds to lower taxes for qualifying homeowners and appears below the total tax line.3Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Wisconsin Lottery and Gaming Credit Program It applies only to a primary residence, so file an application with the county treasurer if you recently bought a home or changed your primary address. The First Dollar Credit applies automatically to every taxable parcel with a real property improvement on it, such as a building; the property does not need to be a primary residence, and commercial properties qualify.4Wisconsin Department of Revenue. First Dollar Credit
Special Assessments and Charges
A record may show special assessments or special charges separate from the general tax. A special assessment covers a public improvement that benefits your specific parcel, like road construction or sewer installation. A special charge covers a service provided to the property, such as weed removal or demolition of a condemned structure. Both are entered into the tax roll and follow the same collection and delinquency rules as regular property taxes.5Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 74.01(6)
Payment History
The tax history section logs payments year by year and flags outstanding balances, accrued interest, or penalty charges. If you have a mortgage escrow, this is where you can confirm your lender actually sent the county its money on time.
Payment Deadlines
Most Racine County municipalities take property taxes in two installments: the first due January 31 and the second due July 31. Properties inside the City of Racine follow a four-installment schedule with due dates of January 31, March 31, May 31, and July 31.6Racine County, WI. Property Taxes Missing the first installment makes the entire remaining balance delinquent as of February 1, not just the missed portion.7Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 74.12
After January 31, first installments and any delinquent taxes go to the Racine County Treasurer at 730 Wisconsin Avenue rather than to your local municipal treasurer. After July 31, all payments go to the county.6Racine County, WI. Property Taxes
How to Pay
In person at the Treasurer’s Office, you can pay with cash, check, or money order. A drop box outside the courthouse on Wisconsin Avenue accepts checks and money orders but not cash. Mail payments to Racine County Treasurer, 730 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, WI 53403-1274. A secondary drop-off is available at Burlington City Hall, 300 North Pine Street in Burlington.8Racine County, WI. Frequently Asked Questions
Credit card and electronic check payments are accepted by phone at 1-800-272-9829 or online through officialpayments.com using jurisdiction code 5835.8Racine County, WI. Frequently Asked Questions The payment processor charges a convenience fee, so check it before you submit.
Getting Records in Person or by Mail
The Treasurer’s Office is on the first floor at the north end of the courthouse. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.9Racine County, WI. Racine County Treasurer Staff can help you look up records, explain charges on a tax bill, and confirm payment status. Expect a small per-page reproduction fee for physical copies. Wisconsin’s public records law caps copy fees at the actual cost of reproduction, so charges are typically modest.
Mail requests go to the same address. Include the exact parcel ID number and a check for anticipated copy costs to avoid delays. Mail requests take longer than in-person visits, so allow extra time if you’re working against a deadline.
If Taxes Go Unpaid
Interest accrues at 1% per month on the delinquent amount, and Racine County adds a penalty of 0.5% per month, for a total of 1.5% per month.10Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 74.47 Any fraction of a month counts as a full month, so being one day into a new month triggers the full charge. A $5,000 delinquent balance accumulates $75 per month.
When taxes remain unpaid, the county issues a tax certificate against the property. For most parcels, the county can begin foreclosure two years after the date of the tax certificate. The county then files a list of tax liens with the circuit court and publishes notice giving owners at least eight weeks to redeem by paying all delinquent taxes, interest, penalties, and county costs.11Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 75.521 If no one redeems before the deadline, the county gets a judgment of foreclosure and takes ownership, and the former owner’s rights are permanently extinguished.
Appealing an Assessment
If the assessed value on the record looks wrong, Wisconsin gives you two steps to challenge it. The first is the Open Book session, an informal meeting with the assessor. Bring recent comparable sales, photos of the property’s condition, or evidence that square footage or lot size was recorded incorrectly. Many disputes get resolved here.
If Open Book doesn’t fix it, file a formal objection with the Board of Review. Give written or oral notice of intent to object at least 48 hours before the board’s first scheduled meeting, then file the written objection within the first two hours of that meeting.12Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 70.47 A professional appraisal is the strongest evidence you can bring; recent sale prices of comparable nearby properties also carry weight.
Each municipality sets its own Open Book and Board of Review dates. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue posts a calendar where you can look up your municipality’s schedule.13Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Board of Review Missing these dates means waiting another year to challenge the assessment. One thing that catches people off guard: if you refuse to allow the assessor an exterior inspection of your property, the Board of Review can deny your hearing entirely.