Grant County Public Records

What Are Public Records in Grant County?

Public records in Grant County, Wisconsin are defined under Wisconsin Statutes § 19.32 as any material on which written, drawn, printed, spoken, visual, or electromagnetic information is recorded or preserved, regardless of physical form or characteristics, that has been created or is being kept by a government authority. This broad definition encompasses a wide range of documents maintained by county offices, courts, and administrative bodies.

The following categories of public records are currently available through Grant County government offices:

Court records — Civil, criminal, probate, and family court case files are maintained by the Grant County Circuit Court. Members of the public may search Wisconsin court records through the Wisconsin Court System case search portal.
Property records — Deeds, mortgages, liens, and property assessments are recorded by the Register of Deeds. Parcel data and permit records are searchable through the Grant County land records web portal.
Vital records — Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are maintained by the Grant County Register of Deeds and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Business records — Business licenses, permits, and fictitious name registrations are held by the County Clerk's office and relevant municipal authorities.
Tax records — Property tax and assessment records are maintained by the Grant County Treasurer and Assessor's offices.
Voting and election records — Voter registration data, election results, and campaign finance filings are managed by the County Clerk.
Meeting minutes and agendas — Records of county board meetings, committee sessions, and public hearings are available through the County Clerk's office and the Grant County official website.
Budget and financial documents — Annual budgets, audit reports, and expenditure records are maintained by the County Administrator's office.
Law enforcement records — Arrest logs and incident reports, where permitted by law, are available through the Grant County Sheriff's Office.
Land use and zoning records — Zoning maps, variance applications, and land use permits are held by the Grant County Planning and Zoning Department.

Is Grant County an Open Records County?

Grant County fully complies with Wisconsin's open records law, which establishes a strong presumption in favor of public access to government records. Under Wisconsin Statutes § 19.31, the public policy of this state is that all persons are entitled to the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of those officers and employees who represent them. This statute further declares that providing persons with such information is an essential function of a representative government.

Key provisions of the Wisconsin Open Records Law currently in effect include:

Any requester may inspect or copy records held by a government authority without being required to state a reason for the request.
Government authorities must respond to records requests as soon as practicable and without delay.
Denial of a records request must be accompanied by a written statement of the specific legal authority for the denial.

Grant County does not maintain a separate county-level open records ordinance that supersedes state law; all county offices operate in accordance with the Wisconsin Open Records Law as codified in § 19.31–19.39 of the Wisconsin Statutes. The county's compliance with these sunshine laws ensures that government operations remain transparent and accountable to the public. Members of the public seeking records from state-regulated utility authorities may also consult the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, which maintains its own public records request process.

How to Find Public Records in Grant County in 2026

Members of the public may obtain Grant County public records through several channels, depending on the record type and the office that maintains it.

Step 1 — Identify the custodial office. Determine which county department holds the record being sought. Property records are held by the Register of Deeds; court records by the Circuit Court Clerk; vital records by the Register of Deeds; and law enforcement records by the Sheriff's Office.

Step 2 — Submit a written request. Although oral requests are permissible under Wisconsin law, submitting a written request creates a clear record of the inquiry. Requests may be submitted in person, by mail, or by email to the appropriate office. The county's central records request process is accessible through the Grant County government portal.

Step 3 — Search online databases. Many records are available without a formal request. Property parcel data and permit records may be searched directly through the Grant County land records portal. Court case information is searchable through the Wisconsin Court System's public access tool.

Step 4 — Await the agency response. Under current law, the records custodian must respond as soon as practicable. If a delay is anticipated, the authority must notify the requester and provide an estimated response date.

Step 5 — Pay applicable fees. Upon notification that records are available, the requester must pay any applicable copying or certification fees before receiving copies.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Grant County?

Grant County assesses fees for public records in accordance with Wisconsin Statutes § 19.35(3), which governs the charges that a government authority may impose for locating, copying, and certifying records. Current standard fees applicable to most county offices include:

Paper copies: Typically $0.25 per page for standard black-and-white copies, though individual offices may set their own rates consistent with actual costs.
Certified copies: Vital records such as birth and death certificates carry a statutory fee set by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, currently $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time.
Electronic records: Fees for electronic copies are limited to the actual cost of reproduction.
Research and retrieval fees: Where locating a record requires more than a reasonable time, the authority may charge for actual staff time at the applicable hourly rate.

Accepted payment methods vary by office but generally include cash, check, and money order payable to the relevant county office. Fee waivers are not broadly established by statute for general public records requests; however, certain categories of requesters, such as indigent individuals seeking their own records, may petition the custodial office for a reduction or waiver based on demonstrated financial hardship.

Does Grant County Have Free Public Records?

Members of the public are entitled under Wisconsin law to inspect public records at no charge. The right to free inspection — as distinct from the right to obtain copies — is a core provision of the Wisconsin Open Records Law. No fee may be charged solely for the act of reviewing records in person at the custodial office.

The following free public records resources are currently available:

Online property and parcel records — The Grant County land records web portal provides free public access to parcel records, property ownership data, and permit information without requiring a formal request.
Court case records — The Wisconsin Court System's case search tool allows free online access to circuit court, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court case information.
County government documents — Meeting minutes, agendas, budgets, and other administrative documents are posted at no cost on the Grant County official website.
In-person inspection — Any member of the public may visit the appropriate county office during regular business hours to inspect records at no charge.

Who Can Request Public Records in Grant County?

Under Wisconsin's open records law, any person — regardless of residency, citizenship, or stated purpose — is entitled to request and inspect public records held by Grant County government authorities. The law does not require requesters to:

Be a resident of Wisconsin or Grant County
Provide government-issued identification
State a reason or purpose for the request
Demonstrate a personal interest in the records sought

These protections apply equally to individuals, organizations, businesses, and members of the media. Non-residents of Wisconsin retain the same access rights as state residents under current law.

Certain record types carry additional procedural requirements. Individuals requesting their own criminal history records or sealed court documents may be required to provide identifying information to verify their identity before access is granted. Records containing third-party personal information, such as medical or financial data, may be subject to redaction prior to release even when the underlying document is otherwise public.

Requesters seeking records about themselves — such as their own arrest records, tax filings, or personnel files — may access those records through the same process as any other public records request, subject to applicable exemptions protecting third-party information contained within the same document.

What Records Are Confidential in Grant County?

Not all government records held by Grant County are subject to public disclosure. Wisconsin Statutes § 19.36 and related provisions identify categories of records that are exempt from mandatory public access. The following types of records are currently withheld from general public disclosure:

Sealed court records — Records sealed by judicial order are not accessible to the public.
Juvenile records — Records pertaining to juvenile offenders are confidential under Wisconsin law.
Ongoing criminal investigation records — Law enforcement records compiled as part of an active investigation are exempt to the extent that disclosure would interfere with the investigation.
Personal identifying information — Social Security numbers, financial account data, and similar identifiers are redacted from disclosed records.
Medical records — Health information protected under HIPAA and state law is not subject to public disclosure.
Adoption records — Adoption files are sealed by statute and accessible only under specific legal circumstances.
Child welfare and protective services records — Records maintained by child protective services agencies are confidential.
Personnel records — Employee personnel files are exempt from disclosure, with limited exceptions for records relating to public officials' exercise of their duties.
Trade secrets and proprietary business information — Commercially sensitive information submitted to the county in connection with permits or contracts may be withheld.
Security plans and infrastructure details — Records describing vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure are exempt from disclosure.

When a records authority withholds a document or portion thereof, Wisconsin law requires the application of a balancing test: the authority must weigh the public interest in disclosure against the public interest in nondisclosure, and must provide a written explanation when access is denied.

Grant County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

The Grant County Register of Deeds serves as the primary custodian of property records, vital records, and recorded legal documents for the county.

Grant County Register of Deeds 111 South Jefferson Street, Lancaster, WI 53813 (608) 723-2675 Grant County – Wisconsin

Public counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding state and federal holidays. Members of the public may inspect records in person during these hours or submit written requests by mail or email.

Grant County Clerk's Office 111 South Jefferson Street, Lancaster, WI 53813 (608) 723-2675 Grant County – Wisconsin

Grant County Circuit Court Clerk 130 West Maple Street, Lancaster, WI 53813 (608) 723-2758 Wisconsin Court System case search

Grant County Sheriff's Office 5765 US Highway 61, Lancaster, WI 53813 (608) 723-2157 Grant County – Wisconsin