Franklin County Property Tax Records

Franklin County property tax records are maintained by the Auditor, Assessor, and Treasurer, all located at 1010 Franklin Avenue in Brookville. The three offices share the same building, which makes it easy to handle multiple property tax questions in a single visit. Property owners can search records online through the Franklin County DataPitStop portal or through the Indiana Gateway system. The Auditor, Assessor, and Treasurer each have dedicated rooms in the courthouse and can be reached by phone or in person during regular business hours.

Franklin County Auditor Office

The Franklin County Auditor is Karla J. Bauman. Her office is at 1010 Franklin Avenue, Room 103, Brookville, IN 47012. The phone number is 765-647-4631 and you can also reach the office by email at auditor@franklincounty.in.gov. More information is on the county website at franklincounty.in.gov/department/auditor.

The Auditor's office is the central stop for Franklin County property tax administration. Karla Bauman's office maintains the tax duplicate, which is the official record of all property values and taxes owed in the county. When a deed changes hands, the transfer must be processed through the Auditor's office first. Deductions that belonged to the prior owner do not automatically carry forward. The new owner must file separate applications to get any deductions on their account.

The Assessor's office is also at 1010 Franklin Avenue and can be reached at 765-647-4921. The Assessor sets property values that feed into the tax calculation. The Treasurer, located in Room 106 at the same address, handles payment processing at 765-647-5121. All three offices being at 1010 Franklin Ave means you can handle an assessment question, a deduction filing, and a payment in one trip to the courthouse.

Franklin County Online Property Tax Search

Franklin County runs a DataPitStop online portal at auditor.franklincounty24.us. This tool lets you search Franklin County property tax records by parcel number, owner last name, or property address. Search by last name only for the widest set of results when you don't have a parcel number. A partial street address typically works better than typing out the full address with a suffix.

The portal returns parcel data that includes owner information, the property address, the assessed value, any active deductions, and current tax bill amounts. GIS parcel mapping is also available through the DataPitStop platform for Franklin County, so you can view parcel boundaries and surrounding properties alongside the tax records. For a backup, the Indiana Gateway Tax Bill Lookup covers all 92 Indiana counties and is a reliable secondary source for Franklin County tax bill data. The Beacon GIS platform is another option for parcel-level searches with map and ownership history tools.

Franklin County Tax Payments and Deadlines

Property taxes in Franklin County are paid in two installments. The spring payment is due May 10 and the fall payment is due November 10. Payments for Franklin County property taxes can be made in person at the Treasurer's office in Room 106 at 1010 Franklin Ave, Brookville, or by mailing payment to Franklin County Treasurer, 1010 Franklin Ave, Room 106, Brookville, IN 47012. The Treasurer's phone for payment questions is 765-647-5121.

If you miss a due date, penalties apply under Indiana law. A 5% penalty attaches within the first 30 days past the due date. The penalty jumps to 10% after 30 days. These amounts are added to the original tax owed and must be paid to bring the account current. Long-term nonpayment can trigger a tax sale under IC 6-1.1-22. Contact the Franklin County Treasurer early if you are having trouble making payments. The sooner you reach out, the more options you will have.

Property Tax Deductions in Franklin County

Franklin County property owners can reduce their tax bills through several deductions available under IC 6-1.1-12. All deduction applications go to Auditor Karla J. Bauman at Room 103, 1010 Franklin Avenue, Brookville. The homestead deduction applies to properties that serve as a primary residence and is the most commonly filed. A supplemental homestead deduction can be added on top of the base homestead amount for additional savings.

Other deductions under Indiana code include the Over 65 deduction, the Over 65 Circuit Breaker, deductions for blind or disabled property owners, and the Totally Disabled Veteran deduction. Property owners who have installed geothermal or solar energy systems may also qualify for an energy-related deduction. All applications must be filed with Auditor Bauman by January 5 following the assessment date. Missing that deadline means the deduction will not take effect until the next tax year. Deductions do not transfer when a property is sold, so new owners must re-file for any benefits they qualify for.

Assessment and Appeals in Franklin County

The Franklin County Assessor values all property in the county as of January 1 each year under IC 6-1.1-4. Assessed values are set at market value for most property types, with land and improvements valued separately. Each spring, property owners receive a Form 11 notice showing their new assessed value. Review this notice carefully. If you think the value is too high, you have until June 15 to file Form 130 with the Franklin County Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals.

The appeals process in Franklin County follows the rules in IC 6-1.1-35. Start with an informal review by calling the Assessor at 765-647-4921. Many value disagreements can be resolved this way. If an informal review doesn't work, file Form 130 before June 15. The PTABOA will schedule a hearing and issue a decision. If you are still unsatisfied, you can take the matter to the Indiana Board of Tax Review and then to the Indiana Tax Court. Keep copies of all filings and correspondence, and note every deadline as you go.

Indiana DLGF Resources for Franklin County

The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance sets the rules for property tax administration across all 92 Indiana counties, including Franklin. The DLGF reviews tax rates, publishes assessment guidance, and maintains taxpayer resources at in.gov/dlgf. The department's phone is (317) 232-3777. If you have a question that Auditor Bauman's office or the Assessor cannot answer, the DLGF is the next place to call.

The full text of Indiana's property tax code, IC 6-1.1, is available at law.justia.com. This article covers every aspect of property tax law in Indiana, from the initial assessment date to the final appeal process. The key chapters for Franklin County taxpayers are IC 6-1.1-4 (assessment), IC 6-1.1-12 (deductions), IC 6-1.1-22 (tax bills and payment), and IC 6-1.1-35 (appeals).

The screenshot below shows the Franklin County Auditor's department page, which is the direct online resource for property tax forms and contact information in Franklin County.

The Franklin County Auditor's page at franklincounty.in.gov lists staff contact details, office hours, and links to property tax resources.

Karla J. Bauman's office at Room 103 handles deed transfers, deduction filings, and tax duplicate maintenance for all of Franklin County.

Nearby Counties

Franklin County is in southeastern Indiana and shares borders with several counties. Each has its own Auditor and property tax search tools.