Find Property Tax Records in Jefferson County

Jefferson County property tax records are maintained by the Auditor's Office at 300 East Main Street in Madison, Indiana. The Jefferson County Auditor serves as the county's Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for calculating property tax statements for all real property, personal property, and mobile homes in the county. Assessor Amanda Roselle handles all valuation work from Room 102 in the same building, and both offices share the same main address in downtown Madison.

Jefferson County Auditor Office

The Jefferson County Auditor's Office is at 300 E Main Street, Madison, IN 47250. The phone number is 812-265-8925. The official website is at the Jefferson County Auditor's page at jeffersoncounty.in.gov. According to county documentation, "The Auditor is the Chief Financial Officer of the County. The staff is responsible for: Calculating property tax for all real, personal, mobile home" parcels in Jefferson County. This designation as Chief Financial Officer means the Auditor holds a broader role than just tax records, overseeing county finances overall.

The Auditor calculates tax statements, maintains the official tax duplicate, processes deed transfers, and applies approved deductions to each Jefferson County parcel. When a property in Madison or elsewhere in Jefferson County changes hands, the new owner's deed must be processed through the Auditor before ownership records are updated. Deductions do not carry over from the previous owner. A new buyer who qualifies for the homestead deduction needs to file a new application with the Auditor by January 5.

The Auditor's Office is also the place to contact about tax sale redemption amounts for any delinquent Jefferson County parcel. If you are dealing with a tax sale situation, call 812-265-8925 to get the current amount needed to redeem the property and understand the process for bringing the parcel current.

Jefferson County Auditor Office Screenshot

The screenshot below is from the Jefferson County Auditor's page at jeffersoncounty.in.gov, the official source for Jefferson County property tax record information, forms, and office contacts:

This page describes the Auditor's role as the county's Chief Financial Officer and provides contact information for the office at 300 East Main Street in Madison.

Jefferson County Assessor Office

Amanda Roselle serves as the Jefferson County Assessor. Her office is in Room 102 at 300 E Main Street, Madison, IN 47250. The phone number for the Assessor's Office is 812-265-8926 (Extension 1510). The Assessor determines the assessed value of all Jefferson County real property as of the January 1 assessment date each year.

Residential properties in Jefferson County are valued primarily using comparable sales data from the local market. Commercial and industrial properties may involve income-based valuation methods as well. If you receive an assessment notice and think your value is too high, contact Assessor Roselle's office at 812-265-8926 for an informal review. Many value disputes are resolved at the informal level without a formal appeal. If you and the Assessor cannot reach an agreement, you can file a formal appeal with the Jefferson County Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals by June 15 of the assessment year.

Having both the Auditor and Assessor in the same building at 300 East Main Street is convenient if you need to visit both offices in the same trip. The Auditor is the right call for questions about deductions, bills, and deed transfers. The Assessor handles questions about how your property was valued.

Jefferson County Online Tax Search

The Jefferson County Treasurer provides an online tax search portal at treasurer.jeffersoncounty39.us. This DataPitStop system lets you search Jefferson County property tax records by parcel number, owner name, or address. Searching by last name alone gives the most complete name results. Partial address searches without full suffixes tend to work better than complete addresses when you are not sure of the exact format on record.

GIS parcel mapping for Jefferson County runs through the DataPitStop platform as well. When you pull up a parcel record, the GIS link lets you view the parcel boundary on a map and compare it to neighboring properties. This is useful for confirming lot lines or reviewing a property before a purchase.

The statewide Indiana Gateway Tax Bill Lookup is also available for Jefferson County and is a reliable backup when the county portal is offline. The Indiana Gateway taxpayer portal provides additional access to levy and financial data for Jefferson County. Both tools are free and require no account.

Property Tax Deductions in Jefferson County

Indiana Code IC 6-1.1-12 lists all the deductions available to Jefferson County homeowners. The homestead deduction applies to a primary residence and reduces the assessed value used to calculate the tax bill. A supplemental homestead deduction stacks on top of the base amount for additional savings. Together, these two deductions can meaningfully lower the taxable value of a home in Madison or elsewhere in Jefferson County.

Jefferson County residents may also qualify for the Over 65 deduction, the Over 65 Circuit Breaker Credit, deductions for blind or disabled property owners, and the Totally Disabled Veteran deduction. Veterans with a service-connected disability rating may qualify for further reductions under Indiana law. Homeowners who have installed solar energy or geothermal heating systems can apply for a deduction tied to those improvements as well.

All deduction applications must be filed with the Jefferson County Auditor by January 5 of the year following the assessment year. Missing that deadline means losing the deduction for that tax cycle. Contact the Auditor at 812-265-8925 to confirm which forms are needed for your situation. Forms are also available from the Indiana DLGF website in the property tax benefits guide.

Tax Payment Deadlines and Penalties

Jefferson County property taxes are billed in two installments. Spring is due May 10. Fall is due November 10. These are statewide Indiana deadlines set under IC 6-1.1-22. A 5% penalty applies to any unpaid spring balance after May 10. The penalty increases to 10% after June 10. The same structure applies to fall installments.

Pay at the Jefferson County Treasurer's Office at 300 East Main Street in Madison during regular business hours. Mail payments to the same address, made out to the Jefferson County Treasurer. Postmark date counts for mailed payments, so use certified mail if you are close to a deadline. Contact the Treasurer's Office for current balance information or to check on the status of a payment.

Indiana Law and Jefferson County Property Taxes

Jefferson County property tax records are governed by Indiana Code Title 6, Article 1.1. The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance certifies Jefferson County tax rates each year and oversees the state's property tax system. The DLGF publishes annual property tax benefit forms and guidance documents that apply to Jefferson County property owners and provides the Indiana Gateway portal for public access to levy and financial data at the county level.

Nearby Counties

Jefferson County is in southeastern Indiana along the Ohio River. The links below go to property tax record pages for neighboring counties.