Shawano County Public Records

How to Find Public Records in Shawano County in 2026

ShawanoRecords.org provides access to publicly available information related to public records maintained by government agencies in Shawano County, Wisconsin. Members of the public seeking records in Shawano County may find documents spanning court filings, property transactions, vital records, law enforcement logs, and government meeting minutes, subject to applicable state and local disclosure rules. The availability and completeness of any given record depends on the maintaining agency, the nature of the document, and whether statutory exemptions apply.

Record categories that may be accessible include:

Court records (civil, criminal, probate, family court)
Property deeds, mortgages, and liens
Vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce)
Business licenses and permits
Property tax and assessment records
Voting and election records
County board meeting minutes and agendas
Law enforcement incident reports and arrest logs
Land use, zoning, and planning documents

Online Access: Members of the public may search Wisconsin circuit court records, including those from Shawano County Circuit Court, through the Wisconsin Court System's case search portal, which provides public access to case information from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and circuit courts statewide. Property records and Register of Deeds documents are accessible through the Shawano County Land Records portal at the county's official website. The Wisconsin Court System also supports electronic filing and document retrieval for qualifying case types.

In-Person Requests: Members of the public may visit the Shawano County Clerk's Office or the Register of Deeds, both located at the Shawano County Courthouse, 311 N. Main Street, Shawano, WI 54166. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Requestors should present a written or verbal description of the record sought and, where applicable, identifying information such as names, dates, or parcel numbers.

Written/Mail Requests: Written requests may be submitted by mail to the appropriate county office at 311 N. Main Street, Shawano, WI 54166. Requests should include the requestor's name, contact information, a description of the records sought, and the preferred format for response. Under Wis. Stat. § 19.35, custodians are required to respond to records requests as soon as practicable and without delay.

Phone/Email: The Shawano County Clerk's Office may be reached at (715) 526-9150. The Register of Deeds office is reachable at (715) 526-9150. Email contact information is available through the official Shawano County website at co.shawano.wi.us.

What Are Public Records in Shawano County?

Public records in Shawano County are defined under Wis. Stat. § 19.32, which establishes that any material on which written, drawn, printed, spoken, visual, or electromagnetic information is recorded or preserved, and which has been created or is being kept by a government authority, constitutes a public record. The following record types are maintained by specific county offices:

Record Type	Maintaining Office
Civil, criminal, probate, and family court records	Shawano County Circuit Court Clerk
Property deeds, mortgages, liens	Register of Deeds
Birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates	Register of Deeds / Wisconsin DHS Vital Records
Business licenses and permits	County Clerk / Municipal Clerks
Property tax and assessment records	County Treasurer / Assessor
Voting and election records	County Clerk
Meeting minutes and agendas	County Clerk
Budget and financial documents	County Administrator
Law enforcement records	Shawano County Sheriff's Office
Land use and zoning records	Shawano County Planning and Zoning

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services notes that birth, marriage, death, and divorce records are available through Wisconsin county Register of Deeds offices statewide, including Shawano County.

Is Shawano County an Open Records County?

Shawano County operates in full compliance with Wisconsin's open records law. Under Wis. Stat. § 19.31, the Wisconsin Legislature declared that "the public is entitled to the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of those officers and employees who represent them." This statutory presumption of openness applies to all county offices and agencies in Shawano County.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice, which oversees open records compliance statewide, affirms that "every person has a right to inspect any record" maintained by a government authority, subject only to specific statutory exemptions. County custodians are required to provide access to records promptly and may not require requestors to state a reason for their request in most circumstances. Shawano County does not maintain a separate county-level open records ordinance that supersedes state law; the Wisconsin Public Records Law governs all disclosure obligations.

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

The fee structure for public records in Shawano County is governed by state law and the policies of the individual maintaining office. Standard fees currently in effect include:

Photocopies: $0.25 per page (standard 8.5" x 11" black-and-white copies)
Certified copies of vital records: $20.00 per certified copy (birth, death, marriage, divorce)
Additional certified copies ordered at the same time: $3.00 each
Electronic records: Fees may apply for staff time required to locate, retrieve, and transmit records
Inspection: No fee is charged for in-person inspection of records that do not require reproduction
Certification fees: Vary by document type and office

Under Wis. Stat. § 19.35(3), a records custodian may impose a fee that does not exceed the actual, necessary, and direct cost of reproduction and transcription. Search fees are not permitted unless the record does not exist in a form that can be reproduced. Accepted payment methods at Shawano County offices include cash, check, and money order payable to the relevant county office. Credit card acceptance varies by department.

Fee waivers are not broadly mandated under Wisconsin law, though individual custodians retain discretion to reduce or waive fees in appropriate circumstances, such as when disclosure is in the public interest.

Does Shawano County Have Free Public Records?

Free inspection of public records is available in Shawano County. Members of the public may examine records in person at the maintaining office without charge, provided the records are not exempt from disclosure. The right to free inspection is established under state open records law and applies to all county offices.

The following free access options are currently available:

In-person inspection at the Shawano County Clerk's Office, Register of Deeds, Circuit Court Clerk's Office, and Sheriff's Office, during regular business hours, at no cost
Online court case search through the Wisconsin circuit court case search portal, which provides free public access to case index information for Shawano County Circuit Court
Land records portal on the Shawano County website, which provides free online access to property records and Register of Deeds documents
Wisconsin DHS Vital Records information pages, which provide guidance on record availability at no cost to the inquirer

The distinction between free inspection and free copies is significant: while inspection carries no charge, reproduction of records is subject to the fee schedule described above.

Who Can Request Public Records in Shawano County?

Any person may request public records in Shawano County. Wisconsin's open records law does not restrict access based on residency, citizenship, or stated purpose. Requestors are not required to be Wisconsin residents, and custodians may not require a requestor to identify themselves or explain the reason for their request as a condition of access, except in limited circumstances involving certain sensitive record categories.

Specific eligibility considerations include:

Identification: Requestors are not required to provide identification for most public records requests; however, identification may be required when requesting records that contain personal information about the requestor, such as vital records
Purpose: Custodians may not condition access on disclosure of the requestor's purpose, except where a specific statute requires it
Non-residents: Non-residents of Wisconsin retain the same access rights as residents under state law
Requesting your own records: Individuals requesting records about themselves may be required to provide proof of identity to protect against unauthorized disclosure of personal information
Restricted categories: Certain records, such as juvenile records, adoption records, and sealed court documents, are subject to access restrictions regardless of who is requesting them

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation notes that, with respect to driver and vehicle records, "[t]he law recognizes the need to balance individual privacy with the public's right to access personal information from government records," as described in the driver and vehicle record access guidelines.

What Records Are Confidential in Shawano County?

Not all government records in Shawano County are subject to public disclosure. Wisconsin law establishes specific categories of records that are exempt from the general right of access. The following records are currently treated as confidential or restricted:

Sealed court records: Records sealed by court order are not accessible to the general public
Juvenile records: Records pertaining to juveniles in delinquency or child welfare proceedings are restricted under Wis. Stat. § 938.396
Ongoing criminal investigation records: Records compiled as part of an active law enforcement investigation may be withheld to protect the integrity of the investigation
Personal identifying information: Social Security numbers, financial account data, and similar identifiers are redacted or withheld
Medical and health records: Protected under both state law and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Adoption records: Sealed by statute and accessible only under specific legal procedures
Child welfare and protective services records: Confidential under state and federal child protection laws
Personnel records: Employee records are subject to partial exemption, with certain information (such as disciplinary records) potentially disclosable and other information (such as home addresses) withheld
Trade secrets and proprietary business information: Exempt from disclosure when submitted to government agencies under a claim of confidentiality
Security plans and critical infrastructure details: Withheld to protect public safety

Wisconsin's open records law requires custodians to apply a balancing test when a specific statutory exemption does not clearly apply: the public interest in disclosure must be weighed against the public interest in nondisclosure. Where no clear exemption exists, the presumption favors disclosure.

Shawano County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

Shawano County Register of Deeds
311 N. Main Street
Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 526-9150
Shawano County Register of Deeds

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Closed on state and federal holidays

Shawano County Clerk's Office
311 N. Main Street
Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 526-9150
Shawano County Clerk

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Shawano County Circuit Court Clerk
311 N. Main Street, Room 207
Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 526-9347
Shawano County Circuit Court