Brown County Clerk and Register of Deeds

About the Brown County Clerk's Office

The Brown County Clerk is a county administrative office, not a court office. Its best-known public service is issuing marriage licenses, which it does from the Northern Building, Room 120, at 305 E. Walnut Street in Green Bay. The office also supports county board functions and county records. For court case files, the office to contact instead is the Clerk of Circuit Court.

Keeping the County Clerk separate from the Clerk of Circuit Court is the key to a fast request. One handles marriage licenses and county business; the other handles court cases. Land and vital records sit with a third office, the Register of Deeds.

What the County Clerk Does

The County Clerk's duties center on county administration and public services rather than litigation. Marriage licenses are the service most residents use, and both applicants must appear in person with the required documents. The office also touches county board records and election administration. The main public-facing duties include the following.

• Issue marriage licenses to qualified applicants.
• Support county board and administrative records.
• Handle election-related county functions.
• Collect the fees set for county clerk services.

For most residents, the Brown County Clerk is the marriage license office first and a county records office second. Election administration and county board support happen behind the scenes, but the public counter mainly serves couples applying for a license. If you arrive expecting court files, staff will point you to the Clerk of Circuit Court instead, because those two offices are not the same in Brown County.

Brown County Register of Deeds

The Register of Deeds is the county's official repository for real estate records and vital records. It records deeds, land contracts, mortgages, UCC filings, subdivision plats, condominium plats, certified survey maps, lis pendens, and related documents. It also holds vital records: birth, death, marriage, divorce, domestic partnership, and military discharge records. The office uses optical imaging to scan documents for permanent storage. Its about page outlines these duties.

Hours run Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Birth, death, and marriage copies are issued in a slightly shorter window, into the late afternoon on weekdays and the late morning on Friday. Genealogy research is by appointment, and the office holds records reaching back to the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Vital Records From the Register of Deeds

Wisconsin uses statewide issuance for vital records, so a Brown County Register of Deeds can issue certificates for events recorded across the state. Marriage certificates are available for Wisconsin marriages from October 1, 1907 to the present. Divorce certificates are available statewide for Wisconsin divorces after January 1, 2016. For an older divorce, contact the Clerk of Circuit Court where it occurred, or Wisconsin DHS Vital Records. The Register of Deeds FAQ answers common questions.

State law limits who can receive certain certified vital records to people with a direct and tangible interest, so the office may ask how you relate to the record. Bring valid ID and the correct fee. The full marriage license process is covered on the marriage and divorce records page.

The Register of Deeds also records domestic partnership declarations and military discharge documents, in addition to birth, death, marriage, and divorce records. Veterans often record a discharge here so a certified copy is on file locally for benefit claims. Each of these is a different record type with its own request process, but all run through the same vital records counter at the Brown County office.

Land Records and Property Search

Property records are a major part of the Register of Deeds work. Deeds, mortgages, plats, and survey maps are recorded and indexed here, and the office maintains a public land records search. The Brown County land records search lets you look up recorded documents tied to a property. This is the place to confirm ownership history, recorded mortgages, or a plat for a parcel.

Land records and court records are different systems. A lien tied to a court judgment may appear in the court file and also be recorded against property here. When a search crosses both, the Register of Deeds covers the property side and the Clerk of Circuit Court covers the case side.

The Register of Deeds records and indexes many document types tied to real estate. The most common ones people look for are listed below.

• Deeds and land contracts - records that transfer or contract for property.
• Mortgages and UCC filings - liens and security interests on property or assets.
• Subdivision and condominium plats - maps that define lots and units.
• Certified survey maps - surveys that divide or describe parcels.
• Lis pendens and resolutions - notices and county filings tied to property.

Optical imaging keeps these records preserved and retrievable, so older documents can be pulled without handling fragile originals.

Brown County Clerk and Records Fees

Fees vary by service. The marriage license costs more for a late application, and certificate copies are priced per copy. The table lists the common fees across these offices.

Debit and credit payments add a small processing fee, and some services do not accept personal checks. Confirm the current amount with the office before you pay.

How to Request a County Record

The steps depend on the record, but the basics are the same. Gather your details, choose in person or by mail, and bring ID and the correct fee. A certified copy is the version most agencies accept.

1. Decide which record you need and which office holds it.
2. Gather the names, dates, or property details that identify the record.
3. Visit in person with valid ID, or mail a completed application.
4. Pay the fee by an accepted method and request a certified copy if needed.

For a land record in Brown County, the online property search is often the fastest first step before you ever submit a copy request.

Related Brown County Resources

For court case files, see the Clerk of Circuit Court. For marriage and divorce records, see marriage and divorce records. For open-records requests, see public records. For estate matters, see probate records.