How to Use AccessDane, Dane County's Property Search

1. Search

1. Open AccessDane. The Parcel Search box has three buttons: Owner, Address and Parcel. Owner is selected by default.(AccessDane)
2. Click the button for what you have. The box shows the format: an owner as First Middle Last, an address like "123 N Main Street #5", a parcel like 123/4567-890-1234-5.(AccessDane)
3. Type. For an address, type any part of the street address and leave out the city. Parcel numbers work with or without dashes, with the municipal prefix, or partial.(AccessDane) Suggestions appear as you type; you can click one.(AccessDane)
4. Click Search or press Enter. One match opens the record. More than one gives a list.(AccessDane)
5. No luck? Use Advanced Search. Its tabs are Owner, Parcel Address, Parcel Number, Township/Range/Section, and Plat or Survey Map, and each can be limited to one municipality. The plat tab finds lots by subdivision, condominium or certified survey map.(AccessDane)

2. Pick Your Parcel

• The results list shows Parcel Number, Status, Owners and Address, with the municipality and a Map link on each row.(AccessDane, 2025)
• Status is Current, or Retired with a date for an old parcel number (for example after a lot was split). Click the current parcel number to open the record.(AccessDane, 2025)

3. Read the Record

The top of the record shows the parcel number with its three-digit municipal code, tabs for Current and Parcel Parents, and buttons for Summary Report and Custom Report.(AccessDane) Then come these sections, top to bottom:

• Parcel SummaryWho and whereMunicipality, a short description, owner names, primary and billing addresses. More opens Parcel Detail: township and range, section, quarter-quarter, plat name, block and lot.(AccessDane) The description is for tax purposes, not for conveying title.(AccessDane)
• Show Municipal Contact InformationYour local officesThe assessor, clerk, treasurer and zoning administrator, with phone and email.(AccessDane)
• Assessment SummaryValuesYear, class (G1 is residential), acres, land, improvements and total. More opens every year back to 1999, the average assessment ratio and the estimated fair market value, with pop-ups explaining Open Book and Board of Review.(AccessDane)(AccessDane)
• Zoning InformationA contact onlyThe office to call for zoning. It doesn't name your zoning district.(AccessDane)
• District InformationSchool and moreSchool district, technical college and, where it applies, sewerage district.(AccessDane)
• Parcel MapsMap linksDCiMap, Google Map and Bing Map.(AccessDane) The county's parcel lines are not a survey.(AccessDane) See official maps.
• Tax InformationBills and paymentsButtons for E-Statement, E-Bill, E-Receipt and Pay Taxes Online, then one block per year with taxes, lottery credit, first dollar credit, special assessments and amount. Tax Info Details has the mill rate, the split by taxing body, installment due dates and a Print button.(AccessDane)(AccessDane) E-Bill rebuilds a bill for any year back to 1999.(AccessDane)
• Recorded DocumentsDeeds and moreDocument type (WD is a warranty deed, QCD a quit claim deed), date recorded and document number. Click one to view it through DocLink, which is paid.(AccessDane) The Register of Deeds lists $8.75 per search and $1 per printed page; a search with no results is free.(Dane County Register of Deeds) See deeds and records.

4. Print or Save

• Summary Report prints a preset version of the record.(AccessDane)
• Custom Report: tick the sections you want (assessments for one year or all years, tax history, recorded documents, map and more), then click Generate Report.(AccessDane)
• An account isn't needed to search. The Log In page lets you create an account, which DocLink can use for payment.(AccessDane)(AccessDane)

The Madison Exception

• In the county's pages archived in June and September 2026, City of Madison parcels carried a banner pointing to the City Assessor, showed no owner or address, and had values only through 2025. A Monona record archived in July already showed 2026 values.(AccessDane)(AccessDane)(AccessDane)
• For Madison, use the City Assessor's property lookup. Its record has tabs for Property Details, Sale/Conveyance Details, Legal Description, Tax Details, Tax Referenda and Special Assessment.(City of Madison) Assessor's Office: Room 103, City-County Building, 608-266-4531.(City of Madison)

What It Doesn't Show

• Year built, bedrooms, square footage: not on AccessDane parcel records.(AccessDane) Madison's lookup has them under Residential Building Information.(City of Madison) See house history.
• Your zoning district: only the zoning office's contact.(AccessDane)
• Exact lot lines: the county says its parcel maps are for tax listing and aren't a survey.(AccessDane) See property lines.
• Every recorded document: the record notes that a Tapestry search by parcel number or legal description is more complete, back to about 1995.(AccessDane)

Each Town's Assessor

Each municipality has its own assessor; the state assesses only manufacturing property.(Wisconsin DOR) Many towns hire an outside firm and link its search from their own page. These are the official town pages:

Each parcel record's Show Municipal Contact Information gives your assessor's phone and email.(AccessDane)

Hiding Your Name

• Search your name, click the blue padlock next to it in the parcel record, and complete the request. Each owner and co-owner asks separately.(AccessDane)
• It applies only to the AccessDane website. The records stay public at the City-County Building, and municipal offices still see the names.(AccessDane)

Questions

What is AccessDane?

Dane County's free online parcel search. It covers every city, village and town in the county and shows owners, assessments, tax bills, districts, maps and recorded documents for each parcel.

Does AccessDane show when a house was built?

No. Parcel records on AccessDane don't list year built, bedrooms or square footage. Madison's Assessor lookup does, and Sun Prairie's Assessing page has its own detailed report.

How do I search AccessDane by address?

Pick the Address button, then type any part of the street address and leave out the city. Press Search or Enter. One match opens the record; several give a list where you click the parcel number.

Does it cost anything?

Searching and viewing parcel records is free. Viewing a recorded document through DocLink is paid: the Register of Deeds lists $8.75 per search and $1 per printed page.

Can I remove my name from AccessDane?

From the website, yes. Click the blue padlock next to your name in the parcel record and complete the request; each owner does it separately. The records stay public at the City-County Building.

Related Guides

• Property Lookup
• Deeds and Records
• Dane County Maps
• When Was My House Built?
• Madison Property Tax