Scott County, IN Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps

If you are researching property records in Scott County, you may need to consult four county offices for a complete picture. These offices are the Scott County Recorder, the County Assessor, the County Auditor, and the County Treasurer. Their records cover the county’s over 15,000 parcels of land. Typically, a house intended for sale in Scott County stays on the market about 80 to 105 days, which is slower than the state average.

Homes in Scott County are relatively affordable compared with neighboring counties and the larger region. The most popular housing type in the county is the single-family detached home on larger residential lots. This housing style is common in municipalities like Scottsburg (the county seat), Austin, Lexington, Blocher, and Underwood.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $146,250 and median rent of $949.5, alongside a median household income of $60,047 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.72 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Scott County Property Records

You can visit any of the four offices that handle property records in Scott County to access their records. You can access property ownership details, assessment, taxes, and valuation history through the Tax List portal.

Deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and other recorded property documents are available on the Doxpop platform. Call the Scott County Recorder at (812) 752-8442 to make inquiries.

Who Keeps Scott County Property Records?

Property records in Indiana are kept at the county level, and under the Access to Public Records Act, anyone can access them. The following four offices are responsible for keeping these records:

• The Scott County Recorder records and maintains property-related documents, such as deeds, liens, releases, plats, and mortgages. It keeps the county’s chain of title and provides public access to the records in physical and digital formats.

• The Scott County Assessor handles equitable valuation of all real estate in the county and maintains their records. It also clears documents that transfer property ownership before they can be recorded. The office works with the Auditor to determine the county’s property tax.

• The Scott County Auditor applies property tax deductions, identifies delinquencies, and processes refunds. It also endorses deeds and land contracts for property transfers.

• The Scott County Treasurer handles tax notices, tax collection, tax payment history, and delinquent accounts. It oversees the county’s annual tax sale.

How to Search Scott County Property Records Online

You can search Scott County property records online by following these steps:

1. Search the Scott County Tax List portal by address, property number, or owner’s name. Select the most matching result to view details such as the owner’s name, address, assessed value, tax due, and tax district.
2. Confirm the property’s tax status through the portal. You can view the property’s current tax, payment dates, applicable deductions, and any delinquent balance.
3. Use the Doxpop portal to confirm the details. Verify the listed owners and review prior transfers to establish the chain of title. Confirm that the property’s deeds are current and check for encumbrances against the property.
4. Order certified copies of recorded property records for a fee from the Recorder.

Recorder: Deeds, Mortgages, and Plats

The Recorder records and maintains the county’s property-related documents. It maintains deeds, mortgages, assignments, discharges, land contracts, tax liens, mechanics liens, subdivision plats, and surveys. The office provides remote access to its records through the Doxpop portal.

Assessor and Auditor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Scott County Assessor assesses properties and maintains the records, while the County Auditor applies relevant deductions and calculates the property tax due. The Auditor also applies the circuit breaker caps to property taxes. Both offices endorse documents intended for recording that involve property transfer before the County Recorder can record them.

Treasurer: Tax Bills and Payments

The County Treasurer bills and collects property taxes in two equal installments. The first installment is due by May 10, and the second installment is due by November 10. It manages delinquent tax payments and the county's annual tax sales. Delinquent taxes incur penalties and interest from the day after the due date.

You can access the county’s property tax records on the Tax List platform and the statewide DLGF Gateway portal.

Property Tax in Scott County: Caps, Deductions, and Appeals

The Auditor applies applicable deductions to a property’s gross assessed value to get the net assessed value. This value is then multiplied by the county rate to determine the tax bill. However, if the tax bill exceeds the constitutionally approved ceiling, the Auditor will apply the circuit breaker credit.

Circuit-breaker caps

Circuit-breaker caps limit property tax to a stipulated percentage of gross assessed value, per Indiana's constitution. The cap on an owner-occupied homestead is 1% of assessed value, while the cap on other residential and farm properties is 2%. Tax for non-residential and commercial real estate is capped at 3% of assessed value.

If the calculated tax bill exceeds the cap, the Auditor applies a circuit-breaker credit to reduce it. The cap limit affects only tax bills, not a property’s assessed value.

Deductions and relief

Appealing your value

File Form 130 with the Scott County Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals through the Assessor by June 15. Provide evidence supporting your disagreement with the value. You can further escalate to the Indiana Board of Tax Review.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

Access Scott County parcels graphically through the Think GIS platform. You can navigate directly to parcels of choice or search by address. Layers available include parcel boundaries, subdivision, lot, zoning, floodplain, and environmental.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Two types of foreclosures matter for property research in Indiana. Understanding each is essential when conducting property research in Scott County.

Mortgage foreclosure

Mortgage foreclosure in Indiana is judicial and typically takes longer than nonjudicial foreclosures in states with deeds of trust. A lender can file a foreclosure suit in court for mortgages that have exceeded their repayment period. After the court rules for foreclosure, the county sheriff can hold a public auction to sell the property. Under Indiana law, the homeowner may request a settlement conference before the sale to explore repayment options.

Tax sale

The County Treasurer can certify a delinquent property for the annual tax sale under IC 6-1.1-24. It must advertise the sale on its website and in a local newspaper. The buyer at the auction receives a tax-sale certificate, which can be used to receive a tax deed after a year by court order. Indiana law gives the original owner up to a year after the tax sale to redeem the property by paying all outstanding taxes and penalties.

Costs to Access Property Records

The following statutory fees typically apply for obtaining copies of records and recording documents in Scott County, per IC 36-2-7-10.

How to Record a Document

The following steps are generally required to record an instrument in Scott County:

1. Use the instructions on the Essential recording requirements webpage to prepare the instrument. Ensure that the values are correct.
2. Clear the deed with the Assessor and the Auditor. Pay disclosure and parcel transfer fees.
3. File the endorsed deed with the Recorder through an approved e-recording vendor, in person, or by mail at 1 East McClain Avenue, Suite 140, Scottsburg, IN 47170. Pay the required recording fee.
4. The Recorder will update the county’s property records to reflect the transaction and return the original to the filer.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Scott County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals