Sheboygan, Wisconsin Public Records

The Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases, misdemeanors, civil actions over $10,000, family law matters (divorce, custody, paternity), probate and estate proceedings, juvenile cases, and small claims up to $10,000. Wisconsin's circuit courts are courts of general jurisdiction organized by county. Court records can be searched through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) system at wcca.wicourts.gov, a free statewide database providing case information, party names, charges, dispositions, judgment amounts, and court calendars for cases dating back to the late 1980s in most counties. Certified copies of court documents can be obtained from the Clerk of Circuit Court's office for a fee of $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page, plus a $2.00 certification fee. Case files can be reviewed in person at the courthouse during business hours (8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday), though some records may be sealed or confidential by court order or statute.

Property information can be searched free online through the county's Geographic Information System (GIS) at maps.sheboygancounty.com, where users can search by address, parcel number, or owner name to view current assessed values, property class, square footage, lot size, year built, sales history, and aerial imagery. The Sheboygan County Register of Deeds, located at 508 New York Avenue, Room 102, Sheboygan, WI 53081 (phone: 920-459-3003, website: www.sheboygancounty.com/departments/register-of-deeds), records and maintains all documents affecting real property including warranty deeds, quit claim deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, certificates of title, and land contracts. Land records can be searched online through Fidlar Laredo at laredo.fidlar.com/FidlarWebApplication/Search/DocumentSearch.aspx?Agency=53571 (subscription required for full images, though basic index searches may be available free). Document copies can be purchased at $2.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. The Register of Deeds office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The county's GIS mapping system provides a comprehensive parcel viewer with tax information, zoning districts, floodplains, and recent sales integrated into a searchable interface.

Acuity Insurance, based in Sheboygan, is a leading property and casualty insurer and a major white-collar employer with a distinctive downtown campus topped by a distinctive flagpole visible for miles. Other significant employers include Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center (part of Advocate Aurora Health), Rockline Industries (wet wipes and coffee filters), Bemis Manufacturing (toilet seats and plastics), and the Sheboygan Area School District. The median household income in Sheboygan is approximately $49,000, below the state median but reflecting the city's working-class manufacturing base. Recent economic development has focused on downtown revitalization, riverfront redevelopment, and tourism leveraging Lake Michigan assets including beaches, charter fishing, surfing, and the lakefront boardwalk. Sheboygan's economy reflects Sheboygan County's broader industrial heritage while diversifying into healthcare, finance, and tourism. The city benefits from proximity to Milwaukee (60 miles south) and serves as a regional commercial hub for the Lake Michigan coastal corridor.

The Sheboygan Police Department, located at 1315 North 23rd Street, Sheboygan, WI 53081 (phone: 920-459-3333, website: www.sheboyganwi.gov/departments/police), serves the incorporated city limits and maintains police reports, incident records, accident reports, and offense records. Citizens can request copies of police reports in person at the Records Unit or by submitting a written request; certain records may be restricted during active investigations. For areas outside the city limits, the Sheboygan County Sheriff's Office at 525 North 6th Street, Sheboygan, WI 53081 (phone: 920-459-3112, website: www.sheboygancounty.com/departments/sheriff) provides law enforcement services throughout the county and maintains patrol records, civil process records, and jail records. The Sheriff's Office operates the Sheboygan County Detention Center, and current jail bookings can be searched online at www.sheboygancounty.com/departments/sheriff/jail-information, showing inmate names, booking dates, charges, bond amounts, housing location, and projected release dates. Under Wisconsin's Open Records Law (Wisconsin Statutes §§ 19.31-19.39), law enforcement records are generally accessible unless exempted for active investigations, ongoing prosecutions, or personal privacy protections. Requests should be submitted in writing to the custodian of records at either department, specifying the records sought with reasonable particularity. Response times vary, but agencies typically respond within days to weeks depending on the complexity and volume of the request.

Certified copies are available to qualified applicants (family members, legal representatives) with valid photo ID. Records less than 100 years old (births) or 50 years old (deaths) have restricted access. Birth certificates are available for births occurring from October 1, 1907 forward; death certificates from 1907 forward. Processing typically takes 4-6 weeks by mail, or 2-3 weeks online. The Sheboygan County Register of Deeds also maintains historical vital records and can provide informational (non-certified) copies of older records. Marriage licenses are issued by the Sheboygan County Register of Deeds at 508 New York Avenue, Room 102, Sheboygan, WI 53081 (phone: 920-459-3003). Couples must apply in person with identification; the fee is $110, and there is a 6-day waiting period before the license is valid. Marriage records from 1907 forward are available; certified copies cost $20. Divorce records are maintained by the Sheboygan County Circuit Court Clerk at 615 North 6th Street, Sheboygan, WI 53081 (phone: 920-459-3003), as divorces are court proceedings. Certified copies of divorce decrees cost $5.00 for the first page plus $1.00 per additional page.

Specific licenses such as alcohol beverage licenses, food service permits, and health licenses require separate applications with varying fees. Sheboygan County does not maintain a general business license registry, but certain regulated activities require county permits. At the state level, the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions maintains all corporation, LLC, limited partnership, and business entity registrations. Business searches can be conducted free online at www.wdfi.org/apps/CorpSearch/Search.aspx, showing entity name, status (active/inactive), date of formation, registered agent name and address, principal office address, and annual report filing status. New business entities file Articles of Incorporation or Organization through the Wisconsin DFI, with fees ranging from $100 to $170 depending on entity type. Fictitious name registrations (doing business as/DBA) are filed with the Register of Deeds at the county level; in Sheboygan County this is handled at 508 New York Avenue, Room 102 (phone: 920-459-3003), with a filing fee of $25. UCC financing statements (security interest liens) are also filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and searchable at www.wdfi.org. Commercial property tax assessments are accessible through the Sheboygan County Property Listing Department at www.sheboygancounty.com or the GIS mapping portal.

Sheboygan voters are served by the Sheboygan County Clerk's Office, located at 508 New York Avenue, Room 101, Sheboygan, WI 53081 (phone: 920-459-3003, website: www.sheboygancounty.com/departments/county-clerk). Wisconsin residents can register to vote online at myvote.wi.gov, the state's central elections portal, up to 20 days before an election; Wisconsin also offers in-person registration on Election Day at polling places with proof of residence. Acceptable ID includes a Wisconsin driver's license or state ID, military ID, passport, or student ID from a Wisconsin university. The City of Sheboygan holds municipal elections in the spring of odd-numbered years. The next mayoral and city council elections are scheduled for April 2025, with a primary in February if needed. Sheboygan operates under a mayor-council form of government with the mayor elected at-large and nine alderpersons representing districts. City election information, candidate filings, and local ballot measures are available through the City Clerk's Office at 828 Center Avenue (phone: 920-459-3367) and at www.sheboyganwi.gov. Sheboygan residents can find their assigned polling place by entering their address at myvote.wi.gov, which also displays sample ballots, early voting locations, and hours. Wisconsin provides extensive public access to election records: voter registration lists are available for purchase by qualified requesters, campaign finance reports are searchable at cfis.wi.gov, candidate nomination papers and financial disclosures are public records at the county clerk's office, and precinct-by-precinct election results are published after each election. In the November 2024 presidential election, Sheboygan County recorded approximately 61% turnout of registered voters, with results available at the County Clerk's website. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature critical statewide and local races: Wisconsin voters will decide the Governor's race (incumbent Tony Evers' term expires in January 2027), one U.S. Senate seat (incumbent Ron Johnson's seat if he runs again), all Wisconsin State Assembly seats (including the 26th and 27th districts covering Sheboygan), half of the State Senate, and county-level positions including County Executive, Sheriff, Register of Deeds, Treasurer, Clerk of Courts, and County Board supervisors. Judicial races and any local referenda specific to Sheboygan may also appear on the ballot. Wisconsin offers absentee voting by mail for any registered voter; requests can be submitted online at myvote.wi.gov or by mail/email/fax to the municipal clerk. Absentee ballot requests must be received by the Thursday before Election Day for mail delivery, or voters can request absentee ballots in person until the Sunday before the election. Early in-person absentee voting is available at designated locations starting two weeks before Election Day.