Auditor

We are located on the second Floor of the Wells County Courthouse at 102 West Market Street, Bluffton, IN 46714.  Our office hours are from 8:00AM to 4:30PM Monday through Friday (closed on holidays).

The Wells County Auditor’s Office is proud to announce the launch of a new Transfer Book & Plat Book Digital Archive Website. The new site contains key County Land Transfer Records from the Wells County Auditor's Office. The Transfer books and Plat Books contained in this archive site were digitized by the Wells County Auditor’s Office for historical preservation and protection of these important permanent records. Wells County contracted ArcaSearch LLC to create a Cloud website to host these images for long term security, providing improved search tools and easy access. These documents are being made available to the public for research purposes. At this time, the Auditor’s Historical Digital Archive library includes: The complete set of Land Transfer Books for all County Townships spanning 185 years, from 1836 to 2020.

Click here for the Transfer Book & Plat Book Digital Archive

The County auditor must wear many hats.  The following attempts to categorize the most important duties of the office:

Coordinator of Tax Collection and Distribution
The Auditor is directly responsible for preparing tax duplicates showing the value of property and taxes assessed against each taxpayer.  After taxes are collected by the treasurer, the auditor distributes them to the governmental units and agencies for which they were collected.  As a part of the tax function, the auditor must also prepare plats that show the ownership and assessed valuation of each parcel in each township in the county.  The plats must contain information prescribed by the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) and must be kept current.  If property taxes become delinquent, the auditor must prepare a delinquency list in preparation for the offering at public sale of the parcels owing delinquent property taxes.

County "Comptroller"
Many of the above functions have to do with controlling public funds.  In keeping accounts and issuing warrants, the auditor must develop financial analysis and cash flow projections and assist with budget preparations.  The auditor is the principal financial officer in county government and is defined under IC 36-2-9-2 as the fiscal officer of the county.  Among these financial responsibilities included the administration of county government payroll. (Generally see IC 36-2-9 for duties of the county auditor)

Key Assistant
The auditor serves as a secretary to the board of county commissioners IC 36-2-2-11 and the clerk to the county council.  The auditor has responsibility for keeping accounts and issuing warrants for the payment of claims against the county.  As a result, the board of commissioners, the council and other officials often look to the auditor for day-to-day operational assistance, information and advice.  The auditor is responsible for all documents, books, records, maps and papers deposited in the auditor’s office.

Log into Gateway To View Wells County Budgets or Annual Reports
Indiana Gateway for Government Units

2024 Wells County Certified Budget Order

Notice To Taxpayers – 2025 Wells County Budget
Notice To Taxpayers – 2025 Solid Waste Budget
Notice To Taxpayers – 2025 Rock Creek Conservancy

2010 Payable 2011 Tax Rate Chart
2011 Payable 2012 Tax Rate Chart
2012 Payable 2013 Tax Rate Chart
2013 Payable 2014 Tax Rate Chart
2014 Payable 2015 Tax Rate Chart
2015 Payable 2016 Tax Rate Chart
2016 Payable 2017 Tax Rate Chart
2017 Payable 2018 Tax Rate Chart
2018 Payable 2019 Tax Rate Chart
2019 Payable 2020 Tax Rate Chart
2020 Payable 2021 Tax Rate Chart
2021 Payable 2022 Tax Rate Chart
2022 Payable 2023 Tax Rate Chart
2023 Payable 2024 Tax Rate Chart

For information about Wells County Tax Sales log into SRI Inc.

www.sriservices.com

Flowchart Assessment of Taxable Property/Taxes (PDF)

Indiana Property Tax Benefits (PDF)

Homestead Deduction Form (PDF)

Auditor’s Office Transfer Fees:
$10.00 Per Parcel (see ordinance 2004-01 & 2008-2 & 2019-04)
$20.00 Sales Disclosure Fee (if needed)

(Includes Ordinances through 2022)

Table of Contents
Title I – General Provisions
Title III – Administration
Title V – Public Works
Title VII – Traffic Code
Title IX – General Regulations
Title XI – Business Regulations
Title XIII – General Offenses
Title XV – Land Usage
Table of Special Ordinances
Parallel References
Index

2023 100R

Public Access Ordinance 2018-04

Public Records Access Form

Department of Local Government Finance

State Board of Accounts

Indiana Transparency Portal