Frequently Asked Questions

The Auditor’s Office receives a number of inquiries throughout the year. The office has compiled our most commonly asked questions in order to better assist you. If you do not find your answer on this page, the answer to your question may be found within the rest of the site where there is additional information and detail. If you do not find the answer to your question, please feel welcome to contact the Auditor’s Office directly. 

If you owe a fee to the Auditor’s Office and are using a check as a form of payment, please write the check payable to the Allen County Auditor.

Real Estate

Real Estate

Real estate taxes are due twice a year, once in February and once in July. Questions regarding tax bills should be directed to the County Treasurer’s office at 419-223-8515 or allentreasurer@allencountyohio.com.  You can also visit the Treasurer’s website for additional information.
The conveyance fee is $3.00 per thousand of the purchase price. The transfer tax is $.50 per parcel.
If you feel the appraised value of your property is too high, you may file a Complaint Against Valuation. This form must be filed with the County Auditor between January 1 through March 31. For more information please see the Board of Revision page.
You may file an Application for Valuation Deduction for Destroyed or Damaged Real Property. This form must be returned to our office as soon as possible as we are not able to issue refunds for previous years. Upon receipt of the application, an appraiser will assess the property. Any reduction in value is adjusted quarterly depending on when the damage occurred. The reduction in value will be in place until the property has been restored to its prior condition.
Contact the Auditor’s Office as soon as possible to get the information corrected. You can update the dwelling information by clicking on the Dwelling Information Card. This will allow you to update certain information regarding your property online. Or if you prefer, you can contact the Auditor’s Office directly to assist you in correcting the information. 
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Ohio law states that it is the taxpayers’ responsibility to ensure the information listed by the Auditor is true and correct. Therefore, we can only make corrections going forward. If you believe the information regarding your property is incorrect, please contact the Auditor’s Office. The office will assist you in correcting the information for future tax purposes.
There are various programs that may reduce your taxes. One example is the Owner Occupancy Credit (2.5% rollback) for a homeowner’s primary place of residence. The Homestead reduction assists taxpayers that are 65 or older.  The Homestead reduction can also assist disabled taxpayers who own their homes. Another example is a CAUV reduction for commercial farmers in the county. For more information on these programs please see the Tax Reductions page.
You may use another county’s conveyance form as long as the form contains 4 parts.
The law states that taxes follow ownership. Usually pro-ration of taxes is handled during closing. If this matter was not resolved in closing then you will be responsible for the taxes. The Auditor’s Office does not pro-rate taxes.
Taxes are charged on a property as it was on January 1 of the tax year. You may request a tax split on split properties. The Auditor’s Office does not split taxes unless a request is made.

Accounting

If you believe you may have unclaimed funds, please write to: Allen County Auditor Attn: Unclaimed Funds 301 N. Main St. Room 106 Lima, OH 45801 Provide your current name and initials, along with any prior names you have used, such as maiden names. If you find accounts belonging to you or someone you know, you have the following options. 1) Print the Claim Form, complete it and return it to us at the above address for processing -or- 2) If you are unable to print the form, you can email us at allenauditor@allencountyohio.com and we will mail a claim form to you. The claim form must be completed, signed and notarized. If there are multiple claims, a form needs to be completed for each dollar amount. Please mail the form(s) to the Auditor’s Office address listed above. All claims must have the proper proof of claim. Once the claim form is received in our office, processing takes approximately 30 business days. Many claims require authorization to pay from the originating agency; if this is the case, it may take a little longer. Please visit the Unclaimed Funds page for additional information.
There may come a time when you are expecting a check from the Auditor’s office that you do not receive.  Unfortunately, from time to time checks do become lost. If this should occur, please contact the Auditor’s Office. The check needs to be over 60 days old before it will be considered a lost check. A new check will not be issued until the previous check is over 60 days old. When the check is over 60 days old, please fill out the Reissue of Warrant form. You will receive a new check.

Public Records

The Ohio Revised Code defines records as any document, device or item, regardless of physical form or characteristic, including an electronic record, created or received by or coming under the jurisdiction of any public office of the state or its political subdivisions, which serves to document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations or other activities of the office. A public record is a record kept by any public office. All records of the Allen County Auditor are public, unless they are exempt from disclosure per the Ohio Revised Code. 
Most of the information kept by the Auditor’s Office is considered a public record. These include all real estate records, accounts payables, financial reports and certain payroll information of employees. Examples of records that are not public include social security numbers, medical information, and bank accounts. Neither of these are exhaustive lists, if you would like more information please contact the Auditor’s Office. They can assist you in accessing public records.
You must contact the Auditor’s Office to request a public record. Requests for records may be made during regular business hours. Requests for information can be made by phone, e-mail, and in-person. If you prefer you can mail your request to: The Honorable Rachael S. Gilroy Allen County Auditor 301 N. Main St., Room 103 Lima, OH 45801 The Auditor’s Office is required to comply with your request in a reasonable period of time. Every effort will be made to provide the requested information in the quickest manner possible. But please understand that depending on the type of request, the timeframe to fulfill your request may vary.
There is a webpage dedicated to Public Records on the Auditor’s Website. The page will provide more details regarding public records. Links to the Auditor’s policy, the Auditor’s Office Public Record Sign and the State of Ohio 2011 Sunshine Laws are available on the page as well.
The Sunshine Laws are a reference to Ohio’s Open Records and Open Meetings laws. The Sunshine Laws allow Ohioans to gain access to government meetings and records. 
No, you are not required to give your name or the reason for the public record request. However, you will need to provide enough information for the Auditor’s Office to process your request. You will also have to provide enough information so that the Auditor’s Office is able to supply the information to you.