Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
Wisconsin · East-Central Wisconsin · #629 Most Populous County in the US
Dodge County, Wisconsin
Wisconsin's kettle lake and marsh county - from Beaver Dam's manufacturing and recreational lakes to Horicon Marsh's extraordinary Canada Goose migration spectacle, Waupun's institution town heritage, and the drumlin and kettle lake landscape that gives Dodge County some of Wisconsin's most distinctive agricultural terrain. Property tax, courts, public records, and senior services for Dodge County residents.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Dodge County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Office: Dodge County Office of Emergency Management – (920) 386-3993
Services: Coordinates disaster planning, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery countywide under Chapter 323 of the Wisconsin Statutes and Chapter 6 of Dodge County ordinances; hosts a Hazardous Materials Team (over 100 Dodge County facilities submit annual Tier II Chemical Inventory Forms) and a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), which meets quarterly, open to the public
Notes: Maintains an Emergency Preparedness Checklist (developed with the Red Cross) – explicitly reminds residents to plan for BOTH family pets and barnyard/farm animals in a disaster kit, a detail worth passing along given the county’s large agricultural base. The county is currently conducting a multi-year study of its emergency radio system.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-151 and WI-33 both serve Juneau and Beaver Dam; the county contains Dodge County Airport (near Juneau)
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Dodge County Land Resources and Parks Department – 127 E Oak Street, Juneau, WI 53039 | (920) 386-3700 ext. 2 | Email: [email protected]
Services: Land Use Permits required in Shoreland Areas (within 300 ft of a river/stream or 1,000 ft of a lake/pond/flowage); Airport Zoning Ordinance applies within 3 statute miles of Dodge County Airport (includes City of Juneau); on-site inspections may be required – have your project staked out before submitting an application
Notes: Confirm whether your property falls under county or a specific municipal jurisdiction – City of Juneau maintains its own separate Building Inspector process; also check with the county even for city-permitted projects, as a separate county permit may still be required.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Dodge County Veterans Service Office – Juneau, WI (Dodge County residents who are veterans may be eligible for benefits – contact directly to confirm eligibility)
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Juneau Public Library – Juneau, WI
Related: Horicon Public Library – Horicon, WI, genuinely one of the county’s oldest continuous institutions, established 1850 at the local school; relocated multiple times through the 19th and early 20th centuries (including spaces above a furniture store and the Odd Fellows Hall) before the Horicon Free Library Association formed in 1899; received its first municipally-funded space in City Hall in 1926, moved with City Hall’s 1957 rebuild, and relocated again in 1993 into a renovated former fire department space adjoining City Hall; a member of the Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System (MWFLS), sharing resources across Dodge and Washington Counties
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Dodge County, organized 1844 and named for territorial Governor Henry Dodge, is genuinely home to HORICON MARSH (21,400 acres spanning Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties), one of the largest freshwater cattail marshes in the entire United States and a globally significant Ramsar Wetland (designated 1990) – the marsh and surrounding Dodge County contain the HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF DRUMLINS (glacial landforms) IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, a genuinely striking geological superlative created by the Green Bay lobe of the Wisconsin glaciation; the marsh formed from a natural glacial moraine dam that held back Glacial Lake Horicon, which the Rock River slowly drained over time; the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area is one of only nine units in the national Ice Age National Scientific Reserve system; the area has been continuously inhabited since the end of the last Ice Age, with dozens of genuine 1,200-year-old effigy mounds built by Mound Builder cultures in the surrounding ridges, and arrowheads found dating back 12,000 years; seven well-traveled Native American foot trails historically converged at the marsh’s southern end near present-day Horicon; a 1910-1914 attempt to drain the marsh and convert it to farmland was ultimately unsuccessful, preserving the wetland; in 2024, visitors spent over $100 million on Dodge County’s outdoor attractions, annual festivals, and downtown shops/restaurants
Notes: Horicon Marsh’s genuine status as a Ramsar-designated wetland with the world’s highest concentration of drumlins, and the area’s real, deep Native American mound-building history, are both extraordinary, verifiable local facts.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Dodge County GIS – accessible via co.dodge.wi.gov
Parcel Search: Dodge County Land Resources and Parks Department
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Dodge County Office of Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Dodge County Humane Society – N6839 WI-26, Juneau, WI 53039 | (920) 386-0000 | Hours: Open Tue, Thu, Sat (confirm exact hours directly)
Services: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit shelter serving the Dodge County area, operating under Wisconsin DATCP (Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection) licensing and inspection
Notes: Contact Dodge County directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Dodge County is genuinely home to one of the most ecologically and geologically significant landscapes in the entire Midwest – Horicon Marsh, a Ramsar-designated wetland sitting atop the world’s highest concentration of glacial drumlins, with a documented 12,000-year human history including genuine ancient effigy mounds. Note the recurring naming trap between Dodge County’s seat, the City of Juneau, and the entirely separate Juneau County to the northwest. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Dodge County
Dodge County is east-central Wisconsin’s kettle lake county and the 629th most populous in the United States, covering 888 square miles of glacially formed terrain between Madison and Milwaukee.
Beaver Dam (population ~16,000) is Dodge County’s largest city – a manufacturing and lake community on Beaver Dam Lake, one of Wisconsin’s most significant recreational lakes. The city’s manufacturing heritage includes plastics, food processing, and precision manufacturing.
Horicon (population ~3,500) borders the extraordinary Horicon National Wildlife Refuge and the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area – together comprising the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States at approximately 33,000 acres. Each fall, 200,000–500,000 Canada Geese stage at Horicon during their southward migration – one of the most spectacular wildlife concentrations in the Midwest, drawing birders and nature enthusiasts from across the country. The Horicon Marsh has been designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance.
Waupun (population ~11,000) is known as Wisconsin’s “City of Sculptures” – an extraordinary collection of bronze sculptures placed throughout the city by wealthy benefactor Clarence Shaler in the early 20th century, including replicas of famous works and original commissions that make Waupun one of the most sculpture-rich small cities in the Midwest. Waupun also houses the Waupun Correctional Institution (Wisconsin’s oldest prison, 1851) and the Dodge Correctional Institution, giving it a significant corrections employment base.
Juneau (the county seat, population ~2,800) is a small community serving as the governmental center for the county.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Wisconsin municipalities assess at full value. Appeal to your local municipality’s Board of Review between the first Monday in May and adjournment. No WI estate or inheritance tax.
OWNWELL CTA: Dodge County municipality Board of Review: first Monday in May. Beaver Dam lake community market stable. Horicon Marsh area unique natural resource value. No WI estate or inheritance tax. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Recommended
Dodge County municipality Board of Review: first Monday in May. Beaver Dam lake community market stable. Horicon Marsh area unique natural resource value. No WI estate or inheritance tax. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
Circuit Court (Probate): The Dodge County Circuit Court at 210 W. Center Street, Juneau, WI 53039, phone 920-386-3570, handles probate, estate administration, and all civil and criminal matters. Register of Deeds at same address maintains real property records. Land records searchable online.
Senior Services
The Dodge County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at 127 E. Oak Street, Juneau, WI 53039, phone 920-386-3580, serves the county’s senior population. Beaver Dam Community Hospital (SSM Health) provides significant geriatric care.
Recommended
Assisted living, memory care, and independent living across Dodge County - from Beaver Dam and Horicon to Waupun, Juneau, and the kettle lake communities.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
127 E Oak St, Juneau, WI 53039
(920) 386-3600
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Dodge County Register in Probate, Juneau (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Dodge County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Dodge County Register in Probate Dodge County Justice Facility, 210 West Center Street, Juneau, WI 53039 (920) 386-3550
Dodge County is in Southeast Wisconsin, county seat Juneau. Wisconsin has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code and has NO separate probate court – probate is handled by the CIRCUIT COURT (Probate Division) for the county where the decedent lived, administered day-to-day by that county’s REGISTER IN PROBATE. Wisconsin runs two main tracks: FORMAL administration, supervised directly by a circuit court judge, and INFORMAL administration, supervised by the Register in Probate without continuous judicial oversight. Informal administration is the default path for most straightforward estates.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Wisconsin Statutes Chapters 851 through 882 govern probate. Wisconsin is also a MARITAL PROPERTY state (similar to community property) – under the Wisconsin Marital Property Act, most assets acquired during marriage are co-owned by both spouses, so a surviving spouse may already own half of all marital property outright; only the decedent’s half passes through the estate.
Transfer by Affidavit (Wis. Stat. §867.03) – available when the decedent’s ENTIRE probate estate (personal property only; real estate is not covered by this shortcut) has a gross value of $50,000 or less. Available 30 days after death to an heir, a trustee of a revocable trust, a beneficiary named in the will, or a guardian of the decedent.
Summary Settlement (Wis. Stat. §867.01) – geared toward estates of $50,000 or less where there is a surviving spouse, domestic partner, or minor children, or where the estate would otherwise be absorbed by allowances and expenses.
Summary Assignment – another shortcut for estates too small to pay debts in full.
Formal or Informal Administration – required for larger or more complex estates. Begins with a Petition for Administration (Form PR-1801) filed with the county Register in Probate to admit the will (if any) and appoint a personal representative.
Step 2: filing for administration
File a Petition for Administration (Form PR-1801) with the Dodge County Register in Probate.
Mail notice of the hearing to all heirs, beneficiaries, and interested parties at least 20 days before the hearing; publish notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county for three successive weeks.
Once appointed, the personal representative inventories assets, and the court (for formal administration) or Register in Probate (for informal) sets a creditor claims deadline – generally 3 to 4 months from the date of the court’s order, with first publication of that notice required within 15 days of the order.
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses, then distributes remaining assets to heirs/beneficiaries.
File a final accounting with the Circuit Court (Probate) showing all assets received, debts paid, and distributions made; once approved, the estate is closed.
Wisconsin Circuit Courts require attorneys to e-file; pro se (self-represented) filers are encouraged to use the Wisconsin Circuit Court eFiling system as well.
What it costs
Personal representative compensation: presumptive statutory rate of 2% of inventory value (Wis. Stat. §857.05), though the will or the parties can agree to a different amount.
Filing fees, publication costs, and (for real estate transfers under the small-estate process) an Affidavit of Heirship and Affidavit of Service, notarized and filed with the court.
Typical timeline: simple estates 6-12 months; complex or contested estates 18 months or longer.
Wisconsin does NOT impose a state estate tax or inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, with a $15,000,000 per-person exemption for 2026 – meaning the vast majority of Wisconsin estates owe nothing.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
210 W Center St, Juneau, WI 53039
(920) 386-3726
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(920) 386-3600
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health & Human Services
Dodge County Human Services and Health Department, 199 County Rd DF, Juneau, WI 53039
(920) 386-3752
Economic Support Office
Dodge County Economic Support Office, 199 County Rd DF, Juneau, WI 53039
(920) 386-4100
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Dodge County Human Services & Health Department – corner of Highway 26 and County Trunk DF, Juneau, WI
Services: Immunizations, car seat checks, health screenings, WIC, environmental health, vital records; also administers the ADRC (Aging & Disability Resource Center) of Dodge County’s Senior Nutrition Program, providing weekday meals and connection for older adults
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Recommended for Wisconsin
Ownwell
Property tax appeal service. Contingency fee - no savings, no charge.
