Waseca County
MINNESOTA
307 N STATE ST
WASECA, MN 56093-2953
PHONE: (507) 835-0630
FAX: (507) 835-0633  
HOURS: 8:00am - 4:30 pm

ONLINE TAX PAYMENTS

The County Auditor is an elected position, whose responsibilities are subject to MN Statutes, Chapter 384.

• Maintains the official financial records for the county, consisting of ledgers, journals and related documents, and signs all warrants issued against the County; responsible for a monthly trial balance.

• Prepares the annual financial statement of the County.

• Based on the budgets of the county, townships, cities, school districts and special taxing districts, and the tax capacity of those districts as certified by the assessor, the auditor calculates the tax capacity rates on which all taxes are levied, and computes taxes on each parcel of land for real and personal property taxes.

• Maintains status of delinquent tax records and spreads collections to proper taxing district.

• Collects special assessments for cities and townships relating to water, sewer, sidewalk, curb and gutter, ditch repairs and remits same to cities or tax authority.

• Maintains up-to-date records on each of approximately 11,000 parcels of land in the County to include description and ownership. Daily changes are made involving transfers, sales, splits, mortgages, etc.

• Keeps a record of all County’s fixed assets.

• Serves as Clerk to the County Board and is responsible for preparing and preserving the minutes.

• Records all County Ditch proceedings and assesses any assessments approved by the County Board.

• Caretaker of about 50 county and joint county ditch systems. All records and maps are maintained in office.

• Auditor is the Chief Election Administrator for the county. Responsible for training election judges and officials, printing ballots, registering voters, absentee ballot administration, filing certain candidates, providing ballots and election supplies to the County’s 22 voting precincts, receiving and tabulating election ballots, all other duties pertaining to elections as applicable, and filing abstract of election with the Secretary of State.

• Chief custodian of official voter registration records. Maintains current list on state-wide computer system.

• Issues liquor, wine, beer, auctioneer, dance, dangerous dog and other licenses issued by the county as appropriate.

• Upon request, the County Auditor issues tax certificates under the seal of the office indicating thereon whether taxes are paid or not.

• Serves as a member of the Board of Equalization, Canvassing Board and Secretary of Extension Committee.

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  The Waseca County Treasurer is an elected position with a term of four years. The Treasurer, as the county cashier, serves as custodian of all county funds and cash assets, and handles all funds received and/or paid out by the county.

  The Treasurer is responsible for investment of all county surplus funds, designation of depositories, securing of collateral to protect Waseca County funds, and determines terms of investments.

  The Treasurer's Office is responsible for the mailing of over 10,000 tax statements and "truth in taxation" notices annually, along with the collection of all real estate, mobile home, and personal property taxes. They also distribute the monies collected to each taxing unit, which includes Waseca County, Cities and Townships, School Districts and Region 9.

  Other functions of the Treasurer's Office include Deed Tax, Mortgage Registration Tax, Reconciling of County Bank Accounts, Tax Searches and Information, and Escrow of Tax Payments.

  The Treasurer's and Auditor's Offices cooperatively prepare Trial Balances each month as a check and balance accounting system.
   

  Property Tax Information
  Taxes maintain the following due dates:
  All Real Estate & Personal Property:  First Half					Due May 15
  Non-agricultural Property:  Second Half					Due Oct 15
  Agricultural Property:  Second Half					Due Nov 15
  All Mobile Home Property:  First Half					Due Aug 31
  All Mobile Home Property:  Second Half					Due Nov 15
  Schedule of Penalties for Late Payment of Property Tax
  To avoid a penalty, envelopes must be postmarked by the due date to be considered paid on time. If you pay your first half and second half property tax after the due dates, a penalty will be added to your tax. The later you pay, the greater the penalty you must pay. This table shows the penalty you will pay if your property taxes due are not paid before the date shown:
  PROPERTY	5/16	6/1	7/1	8/1	9/1	10/1	10/16	11/1	11/16
  Homestead and Cabin
  1st Half	2%	4%	5%	6%	7%	8%	8%	8%	8%
  2nd Half							2%	6%	6%
  Both unpaid							5%	7%	7%
  Non-Homestead
  1st Half	4%	8%	9%	10%	11%	12%	12%	12%	12%
  2nd Half							4%	8%	8%
  Both unpaid							8%	10%	10%
  Personal Property	8%	8%	8%	8%	8%	8%	8%	8%	8%
  Manufactured Home
  1st Half					8%	8%	8%	8%	8%
  2nd Half									8%

  If the due date for your second half property tax payment is November 15 and your property is classified as agricultural homestead property, the penalty rates for late payments are: 6% if you pay from November 16 through November 30; 8% if you pay from December 1 through January 1; and 10% if you pay on January 2, or later.

  If the due date for your second half property tax payment is November 15 and your property is classified as agricultural non-homestead property, the penalty rates for late payment are:  8% if you pay from November 16 through November 30; 12% if you pay from December 1 through January 1; and 14% if you pay on January 2, or later.

  If you own both a farm and another type of property, a home in town for example, the November 15, due date applies only to the property taxes on your farm property. The property taxes on your other property are due October 15. The special law does not apply to first-half property taxes. First-half property taxes on all property, including farm property, are due May 15.

  NOTE: The taxes for personal property located on leased government-owned land may be paid in two installments which are due at the same time as real property taxes, and which are subject to the same penalty schedule and penalty rates as real property taxes. All other personal property taxes are due in full on or before May 15.