One subject that seems to be confusing to citizens of our county is that of requirements for obtaining a building notice. In order to clarify this matter, we kindly submit the following information for public reference.

Written Notice

Ohio Revised Code 5713.17 states that written notice shall be given to the County Auditor by any person making structural improvements to their property or buildings costing more than $2,000. (A notice is required - but issued at no cost for construction under $2,000.) The County Auditor is authorized to appraise any building or improvement that is discovered and was not previously notified of construction by the owner. The Auditor will place the new valuation upon the list, together with a penalty equal to 50% of the taxes that would have been collected from the date of construction to the date of discovery had the county auditor been notified of its construction.

Where to Get Notices

Persons living within a city or village of Williams County should obtain their building notices through their city or village office (except for Blakeslee, and Holiday City). Persons living outside a municipality, plus the villages of Blakeslee, and Holiday City will be required to obtain a county building notice from the Auditor's office, located on the second floor of the courthouse. Download the Building Notice Application (PDF).

Cost

The cost of a county building notice is $25 as established by resolution of the Williams County Commissioners. If the cost of the construction is less than $2,000 the notice is issued at no cost. A penalty of $100 may be assessed along with the notice fee for any notice not obtained before the start of construction. These fees and penalties may be added to the real estate taxes of those who fail to acquire a building notice for a one year period. The cost of building notice may vary from village to village within the county.