Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where are deeds transferred?  Deeds are transferred in the Auditor’s office after they have had the legal description approved by the Engineers office.

2. If I think I did not receive the right amount of fuel for my vehicle, what do I do?   You may call the Auditor’s office to report the problem. The station and the pump will then be checked. We cannot check the quality of the fuel at this time.

3. Do I need a permit to move my mobile/manufactured home?  Do I have to register my mobile/manufactured home? Do I pay taxes?   Yes, a new law passed in 2000 requires a permit to move a mobile or manufactured home. The cost is $5.00 and is purchased in our office. Failure to purchase the permit will result in a $100 fine for both the MH owner and the mover. All manufactured/mobile home must be registered within 30 days of placement in our county. There are MH taxes similar to real estate taxes.

4. When do I purchase my dog’s license? At what age is the dog license necessary?   All dogs at least 3 months old must be registered by January 31^st of each year. All dogs new to the county must be licensed within 30 days of residency. Renewal applications are mailed each year the last week of November. The cost is $14.00 per license. The late fee is also $14.00 per Ohio law. Application may be printed from our website or you may call our office at 419-782-1926, or 1-800-675-3953, for one.

5. Where do I purchase a vendor’s license?   Vendors licenses allow a retailer to collect sales tax. It is not a license to use to avoid paying sales tax. The application is available on our website and in our office. The application fee is $25.00. Obtaining a vendor’s license will then require you to file personal property tax returns, the first one being due 90 days after the start of business.

7. What happens if I file late or pay my bill late?   Filing your personal property tax return late will mean a penalty of up to 50%.  Late payment penalty is 10% plus interest.

8. How do I qualify for the 2½% property tax reduction?   All residents that live in the house they own may apply for the 2.5% reduction of real estate taxes. If you own more than one home, you may only apply for your main residence. The application is on our website or you may call our office for the form at (419) 784-3111 or 1-800-675-3953.

9. Where do I pay an estate tax?   Estate tax returns are to be filed in the Probate Court Office within 9 months from the date of death. Checks are to be made payable to the Defiance County Treasurer.

10. Where do I obtain my cigarette license?   Cigarette licenses are obtained in the Auditor’s office each year in May at a cost of $30 ($25 each after the first 5 at $30.00 each if one company has more locations).

11. What is the Homestead Exemption and do I qualify?   If you are at least 65 years of age or totally disabled you may qualify for a reduction on your real estate taxes. You may call (419) 782-1926 or 1-800-675-3953 to request a form or print it off our website.

12. What is C.A.U.V. and do I qualify? What is an Ag District?   CAUV stands for Current Agricultural Use Value and active farms may qualify for the reduction in value. You must have crops, animals and/or commercial timber on at least 10 acres, or 11 acres with a homesite. You may have someone else farm your property. The application is on our website or you may call our office (419) 784-3111, or 1-800-675-3953 to obtain the form. There is a one time $25.00 filing fee and you must renew the application every year. Failure to renew your application will result in the loss of the value reduction and a recoupment of the previous three years of tax savings.

13. How do I find out if someone owns real estate, or what market value of my Real Estate is in Defiance County?   You may call our office at 1-800-675-3953 or (419) 784-3111.