Please see the letter attached recently sent to the Ohio Department of Agriculture and copied to various state leaders. This is just the tip of the iceberg in beginning to explain why our tax system (especially property taxes) are the way they are. Policies made at the state level over the last 20 or so years have forced local governments to pay for more and more services while the state gets to claim, "we've cut your taxes." No, they've shifted the tax burden to property owners. The next time a state leader says to you “we are cutting taxes” ask them if they really mean they are cutting state taxes, while once again shifting the tax burden to the local property owners? Click on link below.

***Letter Sent to Ohio Department of Agriculture***

Welcome to the Lawrence County Auditor's Website!  We hope you find the site user friendly.  

Lawrence County Courthouse

Use this website to look up any property to view its tax appraisal and payment history, and you can run reports of recent sales.

Property information may be accessed by using the search bar or SEARCH link on the upper right of the page.  You can utilize the INFO section on the upper right to view information on the various services offered by this office and access the numerous forms required.  In the TOOLS section, you will find Sales Reports, Conveyance Calculator, and Tax Estimator for your convenience. Finally, you can navigate to our GIS Parcel Viewer by clicking the MAP link on the upper right.

Contact Us

Auditor, Paul David Knipp

Lawrence County
Auditor's Office
(740) 533-4310
(740) 533-4381
Lawrence County Online Dog Licensing

2024 Dog Licenses are now available Here

      Remote Vendors for Purchasing Dog Tags:

  • If you do not wish to purchase a 2024 dog tag online or through the mail, please click  HERE  to view a list of Remote Vendors where tags may be purchased.

Below: Auditor Knipp is with Kendall Moore , a 5th Grader from Chesapeake Elementary, her Boxer mix "Bentley" won the Lawrence County 2024 "Top Dog" essay contest.

 

Meet Your Auditor
Auditor, Paul David Knipp and family

Paul David Knipp was born and raised in Lawrence County Ohio, the son of a steelworker and a nurse. He graduated from Rock Hill High School in 1993.

After High School, Paul went to Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia where he graduated in 1997 with a degree in secondary education in comprehensive social studies.

After College, Paul taught five years in the Rock Hill School System. During his time teaching, Paul earned a Master's degree in educational administration from the University of Akron, graduating in 2001.

In 2003, Paul embarked on a career change. He along with his wife April and oldest child relocated to the Commonwealth of Virginia to attend law school. Paul graduated from Regent University School of Law, a non-denominational Christian law school, in 2006.

Paul was admitted to practice law in 2006 in Ohio and began his private law practice in 2007. Paul is also admitted to practice in West Virginia (2007) and Kentucky (2009). Paul accepted a position as an assistant prosecutor in Jackson County Ohio in 2018, a position he held until his appointment to be Lawrence County's Auditor.

In 2009, Paul was elected to the first of three terms to the Rock Hill Board of Education, where he served until being appointed to be Lawrence County Auditor in October 2019.

Paul and his wife April were married in 1998, they have three children. They are active Members of Mamre Baptist Church in Kitts Hill, Ohio.

Auditor Responsibilities
The Auditor is the county's chief fiscal officer and property tax assessor. As the "holder" of the county's checkbook, the Auditor is responsible for paying all the county's bills, completing payroll for its 550+ employees, and keeping an accurate accounting of the county's fund balances. In addition, the Auditor is the statutory appraiser-in-chief of all real estate and manufactured homes in the county for tax purposes. Once property taxes have been collected by the County Treasurer, it is the Auditor who distributes those tax dollars to the appropriate city, village, township, or school district in accordance with the legally adopted rates. The County Auditor also serves as the sealer of weights and measures and as the licensing agent for certain licenses required by Ohio law.

In carrying out these duties, the Auditor must at all times adhere to the highest standards of ethics, professionalism, and integrity. This website is a reflection of the Auditor's commitment to customer service and full transparency to the public.