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Highlands County, Florida public records

In Highlands County, deeds are recorded by the Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Recording Division; property values come from the Highlands County Property Appraiser; court files are split between the Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Criminal Court and the Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Civil Court.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Where to get each record
  2. Deeds and land records
  3. Property values, owners and tax bills
  4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
  5. Marriage records
  6. Divorce records
  7. Birth certificates
  8. Death certificates
  9. Probate records and wills
  10. Business names (DBA)
  11. Voter records
  12. Historical records
  13. Good to know about Highlands County records
  14. Office addresses, phones and hours
  15. Records that are not online: public records requests
  16. Questions people ask
  17. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  18. Sources

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Recording Division3Search deeds2$1.00 per page2
Property values and ownersHighlands County Property Appraiser4Property search5—
Property tax billsHighlands County Tax Collector4Tax bill search6—
Court casesHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Criminal Court7
Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Civil Court7		Circuit Court, Tenth Judicial Circuit7
County Court, Highlands County8		Fees: copy: Court-record copy $1/page, certification $2 (s. 28.24)9
Marriage recordsStatewide: License issued and recorded by the Clerk of the Circuit Court (or county court judge) in the county11—$61.00 residents who took the course (no wait); $86.00 residents without the course (3-day wait); $86.00 non-residents (no wait)10
Divorce recordsHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Civil Court7——
Birth certificatesFlorida Department of Health in Highlands County12—$12.00 first copy; $8.00 each additional identical copy at the health department12
Death certificatesFlorida Department of Health in Highlands County12—$10.00 first copy; $8.00 each additional identical copy13
Probate and willsHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Probate Court8—Court-record copy $1/page, certification $2 (s. 28.24)9
Business names (DBA)Fictitious names (DBAs) are registered statewide with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) - not with counties14——

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Highlands County are recorded by the Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Recording Division.3

Years online
Documents back to 19812
Copy fee
$1.00 per page2
Certified copy fee
$2.002
How to order
In person at the Official Records Division, online, or by mail to the Recording Division with the fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope2

How deeds work in Florida

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Highlands County Property Appraiser sets property values4; the Highlands County Tax Collector bills and collects the tax4.

Property search
hcpao.org/Search5
Appealing a value
Petition the Value Adjustment Board, run by the Clerk: highlandsclerkfl.gov/…16

How property tax works in Florida

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Circuit Court, Tenth Judicial Circuit (Hardee, Highlands, Polk)17Felony, circuit civil, family, probateHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Criminal Courthighlandsclerkfl.gov/…7
County Court, Highlands CountySmall claims ($8,000 or less) and county civil (over $8,000, under $30,000); circuit civil is $30,000 or more18Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Civil Courthighlandsclerkfl.gov/…8
Fees: copy
Court-record copy $1/page, certification $2 (s. 28.24)9

Criminal records and background checks

Sheriff
Reports and background checks can be requested online or by mail from the Sheriff21
State repository
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Division of Criminal Justice Information Services22

How Florida courts keep their files

Marriage records

Where Florida keeps it: License issued and recorded by the Clerk of the Circuit Court (or county court judge) in the county.11

Fee
$61.00 residents who took the course (no wait); $86.00 residents without the course (3-day wait); $86.00 non-residents (no wait)10
Certified copies
License includes two certified copies; additional copies $3.00 each10
Appear
Both parties must appear10
State records
DOH certificates (abstracts) June 6, 1927 to present; earlier records from the county clerk where licensed23

Florida marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Divorce (dissolution) judgment/court file: Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where granted; certificate (abstract) from DOH Bureau of Vital Statistics for June 6, 1927 to present24

State records
June 6, 1927 to present24

Florida divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Kept by the Florida Department of Health in Highlands County.12

Fee
$12.00 first copy; $8.00 each additional identical copy at the health department12
Tax collector
$18.25 first copy, $7.00 each additional, at the Tax Collector12
Who may order
Confidential for 125 years: registrant (18+), parent on record, guardian, legal representative, court order; after death, spouse/child/grandchild/sibling (marked 'Deceased'); records over 125 years old to anyone25

Ordering a Florida birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the Florida Department of Health in Highlands County.12

Fee
$10.00 first copy; $8.00 each additional identical copy13
Years
2009 to the present at the county health department13
Who may order
Any adult may get a copy without cause of death (first five SSN digits redacted); cause of death confidential for 50 years except to spouse, parent, adult child/grandchild/sibling, persons with estate interest, or their representatives26

Ordering a Florida death certificate

Probate records and wills

Clerk of the Circuit Court (probate is a circuit court matter); original wills must be deposited with the clerk within 10 days after learning of death27

Fees
Court-record copy $1/page, certification $2 (s. 28.24)9

Business names (DBA)

Fictitious names (DBAs) are registered statewide with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) - not with counties; must advertise once in a newspaper in the county of principal place of business; registration lasts 5 years14

Voter records

Kept by the Highlands County Supervisor of Elections.4

Public or restricted
Public record, with exemptions (SSN, driver license and FL ID numbers, where registered, declinations, 16-17-year-old preregistrants confidential; signatures exempt from copying)28

Historical records

State archives
floridamemory.com State Archives of Florida (Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services); Florida Memory digital collections29

Good to know about Highlands County records

  • Birth certificates can be bought at the Tax Collector as well as the health department, at a higher price12
  • The Clerk posted a scam alert on March 24, 202630
  • The Clerk offers a Property Fraud Alert service30

Office addresses, phones and hours

Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Recording Division

Address
590 S Commerce Ave, Government Center 2nd Floor, Sebring, FL 338702
Mail
Attention: Recording Division, 590 S Commerce Ave, Sebring, Florida 338702
Hours
8:00 AM to 4:30 PM31

Highlands County Property Appraiser

Address
560 S. Commerce Avenue, Sebring, Florida 33870-38995
Hours
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday5
Website
hcpao.org4

Highlands County Tax Collector

Address
Sebring Main Office, 540 S. Commerce Ave, Sebring, FL 33870 (second office in Avon Park)32
Hours
Sebring: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM Wednesday32

Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Criminal Court

Address
590 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, Florida 33870-386730
Hours
Clerk public-facing offices close at 4:30 PM30

Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Civil Court

Address
Highlands County Courthouse, 430 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, Florida 3387018
Phone
Circuit Civil (863) 402-6591; County Civil (863) 402-6593; Clerk main (863) 402-656518
Hours
Clerk public-facing offices close at 4:30 PM30

Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Probate Court

Hours
Clerk public-facing offices close at 4:30 PM30

Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Clerk to the Court

Address
590 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, Florida 33870-386730
Hours
Clerk public-facing offices close at 4:30 PM30

Highlands County Sheriff's Office, Public Records

Address
400 S. Eucalyptus St., Sebring, FL 3387021
Phone
863-402-7200 (non-emergency)21

Florida Department of Health in Highlands County

Address
7205 South George Blvd., Sebring, Florida 3387512
Hours
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday12

Highlands County Supervisor of Elections

Address
580 South Commerce Avenue, Room A20134

Highlands County GIS & Addressing

Records that are not online: public records requests

Where to send it
Records Management Liaison Officer, (863) 402-6832; mail: Attn RMLO, 600 S. Commerce Ave., Sebring, FL 3387035

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in Highlands County?

The Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, Recording Division keeps deed records. To order copies: In person at the Official Records Division, online, or by mail to the Recording Division with the fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Plain copies: $1.00 per page. Certified copies: $2.00.32

How much is a birth certificate in Highlands County?

$12.00 first copy; $8.00 each additional identical copy at the health department.12

Where do I get a divorce decree in Highlands County?

Divorce (dissolution) judgment/court file: Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where granted; certificate (abstract) from DOH Bureau of Vital Statistics for June 6, 1927 to present.24

How do I look up who owns a property in Highlands County?

Use the property search of the Highlands County Property Appraiser: hcpao.org/Search5

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Highlands County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Other counties in Florida with a full guide: Alachua County, Bay County, Brevard County, Broward County, Charlotte County, Citrus County, Clay County, Collier County, Duval County, Escambia County, Flagler County, Hernando County, Hillsborough County, Indian River County, Lake County, Lee County, Leon County, Manatee County, Marion County, Martin County, Miami-Dade County, Nassau County, Okaloosa County, Orange County, Osceola County, Palm Beach County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, Polk County, Santa Rosa County, Sarasota County, St. Johns County, St. Lucie County, Sumter County, Volusia County. Every county in the state: Florida county list.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026
  2. Official Records Search and feesHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptrollerchecked November 7, 2026
  3. Official RecordsHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptrollerchecked November 7, 2026
  4. Elected OfficialsHighlands County Board of County Commissionerschecked November 7, 2026
  5. Property Appraiser home pageHighlands County Property Appraiserchecked November 7, 2026
  6. Online tax portal, linked by the Tax CollectorHighlands County Tax Collectorchecked November 7, 2026
  7. Clerk to the CourtHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptrollerchecked November 7, 2026
  8. Probate CourtHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptrollerchecked November 7, 2026
  9. S. 28.24 F.S. Service charges (clerk of the circuit court)The Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)checked November 7, 2026
  10. Marriage LicenseHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptrollerchecked November 7, 2026
  11. S. 741.01 F.S. Marriage license; feeThe Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)checked November 4, 2026
  12. Birth certificatesFlorida Department of Health in Highlands Countychecked November 7, 2026
  13. Death certificatesFlorida Department of Health in Highlands Countychecked November 7, 2026
  14. S. 865.09 F.S. Fictitious Name ActThe Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)checked November 7, 2026
  15. GIS & AddressingHighlands County Board of County Commissionerschecked November 7, 2026
  16. Local officials listFlorida Department of Revenuechecked November 7, 2026
  17. Trial courts by circuitFlorida Courtschecked November 7, 2026
  18. Civil CourtHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptrollerchecked November 7, 2026
  19. Fee SchedulesHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptrollerchecked November 7, 2026
  20. Court Records SearchHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptrollerchecked November 7, 2026
  21. Public RecordsHighlands County Sheriff's Officechecked November 7, 2026
  22. State of Florida Criminal History Record CheckFlorida Department of Law Enforcementchecked November 7, 2026
  23. Marriage CertificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticschecked November 7, 2026
  24. Divorce or Annulment CertificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticschecked November 7, 2026
  25. Birth CertificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticschecked November 7, 2026
  26. Death CertificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statisticschecked November 7, 2026
  27. S. 732.901 F.S. Production of willsThe Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)checked November 7, 2026
  28. Voter Extract Request - Division of ElectionsFlorida Department of State, Division of Electionschecked November 7, 2026
  29. Florida Memory (State Library and Archives of Florida)Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services (State Archives of Florida)checked November 7, 2026
  30. Clerk home pageHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptrollerchecked November 7, 2026
  31. Official Records OrderHighlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptrollerchecked November 7, 2026
  32. ContactHighlands County Tax Collectorchecked November 7, 2026
  33. DOH-Highlands home pageFlorida Department of Health in Highlands Countychecked November 7, 2026
  34. Election InfoHighlands County Supervisor of Electionschecked November 7, 2026
  35. Request a Public RecordHighlands County Board of County Commissionerschecked November 7, 2026
  36. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026