Manatee County, Florida public records

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

Last checked against official sources on November 4, 2026.

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. Historical records
11. Good to know about Manatee County records
12. Office addresses, phones and hours
13. Records that are not online: public records requests
14. Questions people ask
15. Official copies vs look-alike sites
16. Sources

Where to get each record

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Manatee County are recorded by the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Recording Department.⁵

Online search

records.manateeclerk.com/…²Free search

Cost

Free³

Years online

Index from January 3, 1978; images from August 12, 1981 (Book 1012); earlier records indexed at the Clerk's office²

Copy fee

$1.00 per page; $5.00 per page for 18x24⁴

Certified copy fee

$2.00 per instrument certification (plus copy charges)⁴

Recording fee

$10.00 first page, $8.50 each additional page (up to 14 x 8.5 in.); $1.00 per additional name over four⁴

Search fee

Records search, $2.00 per year⁴

How to order

Online request form for copies of court/official records (JustFOIA), or in person at Public Access and Research, 941-741-4040¹⁷

Electronic recording

Accepted through e-recording vendors⁵

Property alerts

Free property alert sign-up on the Public Records Hub¹¹

How deeds work in Florida

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Manatee County Property Appraiser sets property values⁶; the Manatee County Tax Collector bills and collects the tax⁶.

Property search

manateepao.gov/search (data updated nightly)⁷

Tax bill search

secure.taxcollector.com/ptaxweb (View/Pay Taxes)⁸

Parcel map (GIS)

Manatee County GIS Map; PAO GIS shape files at manateepao.gov/gis-shape-files⁷

Appealing a value

Value Adjustment Board petition with a $50 filing fee payable to the Clerk; 2026 value petition deadline 09/11/2026. Informal conference with the Property Appraiser available¹⁸

Delinquent

Taxes due by March 31; delinquent April 1¹⁹

Discount

4% discount for 2026 taxes paid by December 3, 2026²⁰

Who does what

Property Appraiser assesses; Tax Collector bills and collects²¹

How property tax works in Florida

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

Circuit

Twelfth Judicial Circuit: DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota; jud12.flcourts.org²²

Fees

Copies $1.00 per page; certification $2.00 per instrument; records search $2.00 per year⁴

Restricted

Juvenile and adoption records are not available through Public Access¹¹

Criminal records and background checks

Online search

records.manateeclerk.com/…⁹

Seal expunge

FDLE fee $75.00 plus Clerk fee $42.00⁴

How Florida courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Recording Department.⁵

Marriage license

Clerk issues licenses; $86.00 without course, $61.00 with premarital course⁴

Copies

Recorded marriage licenses are in Official Records (online search)¹¹

Phone

941-741-4022²³

Florida marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Divorce (dissolution of marriage) case files at the Clerk's Family Law department¹²

Filing fee

$397.50 petition for dissolution of marriage⁴

Florida divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Kept by the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County (birth and death certificates).¹³

Fee

$15 birth certificate; $5 each additional; $3 protective sheath; $15 FedEx mailing¹³

ID required

Valid, unexpired photo ID required¹³

Online ordering

VitalChek, the only vendor authorized by the Florida Department of Health¹³

Ordering a Florida birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County (birth and death certificates).¹³

Fee

$8 death certificate¹⁴

Years

Florida deaths 2009-present at DOH-Manatee; earlier from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville or VitalChek¹⁴

Ordering a Florida death certificate

Probate records and wills

Kept by the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Probate and Guardianship.¹⁵

Will deposit

Original will must be deposited with the Clerk's Probate Department within 10 days of death¹⁵

Fees

$231.00 opening an estate; summary administration $235.00 (under $1,000) or $345.00; formal administration $400.00; caveat $41.00⁴

Historical records

Historical Records Library: Clerk of Court records back to 1855, including deed books, marriage licenses and probate files²⁴

Good to know about Manatee County records

• The Clerk's Historical Records Library, in a 1918 Carnegie Library, holds Clerk of Court records back to 1855, plus Sanborn maps, tax cards and voter registration books.²⁴
• Official Records index online from January 3, 1978; images from August 12, 1981 (Book 1012). Older records must be requested from the Clerk's Public Access Department.²
• The Clerk warns about mailers offering deed copies for $89-$100; a free copy is available online.³
• The Clerk also runs the county's historical villages and museums.²⁵

Office addresses, phones and hours

Records that are not online: public records requests

Request page

Clerk: manateeclerk.com/about-us/public-records (JustFOIA forms). County government: mymanatee.org/…¹⁷

Where to send it

Custodian of Public Records, Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, 1115 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205; 941-749-1800⁴

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

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Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 29 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureau
2. Online SearchesManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
3. Scams and FraudManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
4. Department Fee ListingManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
5. RecordingManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
6. mymanatee.org constitutional-officer links (HTTP redirect test)Manatee County Government
7. Property Appraiser homeManatee County Property Appraiser
8. Property TaxManatee County Tax Collector
9. CriminalManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
10. DepartmentsManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
11. Public Access and ResearchManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
12. Family LawManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
13. Birth CertificatesFlorida Department of Health in Manatee County
14. Death CertificatesFlorida Department of Health in Manatee County
15. Probate and GuardianshipManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
16. S. 865.09 F.S. Fictitious Name ActThe Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)
17. Public Records RequestsManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
18. Value Adjustment BoardManatee County Property Appraiser
19. Delinquent Property TaxesManatee County Tax Collector
20. Tax Collector homeManatee County Tax Collector
21. Current Property TaxesManatee County Tax Collector
22. Trial Courts - CircuitFlorida Courts
23. Marriage LicenseManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
24. Historical Records LibraryManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
25. Historical ResourcesManatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
26. ContactManatee County Property Appraiser
27. Plan your VisitManatee County Tax Collector
28. .gov registry current-full.csvCISA / get.gov
29. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau