Sarasota County, Florida public records

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

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. Business names (DBA)
11. Voter records
12. Historical records
13. Good to know about Sarasota 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

Deeds and land records

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

Online search

secure.sarasotaclerk.com/…²Free search

Cost

No login needed (portal shows 'User Name - Anonymous, Group - Public Access'); the Clerk's pages state no charge to search or view and do not use the word free³

Years online

1990 to present online; Official Records from 1921 on microfilm and electronically⁴

Copy fee

$1.00 per page⁴

Certified copy fee

$2.00 per document⁴

Search fee

$2.00 per name per year searched⁴

Recording fee

$10.00 first page; $8.50 each additional page; $1.00 per name over four¹⁰

How to order

Records Search Request by mail (Public Access Department, P.O. Box 3079, Sarasota; check or money order), or by phone 941-861-7400 / fax 941-861-7738 with a credit card (3.5% processing fee); about three business days⁴

Older records

Records before 1990 by Record Search Request or on microfilm in the Public Access Department⁴

Plats

Subdivision and condominium plat search online⁴

Fraud alerts

Property Fraud Alerts⁴

How deeds work in Florida

Property values, owners and tax bills

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

Property search

sarasotapropertyappraiser.gov/…⁷

Tax bill search

county-taxes.net/… (Tax Collector online records)⁸

Parcel map (GIS)

Property Appraiser Map Property Search⁷

Discounts

4% Nov, 3% Dec, 2% Jan, 1% Feb; gross due March 31; delinquent April 1¹⁵

Appealing a value

Value Adjustment Board petition through the Clerk to the VAB within 25 days after the TRIM Notice is mailed (941-861-5279); informal conference with the Property Appraiser first is encouraged¹⁶

Downloads

Property Appraiser data downloads⁷

How property tax works in Florida

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

Fees

Search $2.00 per year searched; certified copy $2.00 per instrument; exemplified certificate $7.00¹⁰

Access

Under AOSC24-65 the public can view many court records online; inactive records may have to be retrieved from storage⁴

Criminal records and background checks

Background

Criminal history reports through the Sarasota Sheriff (linked by the Clerk)⁴

Seal expunge

Sealing or expunging any record: $42.00 clerk fee¹⁰

How Florida courts keep their files

Marriage records

Kept by the Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller (marriage, Clerk to the Board, Comptroller).⁶

Marriage license

$86.00 (includes a certified copy); reduced $25.00 with a 4-hour premarital course certificate¹⁰

Copy fee

Certified copy $3.00¹⁰

Records

Marriage records May 6, 1982 to present searchable online; earlier by Record Search Request or in the Public Access Department⁴

Florida marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Kept by the Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, Family Court.⁹

Filing fee

$408.00 dissolution filing fee (includes $10.50 Vital Statistics reporting fee)¹⁰

Packets

Clerk sells Dissolution of Marriage packets; four packets by family circumstance¹⁷

Florida divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Kept by the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, Office of Vital Records (Sarasota and Venice locations).¹¹

Fee

DOH-Sarasota: $15 birth certificate; $5 each additional¹¹

Coverage

Births before 1930 from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville¹¹

Ordering a Florida birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, Office of Vital Records (Sarasota and Venice locations).¹¹

Fee

$10 per death certificate¹²

Coverage

Deaths 2009 to present at county offices; earlier from Jacksonville¹²

Ordering a Florida death certificate

Probate records and wills

Kept by the Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, Probate and Guardianship Department.¹³

Wills

No charge to file a will; must be filed within ten days after death¹³

Fees

Formal administration $400.00; summary administration $235.00 (under $1,000) or $345.00¹⁰

Business names (DBA)

Where Florida keeps it: Fictitious names (DBAs) are registered statewide with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) - not with counties.¹⁴

Assumed names (DBA)

Florida fictitious names are registered with the state Division of Corporations, not the county¹⁸

Voter records

Kept by the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections.¹⁹

Official page

sarasotavotes.gov (Tax Collector links www.sarasotavotes.com)⁸

Historical records

Microfilm

Official Records from 1921 on microfilm in the Public Access Department⁴

Microfilm copies

Microfilm copies: 16mm roll $42.00, 35mm roll $60.00, microfiche $3.50¹⁰

Good to know about Sarasota County records

• Sarasota County Official Records go back to 1921; online images cover 1990 to present.⁴
• Online marriage records begin May 6, 1982.⁴
• The Clerk's main office is in the Sarasota County Historic Courthouse at 2000 Main St.⁵
• Marriage licenses and courthouse weddings are walk-in services with no appointment.²⁰
• Sarasota shares the Twelfth Judicial Circuit with DeSoto and Manatee counties.²¹
• The Clerk publishes a statutory interest table for judgments back to October 1980.¹⁰

Office addresses, phones and hours

Records that are not online: public records requests

Request page

sarasotaclerk.com/Records/Public-Access (Clerk's Public Access Department, custodian of the Clerk's records)⁹

Where to send it

Public Access Department, P.O. Box 3079, Sarasota, FL; 941-861-7400; fax 941-861-7738⁴

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

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, Highlands 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, 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; all 26 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. Official Records (Search Land Records)Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
3. ClerkNet Official Records SearchSarasota Clerk
4. Public Records AccessSarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
5. Clerk and Comptroller Office Locations and HoursSarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
6. Local Officials - Property TaxFlorida Department of Revenue
7. Sarasota County Property Appraiser
8. Sarasota County Tax Collector
9. Sarasota Clerk and Comptroller home pageSarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
10. Fee ScheduleSarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
11. Birth Certificates - Florida Department of Health in Sarasota CountyFlorida Department of Health in Sarasota County
12. Death Certificates - Florida Department of Health in Sarasota CountyFlorida Department of Health in Sarasota County
13. Probate, Guardianship & WillsSarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
14. S. 865.09 F.S. Fictitious Name ActThe Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)
15. Property TaxSarasota County Tax Collector
16. Value Adjustment Board PetitionsSarasota County Property Appraiser
17. Dissolution of MarriageSarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
18. S. 865.09 F.S. Fictitious Name ActThe Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)
19. .gov registry current-full.csvCISA / get.gov
20. Marriage ServicesSarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
21. Trial Courts - CircuitFlorida Courts
22. Court RecordsSarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
23. Contact UsSarasota County Property Appraiser
24. Service Centers/Locations/HoursSarasota County Tax Collector
25. William L. Little Health and Human Services CenterFlorida Department of Health in Sarasota County
26. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau