Frequently Asked Questions

You have three options for recording your documents in the Official Records:

1. You can bring your original documents in person to the Recording department of the Clerk’s office at 1115 Manatee Avenue West.  Your original documents will be returned to you the same day.

2. You can mail your original documents, along with the appropriate fees and a self-addressed envelope, to one of the following addresses.

For regular mail send to:

Manatee County Clerk of Court
Attn: Recording
PO Box 25400
Bradenton FL 34206

For overnight mail send to:

Manatee County Clerk of Court
Attn:  Recording
1115 Manatee Avenue W
Bradenton FL 34205

Your documents will be recorded the day they are received.  Please allow 3-5 business days from the day they are recorded for the return of your documents.

3. You can eRecord your document by subscribing with one of our approved vendors.  With this option, you retain your original document and the recorded image is sent back as soon as the document is recorded.

Your check can be made payable to Clerk of Circuit Court. 

There are many kinds of changes that can be made to deeds – these include adding/removing names, making corrections, placing property into a trust or LLC, and more.  To make any type of change to a deed, a new deed must be prepared and recorded.

The Clerk’s office is unable to provide legal forms or assist in filling out any legal forms.  It is recommended that you speak to a real estate attorney or title company in order to make sure everything is prepared correctly and that Florida Statutes regarding real estate conveyances are followed.

Recording fees and documentary stamp rates can be found here.
A recording fee calculator can be found here.
Any questions about whether documentary stamp taxes are due can be directed to the Florida Department of Revenue: 850-488-6800

The completed deed can be submitted one of these three ways.

Notice of Commencement forms can be obtained from the Building Department you received your permit from, or you can download a copy of the form here.

Completed and notarized forms can be submitted one of these three ways.  Notary services are available at the Clerk’s office if necessary – just bring the completed, unsigned form, along with a valid form of ID.

Most common fees associated with an NOC:

• Recording Fee: $10.00 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page
• Certified Copy Fee*: $1.00 per page and $2.00 for the certification
• Notary Fee: $5.00 for the first notarization and $2.50 for each additional

View the complete Recording Fee Schedule here.

*To determine if you will need a certified copy, contact the Building Department you received your permit from.

You can download a copy of the Declaration of Domicile form here.  The fee breakdown is included as a cover sheet. 

If declaring Florida as your primary residence, you will fill out the top portion completely. The bottom portion is *only* for declaring another state as your domicile.  Once filled out, you can sign in front of a notary or bring it to the Recording department to sign in front of a Deputy Clerk.

Completed forms can be mailed or recorded in person.

If you are establishing residency in order to apply for Homestead Exemption, you will need to contact the Property Appraiser to complete the process:

www.ManateePAO.gov
Phone: 941-748-8208

Original DD-214s may be mailed or brought to the Recording department in person to be recorded.  Recording fees will be charged to Manatee County Veterans Services, so the customer is exempt from paying recording fees.

If certified copies are required, the customer will be responsible for paying for the copies.  The fee for certified copies is $1.00 for each page and $2.00 for the certification.

To obtain copies of a DD-214 that has already been recorded (from 1978 to present), the person named on the Discharge must come to the Recording department of the Clerk’s office with valid photo ID.  For copies of DD-214s recorded before 1978, you may call the Historical Records Library at 941-741-4070.

If you are unable to come in person, or if you are someone other than the person listed on the document, the Clerk’s office will not be able to provide you copies.  In this scenario, you will need to contact the Manatee County Veterans Services office at 941-749-3030.  You may also visit www.archives.gov.  

It is important to read Florida Statute 713, which governs liens. If you still have questions, you will need to contact an attorney.

Once a lien has been prepared, it can be submitted for recording one of these three ways.

Wills may only be filed after a person’s death.  Filing a Will is done through the Probate Department.  For further information, please call 941-741-4025.

Manatee County Clerk of Court offers a free Property Alert subscription that alerts you by email when our office records a document that matches the name(s) you register.  You can then review the document in the Official Records.

If you suspect fraudulent activity, contact law enforcement.

A common misconception is that property owners do not receive their deed until their mortgage has been paid.  Most people receive their original deed at the time of purchase, from the seller or the attorney/title company they did business with.  If you cannot find your original deed or you would simply like another copy for your records, you can always obtain a copy of the recorded deed from the Clerk’s office. 

After paying off your mortgage, your lender should record a satisfaction or release of mortgage showing that the loan has been paid.  Once it has been recorded, you can also obtain a copy of this document from the Clerk’s office.

To print a copy of your deed or satisfaction for free, you can do a search for your document in our Official Records.  If you would like to purchase a certified copy, you can contact our Public Access department at 941-741-4040.

The following documents cannot be displayed on publicly available internet websites, pursuant to Florida Statute 28.2221:

• Military Discharge (DD-214)
• Death Certificate
• Documents relating to matters or cases governed by Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure, and Florida Probate Rules.

 In order to view Death Certificates along with Family, Juvenile, and Probate documents, you may register a free account.  You must be logged in to this account to view these documents.

Military discharges are not viewable online. Only the person named on a Military Discharge may purchase copies of the recorded document.

Manatee County's records date back to the 1850s. Documents recorded before 1978 are kept in the Historical Records Library.

Plat maps as far back as 1887 can also be viewed on our website.

Visit the section of our web site called PLAT SEARCH to view your plat on-line. You can also obtain a copy at the Courthouse in our Public Access division.

Land surveys are not recorded or filed with the Clerk's office. To obtain a copy, you will need to contact the land surveyor who performed the survey. If there is a mortgage on the property, sometimes the mortgage holder has a copy of the survey in their records.

If the birth or death took place in Manatee County, you can obtain a copy from the local Bureau of Vital Statistics, which is located at the Manatee County Health Department.

This information is available from the Manatee County Property Appraiser.

If you were born in Florida and have never established legal residency in another state, you are a legal resident of Florida. If you were not born in Florida, to become a legal resident you can either register to vote with the Supervisor of Elections or fill out and record a Declaration of Domicile with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the recording department.

An apostille is a document certifying the authenticity of a notary or other issuing official’s signature.  They are often needed when sending official documents out of country.

All requests for apostilles must be directed to the Florida Secretary of State.  Visit their website for more information or call 950-245-6945. 

You can get an information packet and register a fictitious name with the Secretary of State in Tallahassee.