28.31 Notice to county commissioners of intent to destroy; approval of board.
28.32 Destruction of certain instruments.
28.33 Investment of county funds by the clerk of the circuit court.
28.34 Salary discrimination based on gender or race; review within the county and circuit courts.
28.345 State access to records; exemption from court-related fees and charges.
28.35 Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation.
28.36 Budget procedure.
28.37 Fines, fees, service charges, and costs remitted to the state.
28.42 Manual of filing fees, charges, costs, and fines; payment plan form.
28.44 Clerk discontinuance of court-related functions.
28.45 Provision of financial data to Executive Office of the Governor.
28.47 Recording notification service; related services; public records exemption.
28.001 Definitions.—As used in this chapter:
(1) “Official records” means each instrument that the clerk of the circuit court is required or authorized to record in one general series called “Official Records” as provided for in s. 28.222.
(2) “Public records” has the same meaning as in s. 119.011 and includes each official record.
28.01 Bond of circuit court clerks; small counties.—In each county of the state having a population of 150,000 or less according to the last state census, the clerk of the circuit court shall give bond as required by the board of county commissioners of the county, to be filed with the clerk of the circuit court and be conditioned upon the faithful discharge of the duties of office.
History.—ss. 1, 3, ch. 3724, 1887; RS 1381; GS 1821; RGS 3066; CGL 4847; s. 1, ch. 17754, 1937; s. 1, ch. 20719, 1941; ss. 10, 12, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 152, ch. 95-147; s. 12, ch. 95-312; s. 7, ch. 98-34.
28.02 Bond of circuit court clerks; large counties.—In each county of the state having a population in excess of 150,000 according to the last state census, the clerk of the circuit court shall give bond as required by the board of county commissioners of the county, to be filed with the clerk of the circuit court and be conditioned upon the faithful discharge of the duties of office.
History.—ss. 1, 3, ch. 3724, 1887; RS 1381; GS 1821; RGS 3066; CGL 4847; s. 1, ch. 17754, 1937; s. 1, ch. 20719, 1941; ss. 10, 12, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 153, ch. 95-147; s. 13, ch. 95-312; s. 8, ch. 98-34.
28.03 Obligation of sureties.—Each surety upon such bond may bind himself or herself for a specified sum, but the aggregate amount for which the sureties shall bind themselves shall not be less than the penalty of the bond.
History.—s. 9, ch. 3724, 1887; RS 934; GS 1822; RGS 3067; CGL 4848; s. 2, ch. 17754, 1937; s. 1, ch. 20719, 1941; s. 154, ch. 95-147.
28.04 Justification of sureties.—Each surety upon such bond shall make affidavit that the surety is a resident of the county for which the clerk is to be commissioned, and that he or she has sufficient visible property therein unencumbered and not exempt from sale under legal process to make good his or her bond.
History.—s. 10, ch. 3724, 1887; RS 935; GS 1823; RGS 3068; CGL 4849; s. 3, ch. 17754, 1937; s. 1, ch. 20719, 1941; s. 155, ch. 95-147.
28.05 Surety companies.—The provisions of ss. 28.01-28.04 as to number of sureties, affidavits of residence and justification of same, shall not apply to solvent surety companies authorized to do business and execute bonds in this state.
History.—GS 1824; RGS 3069; CGL 4850; s. 4, ch. 17754, 1937; s. 1, ch. 20719, 1941.
28.06 Power of clerk to appoint deputies.—The clerk of the circuit court may appoint a deputy or deputies, for whose acts the clerk shall be liable, and the said deputies shall have and exercise each and every power of whatsoever nature and kind as the clerk may exercise, excepting the power to appoint a deputy or deputies.
History.—s. 1, Feb. 12, 1834; s. 1, ch. 254, 1849; RS 1384; GS 1825; RGS 3070; CGL 4851; s. 1, ch. 21956, 1943; s. 156, ch. 95-147.
28.07 Place of office.—The clerk of the circuit court shall keep his or her office at the county seat. If the clerk finds a need for branch offices, they may be located in the county at places other than the county seat. Instruments presented for recording in the Official Records may be accepted and filed for that purpose at any branch office designated by the governing body of the county for the recording of instruments pursuant to s. 1, Art. VIII of the State Constitution. One or more deputy clerks authorized to issue process may be employed for such branch offices. The Official Records of the county must be kept at the county seat. Other records and books must be kept within the county but need not be kept at the county seat.
History.—s. 3, Feb. 12, 1834; RS 1385; GS 1826; RGS 3071; CGL 4852; s. 1, ch. 57-281; s. 1, ch. 87-190; ss. 2, 10, ch. 94-348; s. 2, ch. 99-259.
28.071 Clerk’s seal.—Each clerk shall provide a seal which shall have inscribed thereon substantially the words:
“Circuit Court”
“Clerk,” “(Name of county)”
which shall be the official seal of the clerk of the circuit court in that county for authentication of all documents or instruments. It may be an imprint or impression type seal and shall be registered with the Department of State.
28.09 Clerk ad interim.—In the case of vacancy occurring in the office of a clerk of the circuit court by death, resignation, or other cause, the judge of that court shall appoint a clerk ad interim, who shall assume all the responsibilities, perform all the duties, and receive the same compensation for the time being as if he or she had been duly appointed to fill the office; and the clerk shall give such bond and security for the faithful performance of duties as required by the board of county commissioners.
28.101 Petitions and records of dissolution of marriage; additional charges.—
(1) When a party petitions for a dissolution of marriage, in addition to the filing charges in s. 28.241, the clerk shall collect and receive:
(a) A charge of $5. On a monthly basis, the clerk shall transfer the moneys collected pursuant to this paragraph to the Department of Revenue for deposit in the Child Welfare Training Trust Fund created in s. 402.40.
(b) A charge of $55. On a monthly basis, the clerk shall transfer the moneys collected pursuant to this paragraph to the Department of Revenue for deposit in the Domestic Violence Trust Fund. Such funds which are generated shall be directed to the Department of Children and Families for the specific purpose of funding domestic violence centers.
(c) A charge of $37.50. The clerk shall deposit the moneys collected pursuant to this paragraph in the fine and forfeiture fund established pursuant to s. 142.01.
(2) Upon receipt of a final judgment of dissolution of marriage for filing, and in addition to the filing charges in s. 28.241, the clerk may collect and receive a service charge of up to $10.50 pursuant to s. 382.023 for the recording and reporting of such final judgment of dissolution of marriage to the Department of Health.
28.12 Clerk of the board of county commissioners.—The clerk of the circuit court shall be clerk and accountant of the board of county commissioners. He or she shall keep the minutes and accounts and perform such other duties as provided by law. The clerk shall have custody of the seal and affix the same to any paper or instrument as required by law.
History.—RS 1392; GS 1836; RGS 3081; CGL 4864; s. 3, ch. 70-134; s. 158, ch. 95-147.
28.13 Papers and electronic filings.—The clerk of the circuit court must maintain all papers and electronic filings in the clerk’s office with the utmost care and security, storing them with related case files and affixing a stamp, which may be electronic, to each submission indicating the date and time that the submission was filed. The clerk may not permit any attorney or other person to remove filed documents from the control or custody of the clerk without leave of the court, except as otherwise provided by law.
History.—s. 59, Nov. 18, 1828; RS 1389; GS 1830; RGS 3075; CGL 4856; s. 1, ch. 89-297; s. 159, ch. 95-147; s. 1, ch. 2013-109.
28.14 Records, judgments, orders, and decrees prior to circuit courts.—All the records, judgments, orders, and decrees of the several circuit courts, in the respective counties, made and entered before July 28th, 1868, shall be taken and held to be the records, judgments, orders, and decrees of the circuit courts as established in said counties July 28th, 1868, and may be amended and enforced according to law and the practice of said courts.
28.15 Records from superior courts.—The files, rolls and books of record of the superior courts of the several districts of the Territory of Florida remaining in the clerk’s offices of the respective counties, so far as the same, by the concurrence of the Congress and the Legislature of this state, may relate to matters of appropriate state authority and jurisdiction, are placed in the custody and under the control of the circuit courts of this state in the respective counties thereof, where the said superior courts were held and the records kept, and shall be deemed, held and taken to be files, rolls and records of the said circuit courts; and the said circuit courts may lawfully have and exercise such judicial cognizance and power over them as the said courts may lawfully have and exercise over their own files, rolls and records.
28.16 Certain records from prior county courts.—All the records, judgments and orders in the several county courts, in the respective counties, made and entered prior to May 4th, 1875, where the amount sued upon exceeded the sum of $100, shall be held, deemed and taken to be files, rolls and records of the circuit court and the said circuit court may lawfully have and exercise such cognizance and power over them as said courts may lawfully have and exercise over its own files, rolls and records.
28.211 Clerk to keep docket.—The clerk of the circuit court shall keep a progress docket in which he or she shall note the filing of each pleading, motion, or other paper and any step taken by him or her in connection with each action, appeal, or other proceeding before the court. The clerk may keep separate progress dockets for civil and criminal matters. The clerk shall keep an alphabetical index, direct and inverse, for the docket.
28.212 Minutes of court proceedings.—The clerk may keep minutes of court proceedings. The action of the court shall be noted in the minutes, but orders and judgments shall not be recorded in the minutes.
28.213 Disposal of physical evidence filed as exhibits.—The clerk of any circuit court or county court may dispose of items of physical evidence which have been held as exhibits in excess of 3 years in cases on which no appeal, or collateral attack, is pending or can be made. Items of evidence having no monetary value which are designated by the clerk for removal shall be disposed of as unusable refuse. Items of evidence having a monetary value which are designated for removal by the clerk shall be sold and the revenue placed in the clerk’s general revenue fund.
28.215 Pro se assistance.—The clerk of the circuit court shall provide ministerial assistance to pro se litigants. Assistance shall not include the provision of legal advice.
(1) The clerk of the circuit court shall be the recorder of all instruments that he or she may be required or authorized by law to record in the county where he or she is clerk.
(2) The clerk of the circuit court shall record all instruments in one general series called “Official Records.” He or she shall keep a register in which he or she shall enter at the time of filing the filing number of each instrument filed for record, the date and hour of filing, the kind of instrument, and the names of the parties to the instrument. The clerk shall maintain a general alphabetical index, direct and inverse, of all instruments filed for record. The register of Official Records must be available at each office where official records may be filed.
(3) The clerk of the circuit court shall record the following kinds of instruments presented to him or her for recording, upon payment of the service charges prescribed by law:
(a) Deeds, leases, bills of sale, agreements, mortgages, notices or claims of lien, notices of levy, tax warrants, tax executions, and other instruments relating to the ownership, transfer, or encumbrance of or claims against real or personal property or any interest in it; extensions, assignments, releases, cancellations, or satisfactions of mortgages and liens; and powers of attorney relating to any of the instruments.
(b) Notices of lis pendens, including notices of an action pending in a United States court having jurisdiction in this state.
(c) Judgments, including certified copies of judgments, entered by any court of this state or by a United States court having jurisdiction in this state and assignments, releases, and satisfactions of the judgments.
(d) That portion of a certificate of discharge, separation, or service which indicates the character of discharge, separation, or service of any citizen of this state with respect to the military, air, or naval forces of the United States. Each certificate shall be recorded without cost to the veteran, but the clerk shall receive from the board of county commissioners or other governing body of the county the service charge prescribed by law for the recording.
(e) Notices of liens for taxes payable to the United States and other liens in favor of the United States, and certificates discharging, partially discharging, or releasing the liens, in accordance with the laws of the United States.
(f) Certified copies of petitions, with schedules omitted, commencing proceedings under the 1Bankruptcy Act of the United States, decrees of adjudication in the proceedings, and orders approving the bonds of trustees appointed in the proceedings.
(g) Certified copies of death certificates authorized for issuance by the Department of Health which exclude the information that is confidential under s. 382.008, and certified copies of death certificates issued by another state whether or not they exclude the information described as confidential in s. 382.008.
(h) Copies of any instruments originally created and executed using an electronic signature, as defined in s. 695.27, and certified to be a true and correct paper printout by a notary public in accordance with chapter 117, if the county recorder is not prepared to accept electronic documents for recording electronically.
(i) Any other instruments required or authorized by law to be recorded.
(4) The county recorder shall remove recorded court documents from the Official Records pursuant to a sealing or expunction order.
(5) Any reference in these statutes to the filing of instruments affecting title to real or personal property with the clerk of the circuit court shall mean recording of the instruments.
(6) The clerk of the circuit court may maintain a separate book for maps, plats, and drawings recorded pursuant to chapters 177, 253, and 337.
(7)(a) All instruments recorded in the Official Records 2must remain open to the public, under the supervision of the clerk, for the purpose of inspection thereof and of making copies therefrom.
(b) The clerk is not required to perform any service in connection with such inspection or making of copies without payment of service charges as provided in s. 28.24.
(c) The clerk, in his or her capacity as county recorder, must retain the service charge payments under s. 28.24, except that those service charge payments that relate to court records or functions and meet the description of court-related functions in s. 28.35(3)(a) must be distributed for those court-related functions.
2Note.—As amended by s. 1, ch. 2021-116. The amendment by s. 1, ch. 2021-215, uses the word “are” instead of the words “must remain.”
28.22205 Electronic filing process.—Each clerk of court shall implement an electronic filing process. The purpose of the electronic filing process is to reduce judicial costs in the office of the clerk and the judiciary, increase timeliness in the processing of cases, and provide the judiciary with case-related information to allow for improved judicial case management. The Legislature requests that the Supreme Court set statewide standards for electronic filing to be used by the clerks of court to implement electronic filing. The standards should specify the required information for the duties of the clerks of court and the judiciary for case management. Revenues provided to counties and the clerk of court under s. 28.24(13)(e) for information technology may also be used to implement electronic filing processes.
(1) The Legislature finds that a proper and legitimate state purpose is served by providing the public with access to public records and information on the Internet. The Legislature further finds that a proper and legitimate state purpose is also served by preventing disclosure of records and information made exempt by law from public disclosure.
(2)(a) The county recorder in each county must provide a current index of documents recorded in the official records of the county for the period beginning no later than January 1, 1990, on a publicly available Internet website which must also contain a document requisition point for obtaining images or copies of the documents reflected in the index and which has the capability of electronically providing the index data to a central statewide search site. The index must be limited to grantor and grantee names, party names, date, book and page number, comments, and type of record.
(b) Unless otherwise required by the court, a county recorder may not remove the grantor name, grantee name, or party name from the register of the Official Records, as described in s. 28.222(2), and the index on the publicly available Internet website on the basis of an exemption as defined in s. 119.011 unless the name of the grantor or grantee includes the street address portion of the home address as defined in s. 119.071(4)(d), in which case the county recorder must remove the street address portion from display. Home addresses, as defined in s. 119.071(4)(d), which are exempt from inspection or copying under s. 119.071 must be included within the Official Records as described in s. 28.222(2) but may not be included within the index or otherwise displayed on the county recorder’s publicly available Internet website on which images or copies of the county’s official records are placed.
(3) Each county recorder shall use appropriate Internet security measures to ensure that no person has the ability to alter or to modify records placed on the Internet by the county recorder.
(4) Unless otherwise provided by law, no information retrieved electronically pursuant to this section shall be admissible in court as an authenticated document.
(5)(a) A county recorder may not place on a publicly available Internet website for general public display information made exempt from inspection or copying under s. 119.071 or any image or copy of a public record, including an official record, if that image or copy is of a military discharge; death certificate; or a court file, record, or paper relating to matters or cases governed by the Florida Rules of Family Law, the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure, or the Florida Probate Rules.
(b) Any records specified in this subsection made available by the county recorder or clerk of the court on a publicly available Internet website for general public display prior to June 5, 2002, must be removed if the affected party identifies the record and requests that it be removed. Such request must be in writing and delivered by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission, or in person to the county recorder or clerk of the court. The request must specify the identification page number of the document to be removed. No fee may be charged for the removal of a document pursuant to such request.
(c) Notice of the right of any affected party to request removal of information or records pursuant to this subsection must be conspicuously and clearly displayed by the county recorder on the publicly available Internet website on which images or copies of the county’s public records are placed and in the office of each county recorder. Such notice must contain appropriate instructions for making the removal request in person, by mail, or by electronic transmission. The notice must state, in substantially similar form, that any person has a right to request that a county recorder remove from a publicly available Internet website information made exempt from inspection or copying under s. 119.071 or an image or copy of a public record, including an official record, if that image or copy is of a military discharge; death certificate; or a court file, record, or paper relating to matters or cases governed by the Florida Rules of Family Law, the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure, or the Florida Probate Rules. The notice must state that information removed as exempt under s. 119.071 will not be removed from the Official Records as described in s. 28.222(2). Such request must be made in writing and delivered in person, by mail, or by electronic transmission to the county recorder. The request must identify the Official Records book and page number, instrument number, or clerk’s file number for any information or document to be removed. For requests for removal from a person claiming a public records exemption pursuant to s. 119.071, the request must be written; be notarized; state under oath the statutory basis for removal of the information, image, or copy that is restricted from general public display on the county recorder’s publicly available Internet website; and confirm the individual’s eligibility for exempt status. A party making a false attestation is subject to the penalty of perjury under s. 837.012. A fee may not be charged for the removal of a document pursuant to such request.
(d) Any affected person may petition the circuit court for an order directing compliance with this subsection.
(e) By January 1, 2006, each county recorder or clerk of the court shall provide for electronic retrieval, at a minimum, of images of documents referenced as the index required to be maintained on the county’s official records website by this section.
(6)(a) Any information restricted from general public display, inspection, or copying under paragraph (5)(a) pursuant to a request for removal made under s. 119.071 must be provided at any time to the individual whose information was removed. The written request for the restricted information must be by sworn affidavit consistent with s. 92.50 and must include the Official Records book and page number, the instrument number, or the clerk’s file number for any information or document to be released, and a description of the lawful purpose, and identify the individual or property that is the subject of the search. Any party making a false attestation is subject to the penalty of perjury under s. 837.012. A fee may not be charged for the production of any document pursuant to such request.
(b)1. For the purpose of conducting a title search, as defined in s. 627.7711(4), of the Official Records, as described in s. 28.222(2), and upon presentation of photo identification and affirmation by sworn affidavit consistent with s. 92.50 to the county recorder, information restricted from public display, inspection, or copying under paragraph (5)(a) pursuant to a request for removal made under s. 119.071(4)(d) may be disclosed to:
a. A title insurer authorized pursuant to s. 624.401 and its affiliates as defined in s. 624.10;
b. A title insurance agent or title insurance agency as defined in s. 626.841(1) and (2), respectively; or
c. An attorney duly admitted to practice law in this state and in good standing with The Florida Bar.
2. The photo identification and affirmation by sworn affidavit may be delivered in person, by mail, or by electronic transmission to the county recorder.
3. The affiant requestor must attest to his or her authority and the authorized purpose to access exempt information pursuant to this section for the property specified within the sworn affidavit.
4. The affiant requestor must identify the Official Records book and page number, instrument number, or the clerk’s file number for each document requested within the sworn affidavit and must include a description of the lawful purpose and identify the individual or property that is the subject of the search within the sworn affidavit.
5. Affidavits submitted by a title insurer, title insurance agent, or title insurance agency must include the Florida Company Code or the license number, as applicable, and an attestation to the affiant requestor’s authorization to transact business in this state. Affidavits submitted by an attorney authorized under this section must include the affiant requestor’s Florida Bar number and a statement that the affiant requestor has an agency agreement with a title insurer directly or through his or her law firm.
6. The county recorder must record such affidavit in the Official Records, as described in s. 28.222(2), but may not place the image or copy of the affidavit on a publicly available Internet website for general public display.
7. Upon providing a document disclosing redacted information to an affiant requestor under this section, the county recorder must provide a copy of the affidavit requesting disclosure of the redacted information to each affected party at the address listed on the document or on the request for removal made by the affected party under s. 119.071. The county recorder must prepare a certificate of mailing to be affixed to the affidavit and must receive the statutory service charges as prescribed by s. 28.24 from the affiant requestor.
8. Any party making a false attestation under this section is subject to the penalty of perjury under s. 837.012.
(7) A person who uses any official record in a manner not authorized in this section commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. A person who unlawfully uses any official record with intent to cause bodily harm or with intent to threaten to cause bodily harm commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(8)(a) Each county recorder or clerk of the court must make the identity of each respondent against whom a final judgment for an injunction for the protection of a minor under s. 741.30, s. 784.046, or s. 784.0485 is entered, as well as the fact that a final judgment for an injunction for the protection of a minor under s. 741.30, s. 784.046, or s. 784.0485 has been entered against that respondent, publicly available on the county recorder’s or clerk of the court’s official website, unless the respondent is a minor. The identity and information required under this subsection must be viewable through a searchable database that is available in a clear and conspicuous location on the homepage of the county recorder’s or clerk of the court’s official website and must be available for search by the general public.
(b) The requirement in paragraph (a) may be satisfied by providing a stand-alone link to the official records index. The link must be located in a clear and conspicuous location on the homepage of the county recorder’s or clerk of the court’s official website and must be available for search by the general public. The link must be titled in a manner that clearly informs the user that by clicking the link, the user will be redirected to a searchable database on which information available pursuant to this subsection relating to the identity of a respondent against whom a final judgment for injunction for the protection of a minor can be found.
(c) Any information specified in this subsection not made available by the county clerk of the court as provided in this subsection before July 1, 2024, must be made publicly available on the county recorder’s or clerk of the court’s official website if the affected party identifies the information and requests that such information be added for general public display. Such request must be in writing and delivered by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission or in person to the county recorder or clerk of the court. The request must specify the case number assigned to the final judgment for an injunction for the protection of a minor under s. 741.30, s. 784.046, or s. 784.0485. A fee may not be charged for the addition of information pursuant to such request.
(d) No later than 30 days after July 1, 2024, notice of the right of any affected party to request the addition of information to the searchable database on the county recorder’s or clerk of the court’s official website pursuant to this subsection must be conspicuously and clearly displayed by the county recorder or clerk of the court on the county recorder’s or clerk of the court’s official website on which images or copies of the county’s public records are placed and in the office of each county recorder or clerk of the court. Such notice must contain appropriate instructions for making the addition of information request in person, by mail, by facsimile, or by electronic transmission. The notice must state, in substantially similar form, that any person has a right to request that a county recorder or clerk of the court add information to the searchable database on the county recorder’s or clerk of the court’s official website if that information involves the identity of a respondent against whom a final judgment for an injunction for the protection of a minor under s. 741.30, s. 784.046, or s. 784.0485 is entered, unless the respondent is a minor. The notice must also state that the information related to the identity of each respondent against whom a final judgment for an injunction for the protection of a minor under s. 741.30, s. 784.046, or s. 784.0485 is entered is available for search by the general public. The notice must include step-by-step instructions detailing how a user can access the searchable database and search for such information. Such request must be made in writing and delivered by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission or in person to the county recorder or clerk of the court. The request must specify the case number assigned to the final judgment for an injunction for the protection of a minor under s. 741.30, s. 784.046, or s. 784.0485. A fee may not be charged for the addition of a document pursuant to such request.
(e) Any affected person may petition the circuit court for an order directing compliance with this subsection.
28.2222 Public records capital improvement plan.—On or before December 1 of each year immediately preceding each year in which the Public Records Modernization Trust Fund is scheduled for review under s. 19(f)(2), Art. III of the State Constitution, each clerk of the circuit court shall file a 4-year capital improvement plan with the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The plan must specify the clerk’s goals for modernizing and improving the storage of, and public access to, public records and must state the manner in which moneys from the trust fund will be expended to obtain the stated objectives. The plan must specify the methodology used to determine the projected cost to implement the plan and to determine the projected revenue to meet the cost. Each capital improvement plan must state the progress made in fulfilling the objectives listed in the previously filed capital improvement plan and must state the manner in which moneys from the trust fund were expended to reach those objectives.
28.2225 Title fraud prevention through identity verification; pilot program.—There is created in Lee County the Title Fraud Prevention Through Identity Verification Pilot Program.
(1) As used in this section, the term “clerk” means the clerk of the circuit court for Lee County.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary in this chapter, when a deed or other instrument purporting to convey real property or an interest therein is presented to the clerk for recording, the clerk may require the person presenting the deed or other instrument to produce a government-issued photographic identification card as follows:
(a) If a person presents a deed or other instrument purporting to convey real property or an interest therein to the clerk for recording in person, the clerk may require the person to produce a government-issued photographic identification card for inspection by the clerk before recording the deed or other instrument. The clerk must record the name and address of such person, as the information appears on the identification card, in a record to be kept by the clerk, along with the official records book and page number or instrument number of the deed or other instrument recorded in connection to the production of the identification card. Such a record may not be made available for viewing on the clerk’s official public website but shall be made available for public inspection and copying as required by the public records laws of this state.
(b) If a person presents a deed or other instrument purporting to convey real property or an interest therein to the clerk for recording through an electronic recording service, the clerk may require the person to submit a photocopy of a government-issued photographic identification card before recording the deed or other instrument. The clerk must note on the photocopy of the identification card the official records book and page number or instrument number assigned to the deed or other instrument recorded in connection to the submission of the photocopy of the identification card and retain the photocopy of such identification card in a record to be kept by the clerk. Such a record may not be made available for viewing on the clerk’s official public website but shall be made available for public inspection and copying as required by the public records laws of this state. However, a person who submits a photocopy of his or her identification card under this paragraph may redact from the photocopy of such identification card before submission all of the information he or she does not wish to be made public, except for his or her name, address, and photograph.
The clerk may refuse to record a deed or other instrument purporting to convey real property or an interest therein when the clerk requires the production of a government-issued photographic identification card as specified in this subsection and the person presenting the deed or other instrument for recording does not produce the requested identification card in compliance with this subsection.
(3) A clerk who participates in the pilot program must:
(a) Provide notice of the government-issued photographic identification card requirement on the clerk’s official public website.
(b) Require the production of a government-issued photographic identification card from all persons presenting a deed or other qualifying instrument for recording, whether in person or through an electronic recording service, until the clerk no longer participates in the pilot program and provides notice that the production of such an identification card is no longer required on the clerk’s official public website.
(c) By December 31, 2025, submit a report containing the following information to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives:
1. The number of persons who presented a deed or other qualifying instrument for recording:
a. In person.
b. Through an electronic recording service.
2. The types of identification cards produced in connection with the presentation of deeds or other qualifying instruments for recording, and the number of each type.
3. Feedback received from the community, if any, in response to the clerk’s participation in the pilot program.
4. Whether the pilot program led to the identification of any persons suspected or accused of fraudulently conveying, or attempting to fraudulently convey, real property, and the outcome of any criminal charges or civil actions brought against such persons.
5. The clerk’s recommendation as to whether the production of a government-issued photographic identification card in connection with the presentation of a deed or other instrument for recording is appropriate to require throughout this state.
6. Any other information the clerk deems necessary.
(4) This section does not require the clerk to provide or allow access to a record or other information that is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution or to otherwise violate the public records laws of this state.
(1) The clerk of the circuit shall record all wills and codicils admitted to probate, orders admitting the will to probate, orders determining beneficiaries, orders revoking the probate of any wills and codicils, letters of administration, orders affecting or describing real property, final orders, orders of final discharge, and orders of guardianship filed in the clerk’s office. No other petitions, pleadings, papers, or other orders relating to probate matters shall be recorded except on the written direction of the court. The direction may be in the order by incorporation in the order of the words “To be recorded,” or words to that effect. Failure to record an order or a judgment shall not affect its validity.
(2) The clerk shall record all instruments under this section in Official Records and index them in the same manner as prescribed in s. 28.222.
(3) All records of a court of this state heretofore exercising probate jurisdiction shall be placed, and remain, in the custody of the clerk and shall be the records of the circuit court. The circuit court may exercise judicial cognizance and power over them as it may over its own records.
(4) Certified transcripts of the whole or any part of probate or administration proceedings in any court of this state or of any foreign state or country may be recorded. If the certified copy is not a part of a pending probate proceeding in the court, the person causing it to be recorded shall pay the costs of recordation.
(5) The recording of any instrument required or permitted to be recorded under this section in a pending probate or administration proceeding in the county shall be included in the fees prescribed in s. 28.2401.
28.231 Service charges by clerks of courts.—The clerk of any state appellate or county or state trial court shall receive as compensation for similar services the same charges as provided in this chapter for the clerk of the circuit court.
28.235 Advance payments by clerk of circuit court.—The clerk of the circuit court is authorized to make advance payments on behalf of the county for goods and services, including, but not limited to, maintenance agreements and subscriptions, pursuant to rules or procedures adopted by the Chief Financial Officer for advance payments of invoices submitted to agencies of the state.
28.24 Service charges.—The clerk of the circuit court shall charge for services rendered manually or electronically by the clerk’s office in recording documents and instruments and in performing other specified duties. These charges may not exceed those specified in this section, except as provided in s. 28.345.
(1) For purposes of this section, the term “court record” means the contents of a court file and includes:
(a) Progress dockets and other similar records generated to document activity in a case.
(b) Transcripts filed with the clerk.
(c) Documentary exhibits in the custody of the clerk.
(d) Electronic records, video recordings, and stenographic tapes of depositions or other proceedings filed with the clerk.
(e) Electronic records, video recordings, and stenographic tapes of court proceedings.
(2) For examining, comparing, correcting, verifying, and certifying transcripts of record in appellate proceedings, prepared by attorney for appellant or someone else other than clerk, per page: 5.00, from which the clerk shall remit 0.50 per page to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(3) For preparing, numbering, and indexing an original record of appellate proceedings, per instrument: 3.50, from which the clerk shall remit 0.50 per instrument to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(4)(a) For certifying copies of any instrument that is a court record in the public records: 2.00, from which the clerk shall remit 0.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) For certifying copies of any instrument that is not a court record in the public records, per page: 2.00.
(5)(a) For verifying any instrument presented for certification prepared by someone other than clerk, per page: 3.50, from which the clerk shall remit 0.50 per page to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) For verifying any instrument that is not a court record presented for certification prepared by someone other than the clerk, per page: 3.50.
(6)(a) For making copies by photographic process of any instrument in the public records consisting of pages of not more than 14 inches by 81/2 inches, per page: 1.00.
(b) For making copies by photographic process of any instrument in the public records of more than 14 inches by 81/2 inches, per page: 5.00.
(7) For making microfilm copies of any public records:
(a) That are court records:
1. 16 mm 100′ microfilm roll: 42.00, from which the clerk shall remit 4.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
2. 35 mm 100′ microfilm roll: 60.00, from which the clerk shall remit 7.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
3. Microfiche, per fiche: 3.50, from which the clerk shall remit 0.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) That are not court records:
1. 16 mm 100′ microfilm roll: 42.00.
2. 35 mm 100′ microfilm roll: 60.00.
3. Microfiche, per fiche: 3.50.
(8) For copying any instrument in the public records by other than photographic process, per page: 6.00.
(9)(a) For writing any paper that is a court record other than a paper otherwise specifically mentioned in this section, including signing and sealing: 7.00, from which the clerk shall remit 1.00 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) For writing any paper that is not a court record other than a paper otherwise specifically mentioned in this section, including signing and sealing: 7.00.
(10) For indexing each entry not recorded: 1.00.
(11) For receiving money into the registry of court:
(a)1. First $500: 3 percent.
2. Each subsequent $100: 1.5 percent.
(b) Eminent domain actions, per deposit: 170.00, from which the clerk shall remit 20.00 per deposit to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(12) For examining, certifying, and recording plats and for recording condominium exhibits larger than 14 inches by 81/2 inches:
(a) First page: 30.00.
(b) Each additional page: 15.00.
(13) For recording, indexing, and filing any instrument not more than 14 inches by 81/2 inches, including required notice to property appraiser where applicable:
(a) First page or fraction thereof: 5.00.
(b) Each additional page or fraction thereof: 4.00.
(c) For indexing instruments recorded in the official records which contain more than four names, per additional name: 1.00.
(d) An additional service charge must be paid to the clerk of the circuit court to be deposited in the Public Records Modernization Trust Fund for each instrument listed in s. 28.222, except judgments received from the courts and notices of lis pendens, recorded in the official records:
1. First page: 1.00.
2. Each additional page: 0.50.
Said fund must be held in trust by the clerk and used exclusively for equipment and maintenance of equipment, personnel training, and technical assistance in modernizing the public records system of the office. In a county where the duty of maintaining official records exists in an office other than the office of the clerk of the circuit court, the clerk of the circuit court is entitled to 25 percent of the moneys deposited into the trust fund for equipment, maintenance of equipment, training, and technical assistance in modernizing the system for storing records in the office of the clerk of the circuit court. The fund may not be used for the payment of travel expenses, membership dues, bank charges, staff-recruitment costs, salaries or benefits of employees, construction costs, general operating expenses, or other costs not directly related to obtaining and maintaining equipment for public records systems or for the purchase of furniture or office supplies and equipment not related to the storage of records. On or before December 1, 1995, and on or before December 1 of each year immediately preceding each year during which the trust fund is scheduled for legislative review under s. 19(f)(2), Art. III of the State Constitution, each clerk of the circuit court shall file a report on the Public Records Modernization Trust Fund with the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must itemize each expenditure made from the trust fund since the last report was filed; each obligation payable from the trust fund on that date; and the percentage of funds expended for each of the following: equipment, maintenance of equipment, personnel training, and technical assistance. The report must indicate the nature of the system each clerk uses to store, maintain, and retrieve public records and the degree to which the system has been upgraded since the creation of the trust fund.
(e) An additional service charge of $4 per page shall be paid to the clerk of the circuit court for each instrument listed in s. 28.222, except judgments received from the courts and notices of lis pendens, recorded in the official records. From the additional $4 service charge collected:
1. If the counties maintain legal responsibility for the costs of the court-related technology needs as defined in s. 29.008(1)(f)2. and (h), 10 cents shall be distributed to the Florida Association of Court Clerks and Comptrollers, Inc., for the cost of development, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the clerks’ Comprehensive Case Information System; $1.90 shall be retained by the clerk to be deposited in the Public Records Modernization Trust Fund and used exclusively for funding court-related technology needs of the clerk as defined in s. 29.008(1)(f)2. and (h); and $2 shall be distributed to the board of county commissioners to be used exclusively to fund court-related technology, and court technology needs as defined in s. 29.008(1)(f)2. and (h) for the state trial courts, state attorney, public defender, and criminal conflict and civil regional counsel in that county. If the counties maintain legal responsibility for the costs of the court-related technology needs as defined in s. 29.008(1)(f)2. and (h), notwithstanding any other provision of law, the county is not required to provide additional funding beyond that provided in this section for the court-related technology needs of the clerk as defined in s. 29.008(1)(f)2. and (h). All court records and official records are the property of the State of Florida, including any records generated as part of the Comprehensive Case Information System funded pursuant to this paragraph and the clerk of court is designated as the custodian of such records, except in a county where the duty of maintaining official records exists in a county office other than the clerk of court or comptroller, such county office is designated the custodian of all official records, and the clerk of court is designated the custodian of all court records. The clerk of court or any entity acting on behalf of the clerk of court, including an association, may not charge a fee to any agency as defined in s. 119.011, the Legislature, or the State Court System for copies of records generated by the Comprehensive Case Information System or held by the clerk of court or any entity acting on behalf of the clerk of court, including an association.
2. If the state becomes legally responsible for the costs of court-related technology needs as defined in s. 29.008(1)(f)2. and (h), whether by operation of general law or by court order, $4 shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(14)(a) Oath, administering, attesting, and sealing of court records not otherwise provided for in this section: 3.50, from which the clerk shall remit 0.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) Oath, administering, attesting, and sealing of records that are not court records not otherwise provided for in this section: 3.50.
(15)(a) For validating certificates or any authorized bonds that are court records, each: 3.50, from which the clerk shall remit 0.50 each to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) For validating certificates or any authorized bonds that are not court records, each: 3.50.
(16) For preparing affidavit of domicile: 5.00.
(17) For exemplified certificates, including the signing and sealing of them: 7.00, from which the clerk shall remit 1.00 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(18)(a) For authenticated certificates that are court records, including the signing and sealing of them: 7.00, from which the clerk shall remit 1.00 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) For authenticated certificates that are not court records, including the signing and sealing of them: 7.00.
(19)(a) For issuing and filing a subpoena for a witness, not otherwise provided for in this section, including the writing, preparing, signing, and sealing of it: 7.00, from which the clerk shall remit 1.00 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) For signing and sealing only: 2.00, from which the clerk shall remit 0.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(20)(a) For approving a court bond: 8.50, from which the clerk shall remit 1.00 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) For approving a bond: 8.50.
(21)(a) For searching court records, for each year’s search: 2.00, from which the clerk shall remit 0.50 for each year’s search to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) For searching records that are not court records, for each year’s search: 2.00.
(22) For processing an application for a tax deed sale (includes application, sale, issuance, and preparation of tax deed, and disbursement of proceeds of sale), other than excess proceeds: 60.00.
(23) For disbursement of excess proceeds of tax deed sale, first $100 or fraction thereof: 10.00.
(24) Upon receipt of an application for a marriage license, for preparing and administering of oath; issuing, sealing, and recording of the marriage license; and providing a certified copy: 30.00.
(25) For solemnizing matrimony: 30.00.
(26) For sealing any court file or expungement of any record: 42.00, from which the clerk shall remit 4.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(27)(a) For receiving and disbursing all restitution payments, per payment: 3.50, from which the clerk shall remit 0.50 per payment to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) For receiving and disbursing all partial payments, other than restitution payments, for which an administrative processing service charge is not imposed pursuant to s. 28.246, per month: 5.00.
(c) For setting up a payment plan, a one-time administrative processing charge in lieu of a per month charge under paragraph (b): 25.00.
(28) Postal charges incurred by the clerk of the circuit court in any mailing by certified or registered mail must be paid by the party at whose instance the mailing is made.
(29) For furnishing an electronic copy of information contained in a computer database: a fee as provided for in chapter 119.
28.2401 Service charges and filing fees in probate matters.—
(1) Except when otherwise provided, the clerk may impose service charges or filing fees for the following services or filings, not to exceed the following amounts:
(a) Fee for the opening of any estate of one document or more, including, but not limited to, petitions and orders to approve settlement of minor’s claims; to open a safe-deposit box; to enter rooms and places; for the determination of heirs, if not formal administration; and for a foreign guardian to manage property of a nonresident; but not to include issuance of letters or order of summary administration..........$230
(b) Charge for caveat..........$40
(c) Fee for petition and order to admit foreign wills, authenticated copies, exemplified copies, or transcript to record..........$230
(d) Fee for disposition of personal property without administration..........$230
(e) Fee for summary administration—estates valued at $1,000 or more..........$340
(f) Fee for summary administration—estates valued at less than $1,000..........$230
(g) Fee for formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship, or conservatorship proceedings..........$395
(h) Fee for guardianship proceedings of person only..........$230
(i) Fee for veterans’ guardianship pursuant to chapter 744..........$230
(j) Charge for exemplified certificates..........$7
(k) Fee for petition for determination of incompetency..........$230
The clerk shall remit $115 of each filing fee collected under paragraphs (a), (c)-(i), and (k) to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund.
(2) Upon application by the clerk and a showing of extraordinary circumstances, the service charges or filing fees set forth in this section may be increased in an individual matter by order of the circuit court before which the matter is pending, to more adequately compensate for the services performed or filings made.
(3) An additional service charge of $4 on petitions seeking summary administration, formal administration, ancillary administration, guardianship, curatorship, and conservatorship shall be paid to the clerk. The clerk shall transfer $3.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Court Education Trust Fund and shall transfer 50 cents to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Department of Financial Services’ Administrative Trust Fund to fund clerk education. No additional fees, charges, or costs shall be added to the service charges or filing fees imposed under this section, except as authorized by general law.
(4) Recording shall be required for all petitions opening and closing an estate; petitions regarding real estate; and orders, letters, bonds, oaths, wills, proofs of wills, returns, and such other papers as the judge shall deem advisable to record or that shall be required to be recorded under the Florida Probate Code.
History.—s. 5, ch. 1981, 1874; s. 2, ch. 3888, 1889; RS 1592, 1596; GS 2056, 2060; RGS 3347, 3351; CGL 5200, 5204; s. 1, ch. 19174, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 2877(115); s. 1, ch. 21960, 1943; s. 1, ch. 28152, 1953; s. 1, ch. 65-430; s. 1, ch. 72-397; s. 16, ch. 73-333; s. 2, ch. 77-284; s. 2, ch. 78-367; s. 13, ch. 79-400; s. 25, ch. 81-259; s. 3, ch. 87-145; s. 5, ch. 91-152; s. 1, ch. 93-268; s. 2, ch. 96-209; s. 5, ch. 2001-122; s. 29, ch. 2003-402; s. 2, ch. 2004-5; s. 17, ch. 2004-265; s. 7, ch. 2008-111; s. 4, ch. 2009-61; s. 7, ch. 2019-58; s. 2, ch. 2023-284.
Note.—Former s. 36.17.
28.2402 Cost recovery; use of the circuit court for ordinance or special law violations.—
(1)(a) In lieu of payment of a filing fee under s. 28.241, a filing fee of $10 shall be paid by a county or municipality when filing a county or municipal ordinance violation or violation of a special law in circuit court. This fee shall be paid to the clerk of the court for performing court-related functions. A county or municipality is not required to pay more than one filing fee for a single filing against a single defendant that contains multiple alleged violations. A filing fee, other than that imposed under this section, may not be assessed for initiating an enforcement proceeding in circuit court for a violation of a county or municipal code or ordinance or a violation of a special law. The filing fee shall not apply to instances in which a county or municipality has contracted with the state, or has been delegated by the state, responsibility for enforcing state operations, policies, or requirements under s. 125.69, s. 166.0415, or chapter 162.
(b) No other filing fee may be assessed for filing the violation in circuit court. If a person contests the violation in court, the court shall assess $40 in costs against the nonprevailing party. The county or municipality shall be considered the prevailing party when there is a finding of violation to any count or lesser included offense of the charge. Costs recovered pursuant to this paragraph shall be deposited into the clerk’s fine and forfeiture fund established pursuant to s. 142.01.
(2) To offset costs incurred by the clerks of the court in performing court-related functions associated with the processing of violations of special laws and municipal ordinances, 10 percent of the total amount of fines paid to each municipality for special law or ordinance violations filed in circuit court shall be retained by the clerk of the court for deposit into the clerk’s fine and forfeiture fund established pursuant to s. 142.01, except for fines a portion of which the clerk of the court retains pursuant to any other provision of state law. A municipality does not include the unincorporated areas, if any, of a government created pursuant to s. 6(e), Art. VIII of the State Constitution.
28.2405 Comprehensive Case Information System.—All clerks of the circuit court shall participate in the Comprehensive Case Information System of the Florida Association of Court Clerks and Comptrollers, Inc., and shall submit electronic case data to the system based on the case types designated by the Supreme Court.
28.241 Filing fees for trial and appellate proceedings.—
(1) Filing fees are due at the time a party files a pleading to initiate a proceeding or files a pleading for relief. Reopen fees are due at the time a party files a pleading to reopen a proceeding if at least 90 days have elapsed since the filing of a final order or final judgment with the clerk. If a fee is not paid upon the filing of the pleading as required under this section, the clerk shall pursue collection of the fee pursuant to s. 28.246.
(a)1.a. Except as provided in sub-subparagraph b. and subparagraph 2., the party instituting any civil action, suit, or proceeding in the circuit court shall pay to the clerk of that court a filing fee of up to $395 in all cases in which there are not more than five defendants and an additional filing fee of up to $2.50, from which the clerk shall remit $0.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, for each defendant in excess of five. Of the first $200 in filing fees, $195 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund, $4 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services and used to fund the contract with the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation created in s. 28.35, and $1 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services to fund audits of individual clerks’ court-related expenditures conducted by the Department of Financial Services.
b. The party instituting any civil action, suit, or proceeding in the circuit court under chapter 39, chapter 61, chapter 741, chapter 742, chapter 747, chapter 752, or chapter 753 shall pay to the clerk of that court a filing fee of up to $295 in all cases in which there are not more than five defendants and an additional filing fee of up to $2.50 for each defendant in excess of five. Of the first $100 in filing fees, $95 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund, $4 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services and used to fund the contract with the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation created in s. 28.35, and $1 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services to fund audits of individual clerks’ court-related expenditures conducted by the Department of Financial Services.
c. An additional filing fee of $4 shall be paid to the clerk. The clerk shall remit $3.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Court Education Trust Fund and shall remit 50 cents to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services to fund clerk education provided by the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation. An additional filing fee of up to $18 shall be paid by the party seeking each severance that is granted, from which the clerk shall remit $3 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund. The clerk may impose an additional filing fee of up to $85, from which the clerk shall remit $10 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, for all proceedings of garnishment, attachment, replevin, and distress. Postal charges incurred by the clerk of the circuit court in making service by certified or registered mail on defendants or other parties shall be paid by the party at whose instance service is made. Additional fees, charges, or costs may not be added to the filing fees imposed under this section, except as authorized in this section or by general law.
2.a. Notwithstanding the fees prescribed in subparagraph 1., a party instituting a civil action in circuit court relating to real property or mortgage foreclosure shall pay a graduated filing fee based on the value of the claim.
b. A party shall estimate in writing the amount in controversy of the claim upon filing the action. For purposes of this subparagraph, the value of a mortgage foreclosure action is based upon the principal due on the note secured by the mortgage, plus interest owed on the note and any moneys advanced by the lender for property taxes, insurance, and other advances secured by the mortgage, at the time of filing the foreclosure. The value shall also include the value of any tax certificates related to the property. In stating the value of a mortgage foreclosure claim, a party shall declare in writing the total value of the claim, as well as the individual elements of the value as prescribed in this sub-subparagraph.
c. In its order providing for the final disposition of the matter, the court shall identify the actual value of the claim. The clerk shall adjust the filing fee if there is a difference between the estimated amount in controversy and the actual value of the claim and collect any additional filing fee owed or provide a refund of excess filing fee paid.
d. The party shall pay a filing fee of:
(I) Three hundred and ninety-five dollars in all cases in which the value of the claim is $50,000 or less and in which there are not more than five defendants. The party shall pay an additional filing fee of up to $2.50 for each defendant in excess of five. Of the first $200 in filing fees, $195 must be remitted by the clerk to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, $4 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services and used to fund the contract with the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation created in s. 28.35, and $1 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services to fund audits of individual clerks’ court-related expenditures conducted by the Department of Financial Services;
(II) Nine hundred dollars in all cases in which the value of the claim is more than $50,000 but less than $250,000 and in which there are not more than five defendants. The party shall pay an additional filing fee of up to $2.50 for each defendant in excess of five. Of the first $355 in filing fees, $350 must be remitted by the clerk to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, $4 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services and used to fund the contract with the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation created in s. 28.35, and $1 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services to fund audits of individual clerks’ court-related expenditures conducted by the Department of Financial Services; or
(III) One thousand nine hundred dollars in all cases in which the value of the claim is $250,000 or more and in which there are not more than five defendants. The party shall pay an additional filing fee of up to $2.50 for each defendant in excess of five. Of the first $1,705 in filing fees, $930 must be remitted by the clerk to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, $770 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund, $4 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services to fund the contract with the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation created in s. 28.35, and $1 must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services to fund audits of individual clerks’ court-related expenditures conducted by the Department of Financial Services.
e. An additional filing fee of $4 shall be paid to the clerk. The clerk shall remit $3.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Court Education Trust Fund and shall remit 50 cents to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Administrative Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services to fund clerk education provided by the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation. An additional filing fee of up to $18 shall be paid by the party seeking each severance that is granted. The clerk may impose an additional filing fee of up to $85 for all proceedings of garnishment, attachment, replevin, and distress. Postal charges incurred by the clerk of the circuit court in making service by certified or registered mail on defendants or other parties shall be paid by the party at whose instance service is made. Additional fees, charges, or costs may not be added to the filing fees imposed under this section, except as authorized in this section or by general law.
(b) A party reopening any civil action, suit, or proceeding in the circuit court shall pay to the clerk of court a filing fee set by the clerk in an amount not to exceed $50. For purposes of this section, a case is reopened after all appeals have been exhausted or time to file an appeal from a final order or final judgment has expired. A reopen fee may be assessed by the clerk for any motion filed by any party at least 90 days after a final order or final judgment has been filed with the clerk in the initial case. A reservation of jurisdiction by a court does not cause a case to remain open for purposes of this section or exempt a party from paying a reopen fee. A party is exempt from paying the fee for any of the following:
1. A writ of garnishment;
2. A writ of replevin;
3. A distress writ;
4. A writ of attachment;
5. A motion for rehearing filed within 10 days;
6. A motion for attorney’s fees filed within 30 days after entry of a judgment or final order;
7. A motion for dismissal filed after a mediation agreement has been filed;
8. A disposition of personal property without administration;
9. Any probate case prior to the discharge of a personal representative;
10. Any guardianship pleading prior to discharge;
11. Any mental health pleading;
12. Motions to withdraw by attorneys;
13. Motions exclusively for the enforcement of child support orders;
14. A petition for credit of child support;
15. A Notice of Intent to Relocate and any order issuing as a result of an uncontested relocation;
16. Stipulations and motions to enforce stipulations;
17. Responsive pleadings;
18. Cases in which there is no initial filing fee; or
19. Motions for contempt.
(c)1. A party in addition to a party described in sub-subparagraph (a)1.a. who files a pleading in an original civil action in circuit court for affirmative relief by cross-claim, counterclaim, counterpetition, or third-party complaint shall pay the clerk of court a fee of $395. A party in addition to a party described in sub-subparagraph (a)1.b. who files a pleading in an original civil action in circuit court for affirmative relief by cross-claim, counterclaim, counterpetition, or third-party complaint shall pay the clerk of court a fee of $295. The clerk shall deposit the fee into the fine and forfeiture fund established pursuant to s. 142.01.
2. A party in addition to a party described in subparagraph (a)2. who files a pleading in an original civil action in circuit court for affirmative relief by cross-claim, counterclaim, counterpetition, or third-party complaint shall pay the clerk of court a graduated fee of:
a. Three hundred and ninety-five dollars in all cases in which the value of the pleading is $50,000 or less;
b. Nine hundred dollars in all cases in which the value of the pleading is more than $50,000 but less than $250,000; or
c. One thousand nine hundred dollars in all cases in which the value of the pleading is $250,000 or more.
The clerk shall deposit the fees collected under this subparagraph into the fine and forfeiture fund established pursuant to s. 142.01.
(d) The clerk of court shall collect a service charge of $10 for issuing an original, a certified copy, or an electronic certified copy of a summons, which the clerk shall deposit into the fine and forfeiture fund established pursuant to s. 142.01. The clerk shall assess the fee against the party seeking to have the summons issued.
(2) Upon the institution of any appellate proceeding from any lower court to the circuit court of any such county, including appeals filed by a county or municipality as provided in s. 34.041(5), or from the county or circuit court to an appellate court of the state, the clerk shall charge and collect from the party or parties instituting such appellate proceedings a filing fee, as follows:
(a) For filing a notice of appeal from the county court to the circuit court, a filing fee not to exceed $280.
(b) For filing a notice of appeal from the county or circuit court to the district court of appeal or to the Supreme Court, in addition to the filing fee required under s. 25.241 or s. 35.22, a filing fee not to exceed $100, of which the clerk shall remit $20 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund. If the party is determined to be indigent, the clerk shall defer payment of the fee otherwise required by this subsection.
(3) A filing fee may not be imposed upon a party for responding by pleading, motion, or other paper to a civil or criminal action, suit, proceeding, or appeal in a circuit court.
(4) The fees prescribed in this section do not include the service charges required by law for the clerk as provided in s. 28.24 or by other sections of the Florida Statutes. Filing fees authorized by this section may not be added to any civil penalty imposed by chapter 316 or chapter 318.
(5) Filing fees for the institution or reopening of any civil action, suit, or proceeding in county court shall be charged and collected as provided in s. 34.041.
(6) From each attorney appearing pro hac vice, the clerk of the circuit court shall collect a fee of $100. The clerk must remit the fee to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund.
(7) Nothing in this section authorizes the assessment of a filing fee if the assessment is otherwise prohibited by law.
28.242 Service charges retained when case laid in wrong venue.—The service charge paid by law to the clerk or judge of the court wherein a case is laid in the wrong venue shall be retained by him or her on the transfer thereof. The charge received by the clerk or judge upon the filing of the case is earned as of the time of filing, and another service charge shall be required of the person filing the action in another venue in accordance with the statutes applicable in the county or district to which transferred. If the service charge is not paid within 30 days from transfer, the action may be dismissed without prejudice.
(1) A check received by the office of a clerk of a court or comptroller which is tendered to him or her in payment for any services, collection of fines and forfeitures, sale of documentary stamps, recording of documents and instruments, collection of legal fees, or any other duties relating to his or her office and which is returned by the bank upon which the check is drawn shall be the personal liability of the clerk or comptroller unless the clerk or comptroller, after due diligence to collect the returned check, forwards the returned check to the state attorney of the circuit where the check was drawn for prosecution.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1), the office of a clerk of a court or comptroller may accept personal checks drawn on any bank or similar financial institution in the United States for the payment of traffic fines and related court costs, and the clerk or comptroller shall not incur any personal liability for the acceptance of such checks. Any such check received by the office of a clerk of a court or comptroller which is returned by the bank upon which the check is drawn may be forwarded to the state attorney of the circuit where the check was presented for prosecution. The clerk or comptroller shall not be subject to the provisions of s. 832.07(2).
28.244 Refunds.—A clerk of the circuit court or a filing officer of another office where records are filed who receives payment for services provided and thereafter determines that an overpayment has occurred shall refund to the person who made the payment the amount of any overpayment that exceeds $10. If the amount of the overpayment is $10 or less, the clerk of the circuit court or a filing officer of another office where records are filed is not required to refund the amount of the overpayment unless the person who made the overpayment makes a written request.
28.245 Transmittal of funds to Department of Revenue; uniform remittance form required.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all moneys collected by the clerks of the court as part of the clerk’s court-related functions for subsequent distribution to any state entity must be transmitted electronically, by the 10th day of the month immediately after the month in which the moneys are collected, to the Department of Revenue for appropriate distribution. A uniform remittance form provided by the Department of Revenue detailing the specific amounts due each fund must accompany such submittal. All moneys collected by the clerks of court for remittance to any entity must be distributed pursuant to the law in effect at the time of collection.
(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, a monetary assessment mandated by statute shall be imposed and included in the judgment without regard to whether the assessment is announced in open court.
(b) When an assessment mandated by statute prescribes a minimum assessment and a maximum assessment, or prescribes solely a minimum assessment, the minimum assessment is presumed and shall be imposed and included in the judgment, unless the court specifies a greater amount.
(2) As used in this section, the term “monetary assessment” or “assessment” includes, but is not limited to, a fine or other monetary penalty, fee, service charge, or cost.
28.246 Payment of court-related fines or other monetary penalties, fees, charges, and costs; partial payments; distribution of funds.—
(1) The clerk of the circuit court shall report the following information to the Legislature and the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation on a form, and using guidelines developed by the clerks of court, through their association and in consultation with the Office of the State Courts Administrator:
(a) The total amount of mandatory fees, service charges, and costs assessed; the total amount underassessed, if any, which is the amount less than the minimum amount required by law to be assessed; and the total amount collected.
(b) The total amount of discretionary fees, service charges, and costs assessed and the total amount collected.
(c) The total amount of mandatory fines and other monetary penalties assessed; the total amount underassessed, if any, which is the amount less than the minimum amount required by law to be assessed; and the total amount collected.
(d) The total amount of discretionary fines and other monetary penalties assessed and the total amount collected.
The clerk, in reporting to the Legislature and corporation, shall separately identify the monetary amount assessed and subsequently discharged or converted to community service, to a judgment or lien, or to time served. The form developed by the clerks shall include separate entries for recording the amount discharged and the amount converted. If a court waives, suspends, or reduces an assessment as authorized by law, the portion waived, suspended, or reduced may not be deemed assessed or underassessed for purposes of the reporting requirements of this section. The clerk also shall report a collection rate for mandatory and discretionary assessments. In calculating the rate, the clerk shall deduct amounts discharged or converted from the amount assessed. The clerk shall submit the report on an annual basis 90 days after the end of the county fiscal year. The clerks and the courts shall develop by October 1, 2012, the form and guidelines to govern the accurate and consistent reporting statewide of assessments as provided in this section. The clerk shall use the new reporting form and guidelines in submitting the report for the county fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, and for each year thereafter.
(2) The clerk of the circuit court shall establish and maintain a system of accounts receivable for court-related fees, charges, and costs.
(3) Court costs, fines, and other dispositional assessments shall be enforced by order of the courts, collected by the clerks of the circuit and county courts, and disbursed in accordance with authorizations and procedures as established by general law.
(4)(a) Each clerk of the circuit court shall accept partial payments for each case type for court-related fees, service charges, court costs, and fines in accordance with the terms of an established payment plan developed by the clerk.
(b) An individual seeking to defer payment of fees, service charges, court costs, or fines imposed by operation of law or order of the court under any provision of general law shall apply to the clerk for enrollment in a payment plan. The clerk shall enter into a payment plan with an individual who the court determines is indigent for costs. It is the responsibility of an individual who is released from incarceration and has outstanding court obligations to contact the clerk within 30 days after release to pay fees, service charges, court costs, and fines in full, or to apply for enrollment in a payment plan.
1. A monthly payment amount, calculated based upon all fees and all anticipated fees, service charges, court costs, and fines, is presumed to correspond to the person’s ability to pay if the amount does not exceed the greater of:
a. Two percent of the person’s annual net income, as defined in s. 27.52(1), divided by 12; or
b. Twenty-five dollars.
2. Any amount required by the clerk as down payment to initially establish a payment plan shall be the lesser of 10 percent of the total amount owed or $100. The amount does not include the imposition of a service charge pursuant to s. 28.24(27)(b) or (c). The clerk shall establish all terms of a payment plan, and the court may review the reasonableness of the payment plan.
(5) When receiving partial payment of fees, service charges, court costs, and fines, clerks shall distribute funds according to the following order of priority:
(a) That portion of fees, service charges, court costs, and fines to be remitted to the state for deposit into the General Revenue Fund.
(b) That portion of fees, service charges, court costs, and fines required to be retained by the clerk of the court or deposited into the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund within the Department of Revenue.
(c) That portion of fees, service charges, court costs, and fines payable to state trust funds, allocated on a pro rata basis among the various authorized funds if the total collection amount is insufficient to fully fund all such funds as provided by law.
(d) That portion of fees, service charges, court costs, and fines payable to counties, municipalities, or other local entities, allocated on a pro rata basis among the various authorized recipients if the total collection amount is insufficient to fully fund all such recipients as provided by law.
To offset processing costs, clerks may impose either a per-month service charge pursuant to s. 28.24(27)(b) or a one-time administrative processing service charge at the inception of the payment plan pursuant to s. 28.24(27)(c).
(6) A clerk of court shall pursue the collection of any fees, service charges, fines, court costs, and liens for the payment of attorney fees and costs pursuant to s. 938.29 which remain unpaid after 90 days by referring the account to a private attorney who is a member in good standing of The Florida Bar or collection agent who is registered and in good standing pursuant to chapter 559. In pursuing the collection of such unpaid financial obligations through a private attorney or collection agent, the clerk of the court must have attempted to collect the unpaid amount through a collection court, collections docket, or other collections process, if any, established by the court, find this to be cost-effective and follow any applicable procurement practices. The collection fee, including any reasonable attorney’s fee, paid to any attorney or collection agent retained by the clerk may be added to the balance owed in an amount not to exceed 40 percent of the amount owed at the time the account is referred to the attorney or agent for collection. The clerk shall give the private attorney or collection agent the application for the appointment of court-appointed counsel regardless of whether the court file is otherwise confidential from disclosure.
28.29 Recording of orders and judgments.—Orders of dismissal and final judgments of the courts in civil actions, including final judgments for injunctions for protection as provided in chapters 741 and 784, must be recorded in official records. Other orders must be recorded only on written direction of the court. The direction may be by incorporation in the order of the words “To be recorded in official records” or words to that effect. Failure to record an order or judgment does not affect its validity. The certified copy of a judgment, required under s. 55.10 to become a lien on real property, shall be recorded only when presented for recording with the statutory service charge.
History.—ss. 1-3, ch. 23825, 1947; s. 3, ch. 71-4; s. 2, ch. 72-320; s. 3, ch. 2021-231.
(1) The purpose of this section and s. 28.31 is to make available for the use of the clerks of the circuit court of the several counties of the state sufficient space to enable them to efficiently administer the affairs of office.
(2) The clerk of the circuit court of each county of the state is authorized to destroy and dispose of public records pursuant to the rules adopted by the Division of Library and Information Services of the Department of State pursuant to s. 257.36.
(3) Each clerk of the circuit court is authorized to photograph, microphotograph, or reproduce on film, or to maintain in an electronic recordkeeping system, any public record that the clerk may select. Such photographs, microphotographs, or other reproductions on film or reproductions from an electronic recordkeeping system shall be admissible in evidence with the same force and effect as the originals. Duly certified or authenticated reproductions of such photographs, microphotographs, reproductions on film, or reproductions from an electronic recordkeeping system shall be admitted in evidence equally with the original photographs, microphotographs, reproductions on film, or reproductions from an electronic recordkeeping system.
(4) The clerk of the circuit court shall follow procedures for electronic recordkeeping in accordance with rules adopted by the Division of Library and Information Services of the Department of State.
(5) Except when otherwise provided by law or applicable rule, a document that is submitted to the clerk of the circuit court by electronic transmission is deemed filed when the document is received and the date and time are acknowledged by the clerk, as opposed to the date and time of transmission. The clerk is not liable for malfunctions or errors occurring in the transmission of documents for filing by electronic means.
History.—ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, ch. 25433, 1949; s. 8, ch. 69-82; s. 6, ch. 94-348.
28.31 Notice to county commissioners of intent to destroy; approval of board.—The clerk of the circuit court shall notify the board of county commissioners of the clerk’s county in writing a reasonable time in advance of his or her intention to destroy such records and if for any reason the board of county commissioners of such county shall request the clerk to withhold destruction of such records the clerk shall refrain until such time as he or she obtains approval of such board.
History.—s. 5, ch. 25433, 1949; s. 165, ch. 95-147.
28.32 Destruction of certain instruments.—After the expiration of 20 years from the date of the execution of any bond or other instrument held by the clerk of the circuit court or a sheriff of any of the several counties of the state, which said instrument was executed to secure the performance or nonperformance of any act or matter and no proceeding of any type is pending involving said instrument any of the several clerks of the circuit courts or sheriffs of the state are hereby authorized, empowered and directed to cancel said instruments and to destroy the same upon making appropriate notation of the destruction and disposition thereof upon any remaining records pertaining thereto.
History.—s. 1, ch. 25502, 1949.
28.33 Investment of county funds by the clerk of the circuit court.—The clerk of the circuit court in each county shall invest county funds in excess of those required to meet expenses as provided in s. 218.415. No clerk investing such funds shall be liable for the loss of any interest when circumstances require the withdrawal of funds placed in a time deposit and needed for immediate payment of county obligations. Except for interest earned on moneys deposited in the registry of the court, all interest accruing from moneys deposited shall be deemed income of the county and may be expended as receipts of the county as approved by the board of county commissioners pursuant to chapter 129. The clerk may invest moneys deposited in the registry of the court and shall retain as income of the office of the clerk and as a reasonable investment management fee 10 percent of the interest accruing on those funds with the balance of such interest being allocated in accordance with the interest of the depositors.
28.34 Salary discrimination based on gender or race; review within the county and circuit courts.—Each clerk of the court shall undertake an annual review of compensation, race, and gender employment policies for all persons employed or appointed by the clerk. Within the context of comparable positions, skills, experience, and responsibility, any inequities found to exist on the basis of gender or race shall be eliminated.
28.345 State access to records; exemption from court-related fees and charges.—
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the clerk of the circuit court shall, upon request, provide access to public records without charge to the state attorney, public defender, guardian ad litem, public guardian, attorney ad litem, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, and private court-appointed counsel paid by the state, and to authorized staff acting on their behalf. The clerk of court may provide the requested public record in an electronic format in lieu of a paper format if the requesting entity is capable of accessing such public record electronically.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or law to the contrary, judges and those court staff acting on behalf of judges, state attorneys, guardians ad litem, public guardians, attorneys ad litem, court-appointed private counsel, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, public defenders, and state agencies, while acting in their official capacity, are exempt from all court-related fees and charges assessed by the clerks of the circuit courts.
(3) The exemptions from fees or charges provided in this section apply only to entities listed in subsections (1) and (2), state agencies and state entities, and the party represented by the agency or entity.
28.35 Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation.—
(1)(a) The Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation is created as a public corporation organized to perform the functions specified in this section and s. 28.36. All clerks of the circuit court shall be members of the corporation and hold their position and authority in an ex officio capacity. The functions assigned to the corporation shall be performed by an executive council pursuant to the plan of operation approved by the members.
(b)1. The executive council shall be composed of eight clerks of the court elected by the clerks of the courts for a term of 2 years, with two clerks from counties with a population of fewer than 100,000, two clerks from counties with a population of at least 100,000 but fewer than 500,000, two clerks from counties with a population of at least 500,000 but fewer than 1 million, and two clerks from counties with a population of 1 million or more. The executive council shall also include, as ex officio members, a designee of the President of the Senate and a designee of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall designate one additional member to represent the state courts system.
2. Members of the executive council of the corporation are subject to ss. 112.313(1)-(8), (10), (12), and (15); 112.3135; and 112.3143(2). For purposes of applying ss. 112.313(1)-(8), (10), (12), and (15); 112.3135; and 112.3143(2) to activities of executive council members, members shall be considered public officers and the corporation shall be considered the members’ agency.
(c) The corporation shall be considered a political subdivision of the state and shall be exempt from the corporate income tax. The corporation is not subject to chapter 120.
(d) The functions assigned to the corporation under this section and ss. 28.36 and 28.37 are considered to be for a valid public purpose.
(2) The duties of the corporation shall include the following:
(a) Adopting a plan of operation including a detailed budget for the corporation.
(b) Conducting the election of an executive council as required in paragraph (1)(b).
(c)1. Recommending to the Legislature changes in the amounts and distribution of the various court-related fines, fees, service charges, and costs established by law to ensure reasonable and adequate funding of the clerks of the court in the performance of their court-related functions.
2. If the number of judges under s. 26.031 or s. 34.022 is increased, the corporation shall:
a. Develop a formula to be used to estimate the total cost associated with clerk support for circuit and county judges statewide.
b. Make a recommendation for consideration by the Legislature on any need for additional funding using the formula approved in sub-subparagraph a.
(d) Developing and certifying a uniform system of workload measures and applicable workload standards for court-related functions as developed by the corporation and clerk workload performance in meeting the workload performance standards. These workload measures and workload performance standards shall be designed to facilitate an objective determination of the performance of each clerk in accordance with minimum standards for fiscal management, operational efficiency, and effective collection of fines, fees, service charges, and court costs. The corporation shall develop the workload measures and workload performance standards in consultation with the Legislature. When the corporation finds a clerk has not met the workload performance standards, the corporation shall identify the nature of each deficiency and any corrective action recommended and taken by the affected clerk of the court. For quarterly periods ending on the last day of March, June, September, and December of each year, the corporation shall notify the Legislature of any clerk not meeting workload performance standards and provide a copy of any corrective action plans. Such notifications must be submitted no later than 45 days after the end of the preceding quarterly period. As used in this subsection, the term:
1. “Workload measures” means the measurement of the activities and frequency of the work required for the clerk to adequately perform the court-related duties of the office as defined by the membership of the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation.
2. “Workload performance standards” means the standards developed to measure the timeliness and effectiveness of the activities that are accomplished by the clerk in the performance of the court-related duties of the office as defined by the membership of the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation.
(e) Entering into a contract with the Department of Financial Services for the department to audit the court-related expenditures of individual clerks pursuant to s. 17.03.
(f) Approving the proposed budgets submitted by clerks of the court pursuant to s. 28.36. The corporation must ensure that the total combined budgets of the clerks of the court do not exceed the total estimated revenues from fees, service charges, court costs, and fines for court-related functions available for court-related expenditures as determined by the most recent Revenue Estimating Conference, plus the total of unspent budgeted funds for court-related functions carried forward by the clerks of the court from the previous county fiscal year, plus the balance of funds remaining in the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund after the transfer of funds to the General Revenue Fund required pursuant to s. 28.37(4)(b), and plus any appropriations for court-related functions. The corporation may amend any individual clerk of the court budget to ensure compliance with this paragraph and must consider performance measures, workload performance standards, workload measures, and expense data before modifying the budget. As part of this process, the corporation shall:
1. Calculate the minimum amount of revenue necessary for each clerk of the court to efficiently perform the list of court-related functions specified in paragraph (3)(a). The corporation shall apply the workload measures appropriate for determining the individual level of review required to fund the clerk’s budget.
2. Prepare a cost comparison of similarly situated clerks of the court, based on county population and numbers of filings, using the standard list of court-related functions specified in paragraph (3)(a).
3. Conduct an annual base budget review and an annual budget exercise examining the total budget of each clerk of the court. The review shall examine revenues from all sources, expenses of court-related functions, and expenses of noncourt-related functions as necessary to determine that court-related revenues are not being used for noncourt-related purposes. The review and exercise shall identify potential targeted budget reductions in the percentage amount provided in Schedule VIII-B of the state’s previous year’s legislative budget instructions, as referenced in s. 216.023(3), or an equivalent schedule or instruction as may be adopted by the Legislature.
4. Identify those proposed budgets containing funding for items not included on the standard list of court-related functions specified in paragraph (3)(a).
5. Identify those clerks projected to have court-related revenues insufficient to fund their anticipated court-related expenditures.
6. Use revenue estimates based on the official estimate for funds from fees, service charges, court costs, and fines for court-related functions accruing to the clerks of the court made by the Revenue Estimating Conference, as well as any unspent budgeted funds for court-related functions carried forward by the clerks of the court from the previous county fiscal year and the balance of funds remaining in the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund after the transfer of funds to the General Revenue Fund required pursuant to s. 28.37(4)(b), plus any appropriations for the purpose of funding court-related functions.
7. Identify pay and benefit increases in any proposed clerk budget, including, but not limited to, cost of living increases, merit increases, and bonuses.
8. Identify increases in anticipated expenditures in any clerk budget that exceeds the current year budget by more than 3 percent.
9. Identify the budget of any clerk which exceeds the average budget of similarly situated clerks by more than 10 percent.
For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “unspent budgeted funds for court-related functions” means undisbursed funds included in the clerks of the courts budgets for court-related functions established pursuant to this section and s. 28.36.
(g) Developing and conducting clerk education programs.
(h) Preparing and submitting a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees by January 1 of each year on the operations and activities of the corporation and detailing the budget development for the clerks of the court and the end-of-year reconciliation of actual expenditures versus projected expenditures for each clerk of court.
(i) Annually preparing a budget request which, notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 216 and in accordance with s. 216.351, provides the anticipated amount necessary for reimbursement pursuant to s. 40.29(6). The request for the anticipated reimbursement amount shall be submitted in the form and manner prescribed by the Justice Administrative Commission. Such request is not subject to change by the Justice Administrative Commission, except for technical changes necessary to conform to the legislative budget instructions, and shall be submitted to the Governor for transmittal to the Legislature.
(3)(a) The list of court-related functions that clerks may fund from filing fees, service charges, court costs, and fines is limited to those functions expressly authorized by law or court rule. Those functions include the following: case maintenance; records management; court preparation and attendance; processing the assignment, reopening, and reassignment of cases; processing of appeals; collection and distribution of fines, fees, service charges, and court costs; processing of bond forfeiture payments; data collection and reporting; determinations of indigent status; improving court technology; and paying reasonable administrative support costs to enable the clerk of the court to carry out these court-related functions.
(b) The list of court-related functions that clerks may not fund from filing fees, service charges, costs, and fines includes:
1. Those functions not specified within paragraph (a).
2. Functions assigned by administrative orders which are not required for the clerk to perform the functions in paragraph (a).
3. Enhanced levels of service which are not required for the clerk to perform the functions in paragraph (a).
4. Functions identified as local requirements in law or local optional programs.
(4) The corporation shall be funded pursuant to a contract with the Chief Financial Officer. Funds shall be provided to the Chief Financial Officer for such purpose as appropriated by general law. Such funds shall be available to the corporation for the performance of the duties and responsibilities set forth in this section. The corporation shall participate in the Florida Retirement System for its eligible employees as provided in chapter 121. The corporation may hire staff and pay other expenses from such funds as necessary to perform the official duties and responsibilities of the corporation as described in this section.
(5) Certified public accountants conducting audits of counties pursuant to s. 218.39 shall report, as part of the audit, whether the clerks of the courts have complied with the requirements of this section and s. 28.36. In addition, each clerk of court shall forward a copy of the financial audit to the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation. The Auditor General shall develop a compliance supplement for the audit of compliance with the budgets and applicable workload performance standards certified by the corporation.
28.36 Budget procedure.—There is established a budget procedure for the court-related functions of the clerks of the court.
(1) Only those functions listed in s. 28.35(3)(a) may be funded from fees, service charges, court costs, and fines retained by the clerks of the court.
(2) Each proposed budget shall further conform to the following requirements:
(a) On or before June 1, the proposed budget shall be prepared, summarized, and submitted by the clerk in each county to the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation in the manner and form prescribed by the corporation. The proposed budget must provide detailed information on the anticipated revenues available and expenditures necessary for the performance of the court-related functions listed in s. 28.35(3)(a) of the clerk’s office for the county fiscal year beginning October 1.
(b) The proposed budget must be balanced such that the total of the estimated revenues available equals or exceeds the total of the anticipated expenditures. Such revenues include revenue projected to be received from fees, service charges, court costs, and fines for court-related functions during the fiscal period covered by the budget, plus the total of unspent budgeted funds for court-related functions carried forward by the clerk of the court from the previous county fiscal year and plus the portion of the balance of funds remaining in the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund after the transfer of funds to the General Revenue Fund required pursuant to s. 28.37(4)(b) which has been allocated to each respective clerk of the court by the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “unspent budgeted funds for court-related functions” means undisbursed funds included in the clerk of the courts’ budget for court related functions established pursuant to s. 28.35 and this section. The anticipated expenditures must be itemized as required by the corporation.
(3)(a) The Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation shall establish and manage a reserve for contingencies within the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund which must consist of an amount not to exceed 16 percent of the total budget authority for the clerks of court during the current county fiscal year, to be carried forward at the end of the fiscal year. Funds to be held in reserve include transfers of cumulative excess, as provided in s. 28.37(4)(b), from the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund and may also include revenues provided by law or moneys appropriated by the Legislature.
(b) The corporation shall provide a reporting of the balance and use of these funds during each county fiscal year as part of the corporation’s annual report submitted under s. 28.35(2)(h).
(c) The corporation may use the reserve to ensure the clerks of court can perform the court-related functions as provided in s. 28.35(3)(a). Moneys in the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund which are held in reserve may be used by the corporation under the following circumstances:
1. To offset a current deficit between the revenue available and the original budget authority. A deficit is deemed to occur when the revenue available to the clerks of court falls below the original revenue projection for that county fiscal year.
2. To provide funding for an emergency, as defined in s. 252.34(4). The emergency must have been declared by the Governor, pursuant to s. 252.36, or otherwise declared by law.
3. To provide funds in the development of the total aggregate budget of the clerks of court to ensure that a minimum continuation budget is met. For purposes of this subparagraph, a minimum continuation budget is the budget approved for the current county fiscal year or some lesser amount adopted by the corporation.
(d) To use the reserve, the corporation must request a budget amendment pursuant to s. 216.292.
(4) If a clerk of the court estimates that available funds plus projected revenues from fines, fees, service charges, and costs for court-related services are insufficient to meet the anticipated expenditures for the standard list of court-related functions in s. 28.35(3)(a) performed by his or her office, the clerk must report the revenue deficit to the corporation in the manner and form prescribed by the corporation. The corporation shall verify that the proposed budget is limited to the standard list of court-related functions in s. 28.35(3)(a). If the corporation verifies that a revenue deficit is projected, the corporation shall certify a revenue deficit and notify the Department of Revenue that the clerk is authorized to retain revenues, in an amount necessary to fully fund the projected revenue deficit, which he or she would otherwise be required to remit to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the department’s Clerks of the Court Trust Fund pursuant to s. 28.37. If a revenue deficit is projected for that clerk after retaining all of the projected collections from the court-related fines, fees, service charges, and costs, the corporation shall certify the amount of the revenue deficit to the Executive Office of the Governor and request release authority for funds from the department’s Clerks of the Court Trust Fund. Notwithstanding s. 216.192 relating to the release of funds, the Executive Office of the Governor may approve the release of funds in accordance with the notice, review, and objection procedures set forth in s. 216.177 and shall provide notice to the Department of Revenue and the Chief Financial Officer. The Department of Revenue shall request monthly distributions from the Chief Financial Officer in equal amounts to each clerk certified to have a revenue deficit, in accordance with the releases approved by the Governor.
(5) The corporation may approve increases or decreases to the previously authorized budgets approved for clerks of the court pursuant to s. 28.35 for court-related functions, if:
(a) The additional budget authority is necessary to pay the cost of performing new or additional functions required by changes in law or court rule; or
(b) The additional budget authority is necessary to pay the cost of supporting increases in the number of judges or magistrates authorized by the Legislature or increases in the use of hearing officers and senior judges assigned by the courts.
28.37 Fines, fees, service charges, and costs remitted to the state.—
(1) Pursuant to s. 14(b), Art. V of the State Constitution, selected salaries, costs, and expenses of the state courts system and court-related functions shall be funded from a portion of the revenues derived from statutory fines, fees, service charges, and court costs collected by the clerks of the court and from adequate and appropriate supplemental funding from state revenues as appropriated by the Legislature.
(2) As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Cumulative excess” means revenues derived from fines, fees, service charges, and court costs collected by the clerks of the court which are greater than the original revenue projection.
(b) “Original revenue projection” means the official estimate, as determined by the Revenue Estimating Conference, of revenues from fines, fees, service charges, and court costs available for court-related functions for the county fiscal year covered by the projection.
(3) The portion of all fines, fees, service charges, and costs collected by the clerks of the court for the previous quarter which is in excess of one-fourth of the clerks’ total budget for the performance of court-related functions must be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund. Such collections do not include funding received for the operation of the Title IV-D child support collections and disbursement program. The clerk of the court shall remit the revenues collected during the previous quarter due to the state on or before the 10th day of the next preceding month immediately following the quarterly calculation.
(4)(a) Each year, no later than January 25, for the previous county fiscal year, the clerks of court, in consultation with the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation, shall remit to the Department of Revenue for deposit in the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund the cumulative excess of all fines, fees, service charges, and court costs retained by the clerks of the court, plus any funds received by the clerks of the court from the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund under s. 28.36(4), which exceed the amount needed to meet their authorized budget amounts established under s. 28.35.
(b) No later than February 1, 2022, and each February 1 thereafter, the Department of Revenue shall transfer 50 percent of the cumulative excess of the original revenue projection from the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund to the General Revenue Fund. The remaining 50 percent in the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund may be used in the development of the total combined budgets of the clerks of the court as provided in s. 28.35(2)(f)6. However, a minimum of 10 percent of the clerk-retained portion of the cumulative excess amount must be held in reserve until such funds reach an amount equal to at least 16 percent of the total budget authority from the current county fiscal year, as provided in s. 28.36(3)(a).
(5) The Department of Revenue shall collect any funds that the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation determines upon investigation were due but not remitted to the Department of Revenue. The corporation shall notify the clerk of the court and the Department of Revenue of the amount due to the Department of Revenue. The clerk of the court shall remit the amount due no later than the 10th day of the month following the month in which notice is provided by the corporation to the clerk of the court.
(6) Ten percent of all court-related fines collected by the clerk, except for penalties or fines distributed to counties or municipalities under s. 316.0083(1)(b)3. or s. 318.18(16)(a), must be deposited into the fine and forfeiture fund to be used exclusively for clerk court-related functions, as provided in s. 28.35(3)(a).
28.42 Manual of filing fees, charges, costs, and fines; payment plan form.—
(1) The clerks of court, through their association and in consultation with the Office of the State Courts Administrator, shall prepare and disseminate a manual of filing fees, service charges, costs, and fines imposed pursuant to state law, for each type of action and offense, and classified as mandatory or discretionary. The manual also shall classify the fee, charge, cost, or fine as court-related revenue or noncourt-related revenue. The clerks, through their association, shall disseminate this manual to the chief judge, state attorney, public defender, and court administrator in each circuit and to the clerk of the court in each county. The clerks, through their association and in consultation with the Office of the State Courts Administrator, shall at a minimum update and disseminate this manual on July 1 of each year.
(2) By October 1, 2021, the clerks of court, through the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation, shall develop a uniform payment plan form for use by persons seeking to establish a payment plan in accordance with s. 28.246(4). The form must inform the person of the minimum payment due each month, the term of the plan, acceptable payment methods, and the circumstances under which a case may be sent to collections for nonpayment.
(3) By January 1, 2022, each clerk of court shall use the uniform payment plan form developed pursuant to subsection (2) when establishing payment plans.
28.44 Clerk discontinuance of court-related functions.—
(1) No function of the clerk of court being performed in support of the trial courts by the individual clerks of court on July 1, 2004, may be discontinued or substantially modified on a unilateral basis except pursuant to this section. A clerk of court may discontinue performing a function performed in support of the trial court only if:
(a) The chief judge of the circuit has consented in writing to the discontinuance or substantial modification of the function performed in support of the trial court; or
(b) The clerk of court has given written notice of the intention to substantially modify or discontinue a function performed in support of the trial court at least 1 year before the effective date of the discontinuance or substantial modification of the function.
(2) “Substantial modification” of a function performed in support of the trial court means a modification which has the effect of reducing the level of services provided to the trial court.
28.45 Provision of financial data to Executive Office of the Governor.—Each clerk of court shall provide financial data concerning his or her expenditures for court-related duties, including expenditures for court-related information technology, to the Executive Office of the Governor for the purposes contained in ch. 2009-74, Laws of Florida, or similar legislation.
28.47 Recording notification service; related services; public records exemption.—
(1) On or before July 1, 2024, each clerk of the circuit court must create, maintain, and operate a free recording notification service which is open to all persons wishing to register for the service. For purposes of this section, the term:
(a) “Land record” means a deed, mortgage, or other document purporting to convey or encumber real property.
(b) “Monitored identity” means a personal or business name or a parcel identification number submitted by a registrant for monitoring under a recording notification service.
(c) “Recording notification” means a notification sent by electronic mail indicating to a registrant that a land record associated with the registrant’s monitored identity has been recorded in the public records of the county.
(d) “Recording notification service” means a service which sends automated recording notifications.
(e) “Registrant” means a person who registers for a recording notification service.
(2) The clerk must ensure that registration for the recording notification service is possible through an electronic registration portal, which portal must:
(a) Be accessible through a direct link on the clerk’s official public website;
(b) Allow a registrant to subscribe to receive recording notifications for at least five monitored identities per valid electronic mail address provided;
(c) Include a method by which a registrant may unsubscribe from the service;
(d) List a phone number at which the clerk’s office may be contacted during normal business hours with questions related to the service; and
(e) Send an automated electronic mail message to a registrant confirming his or her successful registration for or action to unsubscribe from the service, which message must identify each monitored identity for which a subscription was received or canceled.
(3) When a land record is recorded for a monitored identity, a recording notification must be sent within 24 hours after the recording to each registrant who is subscribed to receive recording notifications for that monitored identity. Such notification must contain, at a minimum:
(a) Information identifying the monitored identity for which the land record was filed;
(b) The land record’s recording date;
(c) The official record book and page number or instrument number assigned to the land record by the clerk;
(d) Instructions for electronically searching for and viewing the land record using the assigned official record book and page number or instrument number; and
(e) A phone number at which the clerk’s office may be contacted during normal business hours with questions related to the recording notification.
(4) There is no right or cause of action against, and no civil liability on the part of, the clerk with respect to the creation, maintenance, or operation of a recording notification service as required by this section.
(5)(a) This section does not require the clerk or property appraiser to provide or allow access to a record or information which is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution or to otherwise violate the public records laws of this state.
(b) All electronic mail addresses, telephone numbers, personal and business names, and parcel identification numbers submitted to the clerk or property appraiser for the purpose of registering for a recording notification service or a related service pursuant to this section are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution, except upon court order. This paragraph applies to information held by the clerk or property appraiser before, on, or after May 6, 2024. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2029, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
(6) This section also applies to county property appraisers who have adopted an electronic land record notification service before July 1, 2023.
(a) The property appraiser may use a verification process for persons wishing to register for the electronic land record notification service to ensure the integrity of the process.
(b) For purposes of this subsection only, and notwithstanding paragraph (1)(a) and subsection (3):
1. “Land record” means a deed or other document purporting to convey real property.
2. When a land record is recorded for a monitored identity, the property appraiser must send a recording notification to each registrant who is subscribed to receive recording notifications for that monitored identity within 24 hours after the instrument being reflected on the county tax roll.
