Official Records FAQs

In order to make any changes to a deed, a new document must be prepared and recorded. The Clerk's office does not provide forms or fill them out. When the new document is completed, it is then brought to the Clerk's office to be recorded. Recording a new deed may impact your property tax exemptions. Please visit the Property Appraiser’s website for more information.

Q. How do I remove or add a name to the deed of my property

If the property is owned jointly, a death certificate can be recorded to clear the title. By recording the death certificate, anyone searching the property can see the person is deceased, and the remaining spouse is the sole owner. Per Florida statute, the death certificate cannot show the cause of death, and cannot be altered or covered up.

Q. My husband or wife is deceased. How do I take their name off of the house (deed)

All documents are recorded upon receipt. They must then be indexed, verified and scanned to appear on public records before they are mailed back to the customer. The turn-around time is normally seven to ten days.

Q. How long is it after I bring a document to be recorded before I get it back in the mail

In the State of Florida, a deed to the land is the deed to your house. Anything you build on the property becomes a part of the property. There are not separate deeds to the land and to the house.

Q. I have a deed to my lot, but not my house. How do I get it

Only the owner of the property can sign, per Florida statute. In the case that the owner is a business, an officer of that business can sign.

Q. I am an agent for the owner of the property. Can I sign the Notice of Commencement

Recording deeds must be cash, certified check, money order, or business check (attorney, etc.). No personal checks will be accepted. Make checks payable to: Clerk and Comptroller, St. Lucie County, P.O. Box 700, Ft. Pierce, FL 34954. You must include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of the recorded documents. Anyone may also bring your documents to either the Courthouse.

Q. HHow can I pay for my recordings

Documents can be mailed to the recording department. Always send a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of the recorded documents. Anyone can bring documents to the office to be recorded. It does not have to be you.

Q. Can I mail my documents to the Clerk for recording, or do I have to come in person

For a list of Recording fees, please view the Fees page.

Q. What are the recording fees

Doc stamps for deeds are $.70 per hundred dollars, rounded off to the next nearest hundred. For example, $101.00 consideration for a deed would be based on a $200.00 consideration. The recording fee for a one page deed with a consideration of $101.00, would be $11.40.

Q. How much are doc stamps on a deed

Doc stamps are $.35 per hundred dollars rounded off to the next nearest hundred. Intangible taxes are $ .002 of the actual amount of the mortgage.

Q. How much are doc stamps and intangible tax on a mortgage

• Main Office

  201 South Indian River Drive
  4th Floor Recording Department
  Fort Pierce, FL 34950

• St. Lucie West Annex

  (South County Courthouse)
  250 N.W. Country Club Drive
  Port St. Lucie, FL 34986

Q. Where is the Clerk's office located

Either come in to the office or mail in your request. Be sure to enclose a money order or business check for a fee per page, plus a fee per document for certification if needed, made payable to Clerk and Comptroller, St. Lucie County. Mail your request to:

Clerk and Comptroller, St. Lucie County
Attn: Research Dept.
P.O. Box 700
Fort Pierce, FL 34954
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 772-462-6908

You may also order copies online using the Clerk's office Public Records Request form or on My Florida County's website. 

Q. How can I obtain a copy of a recorded document

Make your request in writing for the number of years along with the parcel I.D. number and a fee per year, payable by money order or business check to:

Clerk and Comptroller, St. Lucie County
Attn: Research Dept.
P.O. Box 700
Fort Pierce, FL 34954

You may also visit www.paslc.org for tax information after the year 1998. 

Q. How can I find out how much I paid in taxes for any given year(s)

No. We do not index by address. If you have only an address, contact the Property Appraiser's Office.

Q. HCan you tell me who owns a property if I give you the address

Yes. If you can provide the name on the document and the year it was recorded.

Q. Can you tell me if something has been recorded

Yes, but our records would show only liens that have been recorded. Not all liens are recorded.

Q. Can you tell me if there are any liens on my property

No. Birth certificates are not recorded. You can obtain a copy of a birth certificate through the Health Dept.

Q. Can I get a copy of a birth certificate from the Clerk's office

You need to know either the subdivision name or the Plat Book and page number of the plat. If it is a multi page plat and you only need a specific lot and block, you need to provide us with that lot and block number.

Q. What information do I need in order to obtain a copy of a plat

• City of Port St. Lucie - Building Permit Procedures and Checklists
• City of Port St. Lucie - Notice of Commencement Form
• City of Fort Pierce - Building Permit Procedures and Checklists
• City of Fort Pierce - Notice of Commencement Form
• St. Lucie County - Building Permit Procedures, Checklists and Notice of Commencement Form

Notice of Commencement Forms

Yes, visit e-recording and choose a vendor www.stlucieclerk.gov/services/erecording.

Q. Can I e-record a Notice of commencement?

Yes, the packets are available for purchase at our office and are $5.00 They are NOT on our website.

Q. Do you sell the paperwork to contest a lien?

You may obtain a copy of an Official Record Book on CD for a fee, plus postage if you want it mailed. 

Q. In what format are Official Record Book's available for purchase

You need to know either the subdivision name or the Plat Book and page number of the plat. If it is a multi page plat and you only need a specific lot and block, you need to provide us with that lot and block number.

Q. What information do I need in order to obtain a copy of a plat

The entire list of recorded plats is available for purchase on multiple CD's. You may purchase any one or the complete set of discs. Currently there is a fee per disc. They are updated quarterly. Until they are updated on CD, the most recent plats are viewable through the online search system. 

Q. In what format are plats available other than paper copies

The images on the Official Record Book and the Plat CD's are tiff files. They should work on any computer that has an image viewing program.

Q. How do I know the Official Record Book CD or the Plat Book CD will work in my computer

You can order plats either by phone or by mail. There is a fee per page, plus postage. Contact the Research Department at 772-462-6930 for ordering instructions. 

Q. How do I order a plat copy if I can't come in to the office

No. We began the switch from filming to scanning in 2004. Now all records are scanned. We have the ability to generate microfilm of any digital image through the use of a Kodak Archive Writer, which has the ability to put digital images on microfilm guaranteed to last 500 years.

Q. Are records still microfilmed