Find Public Records in Boca Raton

Public records in Boca Raton include court filings, property documents, city permits, and official records held by both the City of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County agencies. Florida's Chapter 119 grants any person the right to inspect and copy these records with no requirement to give a name or explain the reason for the request.

Palm Beach County Clerk and Boca Raton

Court records for Boca Raton are maintained by the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts. Boca Raton sits in the 15th Judicial Circuit, which covers all of Palm Beach County. The Clerk handles civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases from across the county. You can search case records online at mypalmbeachclerk.com. The online portal lets you look up cases by party name or case number. Most case data is free to view. Copies of documents carry the standard per-page fee under state law.

The Palm Beach Clerk also manages the county's official records index. Deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, and other recorded instruments are all part of this system. Searching the index is free online. If you need to check for liens on a Boca Raton property or find a recorded deed, the official records search is your first stop.

The Boca Raton city website is the right place to start for city-issued permits and municipal documents. The image below was captured from the City of Boca Raton's official site, which provides contacts for city departments and guidance on submitting records requests.

From the city site, you can navigate to the City Clerk's office, which is the main point of contact for records held by Boca Raton city departments.

City of Boca Raton Records

The City of Boca Raton maintains its own public records for documents generated by city departments. This includes building permits, code enforcement records, city council meeting minutes, contracts, and files from planning, public works, and parks. City hall is at 201 W Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33432. You can call (561) 393-7700 to reach city hall. The city website is at myboca.us.

Records requests to the city can be submitted in person, by phone, by mail, or online if an online portal is available. No formal form is required by state law. A description of the record is enough. If the city needs more detail to locate the record, they can ask. But they cannot demand your name or require you to explain your purpose. The city must respond promptly to all requests.

Fees follow Chapter 119. Standard copies cost $0.15 per page. If a request takes more than 30 minutes of staff time, the city may charge for that extra time at the lowest applicable wage rate. The first 30 minutes are always free. Electronic records are often available at no charge or at the actual cost of the medium used.

Property Records for Boca Raton

Property records for Boca Raton are held at the Palm Beach County level. The Palm Beach Clerk of Courts holds the official records of deeds, mortgages, and liens. The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser holds ownership and assessment data. Both are open to the public and searchable online at no cost. You pay only when you need printed or certified copies.

Boca Raton has a large and active real estate market. Recorded instruments in the official records system go back many years. If you are researching the ownership history of a Boca Raton property, the Clerk's official records index is the right starting point. For current ownership and assessed value, use the Property Appraiser's search tool. You can do both entirely online without visiting any county office.

Court Records in the 15th Circuit

Cases involving Boca Raton residents or properties go through the 15th Judicial Circuit Court in Palm Beach County. The main courthouse is in West Palm Beach. Some matters may also be heard at branch locations within the county. The Clerk's online system at mypalmbeachclerk.com covers all locations and all case types. You can search civil, criminal, family, and probate cases from one portal.

Small claims cases, which handle civil disputes up to the state dollar limit, are also part of the Palm Beach Clerk's system. Landlord-tenant disputes, minor civil suits, and small claims from Boca Raton are searchable the same way. If you need certified copies of any case document for a legal purpose, contact the Clerk's office to order them. The Florida Association of Court Clerks maintains a statewide directory at flclerks.com if you need records from other Florida counties.

Exemptions and the Dispute Process

Not all records are open. Florida's exemptions under Section 119.071 cover a range of materials. Common ones include active criminal investigative records, medical information, some law enforcement details, and personal identifiers like Social Security numbers. If an agency in Boca Raton denies your records request, they must tell you in writing which exemption applies. A refusal without a stated reason is not lawful under Chapter 119.

If you believe a denial is improper, the Florida Attorney General's free mediation program handles these disputes. Call (850) 245-0140. Guidance on Florida's public records law is available at myfloridalegal.com. Most disputes are resolved through mediation without litigation. The First Amendment Foundation at floridafaf.org offers additional help with requests that get stuck.

Vital Records and Police Records

Birth and death certificates are not local records. They come from the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics at the state level. Marriage records and dissolution records are filed with the Palm Beach County Clerk as part of the circuit court system, so they are accessible locally through the Clerk's online search.

Police records from the Boca Raton Police Department may be available under Chapter 119. Contact the department directly for incident reports or arrest records. If an investigation is still active, some details will be withheld under the active investigation exemption in Section 119.071. The department can advise on what records are available and in what form.

Nearby Cities

Other qualifying cities near Boca Raton have public records available through their county clerk offices.

Palm Beach County Records

Court records and official records for Boca Raton are maintained by the Palm Beach County Clerk of Court.