Search Bradenton Public Records

Bradenton public records are split between the City of Bradenton and the Manatee County Clerk of Courts, which serves the 12th Judicial Circuit. Court cases, property records, and officially recorded documents tied to Bradenton addresses are maintained by the Manatee County Clerk at manateeclerk.com. City permits, council minutes, and municipal documents come from Bradenton city government. Florida's Chapter 119 opens these records to any person who asks.

Manatee County Clerk of Courts

All court records for Bradenton are filed with the Manatee County Clerk of Courts. The Clerk maintains civil, criminal, family law, and probate case records for the 12th Judicial Circuit. Bradenton is the county seat of Manatee County, so the main courthouse is in the city. The Clerk's website at manateeclerk.com provides online search tools for case records and official documents. You can search case index information at no charge online.

Official recorded documents for Bradenton, including deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, and other instruments, are also found through the Manatee County Clerk. When a document is recorded at the county level, it goes into the official records index maintained by the Clerk. These records are public and can be searched by name, document type, or recording date through the Clerk's online portal.

Physical copies of court documents carry state-set fees. Standard copies are $0.15 per single-sided page. Certified copies include a certification fee on top of the per-page cost. For large or complex requests, staff may charge for their time if compilation takes more than 30 minutes. Many searches online are free and do not require staff time at all.

The Manatee County Clerk website is where Bradenton residents and researchers can search court records, look up property instruments, and submit formal public records requests.

Bradenton City Records

The City of Bradenton maintains records that come from city government operations. These include building permits, code enforcement files, city commission meeting minutes, city ordinances, and contracts. The Bradenton Police Department is also a city agency, so police incident reports and related law enforcement records from city police go through the police department's records division, not the county clerk.

City records requests go to the City Clerk's office or the relevant department. Florida law does not require you to use any specific form or explain why you want the records. Simply describe what you need in enough detail for staff to find it. Responses should come as quickly as reasonable given the type and volume of records requested. You can submit requests by email, in writing, or in person at city hall.

Note: If you are looking for records about a Bradenton address, check both city and county sources, as different types of records are held in different places.

How to Find Bradenton Public Records

For most court and property document searches, start at the Manatee County Clerk's website at manateeclerk.com. The online portal lets you search without calling or visiting the office. If you are not sure which county to search, the statewide tool at myfloridacounty.com lets you search across all Florida counties at once. The Florida Clerks directory at flclerks.com links to every county clerk if you need to expand your search.

State agency records work differently. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement at fdle.state.fl.us handles state criminal history records and FDLE-specific documents. The Florida Department of State at dos.fl.gov covers records from state agencies. These are different from local records and go through separate channels.

The Florida Attorney General's open government section at myfloridalegal.com provides guidance on what to do when an agency denies a request. The AG's office offers free mediation for disputes. You can call (850) 245-0140. The Florida First Amendment Foundation at floridafaf.org is a nonprofit that tracks access issues and can provide guidance on complex situations.

Bradenton Public Records Types

There are several common types of public records people search for in Bradenton. Understanding which agency holds which type of record saves time.

• Court case records (civil, criminal, family, probate): Manatee County Clerk of Courts
• Deeds, mortgages, and liens: Manatee County Clerk of Courts (official records)
• Building permits and zoning records: City of Bradenton
• City council minutes and ordinances: City of Bradenton
• Police incident reports: Bradenton Police Department
• State criminal history: Florida Department of Law Enforcement
• Vital records (birth, death, marriage): Florida Department of Health

For anything not on this list, try the statewide records search at myfloridacounty.com or contact the Manatee County Clerk directly to ask which office holds what you are looking for.

Bradenton Records Contact Information

Nearby Cities

Cities in the Manatee and Sarasota County area share the same Florida records law and have their own local court systems.

Manatee County Records

Public records for Bradenton are maintained by the Manatee County Clerk of Courts. Visit the county page for full details on the clerk's office and search options.