Access Lake Worth Beach Public Records

Lake Worth Beach public records are maintained by the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts and the City of Lake Worth Beach, covering court filings, official property records, city permits, and government documents. The Palm Beach County Clerk at mypalmbeachclerk.com holds court cases, recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, and official instruments for Lake Worth Beach. City records like building permits, commission meeting minutes, and code enforcement files come directly from Lake Worth Beach City Hall. Florida's Chapter 119 public records law opens these files to any person on request.

Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts

The Palm Beach County Clerk, Mike Caruso, CPA, maintains court records and officially recorded documents for Lake Worth Beach as part of the 15th Judicial Circuit. The main office is at 301 N Olive Ave, Ninth Floor, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. Contact the Clerk by phone at (561) 355-2996 or email the public records custodian at publicrecords@mypalmbeachclerk.com. The online portal at mypalmbeachclerk.com provides searchable court records, official record indexes, and access to recorded property documents filed under Lake Worth Beach addresses.

The Palm Beach County Clerk protects and maintains a comprehensive set of records for Lake Worth Beach and the county as a whole. Court records include civil filings, family law cases, probate proceedings, and criminal court documents. Official records include recorded deeds, mortgages, judgment liens, tax deeds, plats, and marriage licenses. The Clerk also maintains genealogy records and county government meeting minutes. Electronic certified copies of many documents are available, which can speed up the process when you need an official document quickly.

The Florida State Library and Archives in Tallahassee holds historical state government records and can support research needs that go beyond what county offices maintain for Lake Worth Beach.

Lake Worth Beach City Records

The City of Lake Worth Beach keeps records from its own government activities. Building permits, inspection records, zoning case files, city commission meeting agendas and minutes, adopted ordinances, and records from city departments fall under the city's custody. City Hall is at 7 North Dixie Hwy, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460. The city clerk's office can point you to the right department for your specific request.

Lake Worth Beach Police Department records, including incident reports and arrest records, are separate from both court records and city hall files. Those requests go to the police department's records unit. Keep in mind that active investigation files may be partially or fully exempt from disclosure, but closed case records are generally available. The department must cite a specific statutory exemption for any portion of a record it withholds.

How Florida's Public Records Law Works

Florida's public records law is grounded in Article I, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes carries out that constitutional right by requiring all state, county, and city agencies to make their records open to inspection and copying by any person. You do not need to give your name. You do not need to explain your purpose. Requests can be verbal or written, submitted in person, by phone, by email, or by mail.

Copy fees under state law are $0.15 per one-sided page, with no more than $0.05 additional for double-sided copies. Certified copies cost $1.00 per page plus $5.00 for the certification statement. Agencies can charge for staff time beyond the first 30 minutes when a request is unusually complex. That time is billed at the rate of the lowest-paid employee who can fulfill the request. For most simple requests, the cost is minimal or nothing at all.

If a request is denied, the agency must provide a written statement citing the specific statute that creates the exemption. Not all records are fully public: some categories like medical information, certain juvenile records, and active criminal intelligence data have statutory exemptions. If you believe a denial was improper, the Florida Attorney General's Mediation Program at (850) 245-0140 provides free assistance. Mediation requires consent from both sides, but it resolves many disputes without going to court.

Additional Resources for Lake Worth Beach Records

State agencies and statewide tools can fill gaps in what local offices hold. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement maintains statewide criminal history records. The Florida Department of State handles requests for its own records, including corporate filings and historical archives. Both agencies process requests by email, phone, or mail.

The MyFloridaCounty.com portal gives statewide access to official records from Florida's county clerk network, including Palm Beach County. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers directory provides direct links to every county clerk in Florida. The First Amendment Foundation publishes the Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual each year and runs a free open government hotline at (850) 222-3518.

Lake Worth Beach Records Contact Information

Nearby Cities

Other cities in Palm Beach County have public records accessible through the same Clerk system and state law.

Palm Beach County Records

Public records for Lake Worth Beach are maintained by the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts. Visit the county page for office details and search resources.