Search Miami Beach Public Records

Miami Beach public records are managed by two separate agencies: the City of Miami Beach and the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts. Which office you contact depends on the type of record you need. City-generated records like building permits, city commission minutes, and municipal contracts come from city departments. Court filings, official property records, and civil and criminal case files are held by the Miami-Dade Clerk. Government records in Miami Beach are open to any person who asks, and you do not need to state a reason for your request.

City of Miami Beach Records

The City of Miami Beach operates its own government and manages records for municipal functions, including city commission meetings, permits, contracts, city budgets, and departmental reports. The city's main offices are at 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139, and the general number is (305) 673-7000. The city's website at miamibeachfl.gov provides access to city documents, commission agendas, and public records request instructions.

The image below shows the City of Miami Beach's official homepage, where you can find links to public records, city services, and government offices.

City commission minutes and many other legislative documents are posted online and are free to view. For city records, the site is your first stop before making a formal request.

Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts

Court records for Miami Beach are part of the Miami-Dade County court system and are maintained by the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts. The Clerk handles civil case filings, criminal case files, family court documents, probate records, and the official recorded documents series, which includes deeds, mortgages, and liens. The Clerk's main website is at miamidadeclerk.gov.

You can search case records for free using the Clerk's online portal. Cases from both the circuit court and county court levels are available. The circuit court handles major civil matters, felony criminal cases, family law, and probate. The county court handles misdemeanors and smaller civil disputes. For Miami Beach residents, both courts may be relevant depending on the type of case or record you are looking for. The Clerk's online case search lets you look up records by party name, case number, or date range.

How to Request Records

Requests to city agencies go to the City of Miami Beach. Requests for court or official recorded documents go to the Miami-Dade Clerk. No special form is required under Florida law. You describe the record you want clearly enough for the agency to find it. You do not have to say who you are or why you want the record.

Standard copy fees are $0.15 per page. Certified copies from the Clerk's office cost more because of the certification stamp. For requests that take more than 30 minutes of staff time to locate and compile, the agency can charge for labor at the rate of the lowest-paid employee who is able to do the work. That first half-hour of work is always free. Large requests, like those seeking many years of records or large files, may take more time and cost more. Being specific about what you need helps.

If your request is denied, the agency must tell you in writing which legal exemption they are relying on. Florida law under Section 119.071 lists exemptions for things like active criminal investigations, certain medical records, and personal identifying details. If you disagree with the denial, you can reach the Florida Attorney General's Office at (850) 245-0140 to request free mediation.

Property and Official Records in Miami Beach

Real property records for Miami Beach are recorded in the Miami-Dade official records series maintained by the Clerk of Courts. Deeds, mortgages, satisfactions of mortgage, and liens on property are all recorded there. The online index is searchable by name or instrument type and goes back many years. You can view document images at no cost. Copies cost the standard per-page fee.

The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser's office maintains separate records on property ownership and assessed values. If you need to look up who owns a property, check assessed value, or see ownership history, the Property Appraiser's database is the right tool. Both offices serve Miami Beach property inquiries.

Types of Records You Can Find

Miami Beach has a wide range of records held across multiple agencies. Knowing where to look makes the process faster. Court case records, both civil and criminal, are at the Miami-Dade Clerk. Building permits, code enforcement records, and zoning decisions are city records at Miami Beach City Hall. Official recorded documents affecting real property are at the Clerk's official records office. Police incident reports are held by the Miami Beach Police Department, though some portions may be exempt from disclosure. City contract records and commission votes are available through the city's records office.

The Florida Association of Court Clerks provides a statewide Clerk directory at flclerks.com. If you ever need records from outside Miami-Dade, that directory points you to the right county.

Florida Public Records Law Overview

Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes is the foundation of open records rights in this state. It covers all government agencies and applies to records in any format, whether paper, electronic, audio, or video. The full text is available at the Florida Legislature's statutes site. Violations of the Public Records Law can result in court orders to produce records and, in some cases, fines and attorney fees paid by the agency.

The Florida Attorney General's office provides guidance for people who have trouble getting records. Their open government page is at myfloridalegal.com/open-government. The AG's mediation service is a practical first step when an agency delays or denies a request without a clear legal basis. Most disputes are resolved quickly through that process.

Other Florida Resources

Beyond the Clerk and the city, several other agencies hold records that may be relevant for Miami Beach. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, known as FDLE, maintains criminal history information. You can access FDLE's records office at fdle.state.fl.us. Criminal history checks through FDLE require a name-based search and a fee. The First Amendment Foundation also provides public records assistance and information at floridafaf.org. They offer guidance on how to write effective records requests and what to do when agencies do not respond promptly.

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities also have public records pages covering their county clerk offices and local request procedures.

Miami-Dade County Records

Court records and official records for Miami Beach are maintained by the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court.