Access Wesley Chapel Public Records
Public records in Wesley Chapel, Florida are held by Pasco County agencies and cover court case filings, property documents, police reports, and other government records open to any person under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. Wesley Chapel is an unincorporated community in Pasco County and is part of the 6th Judicial Circuit. All court records go through the Pasco County Clerk of the Circuit Court, and county-level agencies handle most public records requests for the area.
Wesley Chapel Quick Facts
Pasco County Clerk of Courts
Since Wesley Chapel is an unincorporated community rather than an incorporated city, there is no separate municipal government. All public records for the area go through Pasco County agencies. The Pasco County Clerk of the Circuit Court is the primary custodian for court records and official records in the county. The main clerk's office is at 38053 Live Oak Avenue, Ste 205, Dade City, FL 33523. The main number is (727) 847-8199. Clerk Nikki Alvarez-Sowles, Esq., serves as the Clerk and Comptroller for the 6th Judicial Circuit in Pasco County.
The clerk's website at pascoclerk.com provides online search access for civil, criminal, family, and probate case records. You can search by party name or case number without creating an account. Civil cases cover small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, civil circuit matters, and injunctions. Criminal records include both misdemeanor county court cases and felony circuit court cases filed in Pasco County. Family law records include divorces, custody orders, and domestic violence injunctions. Probate records cover estate cases and guardianship filings.
Wesley Chapel sits in a growing part of Pasco County, and the clerk's office handles a high volume of new case filings as the area's population increases. Court records for cases involving Wesley Chapel residents are filed at the Dade City main office or at a branch clerk location serving the New Port Richey area. The online search system covers all locations within Pasco County.
Copy fees are $0.15 per page for plain copies. Certified copies cost more. Many documents can be viewed online at no cost when they are available in digital form through the portal. Sealed records, juvenile case files, and confidential court documents are not publicly accessible.
Pasco County Public Records
Because Wesley Chapel has no city government, county agencies handle all the records that a city hall would normally maintain. The Pasco County Commission governs unincorporated areas like Wesley Chapel. County records include permits for construction in unincorporated areas, zoning decisions, code enforcement files, county commission meeting minutes, and county contracts. These are all open public records.
Building permits for Wesley Chapel construction projects are issued by Pasco County rather than a city permit office. Any permitted work in the unincorporated Wesley Chapel area has a file in the county system. This is an important distinction for buyers and lenders researching a Wesley Chapel property, as the permits come from the county, not a city. The Pasco County Building and Construction Services department handles these records.
The Pasco County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement for unincorporated Wesley Chapel. Incident reports and public arrest logs from the Sheriff are open records. Active investigation files may have a temporary hold. Contact the Sheriff's records division for current request procedures. Many reports can be requested online or by email, which is typically faster than mailing a written request.
Florida Public Records Rights
Under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, all state, county, and municipal records are open for inspection and copying by any person. This applies to all Pasco County records that cover Wesley Chapel, including Sheriff's office records, county permit files, court records through the Pasco Clerk, and state agency records tied to the area.
You don't need to show ID. No reason is required. Agencies cannot ask you to explain why you want the records before they respond. They must act promptly. For records that are ready immediately, they should be provided right away. For bigger requests, the agency must give you a time estimate when asked. The first 30 minutes of staff time is not billed.
If a request is denied, the agency must cite the specific statutory exemption. Common exemptions include active law enforcement investigation files, some health data, sealed court records, and certain personal financial information. Everything outside those categories is public. If a denial seems improper, the Florida Attorney General's free mediation program at myfloridalegal.com is the fastest way to resolve the dispute.
Florida AG Open Government Page
The screenshot below links to the Florida Attorney General's Open Government page, a key resource for Wesley Chapel residents and Pasco County property owners who want to understand their rights and access records held by county and state agencies.
The page includes FAQs, the free mediation program, and links to the Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual, which is the most comprehensive guide to Florida public records law and applies to every agency serving Wesley Chapel residents.
Property Records in Pasco County
Property records for Wesley Chapel are maintained by the Pasco County Property Appraiser. Search online for free by address, owner name, or parcel number. Results show current ownership, assessed value, lot details, and exemption information. These lookups require no fee or account.
Recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, and other official instruments for Wesley Chapel properties are filed with the Pasco County Clerk of the Circuit Court. Each time a Wesley Chapel property changes hands, a deed is recorded. Each mortgage or lien also gets recorded. Title searches for properties in this part of Pasco County start with the clerk's official records search. The system goes back many years and is accessible online.
Tax bills and payment histories are managed by the Pasco County Tax Collector. Current and prior tax information is searchable online without an office visit. For most property-related records tied to Wesley Chapel, the full search can be done online without any in-person visit.
Vital Records and State Records
Birth and death records for Wesley Chapel area events are filed with the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics under the Florida Department of Health. Certified copies require a request to the state office by mail, in person, or online. The Pasco County Health Department can sometimes assist with local questions about vital records.
Marriage licenses in Pasco County are issued by the Pasco County Clerk of the Circuit Court. Divorce records are part of the circuit court file and searchable through the Pasco Clerk's online portal. Certified copies require a formal request and a fee.
State-level criminal history records are maintained by FDLE, separate from the court records at the Pasco Clerk. If you need a formal criminal history report rather than a specific case record, submit your request through FDLE's public records office.
How to Request Records
Pasco County agency requests can be submitted by phone, in person, by email, or by mail. No form is required. Describe the record clearly: record type, date range, and relevant names or addresses. County departments must respond promptly under Florida law.
For Pasco County Clerk records, use the online search at pascoclerk.com first. Court records and official records are free to view online. Printed copies are $0.15 per page. Certified copies cost more and are needed for legal proceedings. The online portal is the fastest starting point for most Wesley Chapel records searches.
After the first free 30 minutes of staff time, agencies may charge for extensive requests based on employee pay rates. If a denial is received without a valid statutory citation, contact the Florida Attorney General's office at (850) 245-0140 or email PublicRecordsRequest@myfloridalegal.com. The mediation program is free and typically resolves disputes without a court filing.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Wesley Chapel have public records through their own county clerks and city or county offices.
Pasco County Records
Court records and official records for Wesley Chapel are maintained by the Pasco County Clerk of the Circuit Court, the primary custodian for all public records filed in Pasco County.