Alachua County Public Records

Alachua County public records are maintained by the Clerk and Comptroller's office in Gainesville and are open to any person under Florida law. Whether you need court filings, property documents, official records, or administrative files, this guide walks you through every access point the county offers, from online portals to in-person requests at the courthouse.

Alachua County Public Records Law

Florida's public records law, found in Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, sets the ground rules for every county in the state, including Alachua. The law says all state, county, and municipal records are open to the public unless a specific exemption applies. That is the default. You do not need to explain why you want a record. You don't have to give your name. The law puts the burden on the agency to justify keeping something secret, not on you to justify your request.

Alachua County follows this framework closely. The county has a designated Public Records Coordinator, Mileka Glanville, who handles requests that don't go directly through the Clerk's office. Anonymous requests are accepted. You can call, email, or submit in writing. The county cannot require you to identify yourself or state a purpose. If you feel a request was improperly denied, the Florida Attorney General's Office runs a mediation program you can contact at (850) 245-0140. The AG's Open Government page has more detail on your rights.

Agencies are only required to produce records that already exist. They are not required to create new documents, compile data, or generate reports on your behalf.

Note: Requests submitted through the online portal receive a reference number you can use to track progress.

Alachua County Clerk and Comptroller

The primary custodian of Alachua County public records is J.K. "Jess" Irby, Esq., who serves as Clerk and Comptroller. The Clerk's office handles court records, official records (deeds, mortgages, liens), and financial records for the county. It is the largest single source of searchable public documents in Alachua County.

The Clerk's office is open during normal business hours on weekdays. Most record types can be searched online, but some older documents may require an in-person visit. Staff can help you find the right division for your request when you call the main number.

The Alachua County Clerk's website shows current department hours, links to the online records search, and forms for common request types. It is worth checking before you visit in person.

Below is a screenshot from the Alachua County Clerk's official website, showing the main department page where you can navigate to public records, court services, and official record searches.

The page shown above provides direct navigation to court records, official records, and the public records request portal used by the county.

Searching Alachua County Public Records Online

Alachua County offers online search access for many record categories. The Clerk's public records search tool lets you look up court cases, official records such as deeds and liens, and other county documents without visiting the courthouse. The portal is available around the clock and does not require an account for basic searches.

For court records, you can search by party name, case number, or filing date. Civil, criminal, family, and probate cases are all included. Results show case status, filing dates, and in many instances the actual documents as scanned PDFs. Not every older case has been digitized, so if you need records from before the mid-1990s you may have to request paper copies from the archives.

The county also has a separate public records request portal through NextRequest for administrative records held by county departments outside the Clerk's office. That includes records from the Sheriff's office, county commission files, and departmental documents. You can submit requests at the county's online request portal. Requests submitted there go to the appropriate department automatically.

Below you can see the Alachua County public records search page, which provides access to official records and filings maintained by the Clerk and Comptroller.

The search interface shown above allows lookups by name, date range, and document type across the Clerk's official records database.

Note: The myfloridacounty.com portal at myfloridacounty.com also provides access to official records for many Florida counties, including Alachua.

Alachua County Public Records Fees

Florida law sets the base fee structure for public records copies. Court records and official records from the Clerk's office cost $1.00 per page. Administrative records held by county agencies cost $0.15 per single-sided page or $0.20 for double-sided copies. Certified copies of official records include a $5.00 certification fee on top of the per-page cost.

Research fees may apply when a request requires staff time to locate, compile, or redact records. The first 15 minutes of research time are not charged, per county policy. After that, the county bills at the applicable hourly rate for the employee involved. For large or complex requests, it is a good idea to ask for a fee estimate before the work begins. You can pay by cash, credit card, business check, or money order made payable to the Alachua County Sheriff's Office when requesting Sheriff's records specifically.

Victims of certain offenses may receive records from the Sheriff's office at no charge. If you believe you qualify, note that when submitting your request.

Alachua County Sheriff Records

The Alachua County Sheriff's Office maintains its own records division separate from the Clerk's court records. Sheriff records include offense reports, arrest records, jail booking information, and incident logs. These are public records under Chapter 119 unless a specific exemption applies, such as an active investigation.

To request Sheriff records, you can submit through the same NextRequest portal used for county public records requests, or contact the Sheriff's Office directly. The main Sheriff's line is (352) 374-5252. For jail records specifically, call (352) 491-4444. Offense reports have a dedicated line at (352) 367-4006. The Sheriff's Office is located at 2621 SE Hawthorne Road in Gainesville.

Sheriff records fees follow the same structure as other administrative records: $0.15 per single-sided page, $0.20 per double-sided page. The first 15 minutes of staff research time are included at no charge.

Note: You are never required to state a reason for requesting records from the Sheriff's Office. Anonymous requests are accepted.

Public Records Coordinator Contact

For requests directed to county departments other than the Clerk's office, Alachua County has a designated Public Records Coordinator. This person helps route requests to the right department and answers questions about the process.

You can reach the coordinator by phone or email. Anonymous requests made by phone are accepted. If you're not sure which department holds the records you need, the coordinator can help you figure that out before you submit a formal request.

For general information about open government rights in Florida, the First Amendment Foundation provides resources and can assist when requests are improperly denied.

Types of Alachua County Public Records

Alachua County holds a wide range of document types under the public records umbrella. Court records from the 8th Judicial Circuit cover civil, criminal, family law, and probate cases. Official records include deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, liens, and other instruments recorded with the Clerk. Property records tie into the Property Appraiser's office. Tax records are maintained by the Tax Collector. Each office is a separate custodian for its own records.

Other commonly requested record categories in Alachua County include:

• Circuit and County Court civil case filings
• Criminal court records and disposition reports
• Family law cases including domestic relations filings
• Probate and guardianship records
• Recorded land records, deeds, and mortgage documents
• County commission meeting minutes and agendas
• Building permits and inspection records

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers directory can help you locate the right contact when records cross county lines or involve state-level filings.

Note: Some records are exempt from disclosure under Section 119.071 of the Florida Statutes. Common exemptions include certain law enforcement records, medical information, and records related to active criminal investigations.

Cities in Alachua County

Gainesville is the county seat and the only city in Alachua County that meets the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Alachua and each maintains its own public records office and search resources.