Citrus County Public Records

Citrus County public records are held by the Clerk of Courts at the county courthouse in Inverness and are open to any person under Florida's Chapter 119 public records law. This guide explains how to search court cases, official recorded instruments, and other county documents in the 5th Judicial Circuit.

Citrus County Clerk of Courts

The Citrus County Clerk of Courts office is located at the Citrus County Courthouse in Inverness. This office serves as the primary public records custodian for court filings, official recorded instruments, and county financial records. Citrus County is part of the 5th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties. Circuit-level appeals and administrative matters involve that broader structure, but local case filings are handled entirely in Inverness.

The Clerk's website at citrusclerk.org provides information on court services, online record search, and the public records request process. The site includes links to case search tools and may provide online access to official recorded documents. Check the site for current hours and any location-specific information before visiting in person.

The image below is from the Citrus County Clerk of Courts official website, which is the starting point for public records access in the county.

The Citrus County Clerk site shown above provides navigation to case searches, official records, and department services for county residents and requesters.

Note: For current contact information including phone numbers and hours, visit the Clerk's website directly or call the courthouse main line in Inverness.

Florida Public Records Law in Citrus County

All records made or received by Citrus County offices in connection with official business are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. This law is broad. It covers court records, official recorded instruments, Sheriff records, county commission files, permits, and most other government documents. The default is access. Agencies must cite a specific exemption to withhold a record.

You do not need to identify yourself to make a request. No reason is needed. Under Section 119.07, the agency must permit inspection at any reasonable time during business hours. They cannot demand that you make an appointment weeks in advance for records that are routinely available. If the records require retrieval from storage or significant staff time, some accommodation in scheduling is reasonable, but basic access should not be delayed without cause.

Section 119.071 lists the exemptions to disclosure. Common exemptions in Citrus County as in other counties include certain law enforcement investigative records, personal medical information, and records related to active criminal intelligence. When a record is withheld for any of these reasons, the agency must tell you which exemption applies. If you disagree with the withholding, the Florida AG mediation program at (850) 245-0140 can help. The AG's Open Government page has full details on filing a complaint.

Citrus County Court Records

Court records in Citrus County cover all cases filed in the 5th Judicial Circuit locally. Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases, civil disputes above the small claims threshold, family law matters, and probate proceedings. County Court covers misdemeanors, traffic cases, small claims, and civil matters below the circuit court threshold. Both sets of records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts.

Online case search is available through the Clerk's website. You can search by party name or case number. Results include case status, filing date, case type, and in many instances links to scanned documents. Florida case numbers follow a consistent format that includes the filing year and case type code. Using a case number always returns faster and more precise results than a name search.

For records that predate the Clerk's online system, physical case files are stored at the courthouse. Staff can retrieve those records, though it may take additional time for older materials in archival storage. The myfloridacounty.com statewide portal is worth checking for official records before submitting a formal request.

Note: Some family law case records are partially restricted to protect sensitive information about children or domestic relations proceedings. The Clerk can advise on what portions of a file are available for public inspection.

Official Records Search in Citrus County

Official records filed with the Citrus County Clerk include real property deeds, mortgages, liens, assignments of mortgage, satisfactions, and other recorded instruments. These form the foundation of the county's land title record. Title researchers, attorneys, and lenders use this index when verifying property ownership or checking for encumbrances before a sale or refinance.

The official records index is searchable through the Clerk's website. Searches can be done by grantor or grantee name, document type, and recording date range. Document images are generally available as PDFs for records that have been digitized. For older instruments, a physical copy may be needed, which requires a request to the Clerk's office.

Fees for certified copies of official records are $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee per instrument. Plain copies cost up to $0.15 per single-sided page. Electronic copies from the online portal may be available at no additional charge when the document is already in digital form.

Citrus County Property and Tax Records

Property records in Citrus County are divided among several offices. The Citrus County Property Appraiser holds appraisal and assessment data for all parcels in the county. This data shows assessed value, ownership as reported to the appraiser's office, and any exemptions such as homestead. The Property Appraiser's data is searchable online and is commonly used to look up property details before making a records request.

The Citrus County Tax Collector maintains tax payment records, delinquent tax information, and certificate sale data. These are separate from the Clerk's official records. If you're researching a property's tax status, the Tax Collector is the right office to contact.

Keep in mind that neither the Property Appraiser nor the Tax Collector holds the actual title instruments. Those are recorded with the Clerk. A full picture of a property's legal status requires checking all three offices.

Citrus County Sheriff Records

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, incident reports, and jail booking information separate from the Clerk of Courts. These records are public under Chapter 119 unless a specific exemption applies. Active criminal investigation records may be withheld under Section 119.071, but case disposition information is generally available once a matter is resolved.

To request Sheriff records, contact the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. Check the Sheriff's website for the current submission process, which may include an online request portal, email, or an in-person records window at the Sheriff's headquarters. Fees for Sheriff records follow the same state-set rates: $0.15 per single-sided page for plain copies.

For general guidance on your rights when requesting records from any Citrus County agency, the First Amendment Foundation provides resources and can assist when agencies are unresponsive or deny requests without proper justification. The Florida Court Clerks directory is also a useful reference if your research spans multiple counties.

Cities in Citrus County

Citrus County has no cities with pages on this site. All residents file requests through the county clerk.

Nearby Counties

These counties share borders with Citrus County and are within the 5th Judicial Circuit or adjacent circuits.