Search Clay County Public Records

Clay County public records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts in Green Cove Springs and are open to any person under Florida's public records law. With roughly 230,000 residents, Clay County is a fast-growing community near Jacksonville, and its Clerk's office handles a substantial volume of court filings, official recorded instruments, and county documents in the 4th Judicial Circuit.

Clay County Clerk of Courts

The Clay County Clerk of Courts is the primary public records custodian for court filings, official recorded instruments, and county financial documents. The Clerk's office is located in Green Cove Springs, the county seat. Clay County is part of the 4th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Duval and Nassau counties. That circuit covers the greater Jacksonville area, and circuit-level administrative matters involve all three counties.

The Clay County Clerk's website at clayclerk.com provides online access to court records and official instruments. The site includes a case search tool and an official records index. Clay County's proximity to Jacksonville means its records volume is higher than many rural counties, and online access tools are more developed as a result. Check the website for current hours and branch office locations if any are available.

The image below is from the Clay County Clerk of Courts website, which serves as the central public records portal for the county.

The Clay County Clerk site shown above provides case search access, official records lookup, and department information for public records requesters.

Note: Green Cove Springs is a small city despite being the county seat. Most of Clay County's population lives in suburban communities closer to the Duval County line.

Clay County Public Records and Florida Law

Every record made or received by Clay County offices in connection with official business is public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. This applies to the Clerk's records, the Sheriff's records, county commission files, building permits, and any other document created by a county office. The law is broad by design. The legislature set openness as the default rule decades ago.

No identification is required to request records. You don't have to say why you want them. Section 119.07 requires that inspection be permitted at any reasonable time during business hours. Agencies cannot impose conditions on access that the law does not authorize. They can charge the statutory fees and they can ask you to schedule a time for large requests, but they cannot deny access without citing a specific exemption from Section 119.071.

If Clay County denies your request without proper justification, the Florida Attorney General's mediation program is available at (850) 245-0140. The AG's Open Government page outlines the complaint process. The First Amendment Foundation also provides guidance and advocacy for requesters whose rights are not being honored.

Searching Clay County Court Records

Clay County court records cover all cases filed in the 4th Judicial Circuit locally. Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases, civil matters above the small claims threshold, family law proceedings including divorce and custody, and probate. County Court covers misdemeanors, traffic offenses, small claims, and civil matters below the circuit threshold.

Online case search is available through the Clerk's website. You can look up cases by party name, case number, or attorney. Florida case numbers include the two-digit year and a case type code, which makes it easy to identify the approximate time a case was filed and the type of matter involved. Name searches return all cases matching the entered name across all case types.

Document images for many recent cases are available through the online portal as PDFs. Some documents are sealed by court order and won't appear even if the case index shows them. For sealed records, you'll need to file a motion in court. Older physical case files may be in archival storage and require additional retrieval time when requested.

The myfloridacounty.com statewide platform provides additional online access to Clay County official records. Using it for initial research before submitting a formal request can help you narrow down exactly which documents you need.

Clay County Official Records

Official records recorded with the Clay County Clerk include real property deeds, mortgages, liens, assignments, satisfactions, and other legal instruments. As Clay County has grown rapidly as a residential community, the volume of recorded property transactions is high. The official records index is searchable online and is updated with new recordings on an ongoing basis.

Title researchers and real estate attorneys use the Clay County official records system frequently. You can search by grantor or grantee name, document type, or recording date. For properties in Clay County, a title search typically covers 30 or more years of recorded instruments. The online portal has images available for recent records. For older instruments, paper or microfilm copies may be needed.

Certified copies of official records cost $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. Plain document copies cost $0.15 per single-sided page or $0.20 per double-sided page. Research fees apply when staff time is needed beyond the first 30 minutes of a complex or broad request.

Note: The Clay County Property Appraiser holds ownership and appraisal data separate from the Clerk's recorded instruments. A full property research project requires checking both offices.

Clay County Sheriff and Other Agency Records

The Clay County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, incident reports, and jail booking information that are public under Chapter 119. Sheriff records are separate from the Clerk's court records. Contact the Clay County Sheriff's Office directly for those documents. The Sheriff may offer an online records request portal or require written requests submitted by mail or in person.

The Clay County Property Appraiser holds appraisal and assessment data for all taxable parcels in the county. That data is public and is typically searchable online through the appraiser's own website. The Tax Collector maintains tax payment records and delinquent tax information. County commission meeting minutes, resolutions, and budget documents are held by the Board of County Commissioners and are also public records.

For records from municipalities within Clay County, contact the appropriate city clerk. City records are not held by the county and must be requested separately. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers directory is useful when a records search involves both Clay County and neighboring counties in the 4th Judicial Circuit or beyond.

Public Records Fees in Clay County

Clay County follows Florida's statutory fee schedule for public records. Plain copies of administrative records cost up to $0.15 per single-sided page or $0.20 per double-sided page. Court records cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies of official instruments add a $5.00 certification fee per document. Electronic copies of already-digitized records may be provided at a lower cost or no additional charge through the online portal.

Research fees apply when a request requires significant staff time. The first 30 minutes are not charged. After that, the county bills at the rate of the lowest-paid employee capable of handling the work. For large or complex requests, ask for a written cost estimate before authorizing the work. That gives you the option to narrow your request if the cost is higher than expected.

Payment methods vary by department. The Clerk's office typically accepts cash, check, money order, and in many cases credit or debit card. Confirm accepted payment methods when you contact the office to submit your request.

Cities in Clay County

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

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clay County and are part of the 4th Judicial Circuit or adjacent circuits.