Escambia County Public Records

Escambia County public records are kept by the county clerk in Pensacola, serving Florida's westernmost county with a population of about 321,000 along the Gulf Coast. The clerk operates a Public Records Center for handling requests, which can be reached at (850) 595-4149 or by email at PublicRecords@EscambiaClerk.com. Under Florida's open records law, all Escambia County government records are presumed public, and anyone can request access without providing a reason.

Escambia County Clerk of Courts

The Escambia County Clerk of Courts in Pensacola is the official custodian of public records for the county. The clerk maintains court records for the 1st Judicial Circuit, which also covers Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton counties. The Escambia Clerk's office handles civil, criminal, family, and probate case files as well as official records like deeds, mortgages, and liens. The clerk's website at escambiaclerk.com is the main online portal for all of these records.

The clerk offers a dedicated Public Records Center for handling public records requests. The center's direct line is (850) 595-4149, and the email address is PublicRecords@EscambiaClerk.com. This is the right contact point for requests that go beyond what is available through the online case search or official records index. Court reporter services are available at (850) 595-4409 for transcript requests.

Escambia County Public Records Center

The Escambia Clerk runs a Public Records Center as a dedicated resource for public records requests. This centralized approach makes it easier for people to know exactly who to contact and where to send a request. The center handles several categories of records, including marriage license copies, court records, Board of County Commissioner records, deeds and mortgages from the official records index, and transcripts of court hearings.

The Escambia County Clerk's main website is the primary gateway for online access to court and official records in Pensacola.

The site provides case search tools, official records access, and information on how to contact the Public Records Center.

For court hearing transcripts, the court reporter division handles requests separately from the general clerk functions. If you need a transcript of a hearing held in Escambia County, call (850) 595-4409. Transcript fees are set by state court rules and differ from the standard copy fees under Chapter 119. The Public Records Center can direct you to the right division if you are not sure which one handles your request.

Florida Public Records Law in Escambia County

Florida's public records law is found in Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. The law applies to every Escambia County agency, including the clerk, the Sheriff's Office, the Board of County Commissioners, the Property Appraiser, and all other offices of county government. The starting point is always the same: records are open unless an exemption applies. You do not need to give a reason or your name to request records.

The Escambia Clerk's Public Records Center page explains the categories of records available and how to submit a request directly to the center.

The page lists the types of records the center handles and provides contact details for the dedicated records team.

Copy fees are capped by state law. For standard administrative records, the per-page charge is up to $0.15 for one-sided copies. Certified copies run $1 per page plus a $5 certification fee. Staff research time is free for the first 30 minutes. After that, the agency may bill at the rate of the lowest-paid staff member who can handle the work. If records need to be withheld because of an exemption, the agency must tell you specifically why. If you disagree, the Florida AG's mediation line is (850) 245-0140. More help is at the FL AG open government page.

Court Records in Escambia County

Escambia County court records cover all cases filed in the 1st Judicial Circuit at the Pensacola courthouse. The circuit court handles felony criminal cases, civil suits above the county court threshold, family law matters including divorce and child custody, and probate proceedings. County court handles misdemeanors, small claims, and minor civil matters. Both levels file with the Escambia County Clerk.

Online case search is available through the clerk's website. You can search by case number, party name, or attorney name. Case status, docket entries, and some documents are available online. For cases that predate the online system or that involve sealed or confidential information, in-person access or a written request may be needed. The Florida Court Clerks directory links to all county clerk portals if you need to check a case filed in another county. Official records across multiple counties can be searched at myFloridaCounty.com.

Escambia County Official Records

Deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and other instruments recorded in Escambia County are part of the official records maintained by the clerk. These records form the legal basis of property ownership and financial obligations in the county. The official records index is searchable by grantor and grantee name, document type, and recording date. You can view many documents directly online or order certified copies from the clerk's office.

Anyone doing a property title search in Escambia County will need to review the official records index for deeds and any encumbrances. If you find that a lien was recorded against a property, you can also search for a satisfaction of that lien using the same system. Certified copies of recorded documents are accepted by courts and other agencies as official evidence of what was recorded.

Vital Records in Escambia County

Birth and death certificates from Escambia County are held by the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics. To order a certified copy, contact the state office directly or use the VitalChek online ordering system. The Escambia County Health Department, reachable at (850) 595-6543, can help with local vital records guidance. The Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics main line is (904) 359-6900 for general inquiries.

Marriage licenses are issued by the Escambia County Clerk and are part of the public record at the county level. Certified copies of marriage licenses issued in Escambia County are available from the Public Records Center. Divorce records are part of the family law court file, also held by the clerk. These are separate from vital records and do not require a request to the state health department.

Criminal Records in Escambia County

Court records for criminal cases in Escambia County are available through the clerk's case search system. These include charging documents, court orders, and sentencing records for cases handled in Pensacola. Arrest records, jail rosters, and booking data are held by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, which operates independently from the clerk.

Both agencies are subject to Chapter 119. Most criminal records are public, though active investigations and certain victim information are exempt. If you need arrest or jail records, contact the Sheriff's Office directly. For court records, contact the clerk or use the Public Records Center. The Florida AG's open government resources provide a guide to working with both types of agencies.

Cities in Escambia County

Pensacola is the county seat and the only city in Escambia County with a dedicated public records page on this site. Other communities such as Cantonment and Pace do not meet the population threshold for their own pages.

Nearby Counties

Escambia County sits in the far western panhandle of Florida, bordering two Florida counties and Alabama.