Search Lee County Public Records

Lee County public records are held by the Clerk of Courts in Fort Myers and are open to any person under Florida law. With a population of roughly 800,000, Lee County is one of Florida's largest counties by residents, and its records system reflects that scale. This guide covers how to find court cases, official records, property documents, and other public files maintained by the county and its offices.

Florida Public Records Law and Lee County

Florida's Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes is the foundation of public records access in Lee County and every other county in the state. The policy set out in Section 119.01 is that all state, county, and municipal records are open to inspection by any person. You do not need to live in Florida, explain your reason for requesting records, or provide your name. The agency bears the burden of proving that a specific exemption applies before it can withhold any document.

Article I, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution reinforces this right at the constitutional level. That matters practically. Courts take constitutional rights seriously, and agencies that improperly deny access face real consequences under Florida law.

Section 119.07 requires custodians to allow inspection at any reasonable time during normal business hours. If a denial is improper, the Florida Attorney General's Office provides free mediation through the open government program at (850) 245-0140. The AG's Open Government page explains the process and outlines your rights as a requester. Most disputes are resolved at the mediation stage without going to court.

Lee County Clerk of Courts

The Lee County Clerk of Courts in Fort Myers is the primary custodian of court records and official records for the county. The office processes civil, criminal, family, and probate filings for the 20th Judicial Circuit and records property instruments as they come in. It is the single largest source of searchable public documents in Lee County.

Lee County is part of the 20th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Charlotte, Collier, Glades, and Hendry counties. Each county in the circuit has its own Clerk. Lee County's office in Fort Myers handles the largest volume of the five by a wide margin. The Clerk's website is well developed and offers online access for the majority of record types the office maintains.

The screenshot below comes from the Florida Court Clerks directory, which shows Lee County's clerk listing among all 67 Florida counties.

The statewide directory shown above links to each Florida county clerk, including Lee County's office in Fort Myers, where you can access records and submit requests.

Searching Lee County Records Online

The Lee County Clerk's website at leeclerk.org provides online access to court case records and official records. The court records search covers civil, criminal, family, and probate cases by party name, case number, or filing date. The official records search covers deeds, mortgages, judgment liens, and other instruments recorded against real property in Lee County. Both searches are free and do not require an account.

Lee County also participates in myfloridacounty.com, the statewide official records portal that aggregates documents from participating Florida counties. For searches involving property or parties in more than one county, that statewide system can be more efficient than checking each county separately.

Given Lee County's size, its digital records archive is substantial. Most documents from the 1990s onward are available online. For older records, contact the Clerk's office directly. Staff can confirm whether a document exists and how to request a copy.

Public Records Fees in Lee County

Florida law sets the fee structure that applies across all counties. Administrative records from county agencies cost $0.15 per single-sided page or $0.20 for double-sided copies. Court records and official records from the Clerk cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies of official records carry a $5.00 certification statement in addition to the per-page charge.

Research fees can apply when a request requires significant staff effort. The first 30 minutes of staff research time are not billed. After that, the agency may charge at the rate of the lowest-paid employee who can do the work. For large requests, ask for a written cost estimate before agreeing to proceed. Lee County, like all Florida agencies, is required to provide that estimate on request.

Types of Public Records in Lee County

The Clerk of Courts handles the broadest range of public records in Lee County. Court records include all civil, criminal, family law, and probate cases filed in the 20th Judicial Circuit for Lee County. Official records include deeds, mortgages, satisfaction of mortgages, judgment liens, construction liens, lis pendens notices, and other instruments recorded against Lee County real property.

County commission meeting minutes, public contracts, budget documents, marriage licenses, tax deed proceedings, and jury records are also maintained through the Clerk's office. Each is a public record under Chapter 119 unless a specific exemption applies.

Other offices in Lee County hold their own records. The Lee County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, booking logs, and offense reports. The Property Appraiser holds parcel data, ownership history, and assessed values. The Tax Collector keeps property tax payment records and vehicle registration files. Each of these offices operates as an independent custodian and handles its own records requests.

For state-level criminal background records, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement provides public access at fdle.state.fl.us. County arrest records and FDLE state records are separate systems; a thorough search may require checking both.

How to Request Lee County Public Records

Requests can be submitted to the Lee County Clerk's office in person at the Fort Myers courthouse, by phone, by mail, or through online submission options listed on the Clerk's website. No specific form is required under Florida law. A clear description of the records you need is enough to start the process. Anonymous requests are accepted; you are not required to identify yourself or give a reason.

For records held by other county offices, contact those offices directly. If you're unsure which office holds a particular type of document, the Clerk's main line is a reasonable first call. Staff there can generally point you to the right department.

Lee County's size means that some departments have dedicated records staff. The Sheriff's Office, for example, has its own records unit. For large or ongoing records requests, ask whether an online submission or portal option is available, since that can speed up processing for both parties.

Cities in Lee County

Lee County includes several large communities, five of which have dedicated pages on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lee County and each has its own Clerk's office and public records access system.