Search Okaloosa County Public Records

Okaloosa County public records are managed by the Clerk and Comptroller's office in Crestview and are open to the public under Florida law, which requires agencies to let any person inspect or copy records they hold. This page explains how to find court records, official documents, and government files in Okaloosa County, along with the access methods and contact information you need to get started.

Public Records Law in Okaloosa County

Okaloosa County is bound by Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, Florida's open records law. It makes all records created or received by public agencies open to any person by default. No reason is required. No name is required. The agency must justify any denial by citing a specific exemption in the law, and the burden sits with the agency, not with you.

Okaloosa County in the Florida Panhandle has a significant military presence with Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field located in the county. Some records tied to federal military operations may be governed by federal law rather than Chapter 119, but all county and state government records are open under the Florida statute. This distinction matters when searching for records that might involve both county and federal agencies.

Exemptions from public access are spelled out in Section 119.071. Common ones include active criminal investigation files, certain victim information, and parts of personnel records. If an agency claims an exemption, it must identify the specific statutory provision. The Florida AG's mediation line at (850) 245-0140 handles disputes for free. More detail is at the AG's Open Government page.

The 1st Judicial Circuit serves Okaloosa, Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Walton counties. Court records from cases that span multiple circuits may involve more than one Clerk's office.

Okaloosa County Clerk and Comptroller

Brad E. Embry, CFE, CECFE, serves as Clerk and Comptroller for Okaloosa County. His office is the primary custodian for 1st Judicial Circuit court records filed in Okaloosa and for official records such as deeds, mortgages, and liens recorded in the county. The main office is in Crestview, and the county also operates a courthouse branch in Fort Walton Beach.

The office is open weekdays during standard business hours. It handles civil, criminal, family law, probate, and traffic court records along with official instruments recorded for property transactions throughout Okaloosa County. The Fort Walton Beach branch serves the southern part of the county along the Emerald Coast.

Below is a screenshot from the Okaloosa County Clerk and Comptroller's official website, the main portal for public records access in the county.

The site shown above provides access to court records, official records search tools, and information on how to submit public records requests to the Okaloosa County Clerk's office.

Searching Okaloosa County Records Online

The Okaloosa County Clerk's website at okaloosaclerk.com provides online access to court and official records. You can search by party name, case number, or document type for basic lookups without an account. Civil, criminal, family law, probate, and traffic cases are all searchable, along with recorded instruments in the official records system.

Official records such as deeds and mortgages are typically available going back many years in the digital system. Older records that predate electronic filing may require a written request or an in-person visit to one of the Clerk's offices. The staff can tell you how far back the online system goes for specific record types before you make the trip.

The statewide portal at myfloridacounty.com also covers Okaloosa County official records. Property records are maintained by the Okaloosa County Property Appraiser, and tax records are handled by the Tax Collector, each through their own separate online portals.

Fees for Public Records Copies

Florida law sets the standard fee schedule. Administrative records cost $0.15 per single-sided page, $0.20 for double-sided. Certified copies of official records from the Clerk cost $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. Court record certified copies also run $1.00 per page.

Research time is not billed for the first 15 minutes. After that, the county charges at the applicable hourly rate. For large requests, ask for a cost estimate before the work starts. That helps you decide whether to narrow the scope. Many records in the Clerk's online system are free to view and download, so check there first before requesting physical copies.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Records

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office keeps its own records separate from court filings. These include arrest records, incident reports, jail bookings, and offense reports. They are public under Chapter 119 unless a specific exemption applies, such as an active investigation or victim protection rule.

Requests go directly to the Sheriff's Office. You can call, write, or visit in person. No reason or name is required. Fees follow the standard state structure: $0.15 per single-sided page, $0.20 per double-sided page, with no charge for the first 15 minutes of research. Victims of certain crimes may receive copies free of charge.

Note that Okaloosa County has two main population centers: the Crestview area inland and the Fort Walton Beach and Destin area on the coast. The Sheriff's Office serves the whole county, but you may find different substation contacts depending on where the incident occurred.

Types of Records Available in Okaloosa County

Okaloosa County maintains a wide range of public documents. Court records from the 1st Judicial Circuit cover civil, criminal, family law, and probate cases. Official records include deeds, mortgages, liens, and other instruments recorded with the Clerk. Property records are with the Property Appraiser. Tax records go to the Tax Collector.

Other commonly requested documents include county commission meeting minutes, building permits and inspections, code enforcement records, and planning and zoning files. Each county agency is the custodian for its own documents. Knowing which office holds what you need points you to the right place from the start.

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers directory can help when records cross into Escambia, Santa Rosa, or Walton counties, which share the 1st Judicial Circuit with Okaloosa. The Florida First Amendment Foundation provides assistance when records requests are improperly denied.

Making a Request

Requests can be made in any format. Call, email, write, or walk in. No form is required. Being specific helps a lot. Include date ranges, the names of people involved, and the type of document you want. That narrows the search and reduces the chance of follow-up questions from the agency.

For county department records outside the Clerk's court and official records system, contact the relevant agency directly. Okaloosa County's various departments each handle their own records. If you are not sure where to start, the Clerk's office can often help route you to the right place.

If a request is denied or stalled, the AG's mediation program at (850) 245-0140 is free and effective for most disputes. The AG's Open Government page walks through your options step by step.

Cities in Okaloosa County

Crestview is the county seat and Okaloosa's largest city. It has a dedicated public records page on this site. Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, and Destin are other communities in the county but do not meet the population threshold for their own pages.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Okaloosa and each maintains its own public records office and Clerk.