Miami-Dade County Public Records: Find the Right Official Search
Miami-Dade public records are split between the Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Corrections and Rehabilitation, Florida Health and individual County departments.
Start with the type of record you need. Then use a case number, folio number, Clerk’s File Number or other strong identifier whenever possible instead of relying only on a common name.
Which Miami-Dade Office Has the Record?
| You need | Official source | Best starting detail |
|---|---|---|
| Civil, family, probate, criminal or traffic case | Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller | Case or citation number |
| Deed, mortgage, lien, judgment or release | County Recorder / Clerk Official Records | Clerk’s File Number, book/page or party name |
| Property owner, folio, value or exemption information | Miami-Dade Property Appraiser | Folio, address or owner |
| Real-estate tax payment or tax account | Miami-Dade County Tax Collector | Folio/property account information |
| Person currently in Miami-Dade custody | Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation | Last name plus first name or first initial |
| Birth or death certificate | Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County | Name, event date, ID and eligibility information |
| County department record | Miami-Dade County Public Records Management Tool | Department, record type and focused date range |
Search Miami-Dade County Court Records
The Miami-Dade Clerk maintains separate online systems for criminal cases, civil/family/probate matters, traffic cases and other court records. The Clerk’s current Records page is the safest starting point because it routes users to the correct system.
- Choose Criminal Justice, Civil/Family/Probate, Traffic or the appropriate record system.
- Use a case or citation number when you have one.
- If searching by name, verify the case type and parties carefully.
- Open the matching case and save its case number.
- Use the Clerk’s certified-copy process if an official document is required.
The Clerk’s Quick Online Search specifically warns that electronic access is not the official court record and advises users to consult the Clerk when accuracy of an official record matters.
Miami-Dade courts use different physical offices
Do not assume every court matter is handled at one courthouse. For example, the Clerk currently lists criminal-court services at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building, while civil and probate services are available at the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center.
Miami-Dade Inmate and Booking Search
Use Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation when the immediate question is whether someone is currently in county custody.
- Enter at least three characters of the last name.
- Add the first name or first initial to narrow the results.
- Open the likely match.
- Compare date of birth, jail number, booking date and facility.
- Use the Clerk separately to verify the filed criminal case and later disposition.
The current inmate search can display custody location, charges, bond amount, jail number, booking date/time and a booking photograph for an inmate in custody.
Search Miami-Dade Property Records by Address, Owner or Folio
The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser provides the main public property search for real estate. The current search supports address, owner name and folio number.
- Use the folio number first when available.
- Otherwise choose Address or Owner Name.
- Open the matching parcel and confirm the property details.
- Save the folio number.
- Use the folio when checking taxes, assessment history or other property records.
The Property Appraiser warns that its tax roll is continually updated and the online site may not always reflect the most current information on record.
Property Appraiser record vs. recorded deed
The Property Appraiser shows assessment and ownership-related property information. For the recorded deed itself—or a mortgage, lien, release or judgment—use the Clerk’s Official Records system.
Search Miami-Dade Deeds, Mortgages and Liens
The Miami-Dade Clerk serves as the County Recorder. Official Records include deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, satisfactions, releases, powers of attorney and other instruments authorized for recording.
- Select Search Official Records.
- Use a Clerk’s File Number or book/page reference when known.
- Otherwise search by party name or other available index information.
- Open the actual recorded document when available.
- Save the recording reference before ordering a certified copy.
How far back does the online search go?
The Clerk’s Records Library states that most recorded documents from 1974 to the present can be searched online. Older recorded documents may require an in-person or mail request while older material continues to be made available online.
Current copy and certification fees
| Service | Current Clerk fee |
|---|---|
| Recorded-document copy | $1 per page |
| Certification | $2 per document |
| Mail/in-person record search | $2 per name per year |
Miami-Dade Property Tax Records and Payments
The Property Appraiser handles assessment data, while the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector handles real-estate tax billing, payments and tax-collection services.
- Choose Property Tax or Real Estate Tax Payments.
- Search the correct property or folio.
- Verify the tax year and account before paying.
- Review any payment-method conditions or charges.
- Save the confirmation after a successful payment.
Miami-Dade Birth and Death Certificates
The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County issues local Florida birth and death certificates under state eligibility and identification rules.
Birth certificates
Miami-Dade Health currently provides Florida birth certificates from 1930 to the present. The local office lists a $20 fee for the first certificate and $16 for each additional certificate ordered at the same time.
- Confirm the birth occurred in Florida and is within the available date range.
- Prepare valid photo identification.
- Complete the official birth-certificate application.
- Choose online, mail or in-person ordering.
- Confirm the current fee before paying.
Death certificates
The local Health Department provides Florida death certificates from 2009 to the present. The current local fee is $20 for the first death certificate and $16 for each additional certificate ordered at the same time.
- Check whether the death occurred in 2009 or later.
- Determine whether you need cause-of-death information.
- Review eligibility and identification requirements.
- Complete the death-certificate application.
- Choose the current official ordering route.
Submit a Miami-Dade County Public Records Request
Miami-Dade County provides an online Public Records Management Tool for County department records. It also publishes a list of departmental records custodians.
- Confirm a Miami-Dade County department actually maintains the record.
- Select the appropriate department or custodian.
- Describe the exact records you want.
- Use a focused date range and identifiers where possible.
- Track the request through the County system.
General County public-record fees
Miami-Dade’s current request policy lists 15 cents for a single-sided page, 20 cents for a double-sided page and $1 per page for certified copies. Requests that require more than 20 minutes of research or processing may also carry a labor-based service charge.
What to Do When a Miami-Dade Search Returns Nothing
| Problem | Try next |
|---|---|
| No court result | Use the case/citation number or verify that you selected the correct Clerk system. |
| Too many cases with the same name | Compare case type, dates and case number instead of relying only on the name. |
| Property address fails | Use owner name or the folio number. |
| Parcel found but deed missing | Move from Property Appraiser search to Clerk Official Records. |
| Recorded document predates online coverage | Use the Clerk Records Library or request the record by mail/in person. |
| No current inmate result | Check the name spelling, then use the Clerk criminal case search for court history. |
| General county request is going nowhere | Identify the specific department or constitutional office that maintains the record. |
Miami-Dade Public Records Offices
20 NW 1st Avenue, Miami, FL 33128
General information: 305-275-1155
20 NW 1st Avenue, Suite 5.246, Miami, FL 33128
Phone: 786-463-0566
111 NW 1 Street, Suite 710, Miami, FL 33128-1984
Public Service: 305-375-4712
200 NW 2nd Ave., Miami, FL 33128
Phone: 305-375-5448
Health District Center
1350 NW 14th St., Miami, FL 33125
Vital Records: 305-575-5030
Clerk and Recorder location
The Clerk and County Recorder services listed above are centered at 20 NW 1st Avenue in downtown Miami. Confirm the division and suite before visiting because criminal, family, traffic and other Clerk services may operate from different court locations.
Before You Rely on a Public Record
- Confirm that the result belongs to the correct person, property or case.
- Do not treat an arrest, charge or inmate record as proof of conviction.
- Use the underlying recorded document when an index alone does not answer the question.
- Respect confidential, sealed, exempt and redacted records.
- Use a certified copy when the recipient requires official proof.
Miami-Dade County Public Records FAQs
1. Where do I search Miami-Dade court records?
Start with the Miami-Dade Clerk Records page and choose the correct system for criminal, civil, family, probate, traffic or another court record type.
2. Is the Clerk’s online court information the official court record?
No. The Clerk states that electronic access is not the official court record. Contact the Clerk or request a certified copy when official proof is required.
3. Where do I search Miami-Dade deeds and liens?
Use the Miami-Dade Clerk Official Records search for deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, satisfactions, releases and other recorded instruments.
4. How far back are Miami-Dade Official Records searchable online?
The Clerk states that most recorded documents from 1974 to the present can be searched online. Older documents may require the Records Library, mail or an in-person request.
5. How do I find who owns a property in Miami-Dade?
Use the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser search by address, owner name or folio. Use Clerk Official Records when you need the recorded deed itself.
6. Where do I check Miami-Dade property taxes?
Use the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector for real-estate tax accounts, payments and collection information. Use the Property Appraiser for valuation and exemption information.
7. How do I find someone currently in Miami-Dade jail?
Use Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation’s Inmate Search. Enter at least three characters of the last name and add the first name or first initial when possible.
8. Where do I get Miami-Dade birth or death certificates?
Use the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County. Local birth certificates are available for Florida births from 1930 to present, and local death certificates for Florida deaths from 2009 to present.
9. How do I request a Miami-Dade County record that is not online?
Use Miami-Dade County’s Public Records Management Tool for records maintained by County departments, or contact the specific office that actually maintains the record.
10. Why might a Miami-Dade public record not appear online?
The record may be held by another agency, indexed differently, older than the online database, recently filed, confidential, sealed, exempt from disclosure or unavailable through remote public access.