Miami-Dade County Public Records Search: Court, Property, Deeds, Arrest & Vital Records
Miami-Dade County public records are spread across several systems. Court cases and recorded documents are handled by the Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, property data by the Property Appraiser, taxes by the Tax Collector, Sheriff reports by MDSO, jail custody by Corrections, and vital certificates by Florida Health.
Start with the record type you need. Then use the official search that actually maintains it instead of repeating the same name across unrelated databases.
Which Miami-Dade Office Has the Record?
Miami-Dade has several excellent online search systems, but they are not interchangeable. A deed, parcel record, tax bill, criminal case and inmate record can all relate to the same person or property while coming from separate custodians.
| Record needed | Official source | Best starting detail |
|---|---|---|
| Civil, family or probate case | Miami-Dade Clerk online court system | Case number or party name |
| Felony or misdemeanor case | Clerk Criminal Justice Online System | Case number, defendant, citation/police number or jail number |
| Current jail custody | Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation | Last name and first name/initial |
| Sheriff offense, crash or clearance record | Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office | Case number, incident date and location |
| Deed, mortgage, lien or judgment | County Recorder / Clerk Official Records | CFN, book/page, name or legal description |
| Property owner, folio or assessed value | Miami-Dade Property Appraiser | Address, owner name or folio |
| Property tax or payment | Miami-Dade Tax Collector | Property/folio information and tax year |
| Birth or death certificate | Florida Health in Miami-Dade County | Name, event date, ID and eligibility information |
| General county department record | Miami-Dade Public Records Management Tool | Department, subject and date range |
How to Search Miami-Dade County Court Records
The Clerk separates court searches by record type. Civil, family and probate matters use one system, while felony and misdemeanor cases use the Criminal Justice Online System.
- Choose the court-record category that matches the case.
- Use a case number when you already have it.
- Otherwise use the supported party or defendant search.
- Confirm the names, case type and filing details.
- Open the docket or available document image.
- Use the certified-copy service if official proof is required.
Civil, family and probate records
These records are available through the Clerk’s Civil, Family and Probate online system. Some images may require free registration because remote document access is controlled by Florida court-access rules.
Criminal cases
The Criminal Justice Online System supports searches using case number, state case number, citation or police number, defendant information and jail number.
Miami-Dade Inmate and Criminal Case Search
Use Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation when the immediate question is whether someone is currently in county custody. Use the Clerk when you need the filed criminal case or disposition.
- Enter at least three characters of the last name.
- Add the first name or first initial when known.
- Compare date of birth and booking details carefully.
- Review custody location, charges, bond and jail number.
- Save the jail number if you will search the criminal court case next.
The inmate search can display the person’s custody location, charges, bond amount, jail number, booking date and booking time.
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Reports and Records
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office provides a Public Records Center for offense/incident reports, traffic crash reports, Sheriff clearance letters, body-worn camera footage, 911 audio and other Sheriff’s Office records.
- Choose the type of report or record you need.
- Use the online Public Records Center when appropriate.
- Provide the case number if known.
- Add the incident date, location and involved names.
- Review any estimated cost before authorizing extensive work.
Current Sheriff report fees
| Record | Published fee |
|---|---|
| Single-sided report page | $0.15 per page |
| Double-sided report page | $0.20 per page |
| Certified copy | $1 per page |
| Sheriff Clearance Letter | $5 |
Requests requiring more than 20 minutes of extensive research may also incur staff-time charges after an estimate is provided.
Search Miami-Dade Property Records by Address, Owner or Folio
The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser search is the correct starting point for ownership display, assessed value, exemption benefits, taxable value, sales information, property characteristics and aerial imagery.
- Choose Address, Owner Name or Folio.
- Enter the simplest reliable information you have.
- Open the correct property record.
- Verify ownership, sales and assessment information.
- Save the folio number for related tax or deed research.
What the property search can show
- Current ownership display.
- Property characteristics.
- Sales information.
- Assessment and taxable value.
- Exemption benefits.
- Current and prior-year aerial imagery.
- Available building sketches and map layers.
Property record vs. deed
The Property Appraiser record is useful for parcel research, but the recorded deed belongs in the Clerk’s Official Records system.
Search Miami-Dade Deeds, Mortgages, Liens and Official Records
The Clerk’s County Recorder maintains deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, satisfactions, releases, affidavits, powers of attorney and other instruments recorded in Miami-Dade County.
- Open Search Official Records.
- Use the Clerk’s File Number or book/page when available.
- Otherwise search by indexed party name.
- Use legal-description information when researching property records.
- Open the recorded document before relying only on an index entry.
Online date coverage
The Clerk currently states that most recorded documents from 1974 to the present can be searched online. Documents recorded before 1974 may require the Records Library, mail or in-person research.
Copy and certification fees
Miami-Dade Property Tax Records
The Property Appraiser and Tax Collector perform different jobs. The Property Appraiser handles assessment and exemptions; the Tax Collector handles the property-tax account and payment.
- Choose Real Estate Tax Payments.
- Locate the correct property account.
- Verify the tax year and property information.
- Review balance and payment status.
- Save the official receipt if you submit payment.
Miami-Dade Birth and Death Certificates
The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County provides local certificate services. These are controlled certificate requests rather than unrestricted public name-search databases.
Birth certificates
The local Health Department provides Florida birth certificates from 1930 to the present. The current local fee is $20 for the first birth certificate and $16 for each additional certificate ordered at the same time.
Death certificates
The local office provides Florida death certificates from 2009 to the present. The current fee is $20 for the first death certificate and $16 for each additional certificate ordered at the same time.
- Choose birth, death, marriage or divorce certificate.
- Review eligibility rules.
- Prepare valid photo identification when required.
- Choose online, mail or in-person ordering.
- Confirm the current local or vendor fee before payment.
Florida birth records before 1930 and death records before 2009 should be requested through the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics rather than the local Miami-Dade office.
Submit a Miami-Dade Public Records Request
Miami-Dade County provides an online Public Records Management Tool that allows users to submit a county-department request and track its status.
- Confirm that a county department is the actual custodian.
- Select the responsible department when known.
- Describe the specific record rather than requesting everything on a subject.
- Add a useful date range and identifying details.
- Submit the request and keep the tracking information.
Clerk requests use a separate route
If the requested record belongs to the Clerk, use the Clerk’s own records or Public Records Request page rather than the general county request form.
- Check whether the record is already available in an online Clerk system.
- Use Official Records for recorded documents.
- Use Criminal Justice for criminal cases.
- Use Civil, Family and Probate search for those court records.
- Submit a Records Management request only when the record is not already available through the correct Clerk service.
What to Do When a Miami-Dade Search Returns Nothing
| Problem | Try next |
|---|---|
| No court case | Confirm whether you need the civil/family/probate system or the separate criminal system. |
| Too many criminal matches | Use case number, citation/police number or jail number when available. |
| No current inmate result | The person may have been released, transferred or not be in Miami-Dade Corrections custody. Check the court case separately. |
| Property address does not match | Try owner name or folio rather than adding more address words. |
| Parcel found but deed missing | Move from the Property Appraiser to Clerk Official Records. |
| Older deed is not online | Use the Records Library for documents recorded before 1974. |
| Online court copy is not accepted | Order a certified copy from the Clerk. |
Miami-Dade Public Records Offices
Miami, FL 33128
Phone: 305-275-1155
Miami, FL 33128
Use for deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments and older recorded-document research.
Miami, FL 33128
Use for folio, ownership display, assessments, exemptions and property information.
Miami, FL 33128
Phone: 305-375-5448
Doral, FL 33172
Non-emergency: 305-743-7433
Doral, FL 33178
Phone: 786-263-7000
Downtown records offices map
The Clerk, County Recorder, Property Appraiser and Tax Collector all have major offices in downtown Miami, but they are separate custodians. Confirm the exact office before visiting.
Before You Rely on a Miami-Dade Public Record
- Confirm the correct person, property, case and jurisdiction.
- Do not treat an arrest, booking or allegation as proof of conviction.
- Review the underlying recorded document instead of relying only on an index.
- Respect sealed, confidential, exempt and redacted records.
- Use a certified copy when an official recipient requires certification.
Miami-Dade County Public Records FAQs
1. Where do I search Miami-Dade court records?
Use the Miami-Dade Clerk. Civil, family and probate matters use the Clerk’s civil online system, while felony and misdemeanor cases use the Criminal Justice Online System.
2. How do I search Miami-Dade criminal cases?
Use the Clerk’s Criminal Justice Online System. It supports searches using case number, state case number, citation or police number, defendant details and jail number.
3. Where can I check whether someone is currently in a Miami-Dade jail?
Use Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation’s Inmate In-Custody Search. It provides current custody and booking information.
4. Where do I search Miami-Dade deeds and liens?
Use the Miami-Dade Clerk Official Records search for deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, satisfactions and other recorded instruments.
5. How far back do Miami-Dade Official Records go online?
The Clerk currently states that most recorded documents from 1974 to the present can be searched online. Older records may require Records Library research.
6. Where do I find the owner of a Miami-Dade property?
Use the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser search by address, owner name or folio. Use the Clerk’s recorded deed when you need the legal instrument rather than only the appraisal record.
7. Where do I check Miami-Dade property taxes?
Use the Miami-Dade Tax Collector for tax accounts and payments. Use the Property Appraiser for valuation and exemption information.
8. How much does a Miami-Dade birth or death certificate cost locally?
The local Health Department currently lists $20 for the first birth or death certificate and $16 for each additional certificate ordered at the same time.
9. Where do I request a Miami-Dade government record that is not online?
Use the Miami-Dade Public Records Management Tool for qualifying county-department records. If the Clerk, Sheriff’s Office, Property Appraiser or another office is the custodian, use that office’s own request route.
10. Why might a Miami-Dade public record not appear online?
The record may be maintained by another agency, too old for the online database, indexed differently, recently filed, sealed, confidential, exempt or unavailable for remote public access.