St. Johns County Public Records: Find the Right Office Before You Search
St. Johns County public records are divided among several offices. The Clerk handles court cases and recorded documents, the Property Appraiser handles parcel data, the Tax Collector handles tax records, the Sheriff handles SJSO reports, and Florida Health handles local birth and death certificates.
The fastest approach is to identify the record first, open the correct official source, and keep the strongest identifier you find—such as a case number, parcel ID, instrument number or report number.
Which St. Johns County Office Has the Record?
Do not start by typing a name into whichever portal appears first. Court cases, deeds, property assessments, tax accounts and Sheriff reports are separate records.
| Record needed | Official source | Best starting detail |
|---|---|---|
| Civil, criminal, traffic, probate or family case | St. Johns County Clerk | Case number or party name |
| Deed, mortgage, lien or recorded document | Clerk Official Records | Instrument number, book/page or indexed name |
| Parcel, owner, value or exemption data | St. Johns County Property Appraiser | Parcel number, owner or address |
| Property-tax balance or payment | St. Johns County Tax Collector | Property/account information |
| Incident, crash, local record check or body-camera request | St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office | Report number, date, location and involved name |
| Birth or death certificate | Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County | Name, event date, ID and eligibility |
How to Search St. Johns County Court Records
The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller maintains court records for criminal, civil, family, probate, traffic and other county court matters.
- Select Court Records.
- Use the case number when you already have one.
- If searching by name, confirm the correct party and case type.
- Check filing dates and case activity before relying on the match.
- Save the case number if you will request copies later.
Modern records vs. archival records
The Clerk divides court records broadly into modern-era records, generally from the 1990s forward, and archival records dating back to 1821. Most publicly disclosable modern criminal and civil records can be reviewed online.
Older archival criminal and civil files are not generally available for full online review. The Clerk says digitized archival records can be accessed at public terminals or through a public-record request.
Search St. Johns County Deeds, Mortgages and Liens
The Clerk’s Recording Division is the County Recorder. It maintains deeds, mortgages, liens, Notices of Commencement, satisfactions, plats and other documents recorded into the county Official Records.
- Select Official Records.
- Use an instrument number or book/page when available.
- Otherwise search by indexed party name.
- Confirm the document type and recorded date.
- Open the actual document when the legal detail matters.
New 2026 Recording location
Recording services moved to the Clerk’s Public Service Center at 4040 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine on August 3, 2026. The location is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., and the Clerk states that no appointment is required for recording services there.
The Clerk also provides recording service at the Julington Creek and Ponte Vedra annexes, but those locations have different schedules and appointment requirements.
Search St. Johns County Property Records
The St. Johns County Property Appraiser is the correct source for parcel information, ownership display, assessed value, exemptions, property maps and property-record research.
- Select Search Property Records.
- Use the parcel number when you already know it.
- Otherwise search by owner or address.
- Confirm the parcel before using assessment or sales information.
- Save the parcel number if you also need taxes or recorded documents.
The Property Appraiser also provides property maps, exemption services, tax-estimate tools and downloadable forms or data.
St. Johns County Property Tax Records and Payments
The St. Johns County Tax Collector provides real-estate tax searches, tangible personal property tax information, tax-certificate information and online payment services.
- Choose Tax Record Search for account research.
- Choose Pay Online only after confirming the correct property.
- Verify the tax year and balance.
- Review the payment method before submitting payment.
- Save the official confirmation.
The Tax Collector currently states that a 2.3% processing fee applies to credit and debit card transactions.
Request St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Records
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Public Records Unit accepts requests for records maintained by SJSO, including incident reports, address searches, local records checks, crash reports and body-worn camera footage.
- Open the Sheriff’s online records portal.
- Choose the type of record you need.
- Provide names, dates, times and locations when known.
- Add the report or incident number if available.
- Use the portal to communicate with the technician handling the request.
SJSO notes that more specific details can reduce the time required for staff to locate the correct record. Fees may apply depending on the record and the work needed to fulfill the request.
St. Johns County Birth and Death Certificates
The Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County issues qualifying Florida birth and death certificates through its St. Augustine office.
- Choose the certificate type.
- Check eligibility and identification requirements.
- Download the correct application when ordering by mail.
- Use the official local, mail or authorized online ordering route.
- Confirm the current fee before payment.
| Certificate | Local availability | Current local fee |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | Florida births from 1930 to present | $15 |
| Death | Florida deaths from 2009 to present | $10 |
Birth records before 1930 and death records before 2009 are directed to the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville.
Marriage and divorce certificates
Florida Health explains that statewide marriage and divorce certificates are available for events after June 6, 1927. Earlier records are obtained from the Clerk in the county where the marriage license was issued or the divorce was granted.
Submit a St. Johns County Public Records Request
For Board of County Commissioners department records that are not maintained by another elected office, St. Johns County provides a central public-record request process through the Office of the County Attorney.
- Confirm the record belongs to a County department.
- Use the Public Records Request form or contact the custodian directly.
- Describe the exact record or subject.
- Add the department and date range when known.
- Ask about fees before authorizing extensive research or copying.
Building, contractor licensing, code enforcement, development review, environmental, planning and transportation/concurrency records use the County’s separate Permit Center public-record process.
Plain Copies vs. Certified Copies
Many St. Johns County records can be searched online without ordering a certified document. A certified copy may be required for court filing, probate, title work, licensing or another official purpose.
The Clerk currently offers E-Certify, which can provide qualifying electronic certified court and Official Records documents online.
- For a court record, locate the case number first.
- For an Official Record, locate the name, instrument number or book/page.
- Open the E-Certify system.
- Select Court Records or Official Records.
- Purchase the certified document only after confirming the exact record.
Selected Clerk public-record fees
| Service | Current Clerk-listed charge |
|---|---|
| Non-BOCC public-record photocopy, including court records | $1 per page |
| Certification of an entire non-BOCC document | $2 |
| Name search when no case number is supplied | $2 per name, per year |
| BOCC record photocopy maintained by Clerk | $0.15 per page |
Clerk fees and payment-provider charges can change. Verify the current amount before ordering a large record set or certified document.
When a St. Johns County Search Returns Nothing
| Problem | What to try next |
|---|---|
| No court case appears | Use a case number, simplify the name, check the correct case type, or ask whether the record is archival or restricted. |
| Older court file is not online | Use a Clerk public terminal or submit a public-record request for archival material. |
| Property address does not match | Search by owner or parcel number and use the Property Appraiser map tools. |
| You found the parcel but not the deed | Move from the Property Appraiser to Clerk Official Records. |
| Sheriff request is taking longer than expected | Provide a narrower date, location, incident number and involved names. |
| Online copy is not accepted | Ask the custodian whether a certified copy is required. |
St. Johns County Public Records Offices
Phone: 904-819-3600
Use for recording services, marriage licenses, public-record searches, passports and Value Adjustment Board applications. Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Use for court operations, jury duty, restraining-order petitions, child-support assistance and traffic-ticket payments.
Phone: 904-209-2250
Phone: 904-810-6610
Phone: 904-506-6081
Clerk Public Service Center map
The 4040 Lewis Speedway Public Service Center is directly across the parking area from the Judicial Center. This distinction matters because many Clerk public-record and recording services moved to 4040 Lewis Speedway in August 2026 while court proceedings stayed at 4010 Lewis Speedway.
Before You Rely on a Public Record
- Confirm the correct person, property, case and county.
- Do not treat an arrest or allegation as proof of conviction.
- Review the actual recorded document when an index does not answer the legal question.
- Expect some records to be confidential, sealed, redacted or unavailable online.
- Use a certified copy when an official recipient requires one.
St. Johns County Public Records FAQs
1. Where do I search St. Johns County court records?
Use the St. Johns County Clerk Online Research page and choose Court Records. Search by case number when possible and verify the case type and party details.
2. Why can I find some older St. Johns County court records only in person?
The Clerk explains that many archival criminal and civil records from 1821 through roughly the 1990s are not available for full online review. Digitized archival records can be accessed through Clerk public terminals or public-record requests.
3. Where do I search St. Johns County deeds and liens?
Use the Clerk’s Official Records search. Search by name, instrument number or book/page and review the actual recorded document when ownership or lien details matter.
4. Where do I find St. Johns County property owners and parcel records?
Use the St. Johns County Property Appraiser. Search Property Records is the correct starting point for parcel, owner, value, exemption and map information.
5. Where do I search or pay St. Johns County property taxes?
Use the St. Johns County Tax Collector’s property-tax page for tax-record searches, real-estate taxes, tangible personal property taxes and payments.
6. How do I request a St. Johns County Sheriff’s incident or crash report?
Use the SJSO Public Records Request portal. Provide the incident number, names, date, time and location when available so records staff can narrow the search.
7. Where do I get a St. Johns County birth or death certificate?
Use the Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County. The local office issues Florida birth certificates from 1930 forward and Florida death certificates from 2009 forward, subject to applicable eligibility rules.
8. Where did St. Johns County Clerk recording services move in 2026?
Recording services and several public-facing Clerk services moved to the Public Service Center at 4040 Lewis Speedway on August 3, 2026. Court proceedings remain at the Judicial Center at 4010 Lewis Speedway.
9. Can I get St. Johns County certified records online?
Yes, qualifying court and Official Records documents can be purchased electronically through the Clerk’s E-Certify system when the document is available in electronic format.
10. Where do I request general St. Johns County government records?
For qualifying Board of County Commissioners department records, use the County’s Public Records page or contact the County Attorney’s public-record custodian. Court, Sheriff, property and tax records should be requested from their respective offices.