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From the Sarasota County Clerk and Comptroller
Consumer Alert – Don’t Overpay for Deeds and Notices
January 29, 2024
SARASOTA COUNTY - Karen E. Rushing, Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, wants to alert citizens to 3rd party vendors overcharging for property deeds and Notices of Commencement. In most cases, Official Records can be obtained from the Clerk and Comptroller’s office for free or a nominal fee. Don’t overpay for these services!
Property Deeds
Citizens should be cautious of solicitation letters from companies offering to provide copies of their property deeds and a document referred to as a “property profile” for $89.00. Property deeds are public record, and a non-certified copy may be obtained by conducting an online record search at www.SarasotaClerk.com. To obtain a copy online, go to the website and click the Records button, then click the Official Records (Deeds, Mortgages, Judgments & Liens) button, and then search for properties using the provided fields.
Certified copies of property deeds area available at our north and south county office locations through the Clerk’s Public Access Department for $1.00 per page, plus a $2.00 charge for document certification and mailing, if applicable. Locations include:
Sarasota County Historic Courthouse
2000 Main Street
Sarasota, FL 34237
South County Courthouse, Venice Branch
4004 South Tamiami Trail
Venice, FL 34293
Customers can also order a certified copy of property deeds by calling the Clerk and Comptroller’s office at (941) 861-7425 and making payments by credit card.
Notices of Commencement
Citizens, especially those actively engaged in construction projects, should be aware of solicitation letters from companies offering to provide a copy of a Notice of Commencement for a fee of $82.50. These solicitations appear official; however, the small print reveals it’s just a solicitation. Like property deeds Notices of Commencement are public records and can be obtained for free online, or for a nominal fee at our two county locations.
Don’t be fooled into paying for documents that are free or little cost! Be smart and look into the details before falling for these types of scams.
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The Docket
The Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller's office publishes alerts, articles, and e-mail notifications covering topics of importance to our customers. Clerk's Corner, a monthly column for the legal community, is published in The Docket , the official newspaper of the Sarasota County Bar Association, while other business and community outreach topics are shared through state, regional and local media, and public events.
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