Florida Official Records: Clerk Recording Fees and the 60 Day Mortgage Release
In Florida the Clerk of the Circuit Court keeps the Official Records. What it costs to record, how the index is organized and the 60 day mortgage release rule.
Quick answer
Florida's Clerk of the Circuit Court records every instrument in one general series called the Official Records, with an alphabetical index by name. Recording a standard page costs $5 for the first page and $4 for each additional page, plus a $1 and $0.50 modernization charge. A mortgagee has 60 days after payoff to record a release.
What are the Florida Official Records?
Florida does not use county recorders or registers of deeds. The Clerk of the Circuit Court in each of the state's 67 counties is the recorder. Under section 28.222 the clerk records all instruments in one general series called the Official Records and keeps a register that shows, for each instrument, the filing number, the date and hour of filing, the kind of instrument and the names of the parties.
The clerk also maintains a general alphabetical index, direct and inverse, of all instruments filed for record. Direct means the index lists the first party, usually the grantor or borrower, and inverse means it also lists the second party, the grantee or lender. A title search reads both ways: it follows the current owner back through the grantees who became grantors, and then checks every loan recorded against each owner.
Property ownership is not kept by the clerk. The county property appraiser holds the owner of record for tax purposes, the parcel and the assessed value. A complete search reads both offices, and the two can differ for weeks after a sale.
Definition
Official Records — The single general series in which the Clerk of the Circuit Court of each Florida county records the instruments that the law requires or allows to be recorded: deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, liens, lis pendens and similar documents (Fla. Stat. 28.222).
What does a Florida clerk charge to record a document?
Section 28.24 sets the clerk's service charges. For an instrument not larger than 14 by 8 and a half inches, these are the charges a buyer, lender or closing agent meets most often.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Recording, indexing and filing: first page or fraction | $5.00 |
| Recording, indexing and filing: each additional page or fraction | $4.00 |
| Indexing: each name beyond four | $1.00 |
| Public Records Modernization Trust Fund charge: first page | $1.00 |
| Public Records Modernization Trust Fund charge: each additional page | $0.50 |
What does that cost on a typical closing?
A two page deed costs $5 for the first page and $4 for the second, which is $9, plus the modernization charge of $1 and $0.50, for $10.50 in clerk charges. A ten page mortgage costs $5 plus nine pages at $4, which is $41, plus $1 plus nine pages at $0.50, which is $5.50, for $46.50. A mortgage that names six borrowers adds $1 for each name beyond the fourth.
These are only the clerk's service charges. The state's documentary stamp tax on the deed and on the note and mortgage, and the intangible tax on the mortgage, are paid on top. HeritageDeed's guide to Florida documentary stamp tax shows how they are calculated.
How does Florida's 60 day release rule work?
The estoppel letter: 10 days
Under section 701.04(1), within 10 days after receiving a written request from the mortgagor or the record title owner, the mortgagee or mortgage servicer must send an estoppel letter that sets out the unpaid balance of the loan, itemized.
The release: 60 days
Within 60 days after the unpaid balance has been fully paid, or paid under an estoppel letter, whichever is earlier, the mortgagee or servicer must execute a written release of the mortgage, have it acknowledged, and record it with the clerk.
Liens and judgments follow the same clock
Under section 701.04(3), within 60 days after a lien or judgment has been paid to the person entitled to payment, that creditor, assignee or the attorney of record in the case of a judgment must execute and record a satisfaction. The prevailing party in an action to enforce that requirement is entitled to reasonable attorney fees and costs.
Paying the loan does not end the debt claims
A recorded release of the mortgage does not relieve the mortgagor or its successors from personal liability on the loan or other obligations the mortgage previously secured.
A search still has to match them
A mortgage with no recorded release is still a lien of record. A title search matches each mortgage to a release and lists the ones it cannot match.
Which Florida clerks does HeritageDeed search?
HeritageDeed searches the Official Records in Hillsborough, Duval, Brevard, Pasco, Broward, Okaloosa, Lake and ten more counties, listed on the Florida page. A report lists deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, liens and lis pendens, with the owner and parcel from the property appraiser. See the guides to Florida lis pendens and Florida judgment liens for the documents a search turns up. Documents recorded before the clerk's electronic records begin may need an in-person search.
Frequently asked questions
- Who records deeds in Florida?
- The Clerk of the Circuit Court of the county. Florida has no register of deeds: the clerk records every instrument in one general series called the Official Records.
- How much does it cost to record a document with a Florida clerk?
- The service charge is $5 for the first page and $4 for each additional page, plus a $1 and $0.50 modernization charge, and $1 for each name beyond four in the index. Documentary stamp tax is separate.
- How long does a Florida lender have to release a paid mortgage?
- Sixty days after the loan is paid in full or paid under an estoppel letter, whichever is earlier. The mortgagee or servicer must execute, acknowledge and record the release.
- What is a Florida estoppel letter?
- A written statement of the unpaid balance of the loan, itemized, that the mortgagee or servicer must send within 10 days after the mortgagor or record title owner asks for it in writing.
- Is the Official Records index the same as the property appraiser's records?
- No. The clerk's index lists recorded instruments by the names of the parties. The property appraiser keeps the owner of record, the parcel and the assessed value for taxation, and the two sources can differ after a recent sale.
- Does a Florida release of mortgage end the borrower's personal liability?
- No. Section 701.04 says a recorded release does not relieve the mortgagor or its successors or assigns from personal liability on the loan or other obligations the mortgage secured.
Legal references
Statutes and rules cited in this article.
- 1Fla. Stat. 28.222 (clerk to be county recorder)
- 2Fla. Stat. 28.24 (service charges by clerks of the circuit courts)
- 3Fla. Stat. 701.04 (cancellation of mortgages, liens, and judgments)
Cite this guide
APA
HeritageDeed. (2026, November 10). Florida Official Records: Clerk Recording Fees and the 60 Day Mortgage Release. https://heritagedeed.com/blog/florida-official-records-recording-fees-mortgage-release
MLA
“Florida Official Records: Clerk Recording Fees and the 60 Day Mortgage Release.” HeritageDeed, November 10, 2026, heritagedeed.com/blog/florida-official-records-recording-fees-mortgage-release.
Link (HTML)
<a href="https://heritagedeed.com/blog/florida-official-records-recording-fees-mortgage-release">Florida Official Records: Clerk Recording Fees and the 60 Day Mortgage Release</a> (HeritageDeed)HeritageDeed provides public-record search reports only. Reports do not constitute title insurance, an attorney opinion of title, or a title insurance commitment.
