Where are you located/how do I contact your office?
To Access Address information: Just click on the "General Office Information" yellow bullet on the left side of our home page and then click on the "Addresses" yellow bullet on the left side of the next page to get to all our office mailing addresses. Note that the physical addresses are listed at the bottom of the page.
To Access Telephone # information: Just click on the "General Office Information" yellow bullet on the left side of our home page and then click on the "Telephones" yellow bullet on the left side of the next page to get to all our office telephone numbers.
Where would I file a petition or check on an existing bankruptcy case?
Petitions for bankruptcy are not filed locally, but rather through the U.S. Middle District Court in Tampa. The number for information is 1-813-301-5065.
To locate a court case done in Lee County, from the home page click on Court Case Inquiry. Then Accept. Under Criminal - Traffic Information, you may inquire by name, case number, or the uniform case number. When entering a name, less is usually better than more so that your information may be located more easily; for example, enter just the last name or part of the last name of the plaintiff or defendant. When you locate your case, click on the blue # and the citation # is displaced on the next page. At the end of the information about any given case, there is a link to the particular office which can give further information. If you cannot locate your case, please call our office at 239-533-5000 and speak with a clerk in the Traffic office. There is a delay between the date that the ticket was written and the date it is entered into our system.
I would like copies of my court case. How much would it cost me?
Copies cost $1.00 per page, $1.50 additional per document if certified copies are desired. Send a check to the appropriate address (under General Information) indicating what documents you want. If you are unsure about the number of pages, you could call or send a check payable to the Clerk of Courts, marked in the memo line “Not to exceed $10” with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Clerk of Courts, Recording Office, P. O. Box 2278, Fort Myers, Florida 33902 with your request. We will send back the copies with the receipt.
How do I obtain a copy of a Birth Certificate?
The Health Department has all birth and death records for Lee County. Vital Statistics may be reached there at 239-332-9572. Their records are not available on-line. For birth certificates for another state, go to our Home Page, click on Passports. There is a link there to reach all states.
How do I obtain a copy of a Death Certificate?
Sometimes death certificates are recorded in the Clerk’s Office. From the Home Page, go to Search/Download Official Records, then Public Search, and follow the script to search as desired. Copies are $1.00 per page, $1.50 per document for certification. You may send a check payable to the Clerk of Courts (marked in the memo line “Not to exceed $10” if you don’t know how many pages are involved), with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Clerk of Courts, Recording Office, P. O. Box 2278, Fort Myers, Florida 33902 with your request. We will send back the copies with the receipt. However, the Health Department has all birth and death records for Lee County. Vital Statistics may be reached there at 239-332-9572. Their records are not available on-line.
How do I obtain a copy of my deed or other recorded instrument?
If you are trying to get copies of a deed, from the Home Page, go to Search/Download Official Records, then Public Search, and follow the script to search as desired. Copies are $1.00 per page, $1.50 per document for certification. You may send a check payable to the Clerk of Courts (marked in the memo line “Not to exceed $10” if you don’t know how many pages are involved), with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Clerk of Courts, Recording Office, P. O. Box 2278, Fort Myers, Florida 33902 with your request. We will send back the copies with the receipt. For records earlier than 1988, please contact the Recording Office. Address and phone numbers for the Recording Office are under General Office Information.
How do I obtain a copy of my divorce?
Divorce documents are filed in our Civil section, located in the Justice Center at 1700 Monroe Street, mailing address P. O. Box 310, Fort Myers, Florida 33902. Copies cost $1.00 per page, $1.50 additional per document if certified copies are desired. They are not available on the Internet. At the end of the information about any given case, there is a link to the particular office which can give further information.
How do I obtain a copy of my marriage license?
If you applied for the license in Lee County, send $2.50 for the certified copy to Lee County Clerk of Courts, Attention Recording Office, P. O. Box 2278, Fort Myers, FL 33902. Please give the names of the parties involved and the date of the ceremony. For marriage licenses for another state, go to our Home Page, click on Passports. There is a link there to reach all states.
How do I obtain a copy of a will?
If a will has been filed, it is noted under Probate, in the Court Case Inquiry. Under Probate Inquiry, you may type in the last name, then Submit. Whatever is available will be shown. You may select the desired name. The screen will tell you how many pages are in the document. At the end of the information is a link to the Probate Office. Copies cost $1.00 per page, plus $1.50 per document if certified copies are desired. You may send a check payable to the Clerk of Courts (marked in the memo line “Not to exceed $10” if you don’t know how many pages are involved), with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Clerk of Courts, Probate Office, P. O. Box 9346, Fort Myers, Florida 33902 with your request. We will send back the copies with the receipt.
How do I get a message to a judge?
The information you wish to obtain may be available through the Court Administrator. You might try the link on our home page to the Twentieth Judicial Circuit.
How do I become a permanent resident of Florida?
In addition to the information listed below, please look under the State of Florida section on our links page by clicking on LINKS at the bottom of left side of our home page and then scrolling down on the next page.
For a Florida Driver's License, you might check out www.hsmv.state.fl.us for licenses. You can get there from our HOME PAGE by clicking on LINKS at the left side bottom. Then click on DRIVERS LICENSE INFORMATION under the State of Florida Heading.
Voter Registration is handled by the Supervisor of Elections. You can reach their website through LINKS on our Home page. Then click on LEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS under the Lee County Heading.
Auto registration is handled by the Tax Collector’s Office. You can get there from our HOME PAGE by clicking on LINKS at the left side bottom. Then click on TAX COLLECTOR under the Lee County Heading.
Homestead exemptions are handled by the Property Appraiser’s Office (239-339-6100). You may be able to check the status by accessing your property at their website (from Links on our home page) and you can also contact them from their home page.
We currently do not have a Declaration of Domicile form on the Internet. These forms are available in the Clerk of Courts’ Recording Office. Addresses and telephone numbers are under General Office Information.
The Declaration of Domicile forms must be notarized before they are recorded. We will send one to you upon receipt of a stamped, self-addressed envelope. You may then fill it out, have notarized, and return with the proper recording fees.
The requirements for recording documents are given along with the charges (from the home page, go to Official Records/Land Records, then Requirements for Recording Documents, also look under Fees).
Briefly - a Declaration of Domicile is a statement about where you live. You sign it, have it notarized ($10.00 if notarized in our office), and recorded ($10.00). This may be done at the Clerk’s Recording Office in Fort Myers or at the Cape Coral branch office.
Please explain the abbreviations to the different document types.
There is a listing explaining all abbreviations of document types on our site. To get to it - From the HOME PAGE click SEARCH/DOWNLOAD OFFICIAL RECORDS then PUBLIC SEARCH, then ACCEPT on the disclaimer page. Click on the grey box next to DOCUMENT TYPE.
Where would I find a DR-219 form?
You will find the DR 219 by going to “Official Records”, and then at the left-side of the screen, click on “Requirements for Recording Documents.” Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “DR-219 in PDF format.”
Where could I find a copy of my driving record?
You may check the status of your license at the license bureau website, which is www.hsmv.state.fl.us. That will only tell you if your license is valid or invalid. In order to find out the reason for suspensions or revocations, you may purchase a copy of your driving record from the Clerk of Courts for $4.10 for the first page plus $1.00 for each additional page.
I received a traffic ticket and would like to go to driving school to avoid points on my license. Can you recommend one to me?
You may attend a driving school on-line or in person. To locate an approved on-line basic driver improvement course, please use your web browser to search the Internet, refer to your local telephone directory, or contact the course providers listed at www.hsmv.state.fl.us/ddl/bdis.html.
You will still need to make the school election with the clerk within 30 days from the date your citation was issued. Be sure to check the appropriate box on your ticket (and note that you will be paying the reduced fine amount). You can either do that by the credit card option, mailing in your payment or coming into the office. Once you make the election with the clerk you will have 60 days from that date to complete the school and provide the completion certificate to the clerk. This may be mailed to the Clerk of Courts, Traffic Office, PO Box 2507, Fort Myers, Florida, 33902, or taken to the Traffic Office in the Cape Coral Lee County Government Center or third floor of the Administration East Building at 2201 Second Street in Fort Myers.
Where would I find information on upcoming foreclosure sales?
All properties scheduled for a mortgage foreclosure sale are published in the legal notice section of any Lee County newspaper. The legal notice will provide you with the legal description, the names of the parties and a case number. The Civil Office has the files available to review. We are located on the second floor of the Lee County Justice Center. We suggest that if you are interested in bidding on a piece of property, that you also conduct a title search in Land Records located on the second floor of the Administrative Building at 2115 Second St.
A calendar of upcoming foreclosure sales is now available on our website; to access, click on COURT CASE INQUIRY on our home page. After you have read the disclaimer, click on ACCEPT. On the next page, scroll down to the Civil and Small Claims section and click on FORECLOSURE CALENDAR. You can click on any of the court case numbers to receive more information.
Once you have decided to bid on a piece of property you may request bid instructions from the Civil Division. All sales are held promptly at 11:00 a.m. in the Civil Lobby on the second floor of the Justice Center, 1700 Monroe St., Ft. Myers, FL. A deposit is due at the time of sale from the successful high bidder equal to 5% of the final bid. Pursuant to F.S. 45.031 as amended by Senate Bill 1282; Chapter Law 99-259. If the successful high bidder fails to make the deposit, the Clerk will immediately resume the sale starting with the second highest bid. All deposits of sale proceeds must be in the form of cash, cashier’s check, money order or U.S. Treasury check payable to the Lee County Clerk of Court. In addition to the amount of sale proceeds deposited, a court registry fee is due pursuant to F.S. 28.24(13) on the total amount of the deposit. The balance of sale proceeds must be paid to the Clerk by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the sale. If final payment is not made by the prescribed time, the judgment holder will be required to obtain a court order rescheduling the sale. The Clerk shall then re-advertise the sale and pay all costs of the sale from the deposit. Any remaining funds shall be applied toward the judgment.
Please stop by the Civil Office for further information.
How do I file for Homestead Exemption?
Homestead exemptions are handled by the Property Appraiser’s Office (239-533-6100.) You may be able to check the status by accessing your property at their website (by clicking on LINKS at the bottom left-side of our Home Page and then on “Lee County Property Appraiser”).
What are the requirements in order to obtain a Marriage License?
Information about obtaining a marriage license may be found on the web page under Marriage License. The location of the offices is under General Office Information.
I just got married. How do I change my name?
Name changes due to marriage are not civil cases. You would need to contact the individual agencies involved to change your name with them, such as the Social Security Administration and the Department of Motor Vehicles. It is not automatic and there is not one central location to change your name. You may need copies of your marriage license. If you applied for the license in Lee County, send $2.50 for the certified copy to Lee County Clerk of Courts, Attention Recording Office, P. O. Box 2278, Fort Myers, FL 33902. Please give the names of the parties involved and the date of the ceremony.
Where can I find a copy of an ordinance?
From our Home Page, click on LINKS at the bottom left side, then click on “Lee County Government”, then “Online Documents”, and you will see several links to ordinances.
What are the requirements for recording a document?
The requirements for recording documents are given along with the charges (from the home page, go to Official Records/Land Records, then Requirements for Recording Documents, also look under Fees). Or just send the document with a stamped return envelope and check payable to Clerk of Courts, to: Clerk of Courts, Recording Office, P.O. Box 2278, Fort Myers, Florida 33902. The recording fee for all documents is $10.00 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page.
I found my deed/mortgage online and it is displaying my social security number. How do I get this removed from the record?
In order for us to remove any information, we must have the Official Record book and page number, or the court case number, with the type/name of the document, the name of the party/parties involved, as well as exact instructions on what is to be removed, i.e., Social Security number. Forms are available in our Recording Office, 2nd floor, County Administration Building, 2115 Second Street or you may check the web at www.leeclerk.org/Forms_Index.asp. The appropriate forms may be completed and returned to: Lee County Clerk of Circuit Court Attention: Redaction P. O. Box 2469 Fort Myers, FL 33902. We have millions of records, and we are sorry, but this form must be filled out in order for us to remove any information.
Where do I find out information about tax deed sales?
From the home page at www.leeclerk.org, go to DELINQUENT TAX, then TAX DEED SALES LIST for the actual list of properties available. Also, read RULES FOR TAX DEED SALES and FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS located on the Delinquent Tax page.
How do I search for a Civil case?
To locate a court case done in Lee County, from the home page click on Court Case Inquiry. Then Accept. Under Civil and Small Claims, you may inquire by name, case number, or the uniform case number. When entering a name, less is usually better than more so that your information may be located more easily; for example, enter just the last name or part of the last name of the plaintiff or defendant. Note: There has been a change to the format to enter names for a search – do not put a comma between the last and first name. Only type a space between them.
When entering the case number, enter using hyphens in the following format: 00-XX-000111
“00” is the Case Year
“XX” is the Court
Type (e.g. SP for Summary Procedure or Small Claims, CA for Civil Action
in Circuit cases, CC for County Civil).
“000111” is the Sequential
Number (You must have 6 digits for this #. Try adding leading 0’s,
if you do not.)
Do not enter letters following the case number as they are not part of the case number but designate the assigned judge. Example: enter 02-CA-099999, not 02-99999 CA XYZ.
Records go back to 1984, and earlier than that in some areas. All cases are shown that are not confidential or purged.
At the end of the information about any given case, there is a link to the particular office which can give further information.
How do I search for a criminal case?
To locate a court case done in Lee County, from the home page click on Court Case Inquiry. Then Accept. Under Criminal Information, you may inquire by name, case number, or the uniform case number. When entering a name, less is usually better than more so that your information may be located more easily; for example, enter just the last name or part of the last name of the plaintiff or defendant. Note: There has been a change to the format to enter names for a search – do not put a comma between the last and first name. Only type a space between them.
When entering the case number, enter using hyphens in the following format: 00-XX-000111
“00” is the Case Year
“XX” is the Court
Type (e.g. FE for Felony, CT for Criminal Traffic, MM for Misdemeanor, TT
for Civil Traffic).
“000111” is the Sequential Number (You must
have 6 digits for this #. Try adding leading 0’s, if you do not.)
Do not enter letters following the case number as they are not part of the case number but designate the assigned judge. Example: enter 02-CF-099999, not 02-99999 CF XYZ.
At the end of the information about any given case, there is a link to the particular office which can give further information.
How do I search for an official record?
From the Home Page, go to Search/Download Official Records, then Public Search, and follow the script to search as desired.
(Note: It is helpful to enter just the last name and first initial and then look through the listing that displays. When you see your name, click on the blue “view” next to it. Then click on the “get image” button at the top left side of the next page and answer yes to install the viewer, you may then be able to see a picture of your recorded document.)
I would like to take someone to Small Claims court. Can you help?
Please check information about filing a small claims case under Court Offices, Civil, then Small Claims. If you wish to file a claim in Lee County, we will send the forms to you upon receipt of a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail your request to Clerk of Courts, Small Claims Office, P. O. Box 9345, Fort Myers, Florida 33902.
How do I change the name on a deed?
Title Change on Property - The requirements for recording documents are given along with the charges (from the home page, go to Official Records/Land Records, then Requirements for Recording Documents, also look under Fees). If a document meets the requirements for recordation, we record it; therefore, we do not have any forms to send to you, nor do we provide any legal advice as to what should be recorded.
The Recording Office is on second floor in the County Administration Building, which is located at 2115 Second Street in Fort Myers. When you come in person, we are able to record the instruments and hand them back to you. Address and phone numbers are under General Office Information.
The Clerk of Courts keeps the records and cannot give legal advice, so we suggest that you contact an attorney who is familiar with Florida laws. We do not have a list of attorneys; but suggest that you contact the Lee County Bar Association by clicking on LINKS on our HOME PAGE or try www.yellowpages.com.
