Lee County Clerk of Court, FL

You may visit our page for deeds or mortgages:

Calculate Recording Fees for Deeds

Calculate Recording Fees for Mortgages

There is a list explaining all abbreviations of document types on our site. Go to Official Records Search, then click on "Official Records Public Search" and click I accept on the disclaimer page. On the web search page, click on the grey button located on the right side of the Document Type field to display the list.

Visit the Requirements for Recording Documents page for a list of requirements. Recording fees are listed under the Fee Schedule. You may send the document(s) with a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of your recorded documents(s) and a check payable to Lee County Clerk of Courts, Recording Department, P.O. Box 2278, Fort Myers, FL 33902.

Effective August 1, government-issued photo identification is required for filing deeds in-person or by mail in Lee County. The new requirement is a result of HB 1419, a property fraud prevention program initiated by Clerk Karnes and state lawmakers to make it harder to file fraudulent deeds in Lee County. Lee County was chosen to be the state’s pilot location for the new program.

The program requires all persons listed on a deed to provide a government-issued photo ID before the deed is processed. This will make it easier for law enforcement to verify the identity of the parties engaged in a property-related transaction and investigate fraudulent activity.

The Clerk is rolling the program out in phases. E-Recorded deeds, typically submitted by property professionals and title agencies, are not impacted at this time. Identification requirements for e-recorded deeds will be implemented after technical updates are applied to our systems. The most up-to-date requirements will be posted on this page.

You may complete and submit the Request to Remove Exempt Information form, if qualified, to Lee County Clerk of Court, Attn: Redaction, P.O. Box 2278, Fort Myers, FL 33902 to remove any additional confidential numbers. Provide the document’s instrument number or book/page number, document type/name, party name(s), and the exact information that is to be removed.

Forms are also available in our Recording Department, 2nd floor, County Administration Building, 2115 Second Street. Due to the volume of records, this form must be filled out in order for us to remove any information.

Recording a death certificate does not remove the name from the deed. However, you can record the death certificate, and it will remove the name from the tax bill. You will need to have a new deed prepared if you want to remove a name from the existing deed of record. If a document meets the requirements to be recorded, we will record it. The Clerk’s office does not provide forms or legal advice.

Visit the Requirements for Recording Documents page for a list of requirements per F.S. 695.26. Recording fees are listed under the Fee Schedule.

Documentary stamp taxes, also known as excise taxes, are taxes imposed by Florida law on the transfer of ownership or interest in real estate transactions. They are calculated, for recording purposes, as a percentage of either the consideration amount for a deed or the obligatory amount for a mortgage. Documentary stamp taxes must be paid at the time of recording. To calculate documentary stamps, please use our deed calculator. For additional information, refer to the Department of Revenue's website.

Florida Documentary Stamp Tax is due at the time of recording. Each document transferring an interest in real property may be subject to Florida’s Documentary Stamp Tax (document stamps on deeds (rounded up to the nearest hundred) $0.70 per $100). Please contact the Department of Revenue for guidance at 800-352-3671. Documentary stamps are paid on the total consideration paid, given, or to be paid, for the transfer.

The Clerk’s office is restricted by state law from offering any legal advice. Staff cannot assist you in completing legal forms or provide legal advice of any type. If you have questions about completing forms or the proper method of transferring property, you should consult an attorney or legal advisor.