About the Sarasota County Clerk's Office
Sarasota County uses a unified clerk model. The elected office is the Sarasota Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller. One office does the work that some states split between a county clerk and a district clerk. That title signals two jobs at once: keeper of court and official records, and county comptroller over public funds. The office is elected by Sarasota County voters and serves the circuit and county courts of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit.
The Clerk maintains court records, receives filings, collects fees and fines, issues and records marriage licenses, records official documents, and provides public-records access. The main office sits at the historic courthouse on Main Street in downtown Sarasota, with a Venice office for south-county residents.
Sarasota Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
2000 Main Street
Sarasota, FL 34237
941-861-7400
clerknet@sarasotaclerkandcomptroller.com
See current Clerk hours and office locations
What the Clerk Does in Sarasota County
The Clerk touches almost every court matter in the county. The office takes in pleadings, builds the case file, records each event on the docket, collects court costs, and issues court process. It also runs the recording side for deeds and liens, and the marriage and probate record functions. The duties below are the core of the office.
- Maintain circuit and county court records for civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases.
- Receive and docket filings and collect court fees, fines, and costs.
- Issue and record marriage licenses and maintain marriage records.
- Record official documents such as deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats.
- Provide public-records access and run the ClerkNet electronic court system.
- Perform county comptroller and finance functions.
Sarasota County Clerk Court Services
Court services split into five divisions, and each has its own counter and online page. The ClerkNet search interface ties them together for the public after access is selected.
From the ClerkNet search screen, the public can look up cases by number, party name, or citation across the divisions. Civil services include circuit civil, county civil, small claims, and eviction filings. Criminal services cover felony, misdemeanor, criminal traffic, and payment functions. Family services handle dissolution, child support, paternity, and injunctions, with remote images restricted under Florida law. Probate services cover estates, guardianships, and mental-health matters. Traffic services run citations, court dates, compliance, and driver-school options.
How to Request a Certified Copy
A certified copy is a court copy stamped to prove it is true and complete. Courts, agencies, and other states often require certified copies for legal use; an uncertified printout may not be accepted. The Clerk offers certification and exemplification through ClerkNet. The steps below outline a typical request.
- Find the case number in ClerkNet using a case-number or party-name search.
- Choose the certification or exemplification option, or contact clerknet@sarasotaclerkandcomptroller.com for help.
- Submit the request and pay the required fee from the current Clerk fee schedule.
- Watch "My Mailbox" in ClerkNet; allow up to 24 business hours after receipt to get the document, with email notice when available.
Note: Certified copies are required for many legal proceedings, so an uncertified online printout may not be accepted by a court or agency.
Sarasota County Records Request Fields
Whether you request online or in person, the Clerk needs enough detail to find the exact record. A case number is the strongest identifier; party names help when the number is unknown. The fields below cover what a court records request usually asks for.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case Number | No | Strongest identifier; speeds the search when known. |
| Party Names | Yes | Use full names; needed when no case number is given. |
| Document Type | Yes | Order, judgment, full file, or a specific filing. |
| Number of Copies | Yes | Drives the per-page and certification charge. |
| Certification | No | Mark if you need a certified or exemplified copy. |
| Delivery Method | Yes | Pickup, mail, or electronic mailbox where available. |
Sarasota County Clerk Fees
Fees vary by service and follow Florida statutory schedules. The Clerk charges for copies, certification, exemplification, recording, and filing. ClerkNet anonymous court search is free. Other amounts are set by the current Clerk fee schedule, so confirm them before you pay. The table points to that schedule rather than guessing a figure.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| ClerkNet anonymous court search | Free |
| Plain copy per page | See current Clerk fee schedule |
| Certified copy | See current Clerk fee schedule |
| Certification / exemplification | See current Clerk fee schedule |
| Recording fee | See current Clerk fee schedule |
| Filing fee - civil | See current Clerk fee schedule |
For the live amounts, check the Clerk fee pages at sarasotaclerk.com. Recording and copy fees differ by instrument and statutory schedule.
Official Records, Marriage, and Probate Services
The Clerk also keeps recorded instruments, which are not court cases. Deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and many marriage records are searched in the Official Records portal, separate from ClerkNet court search. Marriage licenses run through the Clerk's marriage services under Florida Statutes § 741.04. Probate filings go to the Probate Division of the Circuit Court, with record services through the Clerk; Florida Statutes § 732.901 requires a will custodian to deposit a will with the clerk within 10 days of learning of the death.
The Clerk lists Sarasota and Venice service locations and current hours on its office page.
Use the office-locations page to confirm where to file or pick up records before you travel, since south-county residents may prefer the Venice office.
ClerkNet Access and Public Records at the Clerk
ClerkNet is the Clerk's electronic court-record system, and the public can use it without an account. The login page lets unregistered users select "Click Here For General Public User Access" for immediate anonymous access. Users who qualify for greater access use "New User Registration." General public access excludes records that are expunged, sealed, automatically confidential under Rule 2.420(d)(1), or made confidential by court order. The page references Florida Supreme Court administrative orders AOSC14-19 and AOSC15-18.
Remote access has limits even for public users. Under Florida Statutes § 28.2221, subsection (5)(a), the general public has no remote access to images in cases governed by the Family Law Rules, the Rules of Juvenile Procedure, or the Probate Rules. Registered access groups include parties, attorneys of record, authorized government agencies, certified law enforcement, and others. For the full open-records framework, see the public records page and Florida Statutes § 119.07.
Mail and Online Filings
Registered filers submit court documents through the statewide Florida Courts e-filing portal. The portal supports filing for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, while the public still views records through ClerkNet and the Clerk's systems. Electronic filing functions are governed by Florida Statutes § 28.22205. For records that are not imaged, contact the Clerk's records counter by phone or in person.