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Notice on Official Records & Confidential Information

Public Records Exemption Request (Effective July 1, 2021)

F.S. Chapter 28.2221(2)(c): Any person has a right to request that a county recorder remove from a publicly available internet website information made exempt from inspection or copying under Chapter 119.07 or an image or copy of a public record, including an official record, if that image or copy is of a military discharge; death certificate; or a court file, record, or paper relating to matters or cases governed by the Florida Rules of Family Law, the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure, or the Florida Probate Rules.

Information removed, as exempt under Chapter 119.071, will not be removed from the Official Records, as described in Chapter 28.222(2).

Such request must be made in writing and delivered in person, by mail, or by electronic transmission to the county recorder. The request must identify the Official Records book and page number, instrument number, or clerk’s file number for any information or document to be removed. For requests for removal from a person claiming a public records exemption pursuant to Chapter 119.071, the request must be written, notarized, state under oath the statutory basis for removal of the information, image, or copy that is restricted from general public display on the county recorder’s publicly available internet website, and confirm the individual’s eligibility for exempt status. A party making a false attestation is subject to the penalty or perjury under Chapter 837.012. A fee may not be charged for the removal of a document pursuant to such request.

Addition of Information to a Publicly Available Internet Website (Effective July 1, 2021)

F.S. Chapter 28.2221(6)(c): Any person has a right to request that a county recorder or clerk of the court add information to a publicly available internet website, if that information involves the identity of a respondent against whom a final judgment for an injunction for the protection of a minor under S. 741.30, S. 784.046, or S. 784.0485 is entered, unless the respondent is a minor. Such request must be made in writing and delivered by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission or in person to the county recorder or clerk of the court. The request must specify the case number assigned to the final judgment for an injunction for protection of a minor under S. 741.30, S. 784.046, or S. 784.0485 is entered, unless the respondent is a minor. A fee may not be charged for the addition of a document pursuant to such request.

Redaction / Official Records

F.S. Chapter 119.0714(3), A person who prepares or files a record for recording in the official records, as provided in Chapter 28, may not include in that record a social security number or a bank account, debit, charge, or credit card number unless otherwise expressly required by law.

F.S. Chapter 119.0714(3)(a), If a social security number or a bank account, debit, charge, or credit card number is included in an official record, such number may be made available as part of the official records available for public inspection and copying unless redaction is requested by the holder of such number or by the holder’s attorney or legal guardian.

F.S. Chapter 119.0714(3)(b), The holder of a social security number or a bank account, debit, charge, or credit card number, or the holder’s attorney or legal guardian, may request that a county recorder redact from an image or copy of an official record placed on a county recorder’s publicly available Internet website or on a publicly available Internet website used by a county recorder to display public records, or otherwise made electronically available to the public, his or her social security number or bank account, debit, charge, or credit card number contained in that official record.

F.S. Chapter 119.0714(3)(b)(1,2,3), A request for redaction must be a signed, legibly written request, and must be delivered by mail, facsimile, electronic transmission, or in person to the county recorder. The request must specify the identification page number of the record that contains the number to be redacted. A fee may not be charged for the redaction of a social security number, a complete bank account, debit, charge or credit card number pursuant to such a request.