Clay County public records cover arrest logs, booking reports, mugshots, court files, property deeds, marriage licenses, tax records, and other documents made by county offices. Florida’s open records law, Chapter 119 of the state statutes, makes most of these files open to any person who asks.
This page explains how to search Clay County arrest records, court cases, jail rosters, and property data, and where to send a formal records request to the Clerk of Courts, the Sheriff’s Office, the Property Appraiser, or the Tax Collector.
What Counts as a Public Record in Clay County
A public record is any paper, email, photo, or electronic file made or kept by a government office during its work. In Clay County, that list covers arrest reports, jail booking records, court filings, recorded deeds, tax bills, and commission meeting minutes. The Florida Constitution and state statutes treat these records as open by default. A requester does not need to be a lawyer, a journalist, or a Florida resident to see them.
Some files are sealed by a judge. Juvenile criminal records, witness protection files, certain medical records, and ongoing investigation notes fall under Florida’s exemption list. A requester can ask the court to open a sealed file. A judge must approve that motion before the file becomes open to the public.
Clay County Clerk of Courts and Court Records
The Clay County Clerk of Courts keeps the main court file archive for the county. The Clerk’s office sits in Green Cove Springs, the county seat. The office handles circuit civil cases, felony criminal cases, family law, probate, county civil cases, misdemeanors, and traffic tickets. Clay County sits in the 4th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Duval and Nassau counties.
The Clerk’s website, clayclerk.com, hosts the online case search tool. A visitor can pull up a case by name, case number, or attorney bar number. Florida case numbers use a two-digit year, a court code, and a serial number. A file labeled 16-2023-CF-000123 points to a felony case filed in 2023. Document images show up as PDF files for most filings made after 2005.
For older case files, the Clerk may need to pull the paper jacket from storage. Same-day service works for files from the last ten years. Files older than that may take three to five business days. The Clerk charges a copy fee for paper files and a smaller fee for digital downloads.
How a Florida Case Number Works
A Florida case number has four parts. The first two digits show the county code. Clay County is 16. The next four digits show the year of filing. The next two letters show the case type: CF for felony, MM for misdemeanor, DR for family, CC for county civil, CA for circuit civil, and PR for probate. The last group is a six-digit serial number. Reading the case number tells the requester the county, the year, the case type, and the case order in that year. The Clerk’s online tool accepts a partial number for a broad search.
Searching Court Records by Name
A name search returns all cases tied to the entered name across all case types. The search covers criminal, civil, family, probate, and traffic cases. The result list shows the case number, filing date, case type, and current status. Clicking a case number opens the docket sheet, which lists each filing in date order. Document images link to each docket entry where a PDF is available.
Name searches with common surnames return long lists. Adding a date of birth or middle name narrows the result set. The Clerk’s tool does not support a wildcard search. A partial last name match requires the requester to type the first three letters and review the result list manually.
Clay County Arrest Records and Recent Arrests
Clay County arrest records live with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Each arrest creates a report with the arrestee’s full name, date of birth, charges, booking date, and case number. The Sheriff’s Office posts a daily arrest log on its website. The log lists people taken into custody within the past 24 to 72 hours. Names appear in alphabetical order, and each entry links to a short arrest summary.
Recent arrests show up in two places: the arrest log and the county’s booking roster. The arrest log covers new arrests. The booking roster covers the current jail population. The roster gets updated every few hours. The roster shows the inmate’s name, booking photo, housing location, bond amount, and the charges listed at the time of intake. The roster does not show case outcomes or sentencing data.
To run a Clay County arrest search by name, start with the Sheriff’s online roster. Type the last name and first name into the search field. The tool returns matching inmates in custody. For people arrested and released, the arrest log keeps the entry for 30 to 90 days. After that, the only way to see the data is a formal public records request to the Sheriff’s records unit.
Clay County Booking Records and Jail Inmates
Clay County jail inmates are housed at the Clay County Detention Facility in Green Cove Springs. The current inmate roster sits on the Sheriff’s website. The roster is searchable by name. The list shows people still in custody at the search time. People who bonded out the same day may or may not appear on the list, depending on the update schedule.
The roster entry shows the booking number, the booking date, the housing unit, the bond, and the next court date. Some entries also show a projected release date for inmates serving a misdemeanor sentence. The roster does not list federal inmates or people housed at other facilities through an interagency contract.
For inmates transferred to a Florida Department of Corrections prison, the state inmate search tool at fdc.myflorida.com has the data. The state tool tracks people sentenced to state prison. The county roster covers the local jail only.
Clay County Mugshots and Booking Photos
Clay County mugshots are taken at the time of booking at the Clay County Detention Facility. The photos sit in the Sheriff’s database and appear on the inmate roster next to each name. The photos are public under Florida law. Commercial mugshot websites pull the same photos from the Sheriff’s roster and repost them. The original source remains the Sheriff’s Office.
Florida law allows a person to ask a court to remove a mugshot from a public website. Section 901.43 of the Florida Statutes sets out the process. A person must show the photo causes ongoing harm and the case did not end in a conviction. Most people who qualify for an expungement also qualify to have the photo removed.
To request a mugshot removal, the requester files a motion with the court that handled the case. The Clerk’s office in Green Cove Springs can supply the motion form. A $42 filing fee applies. The court sets a hearing and serves the State Attorney. The judge decides based on the details in the motion and any objection from the State Attorney.
How Florida Public Records Law (Chapter 119) Works
Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes is the state’s main public records law. The law declares that all records made or received by any state, county, or municipal office in connection with official business are open for personal inspection and copying. The default rule is openness. A government office must point to a specific statutory exemption to deny a request.
Section 119.07 sets the rules for requesting records. No identification is required. A requester does not need to state a purpose. Agencies must respond to a request in a reasonable time. They can charge the statutory fees. They can ask the requester to schedule a time for large or broad requests. They cannot deny a request without citing a specific exemption from Section 119.071.
If Clay County denies a request without proper justification, the Florida Attorney General’s mediation program is available at (850) 245-0140. The Attorney General’s Open Government page outlines the complaint process. The First Amendment Foundation at floridafaf.org also helps requesters whose rights are not being honored.
Clay County Official Records (Deeds, Mortgages, Liens)
Official records recorded with the Clay County Clerk include real property deeds, mortgages, liens, assignments, satisfactions, and other legal instruments. As Clay County has grown as a residential community near Jacksonville, the volume of recorded property transactions stays high. The official records index is searchable online and gets new recordings on a rolling basis.
Title researchers and real estate attorneys use the Clay County official records system frequently. A user can search by grantor or grantee name, document type, or recording date. For properties in Clay County, a title search typically covers 30 or more years of recorded instruments. The online portal has images for recent records. Older instruments may need paper or microfilm copies.
Certified copies of official records cost $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. Plain document copies cost $0.15 per single-sided page or $0.20 per double-sided page. Research fees apply when staff time goes past the first 30 minutes of a complex or broad request.
Clay County Sheriff’s Office Records Request
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office holds arrest reports, incident reports, jail booking records, 911 audio, and traffic crash reports. Sheriff records stay separate from Clerk’s court records. A requester contacts the Sheriff’s records unit directly for those documents. The Sheriff’s Office offers an online records request portal on its website. Written requests by mail or in person also work.
For a Clay County arrest report, the requester should send the arrestee’s full name, the date of arrest, and the case number if available. The Sheriff’s Office charges a copy fee per page. A traffic crash report costs $10.00. An incident report without a crash costs $0.15 per page for single-sided copies. Audio recordings of 911 calls cost more, depending on the length of the recording.
Requests by mail should go to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Attention: Records Unit, 901 N Orange Avenue, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043. The requester should include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order for the copy fee. The records unit responds within ten business days for routine requests.
Clay County Property Appraiser Records
The Clay County Property Appraiser holds ownership and appraisal data for all taxable parcels in the county. The data is public and searchable through the Appraiser’s own website. The records cover the owner’s name, the property address, the parcel ID, the assessed value, the land use code, the building square footage, the year built, and the sales history.
The Property Appraiser’s website, ccpao.com, hosts the parcel search tool. A user can search by owner name, property address, or parcel ID. The result page shows the parcel details, the map, the assessed value for the current tax year, and any exemptions on the file. The sales history lists each transfer of ownership with the recording date, the book and page number, and the sale price when reported.
For properties that have changed hands recently, the Appraiser’s data and the Clerk’s official records may show different sale prices. The Clerk records the consideration stated on the deed. The Appraiser may record a different value for assessment purposes, especially for sales between family members or for partial interest transfers.
Clay County Tax Collector Records
The Clay County Tax Collector holds tax payment records, delinquent tax lists, and tax certificate sale records. The Tax Collector’s website, claycountytax.com, lets users pay property taxes and check whether a bill is paid for a specific year. The data covers the current tax year and the prior ten years.
Delinquent tax records show properties with unpaid taxes from a prior year. The list gets updated each May before the tax certificate sale. The sale happens online through a third-party auction site. The Clay County Clerk records the resulting tax certificates and tax deeds.
For a tax payment history, the requester can ask the Tax Collector’s office for a certified tax record. The fee runs $5.00 for a current-year record. Older records may need a research fee, depending on the number of years requested.
Vital Records in Clay County
Vital records cover birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees. The Clay County Clerk of Courts holds marriage licenses and divorce decrees from cases filed in the county. Birth and death certificates are not held at the county level in Florida. Those records sit with the Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics.
To get a Clay County marriage license copy, the requester contacts the Clerk’s office in Green Cove Springs. The fee is $3.00 for a certified copy. The requester should provide the full names of both spouses, the date of the marriage, and the license number if available. The Clerk’s office processes the request on the same day for in-person visits.
For a Clay County divorce decree, the requester contacts the Clerk of Courts and asks for the family law case file. The case number and the year of filing speed up the search. The fee is $1.00 per page for a certified copy, plus the $5.00 certification fee.
Sealed and Expunged Records in Clay County
Florida law allows certain criminal records to be sealed or expunged. A sealed record stays in the court file but cannot be seen by the public. An expunged record gets destroyed, except for a single record kept by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for the FDLE’s use. The Clay County Clerk of Courts handles the physical sealing or destruction process for local cases.
To qualify for a seal or expungement, the person must meet the criteria in Section 943.0585 or 943.059 of the Florida Statutes. Common criteria include: the case was dropped, the person was found not guilty, the person completed a diversion program, or the person was a misdemeanor offender who has not been convicted of another crime for the past five years.
The process starts with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. FDLE runs a records check and issues a certificate of eligibility. The certificate is then filed with the court where the original case was handled. A judge signs the order. The Clerk’s office in Green Cove Springs then seals the file or arranges for the destruction of the record.
Fees and Copy Costs for Clay County Records
Clay County follows Florida’s statutory fee schedule for public records. Plain copies of administrative records cost up to $0.15 per single-sided page or $0.20 per double-sided page. Court records cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies of official instruments add a $5.00 certification fee per document. Electronic copies of already-digitized records may come at a lower cost or no extra charge through the online portal.
Research fees apply when a request needs significant staff time. The first 30 minutes are not charged. After that, the county bills at the rate of the lowest-paid employee capable of handling the work. For large or complex requests, the requester should ask for a written cost estimate before authorizing the work.
| Record Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy, single-sided | $0.15 per page |
| Plain copy, double-sided | $0.20 per page |
| Certified court record copy | $1.00 per page |
| Certification fee | $5.00 per document |
| Traffic crash report | $10.00 |
| Marriage license certified copy | $3.00 |
| Online docket view | No charge |
| FDLE statewide criminal history check | $24.00 per person |
How to File a Public Records Request in Clay County
A requester has three options for filing a public records request in Clay County: in person, by mail, or through the agency’s online portal. The fastest option is the online portal. The Clerk of Courts, Sheriff’s Office, Property Appraiser, and Tax Collector each maintain their own portal. The requester fills out a form with the name, contact details, and a description of the records wanted.
For mail requests, the requester writes a letter that includes the requester’s name, mailing address, phone number, and email address. The letter should describe the records wanted with as much detail as possible: names, dates, case numbers, addresses, or parcel IDs. The letter should also state the preferred delivery method (paper copy, electronic copy, or in-person pickup).
For in-person requests, the requester visits the office during regular business hours. The clerk on duty takes the request in writing. The requester pays the copy fee at the time of pickup. For certified copies, the requester shows a valid photo ID. The Clerk’s office also requires the ID for documents that contain personal data, such as marriage licenses and sealed case files.
Clay County Cities and Nearby Counties
Clay County does not have any incorporated cities with their own public records portals on the Clerk’s site. The unincorporated communities in Clay County include Middleburg, Fleming Island, Orange Park, and Oakleaf. Each community uses the county offices for records requests. The city of Green Cove Springs runs its own municipal records, and the city clerk handles those records separately.
Nearby counties in the 4th Judicial Circuit include Duval County, Nassau County, and St. Johns County. Neighboring counties in adjacent circuits include Putnam County, Alachua County, and Baker County. Records requests in those counties go to the county clerk in each seat. A search that crosses county lines, such as a regional background check, may require multiple requests.
Unincorporated Communities in Clay County
- Middleburg
- Fleming Island
- Orange Park
- Oakleaf Plantation
- Penney Farms
- Lake Asbury
- Doctors Inlet
- Russell
Clay County Clerk of Courts Contact Details
Clay County Clerk of Courts
825 North Orange Avenue, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
Phone: (904) 269-6302
Official Website: www.clayclerk.com
Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Closed on weekends and federal holidays
Frequently Asked Questions About Clay County Public Records
These questions cover the most common requests for Clay County public records. Each answer points to the right office, the right fee, and the right tool. Use these answers as a starting point before sending a formal request to the Clay County Clerk of Courts, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, or the Property Appraiser.
1. Where can I search Clay County arrest records for free?
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office posts a free arrest log and a free inmate roster on its website. The arrest log covers the past 24 to 72 hours. The inmate roster covers people in custody at the time of the search. Both tools are searchable by last name and first name. The Sheriff’s roster shows booking photos, charges, bond amounts, and the next court date. The data refreshes every few hours. For arrests older than 90 days, the Sheriff’s Office keeps the file but removes it from the online log. A requester who needs an older arrest record files a written request with the Sheriff’s records unit. The requester should include the full name, date of birth, and the date of the arrest. The Sheriff’s Office responds within ten business days. Florida law treats arrest records as public under Chapter 119. The Sheriff cannot deny the request without citing a specific statutory exemption. The Clerk of Courts also holds the related court case file, which has the case outcome and sentencing data. The Clerk’s docket is free to view online. A certified copy of the case file costs $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. The arrest log and the inmate roster are the two main free search tools for arrest data in Clay County.
2. How do I run a Clay County arrest search by name?
Start at the Clay County Sheriff’s Office online inmate roster. Type the last name into the search field. Type the first name into the second field. The tool returns matching inmates in custody. Each entry shows the booking number, the charges, the bond, and the housing unit. For people who bonded out, the arrest log holds the entry for 30 to 90 days. After that window, the requester files a public records request with the Sheriff’s records unit. The Clerk of Courts also holds the related court case file, which has the case outcome and sentencing data. A name search that spans more than one county requires requests to each county clerk. A statewide search can be done through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s criminal history check, which costs $24.00 per person. The FDLE check covers arrests across all Florida counties. The Clay County roster only covers arrests in the county. For people with common names, the requester should add a date of birth to the search field. Many last names in Clay County match multiple people. The tool does not support wildcards. A full name search requires the requester to scroll through the result list manually. The Clerk’s case search can also pull up cases by the arrestee’s name.
3. Can I see Clay County mugshots online?
Yes. Clay County mugshots show up on the Sheriff’s inmate roster. Each entry on the roster has a booking photo taken at intake. The photos are public under Florida law. Commercial mugshot websites copy the same images from the Sheriff’s roster. The Sheriff’s website remains the original source. A person who wants a mugshot removed from public websites files a motion with the court under Section 901.43 of the Florida Statutes. The motion costs $42.00 to file. The judge sets a hearing and serves the State Attorney. The judge signs the order only if the case did not end in a conviction and the photo causes ongoing harm. People who qualify for an expungement also qualify for mugshot removal. The court can also order search engines to remove links to the photo. The Clerk’s office in Green Cove Springs can supply the motion form and the filing instructions. A requester who needs a printed copy of a mugshot can ask the Sheriff’s records unit for a printed photo. The fee is $0.15 per page plus a small handling fee. Mugshots remain in the public domain unless a court order removes them.
4. How do I find someone in Clay County jail right now?
Use the Clay County Sheriff’s online inmate roster. The roster is live and refreshes every few hours. Type the last name and first name into the search field. The result page shows the inmate’s name, booking number, housing unit, charges, bond amount, and the next court date. The roster only covers people held at the Clay County Detention Facility. Federal inmates and people held in other counties do not show up. For state prison inmates, use the Florida Department of Corrections inmate search at fdc.myflorida.com. The state tool shows inmates who have been sentenced to state prison and transferred out of the county jail. The county roster covers the local jail population only. People who were arrested and released the same day may not appear on the roster. The arrest log covers those cases. The booking log covers inmates who are still in custody. A requester who needs an inmate’s release date can call the Detention Facility directly. The phone number sits on the Sheriff’s website. The booking log shows the projected release date for misdemeanor sentences. Felony sentences do not show a release date until the court sets one.
5. How do I get a certified copy of a Clay County court record?
Visit the Clay County Clerk of Courts in Green Cove Springs. The Clerk’s office sits on the first floor of the courthouse at 825 North Orange Avenue. Bring a valid photo ID. Tell the clerk the case number, the year of filing, and the names of the parties. The clerk pulls the file and prepares a certified copy. The fee is $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. The clerk can also mail the certified copy if the requester includes a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order for the fees. For court records that are not in the local file, the requester files a written request with the Clerk’s office. The Clerk’s office processes routine requests within five business days. Larger requests that need research time may take longer. The Clerk sends a cost estimate before the work starts if the fee is more than $25.00. The Clerk’s online portal also allows online certified copy requests for some record types. The portal accepts credit card payments. The certified copy gets mailed to the requester within three business days. Some older case files are stored off-site and need extra retrieval time.
6. Are Clay County arrest records free to view?
Yes. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office provides free online access to the arrest log and the inmate roster. The Clerk of Courts provides free online access to the docket sheet for each case. The case docket shows the charges, the filing date, and the case status. Document images and certified copies cost a fee. The fee schedule runs $0.15 per single-sided page for plain copies, $1.00 per page for certified copies, and $5.00 per document for the certification stamp. The Clerk’s online portal allows free viewing of the docket. The portal charges a small fee for downloading PDF document images. The Sheriff’s records unit charges copy fees for paper records sent by mail. Florida law caps the fees. A government office cannot charge more than the actual cost of duplication. The arrest log and the inmate roster are free to view. The Clerk’s docket view is free. The paid fees cover certified copies, mailed copies, and staff research time. For bulk record requests, the requester should ask the office for a written cost estimate. That helps the requester decide whether to narrow the scope of the request.
7. What is the difference between the arrest log and the booking log in Clay County?
The arrest log lists new arrests made within the past 24 to 72 hours. The log shows the arrestee’s name, the date and time of the arrest, the charges, and the arresting agency. The arrest log is published daily by the Sheriff’s Office. The booking log covers people who have been booked into the Clay County Detention Facility. The booking log shows the booking number, the booking date, the housing unit, the bond, and the next court date. The booking log stays live for the entire time the inmate is in custody. The arrest log only shows recent arrests. The booking log shows anyone currently in custody, no matter when the arrest happened. A requester who wants new arrests uses the arrest log. A requester who wants the current jail population uses the booking log. Both logs sit on the Clay County Sheriff’s website. The arrest log is updated each morning. The booking log is updated every few hours. The arrest log has a 30 to 90 day rolling window. The booking log has no end date for the entry. People who bonded out the same day appear on the arrest log but not the booking log. People who are still in jail appear on both.