Broward County, FL Property Records

    Broward County is Florida's second-largest county by population. By recent census estimates, the county has a population of more than 1,980,000 residents. The average home value in the county stands at $424,823. Although this value indicates that prices have declined by 4.8% year-over-year, the value of homes in the county remains higher than Florida's statewide median of approximately $410,000.

    Listings in Broward County remain on the market for around 66 days. This reflects a market where buyers enjoy higher negotiating power and prefer more time to conduct due diligence. However, Federal Reserve Economic Data shows that approximately 61.9% of households in the county face cost burden, dedicating at least 30% or more of their income to housing expenses. This shows serious affordability problems in the county, despite its strong economy and employment opportunities.

    The Broward County Property Appraiser handles property valuation in Broward County, while individual municipalities manage their own tax collection. The Property Appraiser's online database serves as the primary source for detailed property data, including parcel maps, building characteristics, assessed values, exemption information, and ownership details.

    Who Keeps the Official Land Records?

    The Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division keeps official land records in all municipalities throughout Broward County. This office serves as the custodian of documents affecting real estate across the county, including deeds, mortgages, and liens.

    Florida counties maintain their own independent registry of property documents. Each of these registries operates under the Florida Statute governing document recording and public records access. By this statute, they are mandated to provide public access to land records.

    You can access these records by using any of the contact details below:

    Broward County Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division: 201 S.E. 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Phone: (954) 831-6565, Records Search Portal.

    • Coverage: All municipalities in Broward County.

    What Broward County Property Records Include

    Broward County property records consist of a comprehensive collection of documents, each serving a specific legal function in property transactions. Details found in these records include:

    • Deeds

    • Liens and judgments

    • Mortgages and releases

    • Easements and Rights of Way

    • Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CCRs)

    • Lis pendens

    • Homestead declarations

    • Foreclosures

    • Plans and surveys

    All properties in Broward County follow Florida's standard recorded land system. Under this system, all property-related instruments are indexed chronologically and assigned either Official Record Book and Page numbers or modern electronic instrument numbers for identification and retrieval purposes.

    The county's digital archives cover documents recorded from the late 1970s forward, though ongoing digitization efforts continue to expand online accessibility to historical records. You can obtain these pre-digital era records by visiting the office in person during regular business hours.

    How to Access Broward County Property Records

    Broward County's Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division provides several options for obtaining land records. These include the following:

    Online Access

    The Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division maintains an official records search portal that provides free access to recorded documents. The portal allows you to search records by seller and buyer names, document type, recording date range, instrument number, and page number.

    As of 2025, searching, viewing, and downloading these documents is free of charge.

    In Person

    You can visit the Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division office for in-person access to both digital and historical records. The office provides public access computers for searching the recording index and viewing document images. It is located at:

    Broward County Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division: 201 S.E. 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

    • Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

    Staff is available to assist you with locating historical records, plat books, and archived materials. You can also copy documents for a fee of $1.00 per page, plus an additional $2.00 per document for certification.

    By Phone or Email

    The Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division office accepts inquiries by telephone. You can contact the office to request copies of Broward County property records at (954) 831-6565.

    By Mail/Overnight

    You can also submit documents for recording through postal mail or commercial overnight delivery services. To do this, send the original document along with the exact recording fee amount. Make sure the document is sent through a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) for the return of recorded originals.

    To obtain certified copies of recorded documents by mail, send a written request in a SASE specifying the official record book and page number whose certified copy they want. The office will process their request and send this document by mail using the address provided.

    E-Recording (Professionals)

    While the county does not have an official e-recording system, it supports electronic recording through approved third-party vendors. This method is mostly used by title companies, attorneys, law firms, and other real estate professionals who record documents frequently. A list of approved vendors currently used by the county is available on the Records, Taxes, and Treasury Divisions' official website.

    What's Not at the Registry (But Matters for Property Research)?

    While the Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division's Office exclusively handles documents affecting property title and ownership, other categories of property information crucial for property research are maintained by other county offices.

    The Broward County Property Appraiser maintains building characteristics, assessed values, and property assessment records in the county. This office has an online database that provides access to property cards showing land acreage, building dimensions, construction details, and current assessed values.

    The Broward County Tax Collector handles all property tax billing, payment processing, and delinquency records. This office issues annual tax bills, records payments, and conducts tax certificate sales for delinquent properties. You can verify the current tax status, payment history, and any outstanding obligations on a property in Broward County by visiting the office in person or sending an email to revenue@browardtax.org.

    Step-by-Step: How to Pull a Deed Online

    To obtain official deeds for any Broward County property via the online search portal, follow the steps below:

    • Visit the Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division's website. Go to the Records Search page.

    • Choose your search method. Pick "Name Search" to look up by owner or "Advanced Search" for additional filter options. Enter the property owner's name (grantee) or the previous owner's name (grantor).

    • Narrow your search results. Apply the document type filter and choose "DEED" to eliminate other record types. Add date range or recording year filters to pinpoint the most recent transfer more quickly.

    • Check through the search results and select the deed entry matching your property. Verify that the legal description and party names are correct. Record the Official Record Book and Page number or instrument number for later use.

    • Open the recorded document. The system shows a scanned PDF of the original filed document containing all signatures and property descriptions.

    • Save or print the file. Make sure you captured all pages, since deeds frequently include multiple pages with legal descriptions, attachments, and survey diagrams.

    Cities & Towns in Broward County (and Their Registry Districts)

    Broward County has a single Records Division Office that serves its 31 municipalities and unincorporated areas. All property records, including deeds and mortgages, can be obtained through this office in Fort Lauderdale.

    Here are all the municipalities served by the Broward County Records Division Office:

    • Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Coral Springs, Dania Beach, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro Beach, Hollywood, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Lauderhill, Lazy Lake, Lighthouse Point, Margate, Miramar, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Parkland, Pembroke Park, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Pompano Beach, Sea Ranch Lakes, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise, Tamarac, West Park, Weston, and Wilton Manors.

    City/Town Resources for Assessments & Taxes

    The Broward County Property Appraiser is the central office for property valuations throughout the county's 31 municipalities and unincorporated areas. This office provides comprehensive property information through its online database, including current assessed values, market values, property characteristics, exemptions, and legal descriptions with parcel maps.

    The Broward County Tax Collector handles all property tax billing and payment processing for properties throughout the county. You can verify current tax amounts, payment history, delinquency status, and special assessments for drainage, road improvements, or community development districts from records kept by the office. The office also manages tax certificate sales for properties with delinquent taxes. This is useful for confirming that property taxes are current and paid.

    The Florida Department of Revenue handles statewide tax data and property tax laws across Florida's counties. It provides official oversight on property taxation practices and publishes annual reports on assessment levels, tax rates, and revenue collections throughout the state.

    Broward County-Specific Nuances

    If you are conducting property research in Broward County, it is essential to note the following distinguishing features of Broward County's property record system:

    • Broward County uses a single Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division office. This means filing and accessing documents is a straightforward process.

    • The Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division Office provides free access to most recorded documents online. You can search, view, and download official records at no cost.

    • As Florida's second-most populous county, Broward County processes a large volume of recorded documents annually. Using specific identifiers like the record book and page number or instrument number is highly efficient for locating documents quickly.

    • Broward County centralizes all property valuations through the County Property Appraiser. If you need property assessment data, you may need to look towards county resources rather than municipal offices.

    • Documents for waterfront or near-water properties may include references to coastal construction control lines, flood zone designations, and special insurance requirements. These are particularly relevant for properties along the Atlantic Ocean or Intracoastal Waterway.

    Typical Contents of a Broward County Property Record

    A Broward County property record tells you the ownership history, financial encumbrances, and restrictions affecting any property in the county. You will typically find the following details in these documents:

    • Deeds:

      • Grantor and grantee names

      • Legal description

      • Consideration

      • Prior reference

      • Homestead declaration

      • Documentary stamp tax

    • Mortgages and Satisfactions

      • Lender and borrower information

      • Loan details

      • Recording date and number

      • Satisfaction or release

    • Plats and Surveys (Visual Maps)

      • Plat or survey number

      • Subdivision name

      • Lot dimensions and configuration

      • Professional certification

    • Claims and Restrictions

      • Easements

      • Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CCRs)

      • Liens

      • Lis pendens

    Additional documents may include powers of attorney authorizing representatives to sign documents, estate documents for properties transferred through probate, and condominium declarations for properties in multi-unit developments.

    Recording Changes to Property Titles

    Proper recording protects the interests of buyers, lenders, and other parties by providing public notice of claims and property transfers in the county. Any change to property records must be officially recorded with the Broward County Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division to become part of the public record.

    If you want to record any document affecting a real estate title in the county, make sure the document clearly identifies the property by using lot and block references, metes and bounds, or condominium unit designations.

    You can record any such document by submitting it in person during office hours, by mail, or electronically through approved e-recording vendors. E-recording through authorized vendors offers the fastest processing time, with documents often recorded within hours and returned electronically.

    Practical Research Flow (Checklist)

    This checklist provides a step-by-step approach for conducting effective property research in Broward County, FL:

    • Verify the property's location - Make sure the property is located in Broward County, FL. If it is, all land records relating to the property will be maintained by the Broward County Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division.

    • Access the online search system - Go to the Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division's official records search portal to find the current deed. Enter the owner's name, previous owner's name, or subdivision name to locate the latest recorded transaction.

    • Document the document's identifiers - Write down the document's record book and page number or instrument number.

    • Follow the ownership chain backward - Look for the "prior reference" shown on the current deed to find the earlier deeds. Repeat this step through successive transactions to find any missing links.

    • Examine mortgages and encumbrances - Query the recording database for mortgages, liens, judgments, or similar claims filed against the property.

    • Investigate easements and use restrictions - Search for recorded easements, protective covenants, or usage limitations.

    • Cross-check valuation records with the Property Appraiser - Access the Broward County Property Appraiser's online system to validate property value and category, structural details, and exemption eligibility.

    • Review tax payment records - Visit the Broward County Tax Collector's website to confirm all property taxes are paid currently. Examine the tax payment timeline and identify any outstanding special assessments.

    • Reach out to local government offices when needed - Contact the appropriate municipal planning or building department for zoning details, permit records, or code compliance matters specific to where the property sits.

    Appendix A — Municipalities in Broward County

    There are 31 municipalities in Broward County*:

    • Municipalities: Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Coral Springs, Dania Beach, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro Beach, Hollywood, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Lauderhill, Lazy Lake, Lighthouse Point, Margate, Miramar, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Parkland, Pembroke Park, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Pompano Beach, Sea Ranch Lakes, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise, Tamarac, West Park, Weston, and Wilton Manors.

    *Broward County also has unincorporated areas or Census Designated Places. These areas exist mainly for census and mailing purposes but have no independent government. They are legally part of unincorporated Broward County and receive services directly from county agencies. (Wikipedia).

    Appendix B — Key Contacts & Portals

    • Broward County Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division (Land Records):

    • Broward County Property Appraiser:

      • Address: 115 S. Andrews Avenue, Room 111, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

      • Phone: (954) 357-6830.

      • Website: bcpa.net.

    • Broward County Tax Collector (Tax Collection & Payment Records):

      • Address: 115 S. Andrews Avenue, Room A100, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

      • Phone: (954) 357-4829.

      • Website: https://browardtax.org/.

    • Florida Department of Revenue:

      • Address: 5050 W Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399.

      • Phone: (850) 488-6800.

      • Website: floridarevenue.com.

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