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Clay County Clerk of CourtsFor FEDEX/UPS/DHL:
Clay County Clerk of CourtsHave you considered eRecording to save time and money? Visit our website clayclerk.com and click on the eRecording link.
Check under “Recording Fees” on the “Court Fees” part of the FAQ.
Clerk of Court, Clay County
E-recording is the electronic recording of documents eliminating the need to mail or courier original documents to the Recording Dept. The turn around time is minutes instead of hours, days, or weeks. Documents are submitted through our certified vendors using password protection and digital certificate security. You will need a PC, scanner, and a connection to the internet to convert your documents to an electronic file for submission. For more information see the E-Recording section of our web site.
A document received by mail is returned the next day. The original document should have the name and full mailing address on the first page to ensure it is returned to the proper person. A walk-in document is recorded immediately and handed back.
Deeds are recorded in the Official Records. You can search, view, and print a copy of your deed from our website (clayclerk.com). If you purchased the property before November 23, 1970, and no subsequent deed has been recorded, you will have to contact the Recording Department or one of the branch offices to purchase a copy of your deed. A clerk can certify a copy of your deed making it the next best thing to an original.
You or your attorney must prepare a new deed reflecting the desired change. After it has been prepared, signed, notarized, and witnessed by two people, it must be recorded in the Official Records in Room 101 of the Courthouse or at one of the branches.
No. The original survey is given to the property owner for safekeeping. On rare occasions the survey might have been recorded as part of the deed. If the name of the surveyor is known, try contacting the surveyor.
Yes, the documentary stamp tax is paid and recorded on the deed based on the actual sales price of the property. The current rate is $.70 per $100. To determine the purchase price of a property whose deed is dated August 1, 1992 to present, divide the documentary stamp tax by .0070. Example: If the documentary tax is $624.40, divide $624.40 by .007 resulting in the sales price of $89,000. The statement on most deeds ascribing to the purchase price of “$10. and other valuable consideration” dates back to the 1800s and should not be taken literally.
No. You may be referring to a Tax Deed Sale. The Tax Collector sells tax certificates in late May on all properties whose taxes have not been paid for that year. When a Tax Certificate is two to seven years old, the holder can make application for a tax deed to the Tax Collector. The Tax Collector will pass the tax deed application packet to the Clerk and the Recording Department will schedule a public sale of the property. In addition to the back taxes, other statutory costs, fees, and interest will be added to determine the opening bid. Tax Deeds are advertised in the newspaper four consecutive weeks. The properties and the date of sale are listed on our website (clayclerk.com). The highest bidder will purchase the property.
The information posted on the Clerk's website under the Tax Deed Quick Link includes the opening bid, the legal description of the property, the physical address (if given), the parcel I.D. number, and the scheduled date of sale. Tax Deed sales should be considered a “buyer beware” process. Neither the Tax Collector nor the Clerk guarantee or warrant the Tax Deed. The Recording Dept. maintains a red folder containing a packet of information on each property scheduled for sale. This contains a title search and property card. This information should assist in making a decision on whether to bid on the property. Sales are held on a Wednesday and begin at 9:30 am. Sales do NOT occur every Wednesday so check the website for scheduled dates. It is a public sale, held on the front steps of the Courthouse (825 N. Orange Ave., Green Cove Springs). For more information, see Tax Deed Sale Questions under the FAQ section on the Homepage.
At the present time Clay County does NOT require a business license or permit unless the business is operated from the home and the home phone number and address is used as the contact for the business. If a cell phone and/or a P O Box is used, no license is issued. The incorporated municipalities of Clay County have requirements if located inside the city limits. Please contact the appropriate agency:
Check with the County Building Dept. to ensure your property is zoned for the desired business. Report your business with the Florida Dept. of State, Division of Corporations at www.sunbiz.org by filing a Fictitious Name Registration Form. The form is available at the Recording Dept. as a customer service, but must be filled out and submitted by the applicant.
The Clay County Environmental Health Office (904-284-6341 option 2) can assist with copies of birth certificates from 1930 to present and have some Clay county death certificates. All Clay County births and deaths are recorded with the Office of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville, FL (904-359-5900) along with births, marriages, divorces, and deaths for the entire state. Death certificates may be recorded with the Clerk of Courts in conjunction with other documents.
On our homepage, under the “Court Services” section go to the Family Law link then to Marriage License for all the pertinent information needed regarding a marriage license. If you still have questions, please contact our Recording Dept. at 269-6362 in Green Cove Springs or 278-4769 in Orange Park.
© 2010, Clay County Clerk of the Circuit Court.