Recording

The Recording Section processes all documents for recording into the Official Records of Lake County. These documents include, but are not limited to, deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, liens, powers of attorney, notices of commencement, agreements for deed, plats, judgments, financing statements, and death certificates.

How to Record Documents

All documents must be processed in the Recording Section. Checks should be made payable to “Gary J. Cooney, Clerk of Court & Comptroller.” NOTE: We do not accept cashier’s checks dated more than two (2) months from the issue date.

Documents will be returned via U.S. Postal Service First Class Mail. Self-addressed, stamped envelopes are not required but may be included to expedite service. To have documents returned in any other manner, please include a return envelope along with a prepaid shipping label.

There are four ways to have documents recorded into the Official Records of Lake County:

1. In-Person:
   Lake County Courthouse, 550 W. Main St., North Wing, Third Floor, Tavares
   Records Storage Facility, 313 S. Bloxham Ave., Tavares

   Drop-Off Only:
   North Lake Branch Office, 902 Avenida Central, The Villages
   South Lake Branch Office, 290 Citrus Tower Blvd., Suite 116, Clermont

2. Drop-box
   Items that need to be recorded, and are not time-sensitive, can be placed into one of three designated drop-box locations. When utilizing the drop boxes, no cash payments should be enclosed.

3. Mail
   Documents and payment can be mailed to:
   
   Standard Mail:
   Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
   Attention: Recording Section
   P.O. Box 7800, Tavares, FL 32778-7800

   For Overnight Mail:
   Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
   Attention: Recording Section
   550 W. Main St., Tavares, FL 32778

4. Electronic Recording (E-Recording)
   Electronically record documents online through an eligible e-recording vendor. Learn more about e-recording documents.

Procedures for Recording Documents

Before recording a document, please check the following information:

1. Date
2. Grantee’s mailing address (if Deed)
3. Description of property
4. Two witnesses and the address of each witness (if Deed)
5. The signed and typed names must match
6. Acknowledgment
7. Notary public seal and expiration date and whether personally known or produced identification
8. The corporate seal, if applicable

According to Florida Statues, the statement below must appear on the face of all documents by which the title to real estate, or any interest in it, or lien on it, is conveyed, created, encumbered, assigned, or otherwise disposed of prior to being recorded by the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller.

    This instrument prepared by
    NAME: (        must be a natural person        )
    ADDRESS: __________________________

To expedite the processing of documents, it is requested that you submit a Recording Transmittal Form (PDF) along with your documents to be recorded.

Social Security Numbers

For documents recorded on or after October 1, 2002, any person preparing or filing a document for recording in the Official Records may not include a social security number unless required by law.

You have the right to request that the Clerk’s Office remove your social security number from an image or copy of an Official Record that is on the Clerk’s publicly available Internet website.

The request must be legibly written, signed, and delivered in-person or by mail, fax, or email to the Clerk’s Office. The request must specify the identifying page number (Book and Page or Clerk file number) that contains the social security number.

Social Security or Account Number Removal Request (PDF) forms are available in our office. No fee is charged for this service.

Contact information for form submissions is as follows:

• In-Person: At one of two locations:
  • Lake County Courthouse, 550 W. Main St., North Wing, Third Floor, Tavares
  • Records Storage Facility, 313 S. Bloxham Ave., Tavares
• By Mail: Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Attn: Recording Section, P.O. Box 7800, Tavares, FL 32778-7800
• Email: [email protected]
• Fax: (352) 253-2616