County Recorder
Official Records
As County Recorder, the Clerk maintains the official records of the county. The Official Records Department also oversees marriage services, passport applications, tax deed sales, and more.
Our online official county records database has documents dating back to January 1, 1957. The database includes final judgments, land records, liens, deeds, and other public documents. The search will return a list of grantors/grantees or parties, the date of the document, the book and page number of the document, and other related linked instruments. Marriage licenses are available back to the formation of Polk County. If you need documents that pre-date 1957, you can submit a request through our online system.
Notice of the Right of Any Affected Party to Request Removal of Certain Chapter 119 Information or Records
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 s. 119.071, F.S., 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. However, grantor, grantee or party names may not be removed from the Official Records index unless the grantor, grantee or party name includes the street address, such as in a Trust or LLC. Requests must be notarized, state the statutory basis for removal, and confirm the individual’s eligibility for the exemption. To make a request, contact the clerk’s office by mail at PO Box 9000, Drawer CC-8, Bartow, FL 33831-9000 or in person at 255 N. Broadway Ave., Bartow, Florida 33830 or by email at clerkbutterfield@polk-county.net. Fax copies cannot be accepted.
Notice of the Right of Any Affected Party to Request the Addition of Information to a Publicly Available Internet Website
Any affected 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, F.S., is entered, unless the respondent is a minor. The request must be in writing and contain the case number. To make a request, contact the clerk’s office by mail at PO Box 9000, Drawer CC-8, Bartow, FL 33831-9000 or in person at 255 N. Broadway Ave., Bartow, Florida 33830 or by email at clerkbutterfield@polk-county.net. Fax copies cannot be accepted.