“Ask Lori…Parrish on Appraisal”
Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish Answers Your Questions…
“Do Not Pay Companies for a Copy of Your Original Deed!”
Dear Lori:
I received a letter today from a company in Davie, Florida stating my property deed is the only document identifying me as the property owner. They are requesting a $56.50 processing fee to obtain a certified copy of my deed for me. In your opinion, should I get one, and is this fee fair? What would it cost me to get it directly from Broward County.
P.W., Deerfield Beach (via email)
I actually received the same letter at my home. This mailing is a solicitation from a private company selling copies of certified deeds at a rate much higher than one needs to pay. While this practice is misleading, it is in fact, legal. You can actually obtain a certified copy of your deed from Broward County for just a few dollars.
A certified copy of a document has the legal validity of the original document. Your deed is a document or written legal instrument which, when executed and delivered, conveys an interest in or legal title to a property. If you have lost or misplaced your original deed you can obtain a certified copy from the Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division, in person, or by mail. Deeds recorded prior to 1978 must be ordered in person or by written request. The county charges a nominal fee for reproduction ($1.00 a page/$2.00 certified). If you have questions for the County Records Division, they can be reached at 954.831.4000. (Note: the County Records Division is NOT affiliated with the Property Appraiser’s Office.)
Non-certified copies of deeds and many other important documents are available for free online at Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division’s website (www.broward.org/records), which is also linked from our office’s website. Reviewing and obtaining a non-certified copy of your deed is simple: Go to www.bcpa.net and go to “Property Search” page, select the “Owner Name” button, and search by your last name, followed by a comma, and then your first name. After hitting the SEARCH button, you must select your property from a list. To select your property, choose the “Parcel Number” that is in the same row as your address. All the information on your property will be displayed. More than half way down this page, there will be a section labeled “Sales History.” Select the top “Book Number or CIN” (colored blue) to view the most current version of the deed.
If you need more information about viewing deeds, please visit our website at www.bcpa.net or contact our office directly at 954.357.6830.
Sincerely,
Lori Parrish, CFA
If you have a question for Lori, please email her at lori@bcpa.net or write to her at the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office, 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 111, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 (9/14)