Access Free Collier County Public Records (Verify Information)

Free Collier County Public Records Search
Access Collier County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

Look up free Collier County public records today using the links and guidance throughout this streamlined resource.

Public records in Collier County can be viewed thanks to the federal Freedom of Information Act and the Florida Public Records Law, which promote open access to information for everyone. These documents include vital records (birth, marriage, divorce, and death), court records, prisoner and probationer details, arrests, warrants, criminal records, and background check reports.

With the vast resources available online and offline, knowing the best search methods and where to find these records is crucial for obtaining a specific public record efficiently and without hassle.

This resource provides links and steps for effectively tracking down any desired public record in Collier County, Florida.

How To Search Collier County Arrest Records & Mugshots for Free

Collier, the second largest county by size in the state of Florida, is a subtropical coastal area known for its stunning scenery, immaculate white sandy beaches, and great quality of life for its residents. The county was officially created on May 8, 1923, marking the year 2023 as its first 100 years centennial.

Following the Chapter 119 Florida Statute about public records, Collier County provides public indexes maintained by its government custodians for any searchers needing information about their family members, neighbors, themselves, or anyone.1

The sheriff’s office is the law enforcement provider of Collier County, providing active services ensuring the protection of its citizens and visitors. They are also responsible for maintaining the online active Collier County warrants and arrests search tool available to the public; both will be outlined in detail below.

Public records and incident reports can be requested through the Central Records Bureau of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office through online or mail requests. At the city level, interested parties may also file a request through a city clerk’s office in person or by mail. The following sections will offer guidance on how to obtain these records.

See Who’s in a Collier County Jail Through the Sheriff’s Office

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has online arrest and warrant search tools available where searchers can do free public records searches about current and past arrests that took place with the arrestees’ information and where they can find someone’s mugshot.

They have a current arrest log that shows at most weekly reports displaying the arrested persons’ identifiable information (full name, mugshot, date of birth, and address), physical characteristics, information on Collier County bookings, arrest status, and charge/offense information.2

A screenshot showing the arrests report of Collier County showing image preview, name, date of birth, race, sex, residence, height, weight and other information from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office website.
Source: Collier County Sheriff’s Office2

The other arrest search tool available allows the searcher to find all Collier County arrest records from the 1st of January 2013 up to the present.3 The user must input at least one of the search criteria, like the last and first name with an asterisk (*) – if the name provided is only partial, date of birth, and booking date and number.

A screenshot displaying the arrests results of Collier County from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office website showing categories like image preview, type, first, middle and last name, date of birth, race, sex and custody information.
Source: Collier County Sheriff’s Office3

The search results will show up to 100 hits showing the arrestees’ mugshots (anchored with link routing to a page with more information about the arrests), full names, date of birth, race, sex, and custody status.

For any inquiries, the searcher may contact the following offices:

Record Type Department Contact Information
Arrests Records Central Records Bureau 239.252.0637
Warrants Records Fugitive Warrants Bureau 239.252.9655
Jail Records Naples Jail Center 239.252.9504
Immokalee Jail Center 239.252.9735

Arrest mugshots are public records in Collier County, so regardless of the case outcome, the arrestee’s photo will be shown in the database. Removal of a mugshot is only possible due to F.S.S. 119 exemption, through a court order and expunction. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) provides the process on how to seal and expunge records.

View Arrests & Obtain Public Police Reports via Law Enforcement Agencies in Collier County

Despite the availability of online search tools provided by the sheriff’s office, Florida Statute 119 states that the online database shouldn’t be used as a substitute for creating and submitting Collier County public records requests.

To obtain arrests and public police reports, anyone may file a request online or through mail. Receiving of this record can only be fulfilled through pick-up at the Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Headquarters Building at this address:

Collier County Sheriff’s Office
Attn: Central Records Bureau
3319 Tamiami Trail E.
Naples, FL 34112

Phone: 239.252.0637

Online Request: Interested parties may request an incident report or record online to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office through the Public Records Center.4

Requesters will need to choose the Public Records Request option and must login or create a free account first before they can fill out the request form. Once the request is submitted, the requesters may track the status of their requests through My Request Center.

There are sometimes fees associated with the request based on the Florida statutes, the type of record requested, and the amount of time it takes to find the info the requester needed.

The report or record will be available for pick-up in 3-5 business days upon the submission of the request.

Mail Request: Requests for incident reports and other records can also be made by mail, addressing it to the address provided above. There will be a charge of $2 per report that is up to 8 pages, and if the report has 9 pages or more, there will be an additional $.15 per page (for single-sided copy) and $.20 per page (for every two-sided copy). Take note that cash payments cannot be sent through mail.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office can also provide a Florida traffic crash report with additional instructions, upon request.5

City-level public records requests can also be made through the clerks’ offices, which are the custodian of these records. Collier County has three cities, listed below with their website links providing instructions on how to request records through in-person, mail, or email process:

Other than getting a report, anyone may also file an incident report as long as the incident fits the conditions provided by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office regarding the person creating the report and the type of incident that will be reported.

How To Perform a Free Public Criminal Record Check in Collier County Florida

Criminal records can be checked through the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Collier County for free. The department is the official custodian of various records and provides an online records search tool where individuals can do a free criminal record check.6

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office also provides services that could help the searchers gather an individual’s criminal history and active warrants information within the county only.

Searchers may also look up state and federal search tools or services to search for criminal records.

Look Up Prior Charges & Criminal Convictions via the Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller

To start the search via the Collier County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, searchers will need to choose the court records option, where the criminal, civil, & traffic cases are recorded.7

It may be helpful to watch the instructional video shown in the court records search page since it provides guidance to anyone on how to use the portal and have a better search experience. After watching the video, one may click on the search button to be routed to the Court Records Search portal.

The Court Records Case Search tool can be browsed by clicking the word ‘Case Search’ found in the upper left corner of the page.8 If the case number is known then it may be used to search the record.

A screenshot displaying a case search results showing information such as case number, citation number, party name or company, party type, date of birth, race, sex, file date, court type, case type and status.
Source: Collier Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller8

Another way to search the record is by entering the last and first name, business name, citation number, or date range and court type.

Together with the name search, the individual may choose type of search to be done with either Exact (which will return exact matching name), SoundEx (which will return matching Soundex variations for the names entered), or Starts With (that will return names that begin with the same letters) option.

Once the case is found, the searcher will need to click on the highlighted link to show the case record that provides information about the person’s criminal history and other details.

Individuals may also process a public records request by contacting the appropriate department or the custodian of the records being requested.

Execute a Public Criminal Record Check in Collier County Florida

The sheriff’s office of Collier County offers services or resources that could help interested parties look up someone’s criminal record.

Requesters may process a public records request or a criminal background check request online or through mail, which will be explained further in this resource.9

A screenshot showing a criminal background or arrest check request from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office website requiring information such as first and last name, alias if applicable, date of birth and other selection.
Source: Collier County Sheriff’s Office10

For interested individuals who would like to get information about sexual predators and offenders in the county, the sheriff’s office also provides several online directories.

They provide the link of a map view search tool where anyone can look up sex offenders living in the neighborhood.11

A screenshot showing a neighborhood search results displaying a map, an information regarding the offender such as name, designation, address, status, a preview picture, address source and others.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement11

A link of a service known as the Florida Offender Alert System is also provided where individuals can receive email alerts when a sexual offender or predator moves into their area.

The sheriff’s office also explains how sexual predators and offenders are monitored in Collier County.

Pursuant to state law, a convicted sexual predator or offender is required to register within 48 hours after entering Collier County at its Jail Center, which is operated by the sheriff’s office. Non-fulfillment of this required process will result in a third degree felony charge.

How To View Warrant Details in Collier County Florida

Collier County has a Fugitive Warrants Bureau within the Collier County Sheriff’s Office that manages an active warrants database.12 The active warrants information provided in this online directory is for charges within Collier County only.

To find out if someone has a warrant, the searcher will need to provide as much information as they have available – last name, first name, date of birth, booking date, or booking number – and then choose the warrant as the type.

This will result in a list of people with active warrants showing their full name, DOB, race, sex, custody status, and their mugshots where the searchers may click to be routed to a page with further details about their charges.

A screenshot displaying a warrant search results and search bar showing criteria and information such as last name, first name and middle name, race, sex, date of birth, booking number and date and others from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office website.
Source: Collier County Sheriff’s Office3

For any inquiries or if someone has information of an individual who is wanted, the Fugitive Warrants Bureau can be contacted from Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, at 239.252.9655 or email at [email protected]. For calls after office hours, call 239.252.9300 or the 911 Emergency Line.

There is also a Crime Stoppers program where citizens may report wanted individuals or any suspected criminal activities in the community. This can be reported by calling +1-800-780-TIPS or by sending an email through the Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers website. The citizen will remain completely anonymous and may have a possibility of receiving a cash reward.

For a broader result, the searcher may do a statewide search of wanted people through the Florida Crime Information Center’s Public Access System (PAS).13

A screenshot displaying a search results of wanted persons showing details such as name, date of birth, sex, race and reporting agency from Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Crime Information Center website.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Crime Information Center13

How To Reveal Collier County Probation Records for Free

There are times that people convicted of misdemeanor or felony offenses are placed into community supervision or on probation instead of being incarcerated as ordered by the court. The probationers must follow the standard terms and conditions put forth under Florida Statutes Section 948.03.

Collier County public records like probation information can be browsed through the court records search tool of the Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller by choosing ‘Probation’ as the court type and entering the information required to search an individual.

The Collier County Probation Department provides services and other resources that could assist the offenders under probation. The department lists the officers that can be contacted through phone or email, provides information about the probation fees, court costs, and restitution payments, as well as the details about the community service that the probationers must provide.

They also have a report form that can be filled out online in English or Spanish language.14

A screenshot showing a Collier County probation report by email form that requires information regarding employment details, alcohol and drug use, arrests or citations and class update.
Source: 20th Judicial Circuit of Florida14

When offenders are placed under county probation, they must report to the probation department, at this address, immediately upon being sentenced:

Collier County Probation Department
Collier County Government Complex
Courthouse, 1st Floor
Naples, Florida 34112

Phone: 239.252.8135

Most of the time, felony cases are sentenced to serve state probation. Probationers who are under comprehensive supervision include those charged with drug and sexual offense.

Individuals who are sentenced for a state probation must report immediately to the following address:

State Probation Office
2500 Airport – Pulling Road, Ste. 114
Naples, Florida 34112

Phone: 239.417.6300

Monthly fees apply for those under county or state probation. These fees include the insurance fee of $5 money order or cashier’s check for every 50 hours of doing community service payable to the Collier County Clerk of Courts, and probation fees, court costs, and restitution payments to the probation department in person or through mail.

For in person payments, the fees can be paid by cash, credit card, money order, or cashier’s check. Payments through mail, on the other hand, can be made through cashier’s check or money order and send it to this address:

Collier County Probation
3315 Tamiami Trl. E., Ste. #101
Naples, Florida 34112

The Florida Department of Corrections also provides probation services at a state-level which can be checked for more information.15

How To Conduct a Collier County Background Check

In Collier County, the sheriff’s office offers a local criminal or arrest background check. The individuals that are being checked must be 18 years of age or older and their name and date of birth must be available for the inquirer to successfully get their information.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office doesn’t provide a free criminal background check; there is a fee of $5 for every background check done.

The process of requesting Collier County criminal records can be completed online or through mail. Online requests will be submitted through the Criminal Background/Arrest Check Request tab but the requesters must create or login to an account first before they can continue with the process.

Unless the criminal records check is picked up in person and the payment is made by check or cash, a GovPayNet fee will be applied on top of the $5 fee for the processing of online payment.

For mail process, the request must be sent through a U.S. mail with the person’s name and date of birth including a self-addressed stamped envelope and a $5 check or money order to this address:

Collier County Sheriff’s Office
Attn: Central Records Bureau
3319 Tamiami E.
Naples, Florida 34112

Doing a criminal background check through the local county sheriff’s office has its limitations. The information that will be gathered is limited to the events that took place within the county only.

To get further information about an individual, the searcher may do a statewide or a national criminal history check instead.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has several search tools and other services that could help the searcher obtain a statewide criminal history check on someone and can be contacted at 850.410.8109.16 On the other hand, for a national criminal history check, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the central repository and can be contacted at 304.625.5590.

How To Access Florida State & Federal Resources To Find Criminal Cases

Other than the public records repository of Collier County, researchers may also look up Florida public records provided by the state and federal records custodians for additional information.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is the central repository of criminal history records at a state level. They offer services and online databases for criminal record checks to the public for personal or professional use.

When requesting for Florida criminal history information, the requester must choose between the Instant Search, the Certified/Non-Certified Search, or the ORI search for the record they need. A corresponding fee will be collected based on the type of search tool the requester will use and must be paid through debit or credit card:

The Instant Search tool, also known as Criminal History Information on the Internet (CCHInet), is where anyone may conduct a self-service search which costs $24 for each search and a $1 fee for the processing of credit card payment.17

The SHIELD – Certified/Non-Certified Search is another method in requesting a criminal record check that costs $24 for each search.

The ORI Search is yet another option to request a criminal record check via the SHIELD portal if the searcher can provide a valid ORI number provided by an agency or entity.

To those individuals requesting information for professional purposes like for licensing or employment, they may check out the FDLE’s State & National Criminal History Record Check page for tools that are available to use.

The FDLE also has a Sexual Offender and Predator Search portal available to browse if someone wants to find sex offenders in their neighborhood or if they are specifically looking for a particular person throughout the state.18

The Florida Department of Corrections has various offender search tools where interested individuals may search information about inmates in custody or released in several correctional institutions in Florida.

Federal resources are other tools that can be used to search for someone’s criminal history such as those information provided by the BOP and NSOPW, as explained below:

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has a federal inmate locator where searchers may lookup offenders that were incarcerated from 1982 up to the present and can be browsed either by providing their registration numbers or their names.19

A screenshot showing the inmate search results from Federal Bureau of Prisons website displaying details such as name, register number, race, age, sex, release date and location.
Source: Federal Bureau of Prisons19

The records of inmates incarcerated and released before 1982, on the other hand, can be ordered through the U.S. National Archives & Records Administration (NARA).

The NSOPW (Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website) is where the searchers may look for the locations of offenders convicted of violent sexual offenses against children and adults, and other crimes against minor victims.

These official resources can be used if the information that the searcher found from the tools provided by the county is lacking or if it is required by agencies that the searcher check the records provided by the federal or state agencies.

How To Review Collier County Court Records & Cases

Searchers may search for any type of Collier County court records or cases through the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller. They maintain various types of record search tools containing different types of records.

They have the Court Records search tool where the searchers can search for the following:

  • Civil, criminal, and traffic cases
  • Non-certified copies of records
  • Court date
  • Fees owed
  • Status of the case

For more information, the searchers may check the Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s court divisions dealing with various types of records and their contact information.

Collier County is part of the 20th Judicial Circuit and of the 6th District Court of Appeals in Florida. The court has an online public docket where an individual may search for Collier County judicial records such as criminal cases with the possibility of this tool to be moved to the Florida Appellate Case Information System where the Supreme Court case dockets and case filings are available.20, 21

The list of the past week’s case filings of the Supreme Court is also updated at noon and midnight daily.

A screenshot displaying an online docket search results from the Florida State Courts, Florida District Courts of Appeal displaying details such as last name, first name, middle name, bar or prisoner number, court and number of cases.
Source: Florida 6th District Courts Of Appeal20

For any inquiries, interested individuals may contact these courts through the following information provided below:

Court Level Address Contact Information
Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller 3315 Tamiami Trl. E., Ste. 102
Naples, FL 34112
Clerk: 239.252.2646
Public Records Custodian: 239.252.7531
20th Judicial Court 3315 Tamiami Trl. E., Ste. 501
Naples, Florida 34112
Phone: 239.252.8800
Fax: 239.252.8272
6th District Court 811 E. Main St.
Lakeland, Florida 33801
863.940.6041
Florida Supreme Court 500 S. Duval St.
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1927
850.488.0125

How To Acquire Collier County Vital Records (Marriage, Divorce, Birth & Death)

Vital records mostly refer to life events information of someone that are kept by the government including marriage, divorce, birth, and death. These Collier County public records can be ordered in person, online, or by mail from its official custodians.

The local vital records offices of the Florida Department of Health host birth and death certificates.22

On the other hand, the Bureau of Vital Statistics at the Florida Department of Health is where a searcher may check if someone is married or divorce and is the issuer of both marriage and divorce certificates in Collier County.

Older divorce and marriage certificates before June 6, 1927 are available at the Clerk of Court in the county where these events took place or were granted.

These vital records can also be ordered online through the endorsed third-party service VitalChek, for additional fees.

Retrieve Marital Records (Marriage, Divorce & Dissolution of Marriage) via the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics

Marriage licenses are processed by the Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller and then forwarded to the state’s Bureau of Vital Statistics, which takes about 60 days of processing period.

Once the recording of the marriage licenses in the clerk’s office are completed, certified Collier County marriage records will be sent to the couples without charge. However, if a couple requests additional certified copies of marriage, they will have to purchase it for $3 each.

Uncertified copies of Collier County Marriage licenses from 1990 up to present can also be viewed and printed for free on the Clerk’s Office Records site using either the new Modern Clerk’s Official Records Interface (which is preferable) or the Legacy Clerk’s Official Records Interface.23, 24

To find out if someone is married through either of these interfaces, press the document search and then enter the party name, find the document type which is ‘MARLIC: Marriage License’, enter the document number if known, and the date range.

A screenshot showing an official records search from the Collier Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller website displaying details such as party names, recorded, document type instrument, legal descriptions or comments and parcel IDs.
Source: Collier Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller23

The Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics are the primary provider of marriage and divorce records and can be reached at 904.359.6900 ext. 9000.

As the final destination of both Collier County divorce records and marriage certificates, the Bureau of Vital Statistics issues certified copies through walk-in or mail services. The certificates available are those records that were applied for more than 60 days and dating from June 6, 1927. If the records that will be ordered are not from within this time period, the requester may contact the Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller:

Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court
Recording Department
3315 Tamiami Trail E., Suite #102
Naples, Florida 34112-5324

Phone: 239.252.2646
Email: Official Records & Recording

For certified record orders, the requesters must complete the application forms for marriage or divorce and then submit it together with the payment fee based on the chosen type of service made.

For the walk-in process, visit the office on this address:

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
1217 North Pearl St.
Jacksonville, Florida 32202

Hours: Mon – Fri from 8 AM – 4:30 PM

*Walk-in payments can be done in the form of cash, money order, check, MasterCard, and Visa.

The processing time for mail-in services is normally 3-5 business days for computer certificates (1970 up to present) but may require additional days for photocopy record requests especially for dates before 1970. The application together with the fee must be mailed to:

Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Vital Records Section
PO Box 210
Jacksonville, Florida 32231-0042

For Express mail and Courier deliveries:

1217 N Pearl St.
Jacksonville, FL 32202

*There will be a $1 shipping and handling fee for orders and must be mailed through the standard United States postal delivery except if the requester provides a special prepaid express delivery envelope. Take note that expedited shipping is not included in the rush fee when the requester applies for a rush order service.

For mail services, if the application forms for marriage and divorce records cannot be accessed, individuals may submit their requests in writing instead.

Track Down Birth & Death Information via the Collier County Department of Health

The Collier County Department of Health (DOH) serves as the official custodian for both birth and death records.

Birth certificates that can be issued are from 1930 up to present while the death records of anyone who passed away in Florida are available from 2009 up to present. A certificate of death from other years can only be requested from the Jacksonville office (address below).

These certificates can be requested through a walk-in or mail-in process, as well as online through the state office’s partner, VitalChek.

All services provided by the Department of Health in Collier County are done on a walk in basis from Monday through Friday at 8AM – 4:30PM and the scheduling of appointments is not required.

Their office is located at:

Department of Health – Collier County
Collier County Government Complex
3339 Tamiami Trail E. Bldg. H, Third Floor
Naples, Florida 34112

Phone: 239.252.8205

*Accepted payments are in cash, check, money order, or MasterCard and Visa.

For the mail-in process, all birth certificate requesters will need to fill out the Application for a Florida Birth Record form.

If the applicants are not requesting for their own record and not the parent, guardian, or legal representative, they will also need to fill out the Affidavit to Release a Certificate of Birth form and have it notarized.25

These forms must be submitted together with a payment of $12.00 for all Florida births and a second certificate cost of $8.00 (if issued at the same time) and a copy of the requester’s ID if they are of legal age (18 and above) or the parent or guardian’s ID if otherwise.

These requirements must be mailed to this post office box:

Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Records Amendment Section
PO Box 210
Jacksonville, Florida 32231-0042

The same will be done by those requesting for death certificates.

Inquirers will need to submit the completed application form for a Florida Death Record and the notarized Affidavit form (if the request includes the cause of death information and the requester is not one of those eligible to that information), then submit them together with a payment of $10 each and a self-addressed, stamped envelope (legal-sized if the number of orders is more than five certified copies) to the mailing address provided above.

The DOH-Collier provides further details about the people who are eligible for either birth or death certificates and also the additional requirements that will be needed based on the relationship of those who are requesting these records to the subject.

As an additional information, other than the official application form for vital certificates provided by the DOH, the Collier County Tax Collector also has their own electronic application form and a service where anyone may also request a birth record through their offices like at their Main Drivers License Office on Airport Road and at other branch offices like at Golden Gate, Orange Blossom, Heritage Bay, and Immokalee.26

The recording office of the Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller is responsible for the recording of death certificates from all states as a standalone document or attached to other documents for estate, tax, or probate purposes, or to support the transfer of trusts or deeds.

The state provides two forms of death certificates which are the long form, that shows the cause of death and sometimes the family medical history, and the short form, that excludes those sections and which is taken as a public record in the state of Florida.

Despite being the recorder of these certificates, the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller doesn’t provide certified copies of these death records.

How To Check Who Owns a Property or Home in Collier County Florida for Free

Collier County has free property search tools available provided by different departments with property information appropriate to their roles or services.

The Collier County Property Appraiser’s Office is responsible for assessing the value of real and tangible properties for all Collier County citizens. They maintain several property search tools used for different purposes.

Real Property Search: To search for real property, the searcher will need to click the ‘Search Database’ button at the left side of the page.27 The real property can be searched either by name of the property owner (or business name or trust), address (full or partial), parcel ID, subdivision or condo number, advanced search (providing all property’s information), or through sales information search.

The search database provides the property summary, property details, aerial, sketches, and trim notices. This also has a ‘Tax Bill’ button directly routing to the Collier County Tax Collector website showing the property’s account summary and bill history. It also has a ‘Change of Address’ button.

A screenshot showing a Collier County property appraiser showing details such as property summary which are the parcel number, site address, site city, site zone, name, address, map number, strap number, section, township and others.
Source: Collier County Property Appraiser’s Office27

Tangible Personal Property Search: This tool is for those searchers looking for all types of valued properties that are not real estates in Collier County used in income producing ventures or businesses.

GIS Map: This is a Map Parcel view portal that can be used to search a specific parcel address with its locations displayed in a map. The searchers can choose from the two websites to view the map which is either the GIS Map database search or the ArcGis Enterprise – Parcels. It is also better to prioritize using the search tool over the second map view search.

Other than these, the Collier County Property Appraiser’s Office also provides several forms that can be used for other purposes like the Declaration of Mobile Home form, Homestead Exemption, Application and Return for Agricultural Classification of Lands, and Static Maps.

The Collier County Tax Collector’s Office provides property information needed for tax information and services. A Property Tax Search tool is available and searchable by providing the name, address, or account number of a specific property.28 The details they provide include the real estate account information, amount due and yearly tax payment history.

A screenshot displaying the account summary showing real estate account number, amount due such as bill name and amount, account history such as bill name, amount due and status.
Source: Collier County Tax Collector’s Office28

To search for available commercial properties in Collier County, the searchers may use the Property Search tool made available by the Collier County Economic Development Office showing the property details and map view.

Official Land Records Search tool of Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller are also available where property information or records of mortgages, tax deeds, condo declarations, plat maps, marriage licenses, and other related records can be searched.

They still have the older version of the search tool so the searchers may choose either the newer or older version. In this portal, they can do either a Collier County case search, document search, legal search, or map search.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller also has a search tool that provides details about the status of the foreclosure of properties, its terms of sales and other instructions.

Checking of upcoming sales of tax deeds is also provided by the department. This is where a property was put into auction and the tax certificates have been sold by the Tax Collector’s office due to the delinquency of the real estate’s taxes. So interested individuals may look for available lands and other properties that are for sale.

For any inquiries about a real property, the Real Property Management can be contacted at 239.252.8780.

The Growth Management Community Development Department (GMCD) of Collier County has a property locator that is searchable by entering the parcel number or the street address that the interested party is looking for.29 This department is responsible for creating plans for the management, development, and protection of the natural resources, facilities, housing, coastal areas and others.

A screenshot showing a property review with details such as parcel number, status, legal description, acres, block, bald eagle nest buffer, improvement value, land value, map number and others.
Source: Collier County Growth Management Community Development Department (GMCD)29

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has a Property & Evidence Bureau that is responsible for receiving, recording, storing properties that were found, abandoned, surrendered, or used as evidence of an offense or crime in compliance with the state and local law. The requirements needed to claim the property varies based on different situations.

Using Collier County Public Records Ethically & Understanding Citizens’ Rights

Pursuant to Chapter 119 Florida Statutes, everyone in Collier County is given the right to access or check public records except for those information exempted by the law to be disclosed. These records can be accessed by anyone by submitting requests and through the online resource tools provided by official government custodians.

Regardless of the searchers’ way of obtaining public records, it is important for everyone to know how to use the information responsibly and ethically by not using it in any illegal means, to discriminate against people, threaten and intimidate anyone, and do other wrongful acts that could harm a person’s interest.

Public records can be used for personal or professional purposes. For personal use, public record search doesn’t require the consent of the person being checked but the searcher must still respect the person’s privacy. Personal use includes screening family members, neighbors, colleagues, and other acquaintances due to curiosity or for safety and reassurance reasons.

On the other hand, public record searches for professional use are more restrictive, requiring the subject’s consent and submission of other requirements needed to obtain certain information of an individual.

To protect the rights of people being subject to the search, the federal, Florida state and Collier County implements the following laws:

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) – is a program followed by the Collier County which ensures that the practices and policies of Human Resources Departments of any businesses and government agencies, except for other fields exempted by the law, scans job applicants and treat their employees fairly without regard to color, religion, race, age, marital status, national origin, and other identifiable diversity of individuals.

If anyone experiences discrimination at their workplace, they may file a complaint either through the Florida Commission on Human Relations (which must be filed no later than a year after the event took place) or the EEOC.

In relation to discrimination, Collier County follows the Fair Housing Act (FHA), making sure that the residents are not discriminated against in any housing related transactions such as rentals, sales, and financing of dwellings under Federal Fair Housing based on national origin, race, disabilities, family situation, and other diversity of individuals.

If such an event occurs, the individual who experienced it may file a complaint either through online, email, phone, mail, or in person.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – is a federal agency that ensures consumer protection from fraud, deceit, and unfair business practices. This includes handling background check fraud like unconsented background check to an individual and also property fraud. To report any fraudulent activities, anyone may file a report directly through the FTC agency.

For the residents’ protection, the Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller built an anti-fraud program that can be registered for free. The program offers a free risk alert notification service that will help them monitor their property records conveniently and report suspicious activities that could lead to fraud. The program also teaches the users precautionary measures to fight against fraud.

Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act – is a federal law that supervises the access to consumer credit report records protecting the information collected by various consumer reporting agencies, promoting accuracy, fairness, and privacy to these sensitive data.30

Through this act the consumers have the right to be told if information in their file has been used against them, the right to view their file and request credit score, dispute inaccurate or incomplete information, and more.

Despite the numerous resources available to search for Collier County public records, everyone must make sure to use them responsibly and adhere to all laws to have continued open access to this information.


References

1Florida Legislature. (2023). The 2023 Florida Statutes (including Special Session C) Chapter 119: Public Records. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0119/0119.html>

2Collier County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d). Collier County Arrests Report. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://www2.colliersheriff.org/arrestsearch/Report.aspx>

3Collier County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d). Collier County Arrests Search. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://www2.colliersheriff.org/arrestsearch/Search.aspx>

4Collier County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d). Public Records Center. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from   <https://colliercountyshofl.govqa.us/webapp/_rs/(S(ljx3wx2skrwb5ywuk55oblgy))/supporthome.aspx>

5Collier County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d). Get a Report, Background Check or Make a Public Records Request. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from   <https://www.colliersheriff.org/how-do-i/get-a-ccso-report-or-a-florida-crash-report>

6Collier Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller. (n.d). Records Search. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from   <https://collierclerk.com/records-search/>

7Collier Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller. (n.d). Search Court Records Online. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://collierclerk.com/records-search/court-reports/>

8Collier Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller. (n.d). ShowCase. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://cms.collierclerk.com/CMSWeb/#!/>

9Collier County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d). Make a Public Records Request / Get a Report or a Background Check. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://www.colliersheriff.org/how-do-i/submit-a-public-records-request-or-request-a-criminal-background-check>

10Collier County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d.). Criminal Background/Arrest Check Request. Submit a Request. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://colliercountyshofl.govqa.us/webapp/_rs/(S(5d0rc24jzwgex41s1kwhcvyo))/RequestOpen.aspx?rqst=3>

11Florida Department of Law Enforcement. (n.d). Sexual Offenders and Predators Search – Neighborhood Search. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/neighborhoodSearch.jsf>

12Collier County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d). Fugitive Warrants Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://www.colliersheriff.org/my-ccso/special-operations/warrants>

13Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Crime Information Center. (n.d). Public Access System (PAS) – Wanted Persons Search. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <http://pas.fdle.state.fl.us/pas/restricted/PAS/person/WantedPersons.jsf>

1420th Judicial Circuit of Florida. (n.d). Collier County Probation – Report by Email. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://www.ca.cjis20.org/Forms/probation_col_english.aspx>

15Florida Department of Corrections. (n.d). Probation Services. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://fdc.myflorida.com/cc/index.html>

16Florida Department of Law Enforcement. (n.d). Criminal History Records. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Criminal-History-Records>

17Florida Department of Law Enforcement. (n.d). FDLE Criminal History Information on the Internet. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://cchinet.fdle.state.fl.us/search/app/default?24>

18Florida Department of Law Enforcement. (n.d). Sexual Offenders and Predators Search – Offender Search. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/offenderSearch.jsf>

19Federal Bureau of Prisons. (n.d). Find an inmate. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/>

20Florida 6th District Courts Of Appeal. (n.d). Online Docket. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://onlinedocketsdca.flcourts.org/?court=6>

21Florida Courts. (n.d). Florida Appellate Case Information System. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://acis.flcourts.gov/portal/search/case>

22Florida Department of Health. (n.d). Location List. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://collier.floridahealth.gov/locations/index.html>

23Collier Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller. (n.d). COR Access – Official Land Records Search. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://cor.collierclerk.com/coraccess/search/document>

24Collier Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller. (n.d). COR Public Access – Document Search. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://app.collierclerk.com/CORPublicAccess/Search/Document>

25Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. (2022, January). Affidavit to Release Cause of Death Information. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/certificates/birth/_documents/DH1958-aff-rel-birth-cert-6-30-2023.pdf>

26Florida Department of Health, Collier County Tax Collector. (2016, April). Application for Florida Birth Record. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://colliertaxcollector.com/wp-content/uploads/Docs/birthcertapp.pdf>

27Collier County Property Appraiser’s Office. (n.d). Search for Real Property By. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://www.collierappraiser.com/>

28Collier County Tax Collector’s Office. (n.d). Property Tax. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://collier.county-taxes.com/public/search/property_tax>

29Collier County Growth Management Community Development Department (GMCD). (n.d). Property Locator. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://cvportal.colliercountyfl.gov/CityViewWeb/Property>

30Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (2023, March). A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from <https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/bcfp_consumer-rights-summary_2018-09.pdf>