Protecting Your Information


The Clerk's office is committed to protecting your sensitive data from public view. This office has electronically reviewed its documents and blocked recognized sensitive data. However, sensitive information may pass the electronic review process. To help protect your privacy, please review the following information.

Court Records

Filing Sensitive Information

Sensitive information filed in court cases must be limited to a designated format. For instance, Social Security or credit card number cannot be used. Driver license or passport numbers are restricted to the last 4 digits and birth years should be used in place of a birth date.

If information is required, review Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420(d) which also contains proper procedures for sealing and unsealing of court records, establishes procedures for criminal cases, and addresses sealing of appellate court records.

If the Notice is filed after a document containing confidential information is filed, you must specifically identify the case information and the exact location of the confidential information within the document. A Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing is required for each document previously filed with this office.

The Clerk has the authority to redact or make confidential only specific information. If a request is outside the authority of the Clerk, you will be notified and must file a motion as directed in Florida Rules of Judicial Administration 2.420(e) Request to Determine Confidentiality of Trial Court Records in Noncriminal Cases.

The Florida Judiciary requires protections of sensitive information pursuant to the Rules of Judicial Administration 2.425 (Minimization of the Filing of Sensitive Information) and 2.420(d) (Notice of Confidential Information within a Filing).

Notice/Motion Form Submission Options

Official Records

Social Security, Bank Account, Debit, and Credit Card Numbers

When preparing a document for recording in the Official Records, do not include Social Security numbers or complete bank account, debit, charge, or credit card numbers. Only include such numbers if they are specifically required by law.

If a Social Security number or a bank account, debit, charge, or credit card number was included in a document, it may become part of the public record. Any person has the right to request this information to be removed from a publicly available image or copy of an Official Records document.

To ensure this information is properly removed from the Official Records, you will need to provide the Official Records (OR) book and page or the instrument number. If you do not have this information, you can   Search Official Records.

Restrictions for Internet Documents

Florida law exempts certain documents from being placed on a publicly available website. These documents include: death certificates, military discharges, and court documents related to family law, juvenile actions, and probate matters. If you are named in these recorded documents, you may request to remove them by completing the Request to Remove Information from Public Inspection form. No fee is charged for this service.

Special Notice to Veterans

Any veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or his/her widow/widower, attorney, personal representative, executor, or court appointed guardian has the right to request the Clerk to remove from the Official Records any military separation forms recorded by or on behalf of the veteran. The forms eligible for removal include: DD-214, DD-215, WD AGO 53, WD AGO 53-55, NAVMC 78-PD, and NAVPERS 553.

The request must be made in person at the Clerk's office. The requestor must be present appropriate identification and provide the book and page number of the form to be removed. No fee is charged for this service.

Once requested, the record will be permanently removed from the Official Records and will not be able to be re-recorded. Please obtain as many certified copies of your separation document as you might need in the future before this removal is made.

Confidentiality for Protected Groups

Florida law allows individuals in certain professions, as well as their spouses and/or children, to request the removal of specific personal information from the Official Records.

If you qualify for the exemption under Florida Statutes 119.071 and 493.6122, you may complete and submit the Request to Remove Information from Public Inspection form.

Form Submission Options - In Person or by Mail to:

  • Justice Center
  • Recording Department 2nd floor
  • 350 E. Marion Avenue
  • Punta Gorda, FL 33950
  • Murdock Administration Building
  • Recording Department 4th floor
  • 18500 Murdock Circle
  • Port Charlotte, FL 33948
  • Mac V. Horton West County Annex
  • Clerk of Court, Office 114
  • 6868 San Casa Blvd
  • Englewood, Florida 34224
  • Tuesday and Thursday only from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.