Articles

• What methods of payment do you accept? We accept Cash, Cashier's Checks, Money Orders, Debit and Credit Cards.  (We do n...
• Where is the courthouse located? The Clerk's office has two active locations: Fort Walton Beach - 1940 Lewis Turne...
• Can you tell me what has been filed in my case and the status of my case? You may visit our website www.okaloosaclerk.com.  Follow the link for "Court Reco...
• Can another request be made after a request is back from the Judge? Yes, you may submit any pleading in your case for further action.   Depending upo...
• How do I obtain online access to a case? If you are a registered user or attorney of record and are unable to view documen...
• Can another request be made after a request is back from the Judge? Defendants are entitled to make as many requests as they would like but they need...
• Is there a list for public view of unclaimed funds? The unclaimed funds list is published/advertised annually in an Okaloosa County c...
• What are the filing fees for my case? You may access the current filing fee scheduled on our website at: www.okaloosacl...
• How can I get a transcript from my hearing? In order to obtain a transcript from a hearing you may contact the court reporter...
• What are your ADA Accessibility options? You may review the ADA accessibility accommodations by visiting: https://www.firs...
• How can I access Administrative Directives? You may review Administrative Directives by visiting the First Judicial Website a...
• Can I get a case disposition or verify a date of birth over the phone, by email or public record request? We are unable to verify case dispositions or dates of birth over the telephone, b...
• How do I submit my order to the Judge? Are self-addressed stamped envelopes still needed for orders? Proposed orders should be submitted via MS Word and not filed through the e-filin...
• How can I collect on a Judgment from out of State/County? Domesticate: If you have a final judgment in another County or State: If the Judg...
• How do I get a title to a car? Declaratory Judgment To obtain a title to a vehicle a declaratory judgment is typically filed. We do n...
• How can I register to become a Bail Bond Agent? Call Dept. of Financial Service 850-413-3089  Bondsman may register with Customer...
• What is a Quiet Title Action? A Quiet Title Action is a lawsuit that is brought in circuit court to clear a par...
• How can I obtain an Interpreter for a Court Hearing? Please contact our Court Administration office for such requests.  For a spoken l...
• How does an attorney get themselves removed from a case? An attorney is familiar with the requirements necessary to withdraw from a case. ...
• How can a Subpoena/Summons be delivered/served? An issued Subpoena or Summons may be served by either the sheriff or a private pr...
• How can I get a copy of a Death Certificate or Birth Certificate? In order to obtain original birth or death certificates you will need to contact ...
• I cannot find the form I need on your website. Where else can I search? You may find the form you need as well as a host of DIY material by visiting DIY ...
• Do you accept out of county notaries? Yes, we accept both out of county and electronically notarized pleadings.  ...
• How do I contact the General Magistrate or his/her assistant? You may reach the General Magistrate by calling 850-609-4700 and listen for the o...
• What is a Baker, Marchman Act? Ex parte means to file without prior knowledge to the party being filed against. ...
• How can I get my gun rights back? To return guns (get them back): If it is in a civil injunction case and the order...
• What do I need to do to add/remove names from a deed? A new deed must be recorded by our office.  You can either do the research and pr...
• What is a Writ of Certiorari? A Writ of Certiorari is typically filed when a person's driver license has been s...
• I am a minor and would like to be considered a legal adult - what do I do? The clerk's office does not have any forms available to file for emancipation. Yo...
• I want to terminate/revoke the parental rights of the other parent of my child. For these tyhpe4s of matters you must contact an attorney as we have no forms or ...
• Does my pleading require a reopen fee? Reopen fees may be assessed by the clerk for any motion filed by a party at least...
• What can I do if my spouse is not paying child support he/she is ordered to pay? You will need to file a Motion for Contempt (there is no fee associated with cont...
• What do I do if the other party on my case is not following the Judge's Orders? If in a Dissolution/Family Law case you will need to file a Motion for Contempt, ...
• My spouse has passed away, do I have to remove him/her from the deed? Even if I plan to sell the home? No, it is not required but if you have other concerns we recommend contacting an ...
• Where can I get a Concealed Weapon License? You can contact the Okaloosa County Tax collector to get information concerning c...
• I was issued an Animal Violation Citation from Paws, how do I pay? PAWS gives you 30 days to settle the ticket directly with them, If within that 30...
• Where do I get a building permit? You should contact the Okaloosa County Planning and Zoning Department at 850-651-...
• What is a civil lien? A lien can be created by a judgment in civil court when a creditor sues for reten...
• Where do I pay my property taxes? The taxes are paid to the Tax Collector, and the taxes must be paid to the tax co...
• Where/how do I get an address for land? If you have the owner's name or Parcel I.D. number you may contact the property a...
• Where do I file Bankruptcy? Bankruptcy court is a federal court matter.  You can inquire with the Federal Cou...
• Where do I file a Trespass Warrant? With the Sheriffs Office, the Trespass Warrant only covers the property. If you w...
• Okaloosa County Roads Dept?  South roads - 850-651-7392                                                      ...
• Can a mandatory court appearance be changed? No, we at the Clerks office do not have the authority to change a court date....
• If a document has been e-filed, do paper documents still need to be mailed in? When e-filing it is not necessary to provide paper documents.  One exception to t...
• Can registry fees be paid online? Registry fees must be paid in certified funds only and may not be processed onlin...
• Can a visitation arrangement be made in a dependency case? Unfortunately due to the confidential nature of Dependency cases we cant give inf...
• In Felony cases, which court events does the defendant need to attend if they have an attorney? Consult with the attorney....
• How do defendant's get documents when they file for clemency? In order to obtain free copies for clemency; the request must be accompanied by a...
• Can I change my address on my case? With the exception of a traffic ticket, all notices of change of address must be ...
• If I pay for a late ticket online or over the phone is my driver license cleared? Yes, a Florida license will be cleared electronically only for the ticket where p...
• What is required to file a Notice of Action? A notice of action is a document issued (not prepared) by the clerk.  This docume...
• What is the fee for transferring civil cases to another venue? (from Okaloosa to another State or County) If the case is closed a motion would need to be filed, in which a $50 re-open fee...
• I need to file for Homestead Exemption, where do I do that? If the home is in Okaloosa County, you will need to contact the Property Appraise...
• I just received my passport and there is an error on it, what can I do? You will need to contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) 1-877-48...
• What is the fee to file for Temporary Custody by a extended family member? The filing fee is $300.  This case type is for an extended family member only and...
• I want to file a complaint against my attorney/public defender? The Florida Bar handles complaints and attorney discipline.  You can find more in...
• How many appeals can someone file in circuit court? Each decision in a court case can be appealed, however, appropriate fees will app...
• Where can I locate the blueprints of a home? If the home is in Okaloosa County you may want to contact the builder, or possibl...
• After a judgment has been paid in full what is the next step for the plaintiff? After a Judgment has been paid in full the Plaintiff should file a Satisfaction o...
• If someone is paying alimony and the recipient passes, what needs to be filed? A copy of the Death Certificate will need to be filed along with a request to sto...
• When does a bond get released? The bond is released when the case is closed.  If a defendant is deceased, the St...
• What if the plaintiff does not have an address for the respondent in a divorce case? The last known address will be used for the summons, if the summons is returned u...
• I want to have another hearing in a family law case, what do I do? File a motion to reopen the case, a reopen fee may apply....
• Where do I find out about a transport fee? Because several agencies transport defendants for court you will need to contact ...
• Hardship license? Bureau for Administrative Reviews 850-494-5728                                   ...
• Is the Restrictive Covenant for a homeowners association located in official records? Yes.  You can search for them in our Official Records at https://www.okaloosacler...
• How do I get custody of my child? Is there a dissolution/divorce case filed?  If yes, the parties will make the pet...
• What are the fees associated with doc stamps? (documentary stamps) .70 per $100 (round to nearest $100 - example $1250.00 rounds to $1300.00) For ad...
• I want to find out who owns a piece of property? We are unable to look it up by the address, you will need to contact the property...
• What would I have to do to deposit money into the court registry? We would need an Order or reason for the money to be deposited (in an eviction th...
• I live out of town and want to Baker Act/Marchman Act someone who lives in Okaloosa County, what can I do? The forms can be emailed, (not available on our website at this time) the applica...
• How much does a .... packet/paperwork cost? http://www.okaloosaclerk.com/index.php/all-forms/misc/158-self-help-packages/file...
• What are the counter-petition/Counter-claim fees in a civil case? The counter claim/counter petition fees vary by court type. For Family (DR) cases...
• If I want to sue someone for $..... what court does it fall under? Under $8,000 is considered Small Claims - filing fee: staggered   $8,001 - $15,00...
• Where do I get a Handyman license? The Tax Collectors Office issues business licenses -  850-651-7300 or www.okaloos...
• Where do I find when a Grand Jury convened? You can contact the State Attorneys Office at 850-651-7260, however unless you ar...
• Where do I obtain a Elevation Certificate for a home? You should contact the Okaloosa County Growth Management Dept at 651-7180....
• Work Permits for Minors Work Permit (Minors Not in the Entertainment Industry) "Work Permits" and/or "Wor...
• I want to change my probation officer, how do I go about doing that? You will need to contact the probation office and inquire with them.  For state p...
• Is anyone in the clerks office a notary? No, the clerks office does not have notaries; we are only able to sign court docu...
• If someone writes a bad check for rent and it is being processed at the State Attorneys Office, do I have to wait for the amount of days (7) to pass before I can begin the eviction process? No, you can begin the eviction process at anytime....
• Where can I get tax exemption information concerning charities or non-profits? Tax exemptions are covered by the the I.R.S. 1-800-829-3676  https://www.irs.gov/...
• How do I get an address to a piece of property? You will need to contact the property appraiser for the county the property is in...
• I filed a Notice of Commencement (NOC) and had it recorded, how can I get that cancelled? You will need to file a Notice of Termination of NOC.  This is governed by Florid...
• Where do I get an Apostille done? An Apostille is a certification of a document (authentication) that is done throu...
• How often are registry checks disbursed? Registry fees will be disbursed once a week on Thursdays, for any further questio...
• Where do I find the by-laws for a subdivision? You can go to our website https://www.okaloosaclerk.com and search for them onlin...
• I need to pay money into the registry, what forms of payment do you accept? When making a payment into the registry, we must have either cash or certified fu...
• What are your hours of operation? Our offices are open for business Monday - Friday 8:30am until 4:30pm; however ar...
• What is the phone number(s) or website for: (public offices) (ncourt, tax collector etc.) Okaloosa County Website Links (Airport; Public Works etc) http://www.co.okaloosa....
• How do I file an Ex parte? Exparte means "one sided filing", typically the question is in reference to a Bak...
• Can I setup a payment plan to waive collection fees and payoff the same day? A payment plan may not be set up for a case that has been sent to collections. If...
• I have re-opened my dependency case (Status Review), I was to receive a letter in the mail and have not received it? Unfortunately the clerk's office can neither confirm nor deny that a dependency a...
• How do I setup a Trust Fund? The Clerk of Courts office has no available paperwork to establish a Trust and ar...
• Who do I need to contact to verify employment at the clerks office? To verify employment for previous and current employees of the Okaloosa County Cl...
• How long do I have to file a case? The Clerk's office cannot provide statute of limitation information.  You may fin...
• If I need access to an old file that has been destroyed, what do I do? For cases that have met the retention period and have been destroyed pursuant to ...
• How and when is money disbursed out of the court registry? The clerk can only disburse money from the registry if there is a court order or ...
• How do I register for the Florida E-filing portal to file a new case or documents? You may register to electronically file new cases or pleadings on existing cases ...
• Can I get bond money back if my bond was forfeited? Once a bond has been forfeited it cannot be returned unless by a court order....
• The Final Order of Name Change has my name spelled incorrectly, how do I get this fixed? You will need to bring in the Final Judgment changing your name into either of th...
• What is a Truancy case and what information can I obtain? Truancy cases are cases where a minor has missed an excessive amount of school. T...
• My court case has been dismissed, can it be reopened? What type of case are you referring to? Civil cases to include: Family, Circuit (...
• Can I request copy/copies of documents: i.e. final judgment, deed, DD214, Last Will & Testament(deposited or filed)? Yes.  You can request files online, via email, or in person. NOTE:  Copies provid...
• How can I find the name of an owner of a specific road or property? You may contact the Okaloosa County Property Appraisers office at 850-651-7240 or...
• What is a Situs Designation Form? A Situs Designation Form is used in Okaloosa County to select which part of the c...
• How do I file an arbitration case and where do I get the paperwork? The clerk's office does not have forms regarding arbitration. You may wish to see...
• How can I request a copy of my juvenile record? To access a CJ case the juvenile defendant must appear in person with a photo ID....
• How does an attorney obtain a certificate of good standing to appear in court in a different state? These certificates may be available through the Florida Bar you can visit their w...
• Who can I contact regarding Tourist Development Tax? For Tourist Tax Collection, Enforcement, or Audit; you can contact the Clerk of C...
• How can I get an expedited bond hearing in a felony case? Att orney of Record If you are the attorney of record you may email our court tea...
• What is "Pro hac vice" and how much is it to file? Pro hac vice is a legal term for adding an attorney to a case in a jurisdiction i...
• How can I file for a legal separation? Florida does not recognize legal separation.  You may wish to seek legal advice o...
• Mechanics Lien This is filed when a shop owner is trying to obtain a title to a vehicle that has...
• I have been ordered to attend an Anger Management course, can you provide a list of approved classes? Okaloosa county clerk will accept any Florida certificate of completion.   Howeve...
• I am getting a refund/disbursement check and need to update my address, what do I do? REFUNDS or DISBURSEMENTS: You may file a change of address form in the correspond...
• Can I file for indigency? How long is my application good for? How do I apply for a public defender? If you meet the Florida poverty guidelines, you may complete an indigency applica...
• How do I find unclaimed property? If the money is from a foreclosure sale FS 717: you may contact the Department of...
• What is the current interest rate for judgments? Effective October 1, 2019 the interest is 6.89% Effective April 1, 2020 the inter...
• Can I get a civil standby to retrieve my belongings from my home? You may contact the Okaloosa Sheriff's office at 850-651-7410.  There are minimum...
• What are Tax Deed Sales? Tax Certificates are sold each year and are handled by the Tax Collector based on...
• How can I obtain an Exemplified Copy? To obtain an Exemplified or Authenticated Copy, a request may be placed through r...
• Where can I find a municipal ordinance online? You can search the municipal ordinances online at https://library.municode.com/fl...
• Who do I contact to file a complaint on a judge? If you wish to file a grievance against a Florida state judge, please contact the...
• Can I get a copy of a court docket? You may view public record dockets by following the below steps on our website. 1...
• Do the Okaloosa County Judge's have special requirements when filing court cases? Unfortunately the clerk's office can't provide information as to a Judge's specif...
• Where can I find information on community resources such as family assistance, counseling, support groups, housing, transportation, etc? Healthy Start Coalition of Okaloosa-Walton Counties offers a family resource dire...