Q. Many St. Johns County residents recently received a mailer that looks like an official government letter saying a recent property transfer has occurred and they could get an official copy of their recorded deed for $89. Is this a scam?
A. It’s a scam in that it is deceptive, alarming and preys on people’s fears. Your readers should ignore any letters received from Tampa-based company called “County Records, LLC.” If they have any questions about their property, they can visit our website, stjohnsclerk.com, to look at the official records for free. In addition, we maintain a “Reported Scams in St. Johns County” webpage (https://stjohnsclerk.com/alerts) where they can see what’s going on and how to stay protected.
Q. How much does an official copy of a deed cost at the Clerk’s office?
A. For a non-certified copy, you can visit the records section of our website to access your deed and print it at home for free. For certified copies, which are often needed to prove authenticity, the cost varies depending on whether you use our E-Certify technology or if you obtain it in person at the courthouse.
To access your deed online 24 hours a day via E-Certify, a two-page certified deed would cost $10 plus a 3.5 percent credit card fee. Visiting the courthouse in-person is less expensive — a two-page certified deed costs $4.
Q. How many deeds and other records are processed each year by the Clerk’s office?
A. The number is generally increasing every year. St. Johns County is growing at a considerable pace, and the Clerk team has worked hard and continued to meet the needs of our residents. Some statistics:
- January — November 2022, our office recorded more than 109,000 documents (doubled from five years ago) and processed more than 2,100 marriage licenses and 9,600 passport applications.
- We nearly doubled the number of people we served in our 2022 Operation Green Light driver license reinstatement event, with 337 people eligible to have their licenses reinstated.
- And in fiscal year 2022 (Oct. 1 – Sept. 30), our team processed more than 317,000 criminal and 260,000 civil filings.
Q. How do people get in touch with you?
A. Our office number is (904) 819-3600 or call my cell phone at (904) 599-8688 if I may ever be of service. Our main offices are in the St. Johns County courthouse, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine.
