Privacy Policy

General

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller’s Web site is for informational purposes only and is offered as a convenience for our customers. We make no warranty or guarantee regarding the accuracy or reliability of the content on this site. The Clerk & Comptroller’s office shall not be liable for errors or for any damages in connection with the use of the information appearing on this or other referenced websites.

This website does not provide legal advice. Please contact a qualified attorney for guidance about a particular legal issue.

By using the information, services and products available through this website, you agree to be bound by all of the terms and conditions of use as set forth herein.

The terms and conditions set forth in the PPTOU may be updated from time to time without notice to you. It is your responsibility to review it from time to time to be aware of any such change. Your continued use of this service will indicate your agreement to any such change.

Public Records

Florida has a very broad public records law. As a result, any written communication created or received by Bay County Clerk & Comptroller officials and employees will be made available to the public and media, upon request, unless otherwise exempt. Furthermore, under Florida law, email addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact our office by phone or in writing.

Collection of Personal Information

When you engage in activities on this site, you may be asked to provide certain information about yourself by filling out and submitting an online form. It is completely optional for you to engage in these activities.

Depending upon the activity, some of the information that we ask you to provide is identified as mandatory and some as voluntary. If you do not provide the mandatory data with respect to a particular activity, you will not be able to engage in that activity online. Instead, you will need to use a non-Web option for transacting that business with the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller.

Protection of Your Personal Information

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller recognizes and appreciates the importance of responsible use of information collected on this site. Information may be saved for a designated period of time in order to comply with the State of Florida’s archiving policies. However, information will not be disclosed to third parties or other government agencies, unless required by state or federal law.

Use of Cookies

When you visit the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller’s Web site, you can surf the site anonymously and access information without revealing your identity. In order to improve our site, we may use “cookies” to assist your visit. A cookie is small amount of data that is transferred to your browser by a Web server and can only be read by the server that gave it to you. It can function as your identification card, recording your passwords, purchases, and preferences. However, it cannot be executed as code or deliver viruses.

Most browsers are initially set to accept cookies. You can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, giving you the chance to decide whether or not to accept it.

For some Web pages that require an authorization, cookies are not optional. Users choosing not to accept cookies will probably not be able to access those pages. While certain Web pages use cookies to assist your visit to the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller Web site, and while our Web servers automatically log the IP address of your computer, this information does not identify you personally, and you remain anonymous unless you have otherwise provided personal information to a specific Web page.

User Accounts

When registering to use a feature, it is solely your responsibility to keep your private account information, such as username and password, secure. You must not disclose your private account information to anyone except other authorized persons.

You are entirely liable for all activities conducted through your account. You agree to immediately notify the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller of any unauthorized use of your account or any breach of security.

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller will never ask you for your password in an unsolicited phone call or in an unsolicited e-mail. Also remember to sign out of your account and close your browser window whenever you have finished your work.

Security

Data transmission over the Internet is not guaranteed to be 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information transmitted to us or received from our online products or services. Once we receive a transmission, we make our best effort to ensure it is secure on our systems.

Your Responsibilities

You are responsible for all charges associated with connecting to the Internet. You agree that any telephone or other communications fees and charges incurred are your sole responsibility.

Prohibited Uses

As a user of the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller’s website, you agree to use this service only for its lawful, intended purposes. Use of this service for transmission, distribution, retrieval, or storage of any information, data, or other material in violation of any applicable law or regulation is prohibited. You also agree not to use the service to:

  • Provide false information or to impersonate someone else;
  • Distribute computer viruses, worms, or any software intended to damage or alter a computer system;
  • Violate any applicable local, state, national or international law.

System and Network Security

Violations of system or network security of the service are prohibited, and may subject you to criminal and/or civil liability. The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller will investigate potential security violations, and may notify applicable law enforcement agencies if violations are suspected.

You may not attempt to circumvent the authentication procedures or security of any host, network, network component, or account to access data, accounts, or systems that you are not expressly permitted to access.

You may not interfere or attempt to interfere with service to any other user.

Violation of Terms of Use

In the event of any violation of the terms contained herein, the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller reserves the right to suspend or terminate, either temporarily or permanently, any or all services provided. Users who violate terms contained herein may additionally incur criminal and/or civil liability. The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller may refer violators to civil or criminal authorities for prosecution.

Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller and its subsidiaries, affiliates, telecommunications providers, service providers, officers, employees and agents harmless from any claim, liability, loss, expense or demand, including attorneys’ fees, related to a user’s violation of the terms and conditions or the use of the services and information provided at this Web site.

Limitation of Liability

In no event will the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller, its suppliers, its service providers, or other third party affiliates be liable for any damages whatsoever including but not limited to:

  • Direct, indirect, incidental punitive and consequential damages arising out of the use, inability to use, or the results of use of this service;
  • Any Web sites linked to the service, the materials or information contained at any or all such sites;
  • Content anywhere on the internet, whether based on warranty, contract, tort or any other legal theory;
  • Including without limitation those damages resulting from lost profits, lost data or business interruption;
  • Aggregate liability of the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller or any of its suppliers, service providers, or third party affiliates.

In no event shall the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special and exemplary damages, or any damages whatsoever, arising from the use or performance of this Web site or from any information, services or products provided through this Web site, even if the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

If you are dissatisfied with this Web site, or any portion thereof, your exclusive remedy shall be to stop using the website.

Termination

If a user’s conduct fails to conform to the letter or spirit of these terms and conditions or if the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller believes the user’s conduct may create liability for its affiliates, then that user’s service will be terminated.

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller reserves the right to restrict access of any user of this service and may at any time in its sole discretion with or without notice and with or without cause immediately deny access to the service and may remove all account information.

Disclaimer of Warranties

This service is provided by the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller on an “as is” basis. Neither the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller nor its partners, providers, or affiliates make any representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of the service, its contents, or any information made available by or through the service.

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or any infringement. Furthermore, the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller does not warrant that use of the service will not be interrupted, available at any time or from any location, secured and error-free. Corrected defects are not warrantable and the service is not guaranteed free of viruses or other harmful components.

Jurisdictional Issues

The PPTOU shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida as it is applied to contracts entered into by residents of the State of Florida including the public records law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes). You also consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in Bay County, Florida, and you further consent to the exercise of personal jurisdiction of the courts therein.

If any provision(s) of the PPTOU is found to be contrary to law, then such provision(s) shall be construed, as nearly as possible, to reflect the intentions of the parties with the other provisions remaining in full force and effect.

The Bay County Clerk & Comptroller’s failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of the PPTOU shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision unless acknowledged and agreed to by the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller in writing. You and the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller agree that any cause of action arising out of or related to this PPTOU or the service must commence within one (1) year after the cause of action arose; otherwise, such cause of action is permanently barred.

The section titles in this PPTOU are solely used for the convenience of the parties and have no legal or contractual significance. These terms and conditions constitute the entire agreement between you and the Bay County Clerk & Comptroller with respect to the subject matter herein and supersede any and all prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements. You may not assign this agreement to any other party.

E-Certify

For your convenience, the Bay County Clerk of Court is now offering Electronic Certified Documents for purchase online.  Each electronic certified document uses advanced encryption features to produce a tamper-proof electronic certified document that will include a unique Clerk of Court digital signature.

To purchase an Electronic Certified Document on our website, the document must be in a viewable electronic format.

Benefits of E-Certify:

  • Online
  • Real-time
  • 24-hour access
  • Convenient
  • Secure
  • Efficient
  • Environmentally friendly

Verify Certified Documents

Each document contains a Unique Reference Number for identification purposes and a tamper-evident seal to indicate if the document has been tampered with. To view the tamper-evident seal and verify the certifier’s digital signature, open this document with Adobe Reader software.

There are three ways to verify the authenticity of a document. The first, and easiest way, is to scan the QR code printed on your document.  If you do not have a QR code scanner, you may enter the Unique Reference Number for your document or upload the document below. Please watch the video above for detailed instructions.

Verify by code

Enter the Unique Reference Code from the original record to see the authentication results.


Verify by File Upload

Upload an electronic certificate file and we will perform an automated authentication.

Probate Fees

ItemFee
Caveat/Notice of Trust$41.00
Petition and order to admit foreign wills, authenticated copies, exemplified copies, or transcripts to record$231.00
Disposition of personal property without administration$231.00
Summary Administration Less Than $1,000$235.00
Summary Administration $1,000 or more$345.00
Formal Administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship, or conservatorship proceedings$400.00
Guardianship proceedings of person only$235.00
Veterans Administration Guardianship$235.00
Petition for determination of incapacity$231.00
Exemplified certificates$7.00
Case Re-Open$50.00
For the opening of any estate of one document or more, including but not limited to, petitions & orders to approve settlement of minor’s claims; to open safe deposit box; to enter rooms and places; for the determination of heirs, if not formal administration;and for foreign guardian to manage property of a nonresident, but not including issuance of letters or order of summary and family administration.$231.00
Guardianship Audit Fee, Initial Inventory, above $25,000$85.00
Guardianship Audit Fee, Annual Financial Return For Estates $25,000 or Less$20.00
Guardianship Audit Fee, Annual Financial Return For Estates $25,000 to $100,000$85.00
Guardianship Audit Fee, Annual Financial Return For Estates $100,000 to $500,000$170.00
Guardianship Audit Fee, Annual Financial Return For Estates more than $500,000$250.00

Please be informed that fee increases are added during Legislative Session.

The Clerk’s Office will accept only Cash, Credit/Debit Cards (Discover, MasterCard,  Visa & American Express), Money Orders or Cashiers Checks for payment of all monetary business transactions.

Forms

The information contained in the forms on this website is simply informational and is not intended as legal advice. Do not depend on using the forms offered on this site for making legal, business or other important decisions. Employees of the Clerk’s Office cannot give legal advice. For further explanation of the forms on this site please contact an attorney.

We are currently in the process of making our entire document library ADA Compliant. If you have any problems accessing or using a PDF document on this website, please call Connor Vann at (850) 747-5123 for assistance.

To request public records from the Clerk’s Office, please print and complete the Request For Public Records Form below and return to the appropriate department.

Attorneys, please visit the Florida Bar for the latest rulings on Civil and Family Filings and Dispositions.

Popular Downloads

All Downloads

Announcing The Launch Of Our Updated Website

We are pleased to announce the launch of our updated website! After some hard work and dedication, we are delighted to officially launch the new www.baycoclerk.com which will make it easier for customers using mobile devices to navigate. Amongst the new features, the site contains buttons to file court documents electronically and to purchase certified copies of court and official records documents using a self-service portal.

We hope you find the updated website with a fresh look, easy to access information and we also wish to establish this portal as a source of information for those who visit our site.

For any questions, suggestions, feedback, or comments, please contact us.

Thank You!

Welcome to the Bay County Clerk of Court & Comptroller

About:

The Bay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller manages information of the justice system and protects, preserves, and maintains public records and public funds with integrity and accountability in a service committed environment. We are here to serve you, so if you can’t find what you need on this site, please contact us directly. We are happy to help.

Search Court Cases & Court Docket

By accessing this service, you agree to any terms and instructions defined below.


Bill Kinsaul is pleased to offer Internet access to information deemed as public record by Florida Statute 119.01 (1), (2), (3). Please accept the disclaimer below in order to access these electronic records.

This website is intended for the general public’s personal use to retrieve general information. The information available on this website is not official and should not be relied on for any type of legal action.

While the Clerk’s Office attempts to preserve the accuracy of the online version of these records, they are not official and the Bay County Clerk of Circuit Court will not be responsible for any inaccuracies that may be encountered. By using this service, in any form, the User agrees to exonerate and pardon the Bay County Clerk of Circuit Court and his staff involved in storing, retrieving, or displaying this information for damage of any type that may be caused by accessing this information over the Internet. Parties, or their attorneys, are required under Rule 2.420 to file a Notice of Confidential Information Form along with any document that contains confidential information.


Accept Terms of Agreement And Search All Cases

Request Secure Login

The General Public, Parties to a Case, and Florida Attorneys may request secure access subscription and access information by completing a Bay County Access Agreement and emailing eSupport@BayCoClerk.com

Court Docket

830 W 11th Street, Panama City, FL  32401

If you visit our Case Search site and search for any specific case (no login needed) the EVENTS section will show court docket events for that case.

If you need broader access to review a full calendar of Court Docket events then you can request secure login using the links and fill out an application for a free login name and password that will enable you to access advanced search features such as full Court Docket information.

Search Tips

View case format examples for both civil and criminal cases. Criminal example: 02000034CFMA, Civil traffic example: 02000034TR, Probate example: 02000034CP

NAME SEARCH: LAST, FIRST MIDDLE – the more explicit the name information the more the search will be narrowed down, but you can search by last name only.

Example – DOE, JOHN D

Case types are as follows:

  • Civil Traffic Infraction cases end in TR
  • Circuit Criminal cases end in CFMA
  • County Criminal cases end in MMMA
  • County Criminal worthless check cases end in MMMW
  • Municipal Ordinances cases end in MOMS
  • State Statute and Ordinance cases end in MMMO
  • Criminal Traffic cases end in CTMA
  • Wildlife and Tobacco Violation cases end in TOMA
  • Animal Control Violations end in ACMA
  • Code Enforcement Violations end in CEMA
  • Parking Violations end in PKMA
  • Circuit Civil cases end in CA
  • Domestic Relations and Family Law cases end in DR
  • County Civil and Landlord Tenant cases end in CC
  • Small Claims cases end in SC
  • Motor Vehicle cases end in MO
  • Solicitors Permit cases end in SL
  • Probate cases ending in CP or GA

Federal Court Records

For inquiries of Federal Court Records please contact:
Tallahassee: 850-521-3501
or
Pensacola: 850-435-8440

Tax Deed Auctions


The Bay County Clerk of Court presents the information on this website as a service to the public. We have tried to ensure that the information contained in this electronic search system is accurate. The Bay County Clerk of Court makes no warranty or guarantee concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content at this site or at other sites to which we link. Assessing accuracy and reliability of information is the responsibility of the user. The user is advised to search all possible spelling variations of proper names, in order to maximize search results.

The Bay County Clerk of Court shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for any damages in connection with the use of the information contained herein.

Tax Deed Online Auction Registration Details

  1. Start here by reading our FAQ
  2. Register Online
  3. View Auction Calendar

Child Support

The State of Florida Disbursement Unit (SDU), acts as the central depository for receiving, recording, reporting, monitoring, and disbursing alimony and child support payments, in accordance with Florida Statutes, Section 61.181.

Automated Child Support Payment information may be obtained by contacting the State of Florida Disbursement Unit in Tallahassee at (877) 769-0251. Clients must have their nine-digit case number and Social Security Number ready. This will give the amount that was disbursed and the date of disbursement. If the Social Security Number of the absent parent is used, information regarding the balance due is available as well.

The Child Support Enforcement (CSE) division assists custodial parents (whether married, separated, divorced, or unmarried) with the location of non-custodial parents. The CSE division assists with the establishment of paternity and/or a child support order, and enforcement of child support obligations even if the non-custodial parent resides in another state other than Florida or lives in a foreign country.

To contact the Child Support Enforcement in Tallahassee, Florida; please call:
(850) 488-KIDS (5437).

Self-Help Packets

These self-help packets are for people who wish to represent themselves in the following family law proceedings. These packets are available for purchase in the Family Law Division at 300 E 4th Street (Call 850-763-9061 for packet price and availability) or from Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure.

When you connect with the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure site, you will scroll down until you see “Representing Yourself” and click on “Family Law Forms”.

Call 850-763-9061 for packet price and availability

  • Modification of Child Support
  • Modification of Child Custody
  • Contempt of Child Support
  • Contempt of Visitation

You can also request the Clerk to send a Notice of Delinquency on any support order that is more than 30 days delinquent. You will need to provide your case number and the other parties’ address with your request for a Notice of Delinquency. You may provide this request by email at webchildsupport@baycoclerk.com or by phone at 850-763-9061.

Pay Child Support Online

Passports

The Bay County Clerk’s Office accepts passport applications on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. U.S. citizens planning international travel may apply for their passports weekly Monday through Friday at the Bay County Clerk’s office 300 E 4th Street Room 110, Panama City, Florida 32401. Please call our office at 850-747-5100 option 3 for information and to set an appointment.

DS-11 passport applications are accepted between the hours of 8:00am – 11:00am and 1:30pm – 3:30pm. Appointments are preferred to avoid wait times, however, walk ins are accepted with completed applications, proof of citizenship, proof of identification and the application fee payable to U.S. Department of State ($100.00 under the age of 16) and $130.00 (ages 16 and above)which must be paid by personal check, money order or cashier’s check. Additional $60.00 fee due for expedited service and an optional $22.05 (1-2 day return service) on expedited passports only.

The Clerk of Court is due the following fees:
Passport acceptance fee of $35.00
Passport Photo Fee of $15.00
Passport Priority Mail Fee shipping fee of $10.45 (which is subject to change by the USPS)

Accepted forms of payment:

  • Cash
  • Money Orders, Cashier’s Checks & Business Checks
  • Credit/Debit Cards- Subject to 3.5% processing fee of total transaction

Please complete your passport application prior to your appointment time by visiting travel.state.gov and choose the application that meets your needs. Please print the application and bring to your appointment along with your proof of citizenship, picture identification and required methods of payment. A passport picture is also required. The Bay County Clerk’s office does provide this service if needed.

Please read below for specific information regarding passport issuance, passport fees, and documents needed

Passports are issued by the U.S. Department of State.

Passport Card

Customers have the option of applying for a passport book, a passport card or both. The passport card may only be used for land and sea travel between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. The passport card will provide a less expensive, smaller and more convenient alternative for those who travel to these destinations.

For more information about the difference between the passport book and passport card, please see “Should I get a passport book or card?” from the Department of State.

New Applicants

You must apply in person and complete the Passport Application Form DS-11 if any of the following are true:

  • You have never had a U.S. passport
  • You are under age 16
  • Your most recent passport was issued more than 15 years ago
  • Your most recent passport was lost or stolen

All applicants, including children, must apply in person and bring the following documents:

Proof of Citizenship – Provide one of the following:

  • Previous U.S. Passport
  • Certified copy of your birth certificate (must have names of both parents)
  • Certificate of Naturalization

Proof of Identity – Provide one of the following:

  • Previous U.S. Passport
  • Valid Driver’s License (A temporary license does not meet this requirement)
  • State Identification Card
  • Certificate of Naturalization

The Clerk’s office will offer passport photos on site for an additional cost.

Note: Payments to the Department of State must be made by personal check, cashier’s check or money order ONLY (no cash or credit cards). A separate application fee to the Clerk & Comptroller’s office may be paid by cash, personal check, cashier’s check, money order, MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover.

*If a customer’s passport has been expired for LESS than five years, the passport must be renewed by mail. Customers whose passports have been expired for MORE than five years must reapply in person and may use the expired passport as proof of citizenship and identification.

Passport Renewal (By Mail)

All Passport renewals require the completion of Form DS-82. You may renew your passport by mail if:

  • You hold a passport and it is not more than 5 years past the date of expiration and not more than 15 years since being issued.
  • You were at least 16 years of age when it was issued.

Instructions:

  • Complete, sign and mail Form DS-82.
  • Include your most recent passport with two new passport photos.
    • If the name you are using differs from the name on your most recent passport, you must
      • Submit a certified copy of the marriage certificate or
      • Certified copy of Court order showing the change.
  • If your passport is mutilated or damaged, you must
    • Use the DS-11 application form and
    • Apply in person at one of the acceptance agencies with a certified copy of your birth certificate (must have the names of both parents on it).

Passport Reapplication

If your most recent passport was issued less than 1 year ago, use DS-5504 form for the following:

  • Change of name
  • Correction of descriptive date
  • Extend the validity of a Limited Passport

Instructions:

  1. Complete, sign and date the Reapplication Form DS-5504.
  2. Mail your application to one of the addresses listed on page 2 of the DS-5504 form.

Note: There is no fee if your passport was issued less than 1 year ago, unless you request expedited processing.

If your most recent passport was issued more than 1 year ago AND you have the passport, use Form DS-82.

Instructions:

  1. Complete, sign and mail your application to the address listed on the back of the DS-82 form.
  2. Include the appropriate payment/fee.

If your most recent passport was issued more than 1 year ago AND you do not have the passport, use DS-11 form.

Instructions:

  1. Complete the DS-11 form
  2. Bring it to an acceptance agency for processing.

Applications for Minors

Children under age 16 (For new and renewal passports). Minors must be present when applying.You must complete the New Applicant DS-11 form and include:

  1. Proof of Citizenship
    • Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state (must have the names of both parents on it)
    • Certificate of Naturalization
  2. Proof of Identity
    • Previous U.S. Passport
    • Certificate of Naturalization
    • Government issued identification card

Both parents must appear together to sign the application DS-11 form, or one parent must be present to sign the application, and the absent parent MUST submit a completed and notarized “Statement of Consent” Form DS-3053 AND a photocopy (front and back) of their ID. The notarized consent form cannot be more than three months old.

For more information on obtaining passports for minors, see the Department of State website.

Fees

See Service Charges & Fees

How Long Passports Are Valid

Adults (16 years of age and older) – Ten (10) years
Children (15 years and younger) – Five (5) years

Passport Processing – Time Requirements

Please consult http://www.travel.state.gov for the most up-to-date processing times.

To check the status of your Passport Application:

  • Call 1-877-487-2778 from 6:00a.m. – Midnight EST, Monday through Friday (excluding federal holidays), or
  • Check online at http://www.travel.state.gov
  • If you are traveling within 9 weeks, you must make an appointment at the nearest Passport Agency by calling the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.
  • If you are traveling within 13 weeks, the Department of State strongly recommends that you request and pay for Expedited Service. For current expedited service fees, see Passport Fees & Costs.

For application forms, information on documentation required, fees, and a wealth of other passport and international travel information, visit the only official website for passport information: https://travel.state.gov/