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Search Official Records

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Search Prior to 1987
Search Older Alpha Index / Plats

By accessing these services, you agree to any terms and instructions defined below.

The Official Records Search allows you to search the entire Bay County Official Records database for final judgments, land records, and other public documents recorded after January 1st, 1987.

The search will return a list of Parties, the date the document was recorded, the type of document that was recorded, the Book type, the Book/Page and Clerk Instrument Number of the document.

The copies viewed on this website are not legal official documents. Official legal document copies are available only from the Clerk’s Official Records Department.

With information obtained online, you may easily retrieve and identify documents available at the Official Records Division of the Clerk’s Office. These documents can be obtained in the following manner:

  • By visiting the Bay County Official Records search page for free uncertified copies.
  • By contacting the Official Records Division of the Clerk’s Office (by phone (850)763-9061 opt 3 or by email recording@baycoclerk.com) and requesting that certified copies be mailed to you at a cost of $1.00 per page for copies and $2.00 for certifications.
  • Electronic Certifications are also available from our website by choosing the purchase certified documents option on the homepage or by following this link.
  • How do I obtain a certified copy of a Marriage License?
    If you are local, all you need to do is come to our office (in room 110 at the Bay County Courthouse). Make sure and know both parties names and the time of the marriage and the year of the marriage. You may pay by cash or a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit or debit card. Note: if you choose to use a credit or debit card you will be charged a convenience fee.

    If you are from out of town, you’ll need to send a letter requesting those copies. Be sure to include both names at the time of the marriage and the year of the marriage. Payment must be sent by money order (we do not accept checks) made payable to Bill Kinsaul, Clerk. The day we receive your request we will process it and send your certified copies back out to you. Send your request to the following address:

    Bay County Clerk’s Office
    ATTN: Marriage License Department
    P.O. Box 2269
    Panama City, FL 32402

    Requests can also be sent via email by completing and attaching saved copies of the Marriage License Request Form and the Recording/Marriage License Department Credit Card Payment Form (both linked below). Forward the attachments to recording@baycoclerk.com for processing.

    Request for Marriage Record
    Recording/Marriage License Department Credit Card Payment Form

    Or you may contact the Office of Vital Statistics:

    Department of Health
    Office of Vital Statistics
    P.O. Box 210
    Jacksonville, FL 32231
    904-359-6900

INSTRUCTIONS on using our Search Page – Click HERE.

Effective January 1, 2024, in accordance with Florida Statute 695.26 and the requirements for recording instruments affecting real property, the Clerk will not record an instrument by which title to real property or interest is conveyed, assigned, encumbered, or disposed of unless:
• The name of each witness is legibly printed, typewritten, or stamped immediately beneath the signature of the witness.
• The post office address of each witness is legibly printed, typewritten, or stamped on each instrument.

Property Fraud Alert

Bay County Clerk of Court offers property owners a free service to alert themselves of potential property fraud.

According to the FBI property and mortgage fraud is one of the fastest growing white-collar crimes. Scammers file fraudulent deeds making it appear as if they own the property. This type of fraud can go undetected if the property owner does not periodically check the Official Records. Although checking does not prevent the actual fraudulent activity from occurring it does provide an early warning of what may have otherwise gone undetected.

Properly Fraud Alert emails notifications to subscribers when a deed, mortgage, or other land record with their registered name on it has been recorded into the Clerk’s Official Records.

Property Fraud Alert is a free service that alerts subscribers when a mortgage, deed or other land document is recorded in their name in Bay County’s official records. Notifications are emailed within 24 hours of the document being recorded. Sign up and start protecting your most valuable investments.


If You Receive an Alert

If a document is recorded that matches your monitoring criteria, you will receive an email and/or text alert within 24 hours. The alert will include a link to the document being recorded in the Clerk’s Official Records.

If the name and property are not yours or if you recognize the filed document, no further action must be taken.

If the property is yours, but you do not recognize the document filed, you may be a victim of property fraud.

If you believe you have been the victim of property fraud, correcting your title can be a complicated process. The Bay County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller has created this list of steps you should take immediately to correct your title and affirm your ownership.


Steps to Take for Victims of Property Fraud

  1. Report the Crime to the Appropriate Law Enforcement Agency

    Deed forgery and property fraud is a criminal act under Florida Statute 817.535. Bay County’s local law enforcement agencies take this crime seriously and have detectives on staff to investigate these crimes with the hope of bringing the fraudsters to justice. The police report that is created will be helpful to you in correcting or restoring the title on your property.

    Contact local law enforcement immediately if you suspect you have been victimized

    – Bay County Sheriff’s Office: (850) 747-4700

  2. File a Complaint with the Circuit Court to Quiet Title Based on Fraudulent Conveyance (Fla. Stat. Sec. 65.091 and 817.535(8)(a))

    Through this new legislation there are forms to help you remove the fraudulent document. A Complaint to Quiet Title based upon a Fraudulent Conveyance is a civil lawsuit that will request the Court to declare the offending document as fraudulent.  All applicable filing fees will apply. A final judgment “quieting title” will direct the Clerk to remove the fraudulent document from the Official Record. On our website you will find instructions and a simplified form to assist you in filing a complaint to quiet title. For easy access please click here to view the form.

  3. Record a Lis Pendens in the Official Records of Bay County

    A lis pendens puts the public on notice that there is a lawsuit involving the property and helps prevent any subsequent sales or transfers of the property until the court resolves the dispute. The court case (step #2) must be filed prior to recording the lis pendens.

  4. Contact the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector

    – Property Appraiser’s Office: (850) 248-8401
    – Tax Collector’s Office: (850) 248-8501

    In a fraudulent recording, a recorded document may change the property owner in the Property Appraiser’s and Tax Collector’s systems. As a result, TRIM notices and property tax bills may be sent to a different address. Unpaid taxes can eventually result in the property being sold at Tax Deed Auction.

  5. Sign Up for Property Fraud Alert

    If you have not already done so, sign up for Property Fraud Alert, a free service offered by your Bay County Clerk. Property Fraud Alert notifies you within 24 hours of any documents filed that affect your property. While it cannot prevent a fraudulent document from being filed, it can allow you to respond quickly to address any problems.

Sign Up

  1. Visit the Recording Activity Notification page to register.
  2. Enter your personal or business name and email address.
  3. To register a Trust, enter the Trust as a business name

Notice

On or after October 1, 2002, any person preparing or filing a document for recording in the Official Records Department may not include a social security number, a bank account, credit, debit or charge card number in such a document unless required by law.

Any person has the right to request the Clerk/County Recorder to redact /remove social security, bank account, credit, debit or charge card numbers from any image or copy of an Official Record that has been placed on the Clerk’s publicly available website.

The request must be legibly written, signed and delivered in person, by mail or by fax to the Clerk’s Official Records Department. The request must specify the identification book and page number that contains the information to be redacted. No fee is charged for this service.

You may access the link to our Forms Page to print a request form or write your own request and hand deliver to the Bay County Courthouse, Room 110. Or mail to:

Bay County Clerk’s Office
Attention Official Records
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402

or

Bay County Clerk’s Office
Attention Official Records
300 East 4th Street
Panama City, FL 32401

**Because of the risk of computer viruses attached to electronic signatures, this office will not accept electronic requests.

In this section:

Bond Information

Bay County utilizes DAC as its Investor Relations Provider. To view Bay County’s secondary market disclosure information:

  • Visit the www.dacbond.com website
  • In the “DAC for Investors” box on the left, click on “Register” to select your personal username and password

Your username and password will be immediately activated.

  • Type your username and password in the fields provided on the Home page or Log In page
  • On the bottom of the “Attention” page, click on “Continue”
  • On the left in the “Quick Search”, leave the first box defaulted to “Obligor”
  • Type “Bay County” in the second box and click the double arrows
  • Click on “Bay County, Florida ” to view a list of issues OR click on “Disclosure” to view documents filed

Questions? Please call DAC at 888-824-2663 and speak with a customer service representative.

In this section:

Marriage FAQs

Marriage licenses can only be issued to persons who are at least 17 years of age but only with written consent of both parents.

(We have the consent forms to be completed)

However, the older party to the marriage cannot be more than 2 years older than the younger party to the marriage.
We must have the original of the following items from the applicant that is 17 years old:

  1. Birth certificate
  2. Driver’s license, state id or passport
  3. Social security card

(We will make copies of these items and scan into the marriage license transaction)

This is per Florida statute 741.04 which was effective July 1, 2018

Where is your office located?

We are located in the Bay County Courthouse at 300 East 4th Street Panama City, Florida (32401), Room 110.

If you’re coming from the beach, take Hwy 98 going east until you get to Harrison Avenue. Make a right on Harrison Avenue. Go down to 4th Street and take a left. Once you’re on 4th Street, the courthouse is 3 blocks up on the right.

What are your hours?

Our normal business hours are Monday thru Friday 8:00am until 4:30pm.

How long does it take to apply for a license?

It takes approximately 20 minutes to apply for a Marriage License.

What do we need in order to apply for a Marriage License?

For applicants who are 18 years of age or older. Both parties must have State or Government issued valid photo identification (Driver’s License, State issued ID card, Passport, or Military ID). Both parties must know their social security numbers (you do not need to bring the card with you). And if either party has been previously married you must know the FULL DATE of divorce, annulment, or death of previous spouse (you do not need to bring the divorce decree, annulment papers, or death certificate).

Who can issue a Marriage License?

According to Florida Statute 741.01; every marriage license shall be issued by a County Judge or Clerk of the Circuit Court under his hand and seal.

What is the fee for a Marriage License?

The cost of the license is $86.00. We accept cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. Checks are not accepted. Note: if you choose to use a credit or debit card you will be charged a convenience fee.

If we decide not to get married after purchasing the Marriage License, can we get a refund?

No, there are no refunds on a Marriage License.

Do both of us have to come in together to apply for the license?

Yes. Both parties must come in person to apply, no exceptions.

How long is the marriage license valid?

The Marriage License is valid for 60 days from the effective date (block 18a on the Marriage License). The license must be used on or before the expiration date (block 19 on the Marriage License). The person performing the ceremony must return the license to the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office for recording within 10 days after the marriage ceremony is performed.

If I live out of state, can I apply for my Marriage License in the state I live?

If you are planning a wedding in Florida, you must apply for your marriage license in the state of Florida. You may apply in any county as long as the license is obtained in the state of Florida.

Who can perform a Marriage Ceremony in the state of Florida?

As listed in Florida Statute 471.0; all regularly ordained ministers of the gospel or elders in communion with some church, or other ordained clergy, and all judicial officers, clerks of the circuit court, and Florida Notary Publics may solemnize matrimony.

Can the Clerk’s Office perform a Marriage Ceremony?

We no longer perform marriage ceremonies.  You may bring your own clergy or notary and be married on the front steps of the courthouse or on the front lawn, or click here for a local listing of officiants.

Is there a waiting period?

Non-Florida Residents do not have a waiting period. Florida Residents have a 3-day waiting period.

Is there a way to waive the 3-day waiting period for Florida Residents?

Yes, if BOTH PARTIES are Florida Residents they may choose to take a pre-marital preparation course. If so, the 3-day waiting period will be waived and the license will be discounted to $61.00.

As Florida Residents, how do we go about taking this pre-marital course?

The pre-marital preparation course is not something you can do through the courthouse. You must take the counseling with a registered course provider. The course must be a minimum of 4 hours. You can contact our office to see if your minister or counselor is registered with our office at (850) 763-9061.

Who can provide Pre-Marital Courses?

If you are qualified and wish to be an official provider of the pre-marital preparation course, you must register with the Clerk of the Court’s Office. Your Registration Affidavit must be on file with the Clerk’s Office before we can accept any Certificates of Completion from couples counseled by you. The following is a list of qualifications for the pre-marital preparation course providers:

  • A psychologist licensed under Chapter 490, Florida Statutes
  • A clinical social worker licensed un Chapter 491, Florida Statutes
  • A marriage and family therapist licensed under Chapter 491, Florida Statutes
  • A mental health counselor licensed under Chapter 491, Florida Statutes
  • An official representative of a religious institution which is
    recognized under Chapter 4963404 (201) Florida Statutes (with relevant
    training)

Do we have to take this course?

No, the course is not required. However, if you are Florida Residents and you choose not to take the pre-marital preparation course the 3-day waiting period will apply and the license will be $86.00.

Are we required to have a blood test before we apply for our license?

Blood tests are not required in the state of Florida.

Can a Marriage Ceremony be performed without a Marriage License?

No, Florida Statute 741.08 states that the party solemnizing the marriage shall require a properly issued marriage license before performing the ceremony.

Can we, as the couple, return the Marriage License for recording?

No, it is the legal responsibility of the notary public or minister that performed the ceremony to return the license back to the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office where the license was obtained within 10 days after the ceremony.

How long does it usually take to get a certified copy of our Marriage License?

Once the license is returned to our office, it will be recorded and mailed out to you the same day.

Can we get married by a captain aboard a ship?

Yes, if the captain is a Florida Notary Public and the ship is in Florida waters (with 2 geographic miles of the coastline) at the time of the ceremony.

Do one or both applicants have to be American Citizens?

No. There is no citizenship requirement in the state of Florida. However, you must provide proper identification. (For proper identification, please see question)

Do we need to apply for our Marriage License to renew our vows?

No. Talk to your religious advisor or personal counselor.

Can I legally marry a family member?

No. Although the marriage application does not specifically ask about possible relationship of the parties, Florida law prohibits close blood relations from legally marrying. These include such relationships as parent-child, brother-sister, and uncle-niece. The nearest degree of relations who may legally marry in the state of Florida are first cousins.

What is the fee for a certified copy of a Marriage License?

Two certified copies are provided as part of the Marriage License fee. Additional certified copies may be obtained for a fee of $3.00 each.

How do I obtain a certified copy of a Marriage License?

If you are local, all you need to do is come to our office (in room 110 at the Bay County Courthouse). Make sure and know both parties names and the time of the marriage and the year of the marriage. You may pay by cash or a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit or debit card. Note: if you choose to use a credit or debit card you will be charged a convenience fee.

If you are from out of town, you’ll need to send a letter requesting those copies. Be sure to include both names at the time of the marriage and the year of the marriage. Payment must be sent by money order (we do not accept checks) made payable to Bill Kinsaul, Clerk. The day we receive your request we will process it and send your certified copies back out to you. Send your request to the following address:

Bay County Clerk’s Office
ATTN: Marriage License Department
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402

Requests can also be sent via email by completing and attaching saved copies of the Marriage License Request Form and the Recording/Marriage License Department Credit Card Payment Form (both linked below). Forward the attachments to recording@baycoclerk.com for processing.

Or you may contact the Office of Vital Statistics:

Department of Health
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231
904-359-6900

Who should I notify if my marriage means a name change and/or address change?

If your marriage means a change in name and/or address, remember to make the following important notifications:

  • Your state’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles- Division of Driver’s license
  • Your nearest Social Security Office (The Panama City office is located at: 3215 Highway 77, Panama City, FL 32405)
  • Your Supervisor of Elections (The Bay County office is located at 830 W 11th Street, Panama City, FL 32401)
  • Your Military Reserve Commanding Office (if applicable)
  • Beneficiaries or joint owners on many of these documents: bank accounts, insurance policies, employment benefits, etc.

In this section:

Contact

Please view our Office Directory for employee contact information.

Clerk of Circuit Court Bill Kinsaul
300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401
P.O. Box 2269, Panama City, Florida 32402
Phone (850) 763-9061
Fax (850) 747-5188

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 this office by phone or in writing.
Email Bill Kinsaul’s office

Hours of Operation and Holiday Schedule

Map & Driving Directions – Clerk of Court Office

Driving Directions to the Clerk of Court Office
From Tyndall Airforce Base and Mexico Beach
Cross over Duponte Bridge Turn left on Business Highway 98 Cross over Watson Bayou Bridge Turn left at red light onto 4th Street Cross over Massalina Bayou Bridge Turn left on McKenzie Avenue

From Panama City Beach
Cross over Hathaway Bridge Go East on Business Highway 98 Turn right on Harrison Avenue Turn left on 4th Street Turn right on McKenzie Avenue

From Lynn Haven
Go South on Highway 77 Turn right on 4th Street at the red light Cross over Massalina Bayou Bridge Turn left on McKenzie Avenue

North East Bay County
Go South West on Highway 231 Turn left on Harrison Avenue Turn left on 4th Street Turn right on McKenzie Avenue

In this section:

About

Bill Kinsaul, Bay County, Florida, Clerk of Court & Comptroller
Bill Kinsaul, Bay County, Florida, Clerk of Court & Comptroller

Bill Kinsaul was elected Bay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller in November 2008. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University and has worked at the Clerk’s office since 1998. In his role as Clerk he is responsible for maintaining all Court records and serves as County Recorder and Comptroller. He is also the treasurer and secretary to the Board of County Commissioners.

In addition, Bill serves on several local community boards and has a passion for the youth in our community. His experience, coupled with his education, are valued assets to Bay County.

Our Mission

To provide exceptional service to our community.

Service Standards

  • I will call you by name and treat you with respect.
  • I will identify your needs and offer a solution to assist you.
  • I will provide you with accurate information.
  • I will make it easy to do business with the Clerk’s office.
  • I will maintain the highest standards of professionalism.
  • I will display an “extra effort attitude.”
  • I will express my appreciation for your business.

Contact Information

Clerk of Circuit Court
Bill Kinsaul
300 East 4th Street
Panama City, Florida 32401

P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, Florida 32402
Email the Administration office

In this section:

Make a Payment

Pay Fine or Traffic Citation
Pay Child Support Online
Pay Child Support E-Check

The Bay County Clerk’s office makes it easy to do business by allowing you to pay online for both traffic tickets and child support payments. Please review our detailed fee schedule.

Pay a Traffic Citation

Traffic citations may be paid in three different ways.

  • Online using nCourt 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is a convenience fee to use this service.
  • By calling (855) 796-5762 Monday – Friday 7 AM – 12 AM and Saturday and Sunday 9 AM – 6 PM EST. You can use a debit or credit card and there is a convenience fee.
  • You can mail your payment with a Money Order or Cashier’s Check only to:
    Bill Kinsaul, Clerk of Court
    PO Box 2269
    Panama City, FL 32402
  • In-person payments may be made Monday-Friday 8 AM – 4:30 PM in room 111 of the Bay County Courthouse. Cash, personal checks ($3.00 fee) and debit/credit cards (3.5% fee per statute) are all accepted.

Make a Child Support Payment

Child support payments may be paid in two different ways.

my florida county.com accepted payment options, mastercard, visa, amex, discover, paypal, apple pay, google pay, venmo, echeck

In this section:

Jury Duty

Click Here to confirm your juror summons or elect a change in your juror service.

Jurors for County and Circuit Court are selected from the driver’s license records of Bay County. Jurors are generally summoned two weeks prior to jury duty. All licensed drivers, with valid driver’s licenses may serve on a jury.

Juries are generally selected on Monday morning at the courthouse for all trials scheduled for the week. Approximately 80% of the trials in Bay County are for one day only. Therefore, most jurors serve the day of selection and one additional day.

Jurors are paid by the state only if their employer does not pay them during their first three days of jury duty. If the Juror is not paid by his/her employer, they are paid $15.00 for each of the first three days they serve. After the third day, all jurors are paid $30.00 per day served regardless of whether or not their employer pays them for their time spent at the Courthouse.

Florida law allows certain exemptions from Jury service. These include, but are not limited to:

Optional

  • Person’s over 70 years of age
  • Expectant mothers
  • Parents with children under 6 years of age, who are not employed full-time
  • Persons who have served on a jury within the past year
  • Caregiver of a disabled person/relative who resides with you

Mandatory

  • Law enforcement officers with arrest power
  • Municipal police officer
  • Convicted felon, civil rights not restored
  • Under prosecution for a crime
  • No longer a resident of this county

In accordance with the American’s With Disabilities Act, persons needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact Court Administration no later than seven days prior to the proceeding at:

Court Administrator
PO Box 1089
Panama City, Fl 32402
(850) 747-5338

For reporting instructions please call (850) 747-5176 after 5:00 PM the day before you are to report, even if that day is a weekend or a holiday.

Your service as a juror in Bay County is greatly appreciated.

Warning to Bay County Residents of a Jury Duty Call Scam

Identity thieves are using a ‘Jury Duty Scam’ to obtain personal information from citizens throughout Florida. The scammers are telephoning and emailing individuals identifying themselves as local Bay County Clerk of Court or Bay County Sheriff’s Office employees and advising these individuals they failed to report for jury duty. In many cases, the scammer indicates a warrant has been issued for their arrest and requests the individual to provide confidential information such as Social Security number and date of birth for ‘verification’ purposes.

Bay County Clerk’s Office employees within the Jury Management division never make such calls or emails. In fact, initial notifications, as well as follow-up notices, are processed through the US Postal Service. Clerk’s Office employees will, however, respond by telephone or email to a prospective juror’s inquiry if requested.

Please avoid becoming a victim of this type of identity theft scam by simply refusing to provide the information requested by the caller, and know that you can always contact the Bay County Clerk’s Office Jury Division for verification.

In this section:

Office Directory

Clerk of Circuit Court Bill Kinsaul

300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401
P.O. Box 2269, Panama City, Florida 32402
Email Bill Kinsaul’s office

Administration

Phone (850) 763-9061
Fax (850) 747-5188
Email the Administration office

Appeals

Phone (850) 763-9061
Fax (850) 747-5263
Email the Appeals office

Board Finance

225 McKenzie Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone (850) 767-3253
Fax (850) 747-5212
bccfinance@baycoclerk.com

Circuit/County Civil

Room 111
Phone (850) 763-9061
Fax (850) 747-5249
Email the Circuit/County Civil office

Collections

Room 111
Phone (850) 763-9061
Fax (850) 747-5163
Email the Collections office

Estates, Wills

Room 105
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 2
Fax (850) 747-5163
Email the Probate office

Evictions

Room 111
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 4
Fax (850) 747-5209
Email the Evictions office

Felony

Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 2
Fax (850) 747-5263
Email the Felony office

Guardianship

Room 105
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 2
Fax (850) 747-5163
Email the Guardianship office

Jury Duty

Room 111
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 6
After 5 PM on the day before service call (850) 747-5176
Fax (850) 747-5163
Email the Jury Duty office

Marriage License

Room 110
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 5
Fax (850) 747-5199
Email the Marriage office

Mental Health

Room 105
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 2
Fax (850) 747-5163
Email the Mental Health office

Misdemeanor/Intake

Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 2
Fax (850) 747-5164
Email the Misdemeanor office

Recording

Room 110
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 3
Fax (850) 747-5199
Email the Recording office

Substance Abuse

Room 105
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 2
Fax (850) 747-5163
Email Substance Abuse care of the Probate office

Tax Deeds

Room 110
Phone (850) 747-5109
Fax (850) 747-5199
Email Tax Deeds c/o the Recording office

Tourist Development Tax

225 McKenzie Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone (850) 747-5226
Fax (850) 747-5212
tdc@baycoclerk.com

Traffic

Room 111
Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 1
Fax (850)747-5163
Email the Traffic office

Value Adjustment Board

225 McKenzie Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone (850) 767-3314
Fax (850) 747-5199
Email the VAB office

Family Law/Divorce

Phone (850) 763-9061 ext. 5
Fax (850) 747-5359
Email the Family Law/Divorce office

Child Support

Phone (850) 747-5112
Fax (850) 747-5359
Email the Child Support office

Domestic Violence

Room 109
Phone (850) 747-5165
Fax (850) 747-5359
Email the Domestic Violence office

Juvenile Delinquency

Phone (850) 747-5119
Fax (850) 747-5781
Email the Juvenile Delinquency office

Juvenile Dependency

Phone (850) 747-5119
Fax (850) 747-5781
Email the Juvenile Dependency office

In this section:

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.

In this section:

Civil Traffic FAQs

Where do I mail my traffic fine?

If your traffic citation was issued in Bay County, mail payment to:

Bill Kinsaul, Clerk of Court
 Traffic Division
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402

or

Bill Kinsaul, Clerk of Court
 Traffic Division
300 East 4th Street
Panama City, FL 32401

When must my traffic citation be paid?

Payment of a traffic citation must be received in the Clerk’s Office within thirty (30) calendar days of the citation issue date. Remember that if you are mailing your payment, it must be received by the 30th day, or it be considered delinquent and subjected to late fee and/or a suspension of your driver’s license.

May I get an extension of time beyond the 30 days to pay my citation?

Yes. Additional time to pay a traffic fine may be granted by coming to the Traffic Department of the Bay County Courthouse and paying a $25.00 processing fee.

Can I make partial payments on my traffic citation fine?

Yes. Partial payments are now accepted. You must enter into a Partial Payment Agreement with the Bay County Clerk of Courts. To initiate this process come to room 111 in the Bay County Courthouse, complete a Partial Payment Agreement Form and paying a non-refundable processing fee of $25.00. The fine must be completely paid within two payments. Partial Payments are not accepted if you chose to go to traffic school to withhold points.

If my citation was issued outside of Bay County, may I pay the fine in Bay County?

No. Citations issued in Bay County must be paid in Bay County. If your citation was issued outside of Bay County, please contact the Clerk in the county of issue.

What will happen if I fail to pay my traffic citation within 30 days?

You will be assessed a late fee and a report will be mailed to the Department of Highway Safety to suspend your driver’s license. Your driver’s license will remain suspended until payment, including the late fee, is paid. Upon payment in full of your citation, you will be issued a D6 clearance form. This clearance must be presented to any office of the Department of Highway Safety or if you are a resident of Florida and this in your only outstanding citation your driving privileges may be reinstated through the Clerk of Court’s Office.

How can I reinstate my driver’s license for failure to pay a traffic fine?

The Clerk’s Office can assist you in reinstating your license. If there are other reasons for the suspension, you will need to go to driver license office for reinstatement. A reinstatement fee is required.

How do I keep from having points assessed to my license?

You may elect to attend traffic school if you have not done so within the past 12 months and have not attended more than five times in your lifetime.

If I complete traffic school, will my insurance rates increase?

Your insurance company will make that decision. Please contact them with this question.

How do I contact a traffic school?

Florida law prohibits the Clerk or any government entity from referring individuals to a particular Traffic School; however, you can find Traffic Schools listed in the telephone directory yellow pages under the heading “Driving Instruction” or online at “Traffic School Providers“.

Can I attend traffic school anywhere?

Yes. You may attend traffic school anywhere in the State of Florida, including approved online schools.

How long will I have to complete traffic school?

Your certificate of completion of traffic school must be received in this office no later than 50 days after the date you signed for the Affidavit for Traffic School election. A certificate received after the 50th day will be considered delinquent and late fees and/or a suspension of your driver’s license may apply. It is advisable to contact and enroll in a traffic school as soon as possible to ensure the completion being filed on time.

If I went to traffic school recently for another citation, may I go again?

No. Traffic school may be elected only once within a 12-month period and no more than 5 times total in a lifetime.

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