Broward County property records are public files held by the Broward County Property Appraiser, the Broward County Clerk of Court, and the Broward County Tax Collector. These records show who owns each parcel, how much it is worth, what taxes it owes, and what legal documents are tied to it.
Anyone can search these files for free online to check ownership, sales history, exemptions, tax bills, and recorded deeds for any property in Broward County, Florida.
Who Maintains Broward County Property Records
Broward County property records are split across three main government offices. Each office handles a different type of record. You may need to check all three to get a full picture of a property.
Broward County Property Appraiser (BCPA)
The Broward County Property Appraiser is the office that tracks every parcel in the county. The current Property Appraiser is Lori Parrish, who took office in 2024. The BCPA sets the assessed value of each property, tracks ownership, records land and building data, and handles exemption applications like the homestead exemption.
Main office address: 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 111, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Phone: 954-357-6830. Website: bcpa.net. Office hours run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office is closed on weekends and federal holidays.
Under Florida Statute Chapter 193, the Property Appraiser must assess all real property at just value each year. The BCPA also runs field inspections to keep building details like square footage, room count, and construction type up to date in their database.
Broward County Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court records all legal documents that affect property, including deeds, mortgages, liens, and court judgments. The current Clerk is Brenda D. Forman. Office address: 201 Southeast 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Phone: 954-831-6565. Website: browardclerk.org. Official records are stored under Florida Statute Chapter 28.
The Clerk does not handle property values or tax bills. Their job is to keep a public log of every document that gets recorded against a piece of real estate. This creates the official chain of title.
Broward County Tax Collector
The Tax Collector bills and collects property taxes. The current Tax Collector is Scott Russell. Office address: 1800 Northwest 66th Avenue, Plantation, FL 33313. Phone: 954-831-4000. Website: broward.county-taxes.com. The Tax Collector tracks payment history, current amounts due, and any delinquent taxes on each parcel.
How to Search Broward County Property Records
The Broward County Property Appraiser website at bcpa.net offers a free property search tool. You can look up records three different ways: by owner name, by property address, or by parcel number. You do not need an account or login.
Search by Owner Name
Type the last name of the property owner into the search box. The site accepts partial names, so a last name alone often works. Results show every parcel tied to that person, including their mailing address. Click any result to open the full record page.
Search by Property Address
Enter the full street address or just part of it. The search works for homes, condos, vacant land, and commercial buildings. Results show the parcel ID, owner name, and current assessed value.
Search by Parcel Number
The BCPA uses a 17-digit parcel ID format like 49-41-34-001-0010. You can find this number on a previous tax bill, a deed, or a title search. Parcel number search gives the most exact result with no confusion between similar addresses.
BCPA Property Search Tools
The site includes a BCPA property search bar on the homepage that opens a clean search form. Results load quickly and link directly to a detailed parcel page showing ownership, building info, sales history, value history, and exemption status. The site is mobile friendly and works on phones without needing a separate app.
For map-based searching, the BCPA also offers a parcel viewer. This GIS property map lets you zoom in on any neighborhood in Broward County, click on a parcel, and pull up the same records you would get from a text search. The map shows parcel lines, lot dimensions, and street names.
What Broward County Property Records Show
When you open a parcel record on the BCPA site, you will see a full set of public data. Here is the core data the record contains:
- Owner of record with full name and mailing address
- Parcel ID number for the property
- Legal description from the recorded deed
- Land use code (single family, condo, commercial, vacant, etc.)
- Lot size in square feet or acres
- Building square footage, year built, and number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Just value (market value as of January 1 of the tax year)
- Assessed value (may be lower than just value due to the Save Our Homes cap)
- Taxable value after all exemptions are applied
- Exemptions on file (homestead, senior, veteran, disability, widow, etc.)
- Sales history with date of each transfer, sale price, and instrument type
The gap between just value and assessed value matters a lot for long-term homeowners. For someone who has lived in their home for 20 years, the assessed value can be far below current market value. When they sell, the Save Our Homes cap resets, and the new owner pays taxes based on the higher market value right away.
Deed Records and the Clerk of Court
For recorded documents, the Broward County Clerk of Court runs the Official Records search at browardclerk.org. This is where you find Broward County deed records, mortgages, liens, court orders, and other legal documents. Searches are free to run, and many documents are free to view as PDF files. Certified copies cost a fee per page.
Common Document Types in Broward Official Records
- Warranty deeds and special warranty deeds
- Quitclaim deeds
- Mortgages and satisfactions of mortgage
- Mechanic’s liens and lien releases
- Judgment liens from court cases
- Lis pendens (notice of pending lawsuit)
- Plats and subdivision maps
- Easements and right-of-way grants
You can search Official Records by grantor name (the person selling or giving the property), grantee name (the person receiving the property), document type, or book and page number. The chain of title is built from these recorded deeds going back through the history of the property.
Homestead Exemption in Broward County
Florida homeowners who live in their property as a primary residence on January 1 of the tax year can apply for the homestead exemption. This reduces the taxable value of the home by up to $50,000. The first $25,000 applies to all property taxes. The second $25,000 applies to non-school taxes and only counts if the property’s assessed value is at least $50,000.
How to Apply
Applications are filed with the BCPA. The deadline to apply is March 1. You can apply online at bcpa.net, by mail, or in person at the Fort Lauderdale office. You will need a Florida driver’s license or state ID showing the property address, plus proof of ownership like a deed or tax bill. First-time applicants must file between January 1 and March 1. Renewals are not required every year as long as you still own and live in the home.
Save Our Homes Cap
After the first year of homestead, the Save Our Homes (SOH) cap kicks in. This rule limits the yearly increase in assessed value to 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. Over many years, this benefit can mean a homeowner’s assessed value stays well below the market value. When the home sells, the SOH cap resets to market value for the new owner.
Portability
Homeowners who move to a new Florida homestead can take their unused SOH savings with them through portability. To use portability, you must file Form DR-501T with the BCPA by March 1 of the year you claim the new homestead. The BCPA office can run the portability calculation by phone at 954-357-6830 or by email through the contact form on bcpa.net.
Other Exemptions
Broward County also offers additional exemptions. These include a $500 widow or widower exemption, exemptions for veterans with a service-connected disability, exemptions for totally and permanently disabled persons, an additional homestead exemption for low-income seniors 65 and older with household income below $35,000, and exemptions for deployed military members. Each exemption has its own application form and deadline.
Property Tax Records and Payment Status
For tax records and payment history, the Broward County Tax Collector runs the billing and collection system. You can search by parcel ID or address at broward.county-taxes.com. The site shows current taxes due, any past due amounts, payment history, and the status of any tax certificates.
Tax Bill Schedule
Broward County property tax bills go out in November. The discount schedule is 4% if paid in November, 3% in December, 2% in January, 1% in February, and full price in March. Taxes become delinquent on April 1. After that, the county holds a tax certificate sale to recover the unpaid amount. Interest and fees get added to the bill.
How to Pay
Taxes can be paid online with a credit card or e-check, by mail, or at the Tax Collector office in Plantation. Many banks also accept Broward County tax payments. A receipt is available for download after online payment.
TRIM Notice and the Value Adjustment Process
Each August, Broward County mails a TRIM (Truth in Millage) notice to every property owner. The notice is not a bill. It shows the proposed assessed value, the exemptions on file, and the proposed tax rates from each taxing authority (county, city, school board, fire district, water district, etc.). The notice gives the date, time, and location of the public hearings where millage rates are set.
If the proposed value on the TRIM notice is too high, the owner has 25 days from the notice date to file a petition with the Broward County Value Adjustment Board (VAB). The VAB is a neutral board that hears value disputes, exemption denials, and classification challenges. A licensed tax agent or attorney can represent you, but it is not required. Most filers present their own case with comparable sales as evidence.
After all VAB hearings finish, final millage rates are set in late September. Tax bills go out in November using those final rates. If the VAB lowers the value, the Tax Collector refunds the difference or applies it as a credit to next year’s bill.
Broward County GIS Property Map
The BCPA parcel viewer and the Broward County GIS system let you search property records by location. The map shows parcel lines, lot dimensions, and section data from the Public Land Survey System. You can zoom in to see individual lot lines or zoom out to see neighborhood-level data.
The GIS map is useful for checking flood zones, zoning, future land use, and proximity to schools. You can also measure distances and print custom maps. For zoning questions, you must check with the city or the County Land Use and Permitting office, not the BCPA. The BCPA tracks land use codes for tax purposes only, not what the property can legally be used for.
Property Fraud Alerts in Broward County
Property fraud is a real risk. Criminals sometimes file fake deeds to steal homes or take out mortgages on properties they do not own. The BCPA offers a free Property Fraud Alert service. You register your name (and the names of family members or businesses you want to monitor) and receive an email alert any time a document is recorded under those names. The alert does not stop the recording, but it lets you act fast if something is wrong.
The Clerk of Court also runs a similar alert system for Official Records. Both services are free and run separately. Signing up for both gives full coverage across the property record system.
Cities and Municipal Resources in Broward County
Broward County has 31 cities plus a large unincorporated area. Property records at the BCPA cover all of them, but zoning, permits, and city-level data are handled by each city government. Major cities include Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, Miramar, Pompano Beach, Davie, Plantation, Sunrise, Deerfield Beach, Tamarac, Margate, Coconut Creek, Lauderhill, Weston, and Hallandale Beach.
For building permits, code violations, and zoning questions, contact the city where the property sits. For unincorporated Broward County, contact Broward County Planning and Development. The county handles permits, zoning, and land use outside city limits.
Contact Details for Broward County Property Offices
Broward County Property Appraiser (BCPA)
Address: 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 111, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: 954-357-6830
Website: bcpa.net
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Broward County Clerk of Court
Address: 201 Southeast 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: 954-831-6565
Website: browardclerk.org
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Broward County Tax Collector
Address: 1800 Northwest 66th Avenue, Plantation, FL 33313
Phone: 954-831-4000
Website: broward.county-taxes.com
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
How to Run a Complete Property Check
A full property check in Broward County takes about 10 minutes if you follow these steps. First, go to bcpa.net and search by address to get the parcel ID. Second, open the parcel record and write down the owner name, sale date, and parcel ID. Third, go to browardclerk.org and search Official Records by the owner name to pull up the most recent deed and any open liens. Fourth, go to broward.county-taxes.com and check the payment status using the parcel ID.
For a deeper check, search the BCPA for past sales going back 20 or 30 years. Long sales histories reveal past issues like foreclosure, divorce transfer, or tax deed. The Clerk records can confirm if a mortgage is still active or has been released. Together, these three databases give a complete view of any Broward County parcel.
What Records Cost and What Is Free
All BCPA records are free to view, search, and print. The BCPA does charge a small fee for certified copies of property record cards or ownership letters. The Clerk charges per page for certified document copies but does not charge for regular viewing or printing of documents on the public terminals. The Tax Collector charges for certified tax status letters but offers free online payment history and current bill viewing.
Third-party data sites also sell Broward County property records, often for a monthly subscription. These services pull from the same BCPA, Clerk, and Tax Collector feeds and may offer alerts, bulk downloads, or report formatting. The official sites have the same data at no cost.
Privacy and Public Records Rules in Florida
Florida has some of the broadest public records laws in the country. Under Florida Statute Chapter 119, most government records must be open to the public. Property records are no exception. The owner name, sale price, mortgage amount, and exemption status are all public. Homeowner contact details like phone numbers and email are not listed on the BCPA site, only mailing addresses.
The one exception is for protected persons. Active law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors, and other listed officials can request address confidentiality through the Office of the Attorney General. A similar program exists for victims of domestic violence. Address confidentiality hides the property address from public records, but the property itself is still on file with the BCPA.
Tips for Buyers and Researchers
Before buying a home in Broward County, run a full property check using the three office websites. Look at the sales history for at least 10 years. Check the Clerk for any open liens, lis pendens, or pending lawsuits. Verify the tax status. If the home is in a community with a homeowners association, the Clerk may also have HOA lien or assessment records.
For investors, the BCPA site has bulk data downloads through the FTP server. This lets you pull large sets of parcel data for market analysis. The downloads include ownership, value, sales, and exemption data for every parcel in the county. The files are updated monthly.
For researchers and title companies, the Clerk records are the most important database. They show the full chain of title, every mortgage, and every lien going back decades. Title searches use book and page numbers from older records and the newer instrument number system for recent ones. Both work on the Clerk’s online search.
Frequently Asked Questions About Broward County Property Records
Below are the most common questions people ask about Broward County property records. Each answer is based on Florida law and the public data available on official sites.
How do I find out who owns a property in Broward County?
Go to bcpa.net and use the property search by address or owner name. The owner of record will show on the parcel detail page along with the mailing address. This is a free public record. If you need a certified ownership letter for a legal or business purpose, the BCPA charges a small fee for that document. For property bought within the last few months, the Clerk of Court Official Records is the most current source, since the BCPA updates ownership data on a delay.
Are Broward County property records free to search?
Yes. The BCPA, the Clerk of Court, and the Tax Collector all offer free search tools on their public websites. You can view owner names, assessed values, sales history, tax bills, and recorded documents at no cost. Certified copies of deeds, tax status letters, and ownership letters do have a small fee per page or per document.
How do I find the parcel number for a property?
You can find the parcel ID on the BCPA site by searching by address. Parcel numbers are 17 digits and look like 49-41-34-001-0010. The parcel ID also shows on tax bills, recorded deeds, and title insurance documents. Once you have the number, you can use it to search any of the three county record systems.
Can I look up Broward County property records by address?
Yes. The BCPA search by address works for all property types, including homes, condos, townhouses, vacant lots, and commercial buildings. Type the street number and street name. Partial addresses often work too. Results include the parcel ID, owner, and current year assessed value. Click any result to see the full record.
How do I find out how much someone paid for a house in Broward County?
Search the property on bcpa.net and look at the sales history section. It shows the date, price, and instrument type for every recorded transfer. The Clerk Official Records also shows the official recorded deed with the sale price. Sales data is public under Florida law. Both sources are free to use.
What is the difference between just value and assessed value in Broward County?
Just value is the property’s market value as of January 1 of the tax year. Assessed value is the value used to calculate taxes. For a home with a homestead exemption and the Save Our Homes cap, the assessed value can be much lower than just value because it is limited to a 3% or CPI increase per year. The assessed value resets to just value when the property sells to a new owner.
How do I appeal my Broward County property value?
File a petition with the Broward County Value Adjustment Board (VAB) within 25 days of the TRIM notice date in August. The petition form is on the Clerk of Court website and on broward.org/vab. You can also file online through the VAB portal. After filing, you will get a hearing date where you present evidence like comparable sales. Most filers handle their own cases without an attorney.
How do I check if a Broward County property has a lien?
Search Official Records at browardclerk.org by owner name. Look for documents coded as mortgage, lien, judgment, or lis pendens. Open each one to see the amount and whether it has been released. For HOA liens, search the same way since they are also recorded with the Clerk. A title search company can run a full lien check for a fee, but you can do a basic check for free on the Clerk site.