Broward County Court Records Lookup, Clerk Case Search and Certified Copy Help
Use official Broward County and Florida court resources to search civil, family, felony, misdemeanor, probate, traffic, parking and appeals case information, request court documents, buy electronic certified copies, find the right courthouse, avoid wrong “official records” confusion, and know when PACER is needed for federal records.
If you are searching for court records for broward county court records, do not start with a random paid background-check page. Broward County has an official Clerk of Courts case search for court cases, separate official records tools for recorded documents, and separate court/judicial resources for the 17th Judicial Circuit. Choose the task below so the user lands on the right official path.
Choose one option. The official action card below updates for Broward Clerk case search, certified documents, civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, official records, courthouse locations and federal PACER records.
🔎 Public case search — use Broward Clerk Case Search
Use this for: public Broward County court case search by party name, business name or case number across available case types.
Best official path: open Broward Clerk Case Search, choose the right court type, then verify the case number, court division and party details.
Before relying on it: remember the Clerk states site information does not constitute the official court record of the Clerk.
Broward County Court Records Quick Facts Before You Search
Broward County court records are mainly handled through the Broward County Clerk of Courts and the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida. The Broward Clerk public Case Search includes search options for party name, business name and case number, and it lists available court types such as appeals, civil, family, felony, parking and permitting, probate, traffic and misdemeanor.
The most important thing for users to understand is the difference between court case records and official recorded documents. Court case records are searched through Broward Clerk court case tools. Recorded documents such as deeds, liens, mortgages and recorded judgments may be searched through Broward County Official Records tools. These systems overlap in user intent, but they are not the same thing.
What This Broward County Court Records Guide Covers
Broward Clerk Public Case Search for Free Online Court Records
The official Broward Clerk Case Search is the best first stop for most Broward County court record searches. It lets users search public case information by party name, business name or case number. The search interface includes multiple court types, including civil, family, felony, probate, traffic, misdemeanor, parking/permitting and appeals categories.
Use the case search when you want to locate a case number, identify the court division, confirm case status, check party names, find docket activity, or decide which Broward Clerk division should handle your copy request. It is especially useful when the user has a case number, citation number, party name, business name or approximate case category.
Still, public case search is not a certified court record. Broward Clerk’s own homepage warns users that information provided through the site does not constitute the official court records of the Clerk. That one line is important. If the user needs the record for court, licensing, immigration, employment, government, banking or official proof, they should use certified copies or the proper records request process.
Open the official Broward Clerk Case Search
Start with browardclerk.org, not a paid background-check page. The official case search is the cleanest public route for Broward court case lookup.
Choose the right search type
Use case number search if you have the number. If not, use party name or business name search and narrow by court type where possible.
Verify the case type and division
Check whether the result is civil, family, felony, misdemeanor, traffic, probate, appeals or another case type before ordering documents.
Use certified records when official proof is needed
If the record will be used for a legal or government purpose, do not rely only on the public search result. Purchase or request certified copies from the Clerk.
How to Search Broward County Court Records by Name, Case Number or Court Type
The strongest Broward County court records search starts with a case number. Case numbers reduce wrong matches, especially with common names. If you do not have the case number, search by party name or business name, then narrow by case type and confirm all details before trusting the match.
Do not use only the person’s name and stop there. Broward County is large, and similar names can appear in unrelated civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic and recorded document systems. A proper search checks the party role, court type, filing date, case number, division, docket activity and document list.
Best for: finding the exact docket when you have a court notice, ticket, citation, judgment, filing confirmation or attorney paperwork.
Best for: finding possible cases when you do not know the number. Verify middle initials, party role and court type carefully.
Best for: civil lawsuits, debt claims, landlord-tenant matters, corporate parties, lien-related cases and business disputes.
Best for: separating civil, family, felony, misdemeanor, probate, traffic, parking, permitting and appeals results.
Do Not Trust Name Alone
Wrong-person matches are common when users search only by name. Confirm the case number, court type and docket facts.
Avoid false matchesCertified Copy Beats Screenshot
A screenshot may help you locate a case, but a certified copy is stronger for official use.
Better legal proofBroward County Civil, County Civil and Small Claims Court Records
Broward civil court records can include lawsuits, landlord-tenant matters, debt claims, civil judgments, negligence claims, business disputes, contract cases, eviction filings and other noncriminal court matters. Broward Clerk case search is the starting point, but the correct division matters because county civil and circuit civil records can use different rooms, procedures and forms.
The Broward Clerk County Civil page lists submission locations that include the Central Courthouse at 201 SE 6th Street in Fort Lauderdale and regional courthouse locations for North, South and West service areas. That is useful because a user may see “Broward County civil case” but still need the correct courthouse, room or division before visiting or mailing anything.
Civil court record checklist
- Search by case number first if available.
- Use business name search when a company or landlord/tenant entity is involved.
- Confirm whether the case is county civil, circuit civil, small claims, landlord-tenant or appeals.
- Use the Clerk’s records request or electronic certified document route when official copies are needed.
- Do not confuse civil court records with recorded deeds, liens or mortgages in Official Records.
Broward County Felony, Misdemeanor, Traffic, Parking and Permitting Records
Broward criminal and traffic records can involve felony cases, misdemeanor cases, traffic citations, parking matters and permitting-related case categories. The Broward Clerk Case Search includes felony, misdemeanor, traffic, parking and permitting options, but users still need to verify the exact court division and case details before relying on a result.
Felony and misdemeanor records are not the same as a complete criminal background check. A court case record may show charges, filings, hearing activity, docket entries, dispositions or documents in a court file, but it may not include every arrest, police report, expunged matter, sealed record, out-of-county record, federal record or law-enforcement database result.
Search the felony court type in Broward Clerk Case Search and verify whether the result is open, closed, sealed, transferred or requires clerk help.
Misdemeanor case records may appear through Broward Clerk public search. Confirm disposition before using the record for any serious purpose.
Traffic cases may involve citations, court dates, fines, elections, schools or payments. Use the official Clerk traffic route for current details.
Parking and permitting records have their own case type option in the Clerk search. Do not mix them with felony or civil case searches.
Broward County Family, Divorce, Probate and Guardianship Court Records
Family and probate records often have more privacy limits than ordinary civil cases. Broward Clerk case search includes family and probate case types, but public access may not show every document. Sensitive family, domestic violence, juvenile, guardianship, mental health, adoption or protected-party information can be restricted or handled through specific divisions.
The Broward Clerk Hours and Locations page lists family, probate and guardianship services at the Central Courthouse, 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. It lists Probate and Guardianship in the Judicial Complex West Building, 3rd Floor, Room 03150, and gives 954-831-7154 for Probate. Family is listed in the West Building, 4th Floor, Room 04130, with the main Clerk phone routing available through 954-831-6565.
Use for divorce, custody, support, domestic relations and related family court records. Some documents may be confidential or restricted.
Search family case records first, then request certified copies of judgments or final orders through the Clerk if official proof is needed.
Use for estate, probate, guardianship and related filings. Probate records may require the Probate and Guardianship division for copies.
Guardianship files can involve protected personal information. Expect restrictions and verify access rules with the Clerk.
How to Request Broward County Court Record Copies and Certified Documents
When a user needs official proof, Broward Clerk provides several copy options. The Records Request page lists court documents available for purchase from the Archives Division or the Court Division where the case is filed. It also lists court records request processing time as up to two weeks once the request is received.
As listed by the Clerk, copy costs include a $1.00 copy fee per court document page, a $2.00 certification fee per court document, and a $2.00 search fee to search a case per year. Because fees and payment rules can change, the user should verify the live Clerk page before sending payment.
Broward Clerk also provides an Electronic Certified Documents option. The listed process is to perform a Case Search, open the case detail page, select the red “Purchase Certified Copies Online” button, accept the terms, select the documents and complete checkout.
Find the case first
Use Broward Clerk Case Search to locate the case number, court type and document list if available.
Choose electronic certified copy or records request
If the document is available through the online certified copy system, purchase it there. If not, use the Records Request page or the proper court division.
Request the exact document
Ask for a final judgment, order, disposition, divorce decree, probate order, docket sheet, complaint, petition or certified copy by name.
Confirm fees and timing
Check the current copy fee, certification fee, search fee, payment method and processing time before sending a request.
Broward Official Records Search vs Broward Court Case Search
This is where many users get confused. “Broward County public records” can mean court case records, official recorded documents, property-related records, liens, deeds, mortgages, judgments, marriage records or other county records. The correct portal depends on what the user is actually trying to find.
Broward County Official Records Search is for recorded documents. Broward County explains that Official Records Search lets users view a comprehensive listing of documents recorded into the Official Records of Broward County, Florida from January 1, 1978 to the present. That is different from searching a court docket through Broward Clerk Case Search.
Use Clerk Case Search For
Civil cases, family cases, felony, misdemeanor, probate, traffic, appeals, parking and permitting court cases.
Court docket pathUse Official Records For
Recorded documents such as deeds, liens, mortgages, recorded judgments and instrument number searches.
Recorded document pathSealed, Juvenile, Confidential and Restricted Broward Court Records
Not every Broward County court record is fully public online. Florida court rules, privacy laws, sealing orders and case-type restrictions can limit public access. Some documents may be redacted, hidden from online display, restricted to parties or attorneys, or unavailable without a specific court order.
Family records, juvenile records, domestic violence records, adoption records, mental health matters, guardianship files, sealed criminal records, confidential personal identifiers and protected addresses can all have special rules. A public search result may exist, but the documents may not be visible. In other cases, the entire matter may be restricted from ordinary public access.
Records that may not appear fully online
- Juvenile case records and some family court documents.
- Sealed criminal or civil court records.
- Domestic violence and protection-related records with safety concerns.
- Adoption, mental health, guardianship or protected-person records.
- Documents with Social Security numbers, protected addresses or financial account data.
- Older files, archived documents or records requiring Clerk review.
- Federal court records searched through PACER, not Broward Clerk case search.
Broward County Courthouse Locations, Clerk Contact and Division Help
The Broward Clerk main courthouse location is listed at 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, with phone number 954-831-6565. The 17th Judicial Circuit also lists the Judicial Complex at 201 SE 6th Street in Fort Lauderdale.
Broward court services can also involve regional courthouse locations. The 17th Judicial Circuit court locations page lists North Regional Courthouse at 1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, West Regional Courthouse at 100 North Pine Island Road, Plantation, FL 33324, and South Regional Courthouse at 3550 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, FL 33021. Before visiting, users should check the correct division and current hours.
Address: 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Main Clerk phone: 954-831-6565.
Address: 1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.
Address: 100 North Pine Island Road, Plantation, FL 33324.
Address: 3550 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, FL 33021.
Federal Court Records for Broward County Are Searched Separately
Federal court records are not searched through Broward Clerk Case Search. If the case was filed in U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court or a federal appellate court, the user usually needs federal court tools such as PACER and the correct federal court website.
Broward County is in South Florida, and many federal matters are handled through the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Federal case types may include federal criminal charges, federal civil lawsuits, bankruptcy, federal agency litigation, civil rights cases, immigration-related federal proceedings, and appeals. These are separate from Broward County civil, criminal, family, probate and traffic records.
Local Broward County civil, family, felony, misdemeanor, probate, traffic, parking and permitting court cases.
Recorded county documents such as deeds, liens, mortgages, judgments, instruments and book/page searches.
Federal district court, bankruptcy and appellate court records.
The court name on the notice, citation, summons, judgment or filing confirmation controls the correct records path.
Common Broward County Court Records Search Problems and Fixes
If the Broward court record search does not work, do not immediately pay a private site. Most failed searches happen because the user searched the wrong portal, used only one name spelling, confused Official Records with court cases, missed the court type filter, or expected restricted documents to appear online.
Try case number, party-name variations, business name search, court type filters and recorded-document search if the record is not a court case.
Use Clerk Case Search for court cases. Use Official Records for deeds, liens, mortgages and recorded instruments.
Use Electronic Certified Documents or Records Request. Do not rely only on screenshots.
Search family case records, then request a certified judgment or final order through the Clerk if needed.
Search felony or misdemeanor records, then request certified disposition or official record copy from the Clerk.
Use PACER or the federal court website. Broward Clerk does not replace federal case search.
Official Broward County Court Records Links
Use these official resources for Broward County court case search, certified copies, records requests, court locations, civil, probate, traffic, official recorded documents, Florida appellate resources and federal PACER records.
Broward Clerk Home
Main Broward County Clerk of Courts website for court records, case search, e-filing and public services.
Open Broward ClerkCase Search
Official public case search for Broward County court records by party, business or case number.
Open Case SearchElectronic Certified Documents
Use this for online purchase of available certified court documents after locating the case.
Open E-Certified DocsRecords Request
Use this page for court document copies, certification fees, search fees and request-form guidance.
Open Records RequestHours and Locations
Use this page to confirm current Clerk division rooms, phone numbers, business hours and courthouse services.
Open Hours & Locations17th Judicial Circuit
Official court website for Broward County’s circuit court, judge information, locations and court resources.
Open 17th CircuitBroward Official Records
Use for recorded documents such as deeds, liens, mortgages, judgments, instruments and book/page searches.
Open Official RecordsFlorida Courts
Use for statewide Florida court structure, appellate resources and state court information.
Open Florida CourtsPACER
Federal court record search for U.S. district, bankruptcy and appellate court case information.
Open PACERMap for Broward County Courthouse and Court Records Offices in Fort Lauderdale
The main Broward County courthouse and Clerk location is at 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. This is the central location many users need for court records, but Broward also has North, South and West regional courthouse services depending on the division and case type.
Broward County Judicial Complex / Central Courthouse
Use this map for general courthouse navigation. It does not tell you which division holds your specific case file.
Broward County Court Records FAQs
How do I search Broward County court records online for free?
Use the official Broward Clerk Case Search. You can search by party name, business name or case number and choose available court types such as civil, family, felony, probate, traffic and misdemeanor.
What is the official Broward County court records website?
The official website is the Broward County Clerk of Courts at browardclerk.org. Use its Case Search for court cases and Records Request or Electronic Certified Documents pages for copies.
Is Broward Clerk Case Search the same as the official court record?
No. Broward Clerk says information provided through its site does not constitute the official court records of the Clerk. Use certified copies or official records requests when official proof is needed.
How do I get certified copies of Broward County court records?
Use the Broward Clerk Electronic Certified Documents page when documents are available online, or use the Records Request page for court document copy requests. Copy, certification and search fees may apply.
What does Broward Clerk charge for court record copies?
The Clerk’s Records Request page lists $1.00 per court document page, $2.00 per certified court document, and $2.00 to search a case per year. Verify the live Clerk page before submitting payment.
Where is the Broward County Clerk of Courts located?
The main courthouse location is listed at 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. The main Clerk phone number is 954-831-6565.
How do I search Broward County divorce records?
Search the family case type in Broward Clerk Case Search. If you need the divorce judgment or certified copy, use the Clerk’s certified document or records request process.
How do I search Broward County probate records?
Use the probate case type in Broward Clerk Case Search. For probate copies or guardianship records, use the Probate and Guardianship division or official Records Request route.
What is the difference between Broward Official Records and court records?
Court records are case dockets and court documents searched through Broward Clerk Case Search. Official Records are recorded documents such as deeds, liens, mortgages, instruments and recorded judgments searched through Broward County Official Records.
Why can’t I find a Broward County court record online?
The case may be sealed, restricted, juvenile, federal, older, filed under another name, not available for public online display, or located in a different records system. Contact the Clerk or the proper court division for official help.
Are Broward County federal court records in the Clerk search?
No. Federal court records are separate from Broward County Clerk records. Use PACER or the correct federal court website for federal district, bankruptcy and appellate records.
Can I use Broward court records for a background check?
A court case search is not the same as a full background check. Broward court records may show court filings or case activity, but they may not include every arrest, sealed record, out-of-county case, federal case or agency record.
Bottom Line for Broward County Court Records Search
For most Broward County court record searches, start with the official Broward Clerk Case Search. Search by case number if possible, or use party name or business name search and choose the correct court type. For official proof, use Electronic Certified Documents or the Records Request process instead of relying on a screenshot.
If you need recorded documents such as deeds, liens or mortgages, use Broward Official Records instead of court case search. If the case is federal, use PACER. If the record is sealed, restricted, juvenile, older, or missing online, contact the correct court division or Clerk office before assuming no record exists.