Duval County Recorder Mechanics Lien Filing

The Duval County Clerk of Court’s Office is located at:

Duval County Clerk of Courts
RECORDING DEPARTMENT
501 West Adams Street, Room 1046
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
Phone: 904-255-2000

Hours:
Mon – Fri: 8 am – 5 pm

The Duval County Clerk of Court’s mailing address is the same as their office’s address.

The Duval County Clerk of Court doesn’t publicly disclose information regarding recording backlogs.

If the project is located in Duval county, then yes, you will want to record your lien with the Duval County, Florida Clerk’s Office.

The Duval County Clerk of Court’s Office that records mechanics liens outlines the following recording requirements:

1. Leave a 3×3 inch square in the top right hand corner of the first page.

2. Leave a 1×3 inch square in the top corner of each following page.

3. Legible, black print is accepted but typed documents are preferred.

4. Date the body of the instrument.

5. On the front of the instrument, please affix the name and address of the person to whom instrument is to be returned.

6. On instruments by which the title to real estate or any interest therein of lien thereon is conveyed, created, encumbered, assigned or otherwise disposed of, the name and address of the person who prepared the instrument must be printed, typewritten or stamped on the face of the instrument in a legible manner. (Instruments executed or acknowledged outside of the state, or before January 1, 1968, are exempt.)

4. Please include a description of real or personal property, if any.

5. Signature(s) should agree with the name(s) in the body of the instrument and should be legible and correctly spelled.

6. Each person who signs a document must print her or his name under the signature.

7. Include notary-public acknowledgement of person(s) executing the instrument.

8. Include the notary-public seal and expiration date. If the acknowledgment or proof is made before a notary public outside the State of Florida who does not affix a seal, the notary public may type, print or write by hand on the instrument, “I am a notary public of the State of and my commission expires on _(date).”

9. When you bring your original documents into our office to be recorded, your original documents will be scanned, recorded and returned to you while you wait.

10. Please understand that we cannot record copies. We apologize for any inconvenience.

You should also include the information required for mechanics liens in Florida:

1. The name and information of yourself, the property owner, the hiring party, and attorney representing you.

2. A statement for the materials and labor furnished for the project.

3. The lien amount based on that statement. It’s vital you get that amount exactly right–claim only the cost of materials and labor. Any overestimation could result in hefty fines.

4. A copy of the Notice to the Owner, which is required under Florida law before filing a mechanics lien.

5. The legal description of the property, which can be obtained from the Orange County Comptroller’s Office.

6. The Statutory Warning, also required under Florida law, which is as follows:

“THIS LEGAL DOCUMENT REFLECTS THAT A CONSTRUCTION LIEN HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE REAL PROPERTY LISTED HEREIN. UNLESS THE OWNER OF SUCH PROPERTY TAKES ACTION TO SHORTEN THE TIME PERIOD, THIS LIEN MAY REMAIN VALID FOR ONE YEAR FROM THE DATE OF RECORDING, AND SHALL EXPIRE AND BECOME NULL AND VOID THEREAFTER UNLESS LEGAL PROCEEDINGS HAVE BEEN COMMENCED TO FORECLOSE OR TO DISCHARGE THIS LIEN.”

7. Lastly, your signature and notorization.

In addition to this, mechanics liens must also follow the page size and margin requirements outlined under the next question.

Mechanics liens filed in Duval County, Florida must adhere to the following page size and margin requirements:

All pages must be no larger than 8.5 x 14.

The top of the first page must have a 3 inch margin with a 3×3 inch square in the top right-hand corner. All other margins on the first page must be 1 inch.

On all following pages, include a 1 inch margin on all sides and a 1×3 inch square in the top right-hand corner.

Type size may be no smaller than 9 point, and black ink is recommended.

The Duval County Clerk of Court’s Office accepts the following forms of payment:

Business checks, cashier’s checks, personal checks, cash, and money orders.

The Duval County Clerk of Courts fee schedule for recording mechanics liens and copies is as follows:

Recording

$10 for the first page
$8.50 for all following pages

Copies

$1 per page for documents under 8.5 x 14
$5 per page for documents over 8.5 x 14
$2 for certification

You can obtain a recorded copy of your mechanics lien in Duval County, Florida in person at:

Duval County Clerk of Courts
RECORDING DEPARTMENT
501 West Adams Street, Room 1046
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
Phone: 904-255-2000

You can also submit a request by mail at the same address.

The property’s legal description can be found by going to the office in person or by searching the Official Records at this address:

https://or.duvalclerk.com/

Whether or not you have the right to file a mechanics lien depends on the laws and regualtions in your state. In the most general sense, each state in the country establishes lien rights for contractors who furnished labor and/or materials on a project and have since gone unpaid. In Florida, there are a few specific limitations as to who has the right to file and who doesn’t.

For a more detailed description that applies to all Florida counties, including Duval County, visit our Florida Mechanics Lien Resources.

The deadline to file a mechanics lien in Duval County, Florida depends on when work on the project was completed. A direct contractor must record their lien claim after the completion of the direct contract. Along with that, the claim must be recorded withing 90 days after completion of the work of improvement and within 60 days after the owner records a Notice of Completion or Cessation.

If you’re not a direct contractor, you must record your mechanics lien after the you cease to provide work and either within 90 days after the improvement work is done or within 30 days after the owner records a Notice of Completion or Cessation.