|
Has the Certificate of Title / Amended Certificate of Title been issued?
Note that the Recorder’s sole function in conjunction with the Certificate of
Titles is to accept payments for Documentary Stamp Tax, and to record the
certificates when received from the Clerk’s office. Any questions
regarding the issuance of Certificates of Title, as well as Amended Certificates
of Title, should be directed to the Clerk of Courts office.
Back To Top
How do I contact the
Clerk of Courts?
The foreclosure section of the Clerk’s office is located in Room 230 of the main
courthouse at 201 S.E. 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. The phone number
is (954) 831-5745. If the Clerk responding to the call is unable to help you,
the supervisor is Willietta Jackson. Her phone number is (954) 831-8619, e-mail
wjackson@browardclerk.org. Another contact is Pamela Sawyer, phone: (954)
831-5792, e-mail: psawyer@browardclerk.org.
Back To Top
Have you received the Certificate of Title / Amended Certificate of
Title?
Our tracking log will provide you with this information.
Back To Top
The Clerk’s website indicates that the Certificate of Title was issued.
Why don’t you have it?
The certificate of title is issued on the 11th day following the sale date –
provided there are no other circumstances in the case – objection filed,
bankruptcy, motion , etc waiting for a judge to rule on. This is the date it was
issued and is the official date of record for the Clerk of Court’s progress
docket. However, once it is issued it has to go through a review process and the
certificate of disbursements are prepared and reviewed prior to release for
recording and release of funds. This process can take a few days to a week
before the certificates are sent to recording for processing.
Back To Top
Have you
received the Documentary Stamp Tax payment?
Certificates of Title received by this office are recorded within 48 hours of
receipt of tax payment. First, you should check the tracking log to determine
that we have received the title. Please see the FAQ “Has the Certificate of
Title Been Recorded” for more details. If the title was received and you don’t
find it of record, then contact us so that we may follow up for you.
Back To Top
The Certificate of Title / Amended Certificate of Title is incorrect,
how do I get it fixed?
We do not issue Certificates of Title. Please contact the Clerk’s office.
Note that we will not accept an amended or corrected title from any source other
than the Clerk.
Back To Top
Has the
Certificate of Title been recorded?
In order for a Certificate of Title to be recorded, two things must happen:
(1) The Clerk of Courts must issue the Certificate and send it to this
office.
(2) The appropriate Documentary Stamp Tax has been paid to this office, in
compliance with the instructions for same published on our website.
For Amended Certificates of Title, only item (1) above applies.
We have created
a Log for purpose of tracking Certificates of Title from the
time of delivery to our office through the recording date.
We are creating a
separate set of FAQs for the log. It has been started with questions we
anticipate being asked, and will be updated as the need arises.
The easiest way to locate a recorded Certificate of Title is through the
Property Appraiser’s website: www.bcpa.net/RecMenu.asp.
Their records are generally updated to within 48 hours of recording.
Key the above address into your browser, then add the site to your favorites for
the future. Choose the type of search you want to perform. Searching by the
parcel id or folio # for the property in question is recommended.
At the bottom
of the screen that returns, you will see a sales history. If the “Type” is a
CET, and the Date = your sale date, that is likely your document.
In the above
example, the date is the sale date, the CET-T type refers to Certificate of
Title. Click on the book #, you will be moved to our website, and the
certificate will be displayed.
Our website is completely current, i.e., when a
document is recorded it shows up on the website immediately (link to
instructions). The best way to search is by the name of the property owner
against whom the foreclosure action was taken. We do our best to be accurate,
but errors do occur. You should, therefore, key as little of the name as
possible to allow for spelling variations and errors. For example, if you want
to find SIMOES DE RODRIGUEZ,ANGELICA and RODRIGUEZ,HENRY. Start by keying
RODRIGUEZ,H. Set your date range to begin with the sale date, and select doc
types CET and D. If you don’t find it, go back and key less of the name, such as
ROD and search again.
Back To Top
When and how do I pay the tax?
(1) On the eleventh calendar day after the sale date or ASAP thereafter - verify
that the Certificate of Title has been issued Those of you with premium access
to the Clerk’s website can do so by viewing the case detail.
There is a ten calendar day period during which an action may be filed which
could cause the Certificate of Title not to be issued. The Clerk will not issue
any Certificates of Title until the expiration of that ten day period. We will
not accept tax if the Certificate has not been issued.
Send your tax payment to reach us not later than 15 calendar days AFTER the
Certificate of Title has been issued by the Clerk, along with our remittance
form (Link to remittance form).
(2) PREPARE YOUR PAYMENT – payable to BROWARD COUNTY BOCC
For payments of $49.99 or less………………..personal checks will be accepted.
For payments of $50.00 or more…….…..….CERTIFIED funds are required.
(3) PREPARE YOUR ENVELOPE – in accordance with the following instructions:
(This requirement applies even if you are hand-delivering your payment! )
Address to:
CERTIFICATE OF TITLE DESK
115 S. Andrews Avenue, Room 114
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
On the lower left-hand corner of the outside envelope, write:
Sale Date: and state the sale date
IF SENDING VIA EXPRESS MAIL:
• Please display “CERTIFICATE OF TITLE DESK” and sale date PROMINENTLY on
the outside of the express envelope.
• If you are express mailing payments for multiple sale dates, it is not
necessary to use a separate mailer for each.
- Place payments and attachments for each sale date in an envelope, with the
sale date on the outside of the envelope. Put these envelopes inside the express
mailer.er.
- In the lower left-hand corner of the express envelope, write: “Sale Dates:
##/##/## and earlier.” (The most recent sale date)
(4) ENCLOSE:
The remittance form, the payment, and, if you want a receipt, a self-addressed
postage paid envelope. We do not send the recorded Certificate to you, it is
returned to the Clerk’s office. The Clerk sends the winning bidder an unrecorded
copy and retains the original in their files..
Back To Top
A title was recorded without required tax, why and what do I do now?
As the Recorder for Broward County, Florida, it is our responsibility to collect
the tax in order to record the Certificate of Title. However, we
also have a responsibility to the public to give notice that the property has
been sold. We have determined that the time limit for submission of
Documentary Stamp Tax to this office will be 15 calendar days after the
Certificate of Title has been issued. If tax has not been received by that
date, the Certificate of Title will be recorded without tax. We will then
notify the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) of your failure to pay the tax,
leaving you or your client at risk not only for the unpaid tax, but also for
penalties and interest assessed by the DOR.
When Documentary Stamp Tax is remitted late, the only way that we can process
the late remittance is to create a certified copy of the recorded CET and
re-record it to affix tax. There is a charge for the certified copy ($1.00
per page plus flat $2.00 for certification) and for the recording fee ($10.00
for the first page plus $8.50 per additional page). A check box is
provided on the remittance form for purpose of acknowledging / including those
charges in your remittance.
Back To Top
Why
haven’t I received a copy of the Certificate of Title?
An unrecorded copy of the Certificate is sent out by the Clerk’s office at the
same time that they send the original to us for recording. If you require a
certified copy:
(1) Include the following information in your copy request:
• Either the CFN (instrument #) or book and page# of the document. This
information can be obtained from our website (link to instructions). Be sure to
note the number of pages in the document for purposes of calculating the copy
fee.
• A brief description – such as Certificate of Title issued to _________Grantee
Name
(2) Calculate the amount to remit as follows:
• For each certified copy you request, the certification fee is a flat $2.00.
• Multiply the total # of pages for all documents in your order by $1.00.
• Add the two amounts together.
• If you do not provide us with the book and page number, add $2.00 per name per
year and tell us what names to search and the years to search.
(3) Assemble:
• The copy request.
• A check payable to “BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS” for the total from (2).
• A self-addressed postage-paid envelope of sufficient size to contain your
copies.
(4) Mail to:
Records, Taxes and Treasury Division
SEARCH & COPY SECTION, Room 119
115 S. Andrews Avenue
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301
Back To Top
|