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Lien Search Request

How to Submit a Request

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To request a lien search, please register by following this Register link. Once you have registered you can complete a lien search request. For any future lien search requests you can log in using this Log In link and the email address and password supplied when you registered.

Each request must be submitted using the online request system. Faxed or e-mailed requests will not be accepted. Payment must be made via credit card at the time each request is submitted. Fees assessed are per search.

Fee

The Lien Search fee is $55.00 for each parcel number searched. Any subsequent requests for "updates" or "updated information" on a previous request will require the payment of an additional, full search fee.

Turnaround Time

Requests require three to four working days to complete. City staff will not respond to inquiries regarding the "status" of a request. Upon completion of the search, a Report/Response will be transmitted to the e-mail address provided by the requestor.

Rush Service

We encourage requestors to submit inquiries well in advance of the date needed as no "rush" requests will be accepted or honored. Requests will be processed in the order they are received.

Property Information / Description of Property to be Searched

Requestors must supply the property identification number for each lien search submitted. The exact property identification number must be supplied on the Request Form so the City is certain of the exact property to be searched. The property identification number is also known as the "parcel", "tax ID", or "folio" number. The requestor assumes all responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the property description information provided to the City, including the parcel number, property address, and legal description.

Parcel (folio) numbers can be located and/or verified by using the Leon County Property Appraiser's website: http://www.leonpa.org/pt/search/commonsearch.aspx?mode=address

Records to be Searched

As part of each request, the City will search for the existence of liens or unpaid debts resulting from:

  • City of Tallahassee Utilities (electric, water, sewer, gas, solid waste, etc.)
  • Active code enforcement and/or building violation cases
  • Code/building enforcement fines, lot mowing charges, etc.
  • Street paving, sidewalk, and other special assessments
  • Business taxes
  • Open/active/unresolved building permits
  • Energy-efficiency retrofit or upgrade loans
  • S.H.I.P. / HOME / CDBG program loans for home repairs, accessibility improvements, etc.
  • Water/Sewer tap loans
  • Leon County Fire Service Fees (for properties on the quarterly billing system)
City of Tallahassee Utility Services Area

Please note that the City of Tallahassee provides utility services to properties within the municipal boundaries (corporate limits) and to other properties within Leon, Gadsden, and Wakulla counties.

Leon County Fire Service Fee

The Leon County Board of County Commissioners instituted a fire service fee on Leon County properties located outside the corporate limits of the City of Tallahassee. County residents who are served by City of Tallahassee utilities have the County fire service fee included on their utility bill. All other properties are billed quarterly by the City of Tallahassee, on behalf of Leon County. Owners who fail to pay the quarterly County fire service fee are removed from the quarterly billing system, and the Fees are then placed on the Property Tax bill of the subject property. For more information on the Fire Service Fee, please refer to the Leon County website (http://www.leoncountyfl.gov/admin/FAQs.pdf) or contact Leon County at (850) 606-5300.

Municipal Ordinance Violations

Collection of fines for some violations of municipal ordinances, such as animal control violations and false fire or burglar alarm violations, are administered by the Leon County Clerk of the Courts. Requestor is hereby notified of the need to research County records for the presence of any outstanding or unresolved code violations of this nature. The Clerk of Court records are accessible online and can be located at https://cvweb.clerk.leon.fl.us/public/online_services/search_courts/search_by_name.asp.

Other Forms of Payment

For those who wish to pay by check, complete the Request Form below and mail or deliver the completed form with check made payable to CITY OF TALLAHASSEE to:

City of Tallahassee
Treasurer-Clerk's Office, Revenue Division
Box A-4 / LIEN SEARCH REQUEST
300 S. Adams Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301

Mail-In Request Form**

**Credit card payments will not be accepted on mail-in or hand-delivered requests. Do not send credit card information or cash with mail-in requests. The City reserves the right to release the results of the lien search contingent on bank clearance of payments made by check. Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) fees apply to any returned check.

Refunds

Refunds are at the discretion of the appropriate Appointed Official or the Official's designee, unless prescribed by specific language governed by the City's Code of Ordinances. The requestor is responsible for providing correct and accurate addresses and parcel information. No refunds or credits will be issued due to requestor supplying incorrect, inaccurate, or incomplete information. No refunds or credits will be issued for cancelled requests. In cases where requestor cancels prior to work commencing, no refund will be issued; fee will be applied to the next request submitted. If no subsequent request is submitted, requestor forfeits fee to the City. No refund will be issued for requests submitted for parcels outside of the corporate limits of the City of Tallahassee; the requestor is responsible for ascertaining if the parcel in question is within the City or served by City utilities prior to submitting a request.

Disclaimer

The City records most liens in the public records of Leon County. By submitting a lien search request, the requesting party understands that performance of the lien search by the City of Tallahassee does not relieve the requesting party from the responsibility of searching the public records of Leon County, Florida, for any and all liens or other documents recorded by the City of Tallahassee, Florida against the property and/or property owner. Please be advised that this information does not constitute an estoppel letter, in no way is a guarantee of clear title, and should not be used as a substitute for conducting a proper title search. The information provided is believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed or warranted as to accuracy or completeness by the City of Tallahassee. In no event shall the City of Tallahassee be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special or exemplary damages, of any kind of nature whatsoever, arising out of, or in connection with the provision of this information. The provision of this information does not prohibit the city from correcting any errors or omissions, updating the information provided, or enforcing and collecting any debt owed.

Please be advised that information provided on building permits issued by the City of Tallahassee does not represent the status of permits issued by other agencies that may have been issued in conjunction with improvements of the subject property.

The Leon County Clerk of the Courts records may be accessed online at: http://www.clerk.leon.fl.us

Customer Service / Questions

Questions regarding searches can be made via phone at (850) 891-8130 or via e-mail at Records@talgov.com. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding holidays recognized by the City of Tallahassee.