Hillsborough County Court Records Search

Court records in Hillsborough County document the full arc of legal proceedings — from initial filings and affidavits through final judgments and orders. These documents take many forms, including written pleadings, audio and video recordings, photographs, dockets, transcripts, and documentary exhibits, all governed by Florida Statute § 28.24. The Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller serves as the official custodian of these records for Hillsborough County, Florida, maintaining everything from minor civil disputes to felony criminal proceedings.

Residents searching for court records in Florida can begin with resources available through FloridaStateCourts.us, the state’s official courts domain, which provides orientation to the judicial structure and case lookup options. Beyond that statewide starting point, Hillsborough County records are accessible through the Clerk’s online portal, in-person at courthouse locations, by mail, and through public-access terminals inside court facilities. This guide walks through each method for each record type so requesters can identify the fastest path to the information they need.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Hillsborough County?

The primary tool for locating a Hillsborough County court case is the Hillsborough Online Viewing of Electronic Records (HOVER) system, maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller. HOVER provides free electronic access to court case indexes, dockets, and non-confidential document images without requiring an account for basic searches.

Searching on HOVER

The HOVER case search supports the following search methods:

Case number or uniform case number
Citation number
Party or business name
Date range, combined with court type and case type
Court hearing lookup by case number

In-Person Access

Individuals who want to inspect physical case files must pre-order the file before visiting a courthouse. The recommended steps are:

Search for the case on HOVER to confirm the file exists and check availability in the “Event and Document” tab.
Click the Order button within HOVER to select an inspection location (Tampa Edgecomb or Plant City).
Provide your name and email address to receive a pickup notification.
Join the queue or schedule an appointment before arriving.
Review the Before You Visit guide for location-specific instructions.

By Mail

Mail requests should be directed to the courthouse that handled the case and should include the case number, party names, a list of documents needed, contact information, and a self-addressed stamped envelope with payment.

Certified Copies

Certified copies of court documents can be ordered directly through HOVER or via the eCertify portal. The fee for certifying any court record is $2.00 per document. Photocopies of instruments not larger than 8.5 × 14 inches cost $1.00 per page; oversized pages (larger than 8.5 × 14 inches) cost $5.00 per page. If documents are not available online, in-person or mail requests typically take up to four business days to process.

Are Court Records Public in Hillsborough County?

Florida’s open-government framework, commonly known as the Florida Sunshine Law, establishes a strong presumption of public access to government records, including court records. Most Hillsborough County court documents are therefore available to any member of the public upon request.

Public access is further detailed in Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420, which governs the classification and protection of court records. The rule explicitly designates certain categories as confidential and not open for general inspection.

Records That Are Restricted or Confidential

Adoption records (sealed by statute)
Records involving child abuse, neglect, abandonment, or dependency proceedings
Termination of parental rights and guardian ad litem matters
Juvenile delinquency records in most circumstances
Personal financial identifiers embedded in any filing — including Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and credit/debit card numbers — which are subject to mandatory redaction before public release
Case files governed by the Florida Probate Rules, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, or Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure, whose document images cannot be displayed on publicly accessible websites per Florida Statute § 28.2221(5)(a)

Sealed and expunged records are also withheld from public view. The Clerk charges $42.00 to seal a court file or expunge a record, with additional costs for copies and certification.

Hillsborough County Criminal Court Records

Criminal proceedings in Hillsborough County are handled by the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court, which has felony jurisdiction, and the county courts, which handle misdemeanors, criminal traffic offenses, and domestic violence-related misdemeanor matters. Records of both court levels are searchable through HOVER at no charge for indexes and dockets.

Court Locations for Criminal Matters

Court	Address	Phone
George E. Edgecomb Courthouse	800 E. Twiggs Street, Tampa, FL 33602	(813) 276-8100
Plant City Courthouse	301 N. Michigan Avenue, Plant City, FL 33563	(813) 276-8100
Brandon Regional Service Center	311 Pauls Drive, Suite 110, Brandon, FL 33511	(813) 276-8100
Southshore Regional Service Center	410 30th Street SE, Ruskin, FL 33570	(813) 276-8100

Arrest Records

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office publishes basic arrest record information on its public website. Detailed arrest reports are generally restricted to authorized parties such as law enforcement and the judiciary. For final case dispositions, requesters must contact the Clerk of Court directly.

Statewide Criminal History Searches

For background checks that extend beyond a single county, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) offers name-based criminal history searches. The fee is $24.00 per search, plus a $1.00 credit card processing fee. Payment must be made by debit or credit card. Searches are available as instant, certified, or ORI-based depending on the requester’s purpose.

Under Florida’s Sunshine Law, criminal and arrest records are generally classified as public records and can be requested by any resident. However, records that have been sealed or expunged are exempt from public disclosure and cannot be released to most requesters.

Hillsborough County Civil Court Records

Civil cases in Hillsborough County are split between two court levels based on the dollar amount at issue. The county courts handle civil disputes where the claim value does not exceed $50,000, including small claims, eviction proceedings, and disputes over property, car repairs, payment of judgments, and return of personal property. The circuit courts take jurisdiction over civil matters exceeding that threshold, including land disputes and cases where injunctive or equitable relief is sought.

The Clerk’s Circuit Civil division manages filings for higher-value disputes and maintains all associated case documentation. For county-level civil matters, the county civil desk processes new filings and maintains case files.

Online Access

HOVER provides free access to civil court indexes, dockets, and non-confidential document images. Registered HOVER users have the same base access as guests for civil records, though the system does restrict image viewing for certain case types governed by specific Florida procedural rules.

Civil Filing Fees (Selected)

The Clerk publishes a full fees and fines schedule on the official website. A sample of civil-related fees includes:

Issuing a summons: $10.00
Receiving money into court registry — first $500: 3%; each subsequent $100: 1.5%
Certificate of transfer of liens to security: $15.00 (plus $7.50 per additional lien)
Certifying copies: $2.00 per document
Photocopying (up to 8.5 × 14 inches): $1.00 per page

Requesting Civil Records In Person or By Mail

For paper files not yet digitized, requesters should pre-order through HOVER, schedule an appointment, and visit either the Tampa Edgecomb or Plant City courthouse. Processing time for non-digitized records is up to four business days. Mail requests require case number, party names, a document list, and prepayment by check or money order payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller.

Hillsborough County Family Court Records

Hillsborough County does not maintain a standalone family court; instead, all family law matters fall under the jurisdiction of the circuit courts within the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. The Clerk’s Family Law division processes filings and maintains case records for divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence injunctions, and adoption proceedings.

Online Access Restrictions

A critical distinction applies to family court records. Under Florida Statute § 28.2221(5)(a), unregistered HOVER users cannot view document images in cases governed by the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure. Civil Sexual Violence Injunction cases are not searchable or viewable online at all, though case progress dockets may be accessible. Registered users with proper authorization may access non-confidential family records through HOVER.

Marriage and Divorce Records

Hillsborough County marriage records date back to 1836. Records from 1972 onward can be searched online through the Official Records index, using at least one spouse’s name at the time of marriage. Older records — predating 1972 — can be examined through the University of South Florida’s digital archive. Statewide marriage data is maintained by the Florida Office of Vital Statistics.

Certified copies of marriage records cost $3.00. They can be ordered through the following channels:

Online:eCertify for Official Records
By mail: Clerk of Court – Marriage, P.O. Box 3249, Tampa, FL 33601-3249 (processing: 4–6 business days; payment by check or money order payable to “Clerk of the Circuit Court”)
By phone: (813) 276-8100 (processing: 2–3 business days; payment by credit card with a 3.5% processing surcharge)
In person: Any Clerk office location; same-day service; cash, check, money order, or credit card accepted (3.5% surcharge for credit card)

Divorce records are accessible through HOVER for online searches. Copies can be ordered online, by phone at (813) 276-8100, by mail, or in person at any Clerk location. Contact the office at (813) 276-8100 to confirm the applicable fee before submitting a mail request.

Birth and Death Records

While not court records per se, birth and death records are frequently needed alongside family court filings. Hillsborough County birth certificates are restricted until 100 years after issuance and are only available to the subject (if 18 or older), a parent, or a legal guardian. Death certificates are generally public, though cause-of-death information carries additional restrictions.

Requests can be directed to:

Florida Department of Health – Hillsborough County, Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 5135, Tampa, Florida 33675-5135
Phone: (813) 307-8002 | Fax: (813) 903-3370
Email: DLCHD29WebsiteDistribution@flhealth.gov

Additional guidance is available on the Florida Health pages for birth certificates and death certificates.

Hillsborough County Probate Court Records

Probate jurisdiction in Hillsborough County belongs to the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, specifically through its Probate, Guardianship, and Trust Department. This department is responsible for maintaining files on probate estates, wills, trusts, and guardianships for both minors and incapacitated adults. Deposited wills are also stored within this division. More information about the department’s scope is available on the Probate, Guardianship, and Trust page of the Clerk’s official website.

What Is Public and What Is Restricted

Most probate records are considered public under Florida law. However, two important exceptions apply:

Inventories and accountings filed in estate proceedings are confidential and accessible only to authorized individuals, personal representatives, or “interested parties” as defined under Florida probate statutes.
Document images in cases governed by the Florida Probate Rules cannot be displayed on publicly accessible websites, meaning the Clerk is prohibited from posting these images on HOVER for unrestricted public viewing.

Non-confidential probate cases, however, can be viewed online by authorized parties through HOVER. Dockets and case indexes for probate matters remain searchable online even when document images are restricted.

Accessing Probate Records

Online: Search HOVER using party name, case number, or date range. Authorized users may be able to view non-confidential document images.
In person: Pre-order the file through HOVER, then schedule an appointment or join the queue at the Tampa Edgecomb or Plant City courthouse. Bring a valid photo ID and the case number if available.
By mail: Submit a written request to the Clerk’s office that holds the file. Include the case number, names of parties, a list of documents requested, contact information, and payment. Allow up to four business days for processing.

Probate Fees

Fees follow the same schedule as other court records: $1.00 per page for standard photocopies, $2.00 for certified documents, and $5.00 per page for oversized documents. Court forms are available through the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit’s website, with paper copies ranging from $5.00 to $20.00 depending on the form. Supreme Court forms are also downloadable free of charge from the same site.

Guardianship Matters

Guardianships for both minors and incapacitated persons are filed within the Probate, Guardianship, and Trust Department. Florida law generally requires attorney representation for most guardianship petitions. The Thirteenth Judicial Circuit provides Guardian Advocacy Forms for eligible petitioners, particularly those seeking guardianship advocacy for individuals with developmental disabilities who do not require full guardianship. Individuals who are hearing impaired and involved in guardianship proceedings may reach the court by TTY at (800) 955-8770.