Florida Clerks Notification Programs Now Exempt from Public Records

The Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s office announces that the Collier Risk Alert Notification Program is now exempt from public records disclosure and invites the community to sign up for the free service. 

On May 6, 2024, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 285, amending state statutes regarding the free notification programs offered by Florida Clerks. This amendment exempts vital personal information, such as names, phone numbers, parcel ID numbers, emails, etc., that were submitted upon enrollment to the service from public record. Prior to this, when someone requests a list of all people who signed up for the program, Clerks were obligated to share this with the public as it is a part of the public record.  This new law protects the privacy of the citizens who sign up for the notification service. 

“During many of our community outreach programs, Collier citizens have expressed concerns about protecting their contact information from public records searches. It has been a significant challenge in advancing our Risk Alert Notification Program. This new law will protect their privacy and help combat fraud for all of our residents,” said Clerk Crystal K. Kinzel. 

The Risk Alert Notification Program is the Collier Clerk’s free anti-fraud program allows registered users to easily monitor their property records and report suspicious activities that may lead to fraud. To register, visit cor.collierclerk.com/coraccess/alerts and enter your email address to receive an email from the “Collier Clerk of Courts: Risk Alert” account that will include a link where you can complete your registration by adding party names and Official Records that you want to monitor. Once done with the registration, you will receive an email notification every time a new deed, lien, mortgage, or other land record is recorded that matches your selected criteria.  

Although this service does not prevent the actual fraudulent activity from occurring, it provides the subscriber an opportunity to verify whether the activity was initiated by them or by a scammer committing fraud. Clerk Crystal K. Kinzel hopes to combat fraudulent activities and safeguard the community with this program.