Callaway, Florida Public Records

The Bay County Court, also at 300 East 4th Street, phone (850) 747-5130, handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, county ordinance violations, civil cases under $30,000, small claims up to $8,000, and landlord-tenant disputes. The Bay County Clerk of Court, J. Michael Burrus, maintains all court records at the same address, phone (850) 763-9061, website www.bayclerk.com. Florida provides statewide online access to court records through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal and county-specific portals; Bay County court records can be searched at www.bayclerk.com under the 'Records Search' section, allowing searches by case number, party name, or attorney for both civil and criminal dockets. Many case documents, dockets, and judgments are viewable online at no charge, though some sensitive records (such as certain family law and juvenile matters) are restricted. Certified copies of court documents cost $2.00 for the first page and $0.15 for each additional page, per Florida Statute 28.24. Exemplified copies (with full certification for out-of-state use) cost an additional $2.00. The Clerk's Office accepts requests in person, by mail, or online for certified copies of judgments, case files, and recorded instruments.

The Florida Bureau of Investigation also offers resources for Bay County residents seeking detailed background checks, ensuring access to comprehensive criminal records for various purposes, including employment and legal proceedings.

The Property Appraiser's website offers a comprehensive online property search tool allowing searches by owner name, property address, parcel ID, or subdivision, with detailed parcel information and tax history available for free. The site includes an interactive GIS mapping system that displays parcel boundaries, flood zones, zoning, and nearby properties. Official recorded documents including deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, easements, plats, and other instruments affecting title are maintained by the Bay County Clerk of Court, Recording Division, at 300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401, phone (850) 763-9061, website www.bayclerk.com. The Clerk serves as the official Recorder of Deeds for Bay County. The Clerk's Official Records database is searchable online at no charge through the Clerk's website, allowing users to search recorded documents by name (grantor/grantee), book and page, document type, or date range back to the early 1970s, with images of recorded instruments viewable and printable. More recent records include full digital images. Copies of recorded documents cost $1.00 for the first page and $0.15 for each additional page if printed at the office; certified copies cost $2.00 plus per-page fees. The Bay County Property Appraiser also provides detailed property ownership maps and the county GIS portal (www.baycountyfl.gov/gis) offers advanced mapping tools for researching property boundaries, zoning, comprehensive plan designations, and environmental overlays.

Following Hurricane Michael's devastating 2018 impact, Tyndall has become the focus of a multi-billion dollar reconstruction making it a base of the future and a long-term economic anchor. Major retail and service employers in Callaway include national chains along the 23rd Street corridor, healthcare facilities serving eastern Bay County, and small businesses in construction, hospitality, and professional services. Bay District Schools operates schools in Callaway including Callaway Elementary and Everitt Middle School, providing education sector employment. The median household income in Callaway is approximately $45,000-$50,000, somewhat below the Florida state median, reflecting the city's working-class and military-affiliated character. The local economy benefits from tourism overflow from Panama City Beach, with some hospitality and service jobs, though Callaway itself is not a primary tourist destination. The city has seen moderate residential growth as an affordable alternative to beachfront communities, with new subdivision development and commercial infill along Highway 22. Callaway's economic future is tied to Tyndall's reconstruction, regional healthcare expansion, and continued population growth in Bay County's eastern corridor.

Law enforcement services in Callaway are provided by the Callaway Police Department, headquartered at 309 North Star Avenue, Callaway, FL 32404, phone (850) 871-2121. The department serves the incorporated city limits and handles patrol, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, and community policing. Citizens can request police reports, incident reports, and traffic crash reports by visiting the department in person or submitting a written request. Many routine reports are available within 48-72 hours depending on case status and investigative sensitivity. The Callaway Police Department maintains a professional standards division that processes public records requests in accordance with Florida Statutes. For areas outside city limits and for county-wide law enforcement support, the Bay County Sheriff's Office serves the region from its main facility at 3421 State Road 77, Panama City, FL 32405, phone (850) 747-4700, website www.baycounty.org/sheriff. The Sheriff's Office provides patrol, corrections, civil process, and investigative services throughout unincorporated Bay County and supports municipal departments. Arrest and jail booking records are accessible through the Bay County Detention Facility inmate search portal available on the Sheriff's Office website, where the public can search current inmates by name or booking number to view mugshots, charges, bond amounts, booking dates, and projected release dates. Florida's public records law is codified in Chapter 119, Florida Statutes (Florida's Public Records Act), which requires agencies to provide access to public records with few exemptions. Under Florida Statute 119.07, any person has the right to inspect or copy public records, and agencies must respond to requests promptly. Certain law enforcement records may be temporarily exempt under Florida Statute 119.071(2)(c) if they are part of active criminal investigations, but most arrest records, booking logs, and incident reports are immediately available to the public.

Florida allows online ordering of certified vital records through the VitalChek service at www.vitalchek.com with additional service fees; processing typically takes 2-4 weeks by mail or 3-5 business days for expedited service. Birth records are available from April 1865 forward and death records from August 1877 forward, though completeness varies for older records. Only eligible individuals can request vital records: the registrant (for birth certificates), immediate family members, legal representatives, or those with a tangible interest as defined by Florida Statute 382.008. The Bay County Health Department at 597 West 11th Street, Panama City, FL 32401, phone (850) 872-4455, can process vital records requests in person as an authorized agent, often with faster turnaround. Marriage licenses are issued by the Bay County Clerk of Court, Marriage License Division, 300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401, phone (850) 763-9061. The fee is $86.00 for couples without premarital counseling or $56.00 with a certificate of completion of a premarital preparation course; there is no waiting period and licenses are valid for 60 days. Marriage records are public and searchable online through the Clerk's website. Divorce records are court records maintained by the Clerk of Court as part of family court case files; certified copies of final judgments of dissolution of marriage cost $2.00 plus $0.15 per page. Records are available from the 1820s forward in Bay County, with full digitization of modern records and microfilm for historical documents.

Certain businesses may require additional permits or zoning approvals from the city's Planning and Building Department. Bay County also requires a business tax receipt for businesses in unincorporated areas, administered by the Bay County Tax Collector, 840 West 11th Street, Panama City, FL 32401, phone (850) 248-8514, website www.baytaxcollector.com. Fictitious name registrations (Doing Business As or DBA) for Bay County are filed with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, and must be published in a newspaper of general circulation; the registration fee is $50.00 and can be completed online at dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/. Florida state business entity formation and searches are conducted through the Division of Corporations Sunbiz portal (dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/), which provides free online searches of corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and fictitious names by entity name, registered agent, or officer. The database shows entity status (active, inactive, dissolved), registration date, principal address, registered agent, and annual report filing status. Business owners can file articles of incorporation, amendments, and annual reports online. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) lien searches for secured transactions are searchable through the Florida Secretary of State UCC system at dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/ucc-filings/. Commercial property tax assessments and business personal property (tangible personal property tax on equipment, fixtures, and inventory) are assessed by the Bay County Property Appraiser and billed by the Bay County Tax Collector; returns are due April 1st annually, with businesses required to file a tangible personal property return (Form DR-405) listing business assets.

Callaway voters participate in federal, state, county, and municipal elections administered by the Bay County Supervisor of Elections, located at 830 West 11th Street, Suite 2200, Panama City, FL 32401, phone (850) 248-8250, website www.bayelections.com. This office manages all aspects of voter registration, candidate qualifying, ballot preparation, early voting, Election Day operations, vote counting, and election results certification for all Callaway residents. Florida voters can register online at registertovoter.gov.florida or through the Bay County Supervisor of Elections website; the registration deadline is 29 days before any election. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, Florida residents, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and not adjudicated mentally incapacitated or convicted of a felony without rights restored. A valid Florida driver license or ID card number is required for online registration. Callaway holds municipal elections for mayor and city council seats, with the next city elections scheduled for 2026 (municipal elections typically occur in even-numbered years). Callaway's city government consists of a mayor and four city council members, with candidate qualifying typically in late spring and elections in August or November depending on the city charter. Information on local candidates and ballot measures is available through Callaway City Hall at (850) 871-2101 and the Bay County Supervisor of Elections. Callaway residents can find their assigned polling location using the precinct finder tool on www.bayelections.com by entering their address; the county operates numerous polling sites on Election Day from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with early voting available at multiple locations typically 10 days before elections. Florida public records law makes voter registration lists, campaign finance reports, candidate filing information, and precinct-level election results publicly available through the Supervisor of Elections office and the Florida Division of Elections website (dos.myflorida.com/elections/). The Bay County Supervisor of Elections provides detailed election results by precinct and early voting sites after polls close. In the November 2024 general election, Bay County reported approximately 65-68% voter turnout with over 120,000 registered voters participating in the presidential election, reflecting strong civic engagement. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature critical races for Callaway and Bay County voters including the Florida gubernatorial race (Governor Ron DeSantis is term-limited), one U.S. Senate seat (Senator Marco Rubio's seat is up for election in 2026), all of Florida's U.S. House seats including District 2 which covers Bay County, Florida Cabinet positions (Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, Commissioner of Agriculture), state legislature seats (State House District 5 covering Callaway and State Senate District 2), and county offices including Bay County Commission seats, Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Supervisor of Elections, and Clerk of Court. Callaway city elections for mayor and council may coincide with the primary or general election cycles. Florida offers vote-by-mail ballots (previously called absentee ballots) which voters can request online through the Supervisor of Elections website, by phone at (850) 248-8250, or in writing; requests are valid through the end of the calendar year and must be renewed annually. Mail ballots are sent approximately 40 days before an election and must be returned by 7:00 PM on Election Day either by mail (postmark does not count, must be received by 7 PM), at secure drop boxes, or at any polling location or the elections office.