Longboat Key, Florida Public Records

Longboat Key has no separate municipal court; all violations of town ordinances are prosecuted in Manatee County Court. The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at https://www.myflcourtaccess.com allows electronic filing and case searching. The Florida Court Clerk's statewide portal at https://www.manateeclerk.com provides online access to Manatee County court records, including civil, criminal, probate, and traffic cases searchable by name, case number, or party. Certified copies of court documents cost $2.00 for the first page and $0.15 for each additional page, plus applicable service fees. Non-certified copies are $0.15 per page. Recording fees vary by document type but typically begin at $10.00 for the first page. Online access to most case information is free, though printing documents may require payment.

The Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court serves as the Official Records custodian, located at 1115 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205, phone (941) 749-1800, website https://www.manateeclerk.com. The Official Records Division records deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, liens, easements, declarations of condominium, probate documents, and other instruments affecting real property. The county maintains a free online Official Records Search at https://www.manateeclerk.com/records allowing document searches by name, book and page, instrument number, or document type dating back to the 1850s. Images of recorded documents can be viewed and printed free of charge. The Manatee County GIS system at https://www.mymanatee.org/gis provides interactive maps showing parcel boundaries, flood zones, zoning districts, and infrastructure. Property searches can be conducted by entering a Longboat Key address to retrieve parcel identification, ownership, sales data, and tax assessment information instantly.

Other significant employers include Colony Beach & Tennis Resort (prior to recent redevelopment), various waterfront restaurants such as Mar-Vista Diner and Chart House, luxury condominium associations employing hundreds in property management and maintenance, and the Town of Longboat Key government with approximately 100 employees. Real estate and property management firms constitute a substantial portion of the local economy, with numerous agencies handling sales and rentals of multimillion-dollar properties. The median household income in Longboat Key significantly exceeds both Manatee County and Florida averages, estimated at over $90,000 annually, with many households reporting incomes well above $200,000. The town's economy is distinctly characterized by high-end residential real estate, with limited retail and commercial development due to strict zoning and the absence of a traditional downtown district. Recent economic developments include ongoing condominium reconstructions replacing older buildings with luxury high-rises, infrastructure improvements including beach renourishment projects, and expansion of marina facilities. As a barrier island resort community, Longboat Key's economy is closely tied to Florida's broader Gulf Coast tourism industry while maintaining independence from Bradenton's more diversified economy, with minimal industrial or manufacturing presence and a focus on maintaining residential character and environmental preservation.

The Longboat Key Police Department serves the entire town, providing law enforcement services for both the Manatee and Sarasota County portions. The department is located at 6001 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, FL 34228, phone (941) 316-1977, website https://longboatkey.gov. Citizens can request police reports, incident records, and crash reports by visiting the Records Division in person or submitting written requests. The department maintains detailed call logs, arrest records, and traffic citations available under Florida's public records law. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 600 301st Boulevard West, Bradenton, FL 34205, phone (941) 747-3011, website https://manateesheriff.com, provides backup support and operates the county detention facility. For arrest and jail booking information, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office maintains an online Inmate Search at https://www.manateesheriff.com/inmate-search showing current inmates, booking photos, charges, bond amounts, booking dates, and projected release dates. Florida public records law is governed by Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, which mandates that all state, county, and municipal records are open for public inspection unless specifically exempted. Law enforcement agencies must respond to public records requests promptly, typically within one to two business days, and may charge only for actual duplication costs. Requesters may submit written requests via mail, email, or in person, and agencies must provide records in the format requested when feasible.

Processing typically takes 4-6 weeks by mail, 5-10 business days for expedited service. Only eligible persons may request certified copies: the registrant (if 18+), parents listed on the certificate, legal guardians, or authorized representatives with notarized authorization. The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County, 1701 14th Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205, phone (941) 748-0747, can assist with vital records applications but does not issue certified copies on-site. Marriage licenses are issued by the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court at 1115 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205, phone (941) 749-1800. Marriage licenses cost $86.00, reduced to $61.00 for couples completing a premarital preparation course. No waiting period or blood test is required. Divorce records are maintained as court records by the Clerk of Circuit Court and are searchable through the civil court database at https://www.manateeclerk.com. Records dating to the establishment of Manatee County in 1855 are available, with computerized indices beginning in the 1970s and many earlier records accessible through microfilm or archived paper files.

The town maintains business license records that are public information and available upon request. For businesses in unincorporated Manatee County areas, the Manatee County Tax Collector at 1401 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205, phone (941) 741-3800, website https://www.manateetaxcollector.com, issues local business tax receipts. Florida does not require county-level fictitious name registration; DBAs are filed with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, at https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz. The Sunbiz database allows free searches of all Florida corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and fictitious names showing entity status, principal address, registered agent, officer names, and filing history. Online filing is available for most business formations with fees ranging from $25 for fictitious names to $125 for LLC formations. UCC financing statements are filed with and searchable through the Florida Secretary of State's UCC Search system at https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/ucc. Commercial property owners can look up assessed values and tax bills through the Manatee County Property Appraiser at https://www.manateepao.com and pay taxes through the Tax Collector's website, which shows current and delinquent amounts, exemptions, and payment history for all commercial parcels in Longboat Key.

Longboat Key voters residing in Manatee County are served by the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections, 1112 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205, phone (941) 741-3823, website https://www.votemanatee.gov. The office handles all aspects of voter registration, candidate qualification, ballot preparation, early voting, Election Day operations, and results certification for all federal, state, county, and municipal elections. Florida residents can register to vote online at https://registertovoteflorida.gov, with applications requiring a Florida driver's license or ID card number. The registration deadline is 29 days before any election. Voters can update their registration, request vote-by-mail ballots, and check registration status through the Supervisor of Elections website. The Town of Longboat Key holds municipal elections on odd-numbered years, with the next town commission elections scheduled for March 2025. The Town Commission consists of seven members elected at-large serving staggered four-year terms, with mayor selected by commission vote. Candidate qualifying information, sample ballots, and local measures are posted at https://longboatkey.gov/town-clerk. Longboat Key residents can locate their assigned polling place by entering their address at https://www.votemanatee.gov or calling the Supervisor of Elections office. Florida law makes extensive election records publicly accessible: voter registration lists (excluding Social Security numbers, driver license numbers, and signatures), campaign finance reports through the Florida Division of Elections at https://dos.myflorida.com/elections, candidate filings and financial disclosures, precinct-level election results, and early voting/vote-by-mail statistics. In the November 2024 presidential election, Manatee County recorded approximately 68% voter turnout with over 198,000 ballots cast from 291,000 registered voters. On November 3, 2026, Longboat Key and Manatee County voters will decide several key races: Florida's gubernatorial election (Governor and Cabinet officers serve four-year terms with elections in midterm years), Florida's U.S. Senate seat is not up in 2026 (next in 2028 for Rick Scott's seat), all Florida House of Representatives seats (District 72 serves Longboat Key), Manatee County constitutional offices including Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Supervisor of Elections, and Clerk of Circuit Court, Manatee County Commission districts, School Board seats, and potentially judicial retention elections and constitutional amendments. Florida voters can request vote-by-mail ballots at https://www.votemanatee.gov/vote-by-mail with requests valid through two general election cycles. Ballots are mailed approximately four weeks before Election Day and must be received by 7:00 PM on Election Day to be counted. Early voting is typically offered at multiple locations throughout Manatee County for approximately two weeks preceding Election Day.