New Port Richey, Florida Public Records

The Pasco County Court (county-level court) at the same West Pasco location handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil disputes under $30,000, traffic violations, and small claims cases up to $8,000. New Port Richey does not maintain a separate municipal court; traffic and municipal ordinance violations are handled through Pasco County Court. The Pasco County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller (phone: 352-521-4274, website: https://www.pascoclerk.com) maintains all court records and provides online access through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal and the Clerk's website case search. Users can search civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases by name, case number, or date range at no cost for viewing; the system displays docket entries, parties, case status, and judgments. Certified copies of court documents cost $2.00 for the first page and $0.15 for each additional page when requested in person or by mail. Online document purchases through the Clerk's system incur additional service fees. Recording fees for court-related documents vary by type. The Clerk's office accepts requests in person at both the New Port Richey location and the East Pasco Courthouse in Dade City (38053 Live Oak Avenue). Florida court records are generally public under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, except sealed cases, certain juvenile matters, and records containing confidential information such as social security numbers.

The Florida Bureau of Investigation also plays a role in maintaining comprehensive criminal records accessible to law enforcement agencies and the public, ensuring transparency and accountability within the justice system.

Search results display current assessed values, property characteristics (square footage, year built, bedrooms/bathrooms), ownership history, tax exemptions (homestead, senior, veteran, etc.), aerial photos, and sales history. The site also provides a GIS mapping system (Pasco County Property Appraiser Interactive Map) showing parcel boundaries, zoning, flood zones, and nearby properties. The Pasco County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller serves as the official recorder of deeds and maintains the Official Records database. The Recording Department at the West Pasco Judicial Center, 7530 Little Road, New Port Richey, FL 34654 (phone: 727-847-8175) records deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, liens (including mechanics liens, HOA liens, and judgment liens), easements, plats, and other instruments affecting real property. The Clerk's Official Records search is available free online at https://www.pascoclerk.com, allowing searches by name (grantor/grantee), document type, book and page, or official record number. Recorded documents can be viewed as digital images and printed for a fee. Recording fees are set by Florida Statutes: the first page costs $10 and each additional page costs $8.50. The county maintains digitized records dating back to the 1800s. For comprehensive property research, users should consult both the Property Appraiser (for assessment and ownership data) and the Clerk's Official Records (for complete chain of title, mortgage history, and encumbrances).

Major employers include HCA Florida West Marion Hospital (formerly Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point), which operates a major campus along State Road 54 providing hundreds of healthcare jobs; the Pasco County School District, which maintains multiple schools in the city including Gulf High School and operates administrative functions; Pasco County government offices including the West Pasco Judicial Center and various county departments; and major retailers concentrated along U.S. Highway 19, the primary north-south commercial corridor. The city's historic Main Street district has undergone revitalization efforts with locally-owned restaurants, shops, and the Richey Suncoast Theatre. The Cotee River waterfront and Sims Park support tourism and recreation-related businesses. New Port Richey benefits from proximity to Tampa Bay employment centers while offering lower cost of living than coastal communities. The median household income in New Port Richey is approximately $38,000-$42,000, lower than the Pasco County median of approximately $55,000, reflecting the city's older housing stock and significant retiree population. The city has pursued downtown redevelopment initiatives including streetscape improvements, façade grants, and mixed-use development incentives to attract investment. Pasco County overall has experienced significant population growth, particularly in the southern portions closer to Tampa, with New Port Richey serving established residential neighborhoods and an aging demographic. The regional economy is diversified across healthcare, education, construction, retail trade, and professional services, with growing logistics and distribution sectors taking advantage of highway access and proximity to Port Tampa Bay. Tourism related to Gulf Coast beaches in nearby communities contributes to service sector employment.

The New Port Richey Police Department, located at 5919 Main Street, New Port Richey, FL 34652 (phone: 727-841-4550, website: https://www.cityofnewportrichey.org/departments/police), provides law enforcement services within city limits and maintains incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records. Citizens can request police reports in person at the Records Division, by mail, or through the department's online records request system. Florida's public records law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes) requires agencies to provide access to most police records unless exempt by specific statute (such as active criminal intelligence or certain witness information). The Pasco County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 8700 Citizens Drive, New Port Richey, FL 34654 (phone: 727-847-8102, website: https://www.pascosheriff.com), serves unincorporated areas of Pasco County and provides countywide services including the detention facility and specialized investigations. For arrests and jail bookings throughout Pasco County, the Sheriff's Office maintains an online inmate search at https://pascosheriff.com/inmates, which displays current detainees at the Pasco County Detention Center (Land O'Lakes facility), showing booking photos, charges, bond amounts, booking date and time, physical description, and projected release dates. Historical arrest records can be requested from the Sheriff's Records Section. Both agencies honor public records requests under Florida Statutes Chapter 119, which requires response within a reasonable time and allows agencies to charge actual costs for copying and research. Crime reports, arrest logs (excluding exempt information), and incident summaries are generally available, while ongoing investigations may have temporary exemptions. Requesters should provide specific date ranges, case numbers, or names to expedite searches.

Applicants can order online through the VitalChek service at https://www.vitalchek.com (with additional service fees), by mail with completed application form and copy of valid ID, or in person at county health departments. The Pasco County Health Department at 10841 Little Road, New Port Richey, FL 34654 (phone: 727-861-4173) can process vital records requests in person during business hours. Processing time is typically 4-6 weeks by mail, same-day for in-person requests if the record is on file. Birth records in Florida are confidential for 100 years; only the registrant (if 18 or older), parents listed on the certificate, legal guardians, or authorized legal representatives with proper documentation can obtain certified copies. Death records have no access restrictions after becoming public record. Marriage licenses are issued by the Pasco County Clerk of the Circuit Court; applicants must appear in person at either courthouse location (West Pasco Judicial Center at 7530 Little Road, New Port Richey, or East Pasco at 38053 Live Oak Avenue, Dade City). The marriage license fee is $86.00, reduced to $61.00 if couples complete a premarital preparation course. Florida has no waiting period if the couple takes the course; otherwise there is a 3-day waiting period. Marriage certificates (proof of marriage ceremony) cost $5.75 for certified copies. Divorce records are court records maintained by the Clerk of Court; final judgments of dissolution are public records searchable through the Clerk's online case search system at https://www.pascoclerk.com. Certified copies of divorce decrees cost $2.00 for the first page plus $0.15 per additional page. Florida vital records have been maintained statewide since 1899, with some county records dating earlier.

Pasco County also requires business tax receipts for businesses in unincorporated areas; these are administered by the Pasco County Tax Collector at various locations (phone: 352-521-4338, website: https://www.pascotaxes.com). Fictitious name registrations (Doing Business As/DBA) in Florida are filed with the Florida Division of Corporations, not at the county level. The state requires anyone conducting business under a name other than their legal name to register through the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (website: https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz). Florida corporation, LLC, limited partnership, and trademark searches are available free online through the Sunbiz.org portal (http://www.sunbiz.org), which displays entity status (active, dissolved, inactive), registration date, principal address, registered agent name and address, officer/member names, annual report filing status, and document images. This database is updated daily and provides the most authoritative source for Florida business entity information. Professional licenses (contractors, real estate agents, cosmetologists, etc.) are issued by state licensing boards and searchable through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation website (http://www.myfloridalicense.com). UCC financing statements (secured transaction liens) are filed with and searchable through the Florida Secretary of State UCC Division. Commercial property tax information is available through the Pasco County Property Appraiser's website (https://www.pascopa.com), where business owners can search by business name or property address to view assessed values, tax amounts, and payment status. Commercial properties are assessed using income and market approaches, with tangible personal property (equipment, fixtures, inventory) assessed separately through annual returns filed with the Property Appraiser.

New Port Richey voters are served by the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections, located at 41204 Mary's Place, Zephyrhills, FL 33542 (phone: 352-521-4302, West Pasco office: 8731 Citizens Drive, Suite 110, New Port Richey, FL 34654, phone: 727-847-8162, website: https://www.pascoelections.gov). Florida residents can register to vote online through the state portal at https://registertovoter.floridasoe.gov, which requires a Florida driver license or ID card number. The registration deadline is 29 days before any election. To vote in Florida, applicants must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old, legal residents of Florida and the county, and not adjudicated mentally incapacitated or convicted of a felony (unless rights restored). New Port Richey conducts municipal elections for mayor and city council seats; the city operates under a council-manager form of government with a mayor and four council members elected to three-year staggered terms. Municipal elections are typically held in March of odd-numbered years, with the next city elections scheduled for March 2025. Candidate qualifying and local ballot measures are posted on the city website (https://www.cityofnewportrichey.org) and through the Supervisor of Elections. Because New Port Richey is an incorporated municipality, residents vote in city elections as well as county, state, and federal contests. Voters can find their assigned polling location by visiting https://www.pascoelections.gov and using the "Find My Precinct" tool, which requires entering the voter's residential address. The site displays the polling place address, hours (typically 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Election Day), and sample ballot. In the November 2024 general election, Pasco County reported approximately 63% voter turnout among registered voters, with over 195,000 ballots cast out of approximately 310,000 registered voters countywide, reflecting strong engagement in the presidential election. For the November 3, 2026 general election, New Port Richey and Pasco County voters will decide races including Florida Governor (Rick Scott's term expires 2027, so this will be a gubernatorial election year), one U.S. Senate seat (Marco Rubio's seat is up for election in 2026), U.S. House of Representatives for Florida's 12th Congressional District (which includes New Port Richey), Florida Cabinet positions (Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, Commissioner of Agriculture), Florida State Senate District 10 or 20 (depending on redistricting), Florida State House District 36 or 37, Pasco County Commission seats for Districts 2 and 4 (county commission elections are staggered), Pasco County School Board members, Pasco County Sheriff, Pasco County Tax Collector, Pasco County Property Appraiser, and Pasco County Supervisor of Elections (all constitutional officers elected countywide), plus potential municipal races if New Port Richey holds city elections concurrently. Florida offers vote-by-mail (absentee) ballots to any registered voter who requests one; no excuse is required. Voters can request mail ballots online through the Supervisor of Elections website, by phone, by mail, or in person. Mail ballot requests are valid through the end of the calendar year of the next two regularly scheduled general elections. Voted ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections office by 7:00 PM on Election Day (postmarks do not count). Early voting is offered at multiple locations across Pasco County, typically beginning 10 days before Election Day and running through the Sunday before the election, with extended hours including evenings and weekends. Public election records in Florida include voter registration lists (names, addresses, party affiliation, voting history), which are available for purchase for political and research purposes; campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political committees, searchable through the Florida Division of Elections website; candidate qualifying documents showing who is running for each office; and precinct-level election results showing vote totals by race and geographic area. All election results are posted on the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections website on election night and certified within days following canvassing. Voter registration data excludes confidential information for certain categories such as judges, law enforcement officers, and domestic violence victims who have requested address confidentiality.