Saint Johns County

The county is defined by its rich Spanish colonial heritage, pristine beaches including Ponte Vedra Beach and St. Augustine Beach, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Matanzas River. Major landmarks include the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the historic St.

Augustine downtown district, Flagler College housed in the former Ponce de León Hotel, Anastasia State Park, and the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The Saint Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, located at 4010 Lewis Speedway in St.

Augustine, Florida 32084, maintains official court records, marriage licenses, and recordings of deeds and official documents. The Saint Johns County Property Appraiser's Office at 4030 Lewis Speedway handles property assessments and maintains tax roll information. The Saint Johns County Tax Collector, situated at 4030 Lewis Speedway, administers property tax collection, vehicle registration, and driver license services.

What makes Saint Johns County unique is its blend of historic preservation with modern economic growth, attracting both tourists and new residents seeking quality of life, highly rated schools, and coastal amenities.

Municipal law enforcement agencies in Saint Johns County include the St. Augustine Police Department serving the city of St. Augustine and the St.

Augustine Beach Police Department serving St. Augustine Beach. Arrest records in Saint Johns County are public records under Florida Statutes Chapter 119, the Florida Public Records Law.

Citizens may request arrest reports, booking records, and incident reports by contacting the Saint Johns County Sheriff's Office Records Division at (904) 824-8304 or by submitting a written public records request either in person at headquarters or via mail. Mugshots and booking photos are accessible through the online inmate search portal on the Sheriff's Office website, which displays booking photographs for current inmates. Some third-party websites also aggregate booking information, though official sources remain the most reliable.

There are no tribal law enforcement jurisdictions in Saint Johns County.

Case lookup and court records search are available online through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal and the Clerk's official website at www.stjohnsclerk.com, which provides access to civil, criminal, traffic, probate, and family court records. Court records in Florida are governed by Florida Rules of Judicial Administration Rule 2.420 and Florida Statutes Chapter 119, which establish public access rights while protecting certain confidential information such as Social Security numbers, financial account information, and sealed records. Online access to most non-confidential court records is free through the Clerk's portal, though certified copies require fees ranging from $2.00 for the first page to $0.50 for additional pages, plus any applicable search fees.

Remote electronic access is available 24/7 for case searches. The Saint Johns County Clerk maintains an official records repository including recorded instruments, court filings, marriage licenses, and official county documents dating back to the county's establishment.

The Official Records Division records and indexes documents affecting real property including warranty deeds, quit claim deeds, mortgages, satisfactions of mortgage, assignments, liens (mechanics liens, judgment liens, tax liens), easements, declarations of condominium, restrictive covenants, plat maps, subdivision plans, and other instruments required by law to be recorded. The Clerk's website at www.stjohnsclerk.com offers a free online Official Records Search portal allowing the public to search and view recorded documents by name (grantor/grantee), book and page, document type, or legal description. Property tax information is maintained separately by the Saint Johns County Property Appraiser's Office at 4030 Lewis Speedway, St.

Augustine, FL 32084, phone (904) 827-5500, website www.sjcpa.us. The Property Appraiser provides a comprehensive online Property Search and Geographic Information System (GIS) allowing users to search by owner name, address, parcel number, or map location to view assessed values, exemptions, property characteristics, aerial photography, and tax history. The Saint Johns County Tax Collector, located at 4030 Lewis Speedway, phone (904) 827-5500, website www.sjctax.us, handles property tax payment and provides online access to tax bills, payment history, and delinquent tax information.

Certified copies of birth certificates cost $9.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered simultaneously; death certificates cost $5.00 for the first copy and $4.00 for additional copies. Marriage licenses are issued by the Saint Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Marriage License Division, at 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084, phone (904) 819-3669.

There is no waiting period for Florida residents who have completed the course; otherwise, a three-day waiting period applies. Divorce decrees and dissolution records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in the county where the dissolution was granted, accessible through the civil court records division at (904) 819-3600.

Business entity formation records, including corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and other registered entities, are filed with and searchable through the Florida Division of Corporations, part of the Florida Department of State. The Saint Johns County Business Development Office, part of the County Administration, promotes economic development and can assist with business startup information, though it does not issue licenses. Local business tax receipts (formerly called occupational licenses) are issued by the Saint Johns County Tax Collector's Office at 4030 Lewis Speedway, phone (904) 827-5500, website www.sjctax.us.

Businesses located within municipal boundaries must obtain licenses from the respective city (St. Augustine or St. Augustine Beach).

Building permits, certificates of occupancy, and zoning approvals are handled by the Saint Johns County Building Department and Planning and Zoning Division at 4980 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084, phone (904) 209-0766, with online permit searches and applications available through the county website. Professional licenses (contractors, real estate agents, health practitioners) are regulated by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

The St. Augustine & St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, located at 29 Old Mission Avenue, St.

Voter registration in Saint Johns County can be completed online through the Florida Division of Elections website at registertovoteflorida.gov, in person at the Supervisor of Elections office, at driver license offices, or by mail using a Florida Voter Registration Application. Florida law requires voter registration applications to be submitted at least 29 days before an election; the book-closing date is strictly enforced. Eligible voters 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 restoration of voting rights. Saint Johns County voters can find their assigned polling place by visiting www.votesjc.com and using the online precinct finder tool, which requires entry of name and date of birth or residential address. Early voting in Saint Johns County is offered at multiple locations, generally beginning 10 days before Election Day and running through the Sunday before the election.

Public election records in Saint Johns County include the voter registration database (with certain personal information redacted per Florida Statutes § 97.0585), campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political committees (available through the Florida Division of Elections and local Supervisor of Elections), candidate qualifying documents, precinct-level election results, absentee ballot statistics, and voter history records. Florida Statutes Chapter 97 and Chapter 106 govern elections and campaign finance transparency. In the November 2024 general election, Saint Johns County recorded a voter turnout of approximately 77%, reflecting the county's consistently high civic participation rates, among the highest in Florida.

The next major election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, featuring U.S. House of Representatives races, Florida state legislative seats (State Senate and House), the Florida Governor's race if scheduled, the Florida Cabinet positions, and potential county and municipal offices and referenda. Vote-by-mail ballots (absentee ballots) in Saint Johns County can be requested online at www.votesjc.com, by phone at (904) 823-2238, by written request to the Supervisor of Elections, or in person at the elections office.

Ballots are mailed to voters beginning approximately 40 days before the election and must be returned by 7:00 PM on Election Day, either by mail (with postmark deadline requirements), at secure drop boxes located at early voting sites and the elections office, or hand-delivered to the Supervisor of Elections. Saint Johns County provides robust election transparency through real-time election night results posted online, detailed precinct-level data, post-election audit reports, and public access to campaign finance records, all in accordance with Florida's Government in the Sunshine laws.

Augustine and associated facilities; the Saint Johns County School District, one of the highest-rated public school systems in Florida; Northrop Grumman, which operates facilities in the county; and major retail and hospitality employers. The median household income in Saint Johns County is approximately $84,000, significantly higher than both the state and national averages, reflecting the county's affluent demographics and high proportion of retiree and professional households. Tourism remains a cornerstone economic sector, with St.

Augustine attracting millions of visitors annually to historic sites, beaches, cultural attractions, restaurants, and special events. The retail and hospitality sectors employ thousands in hotels, restaurants, shops, and tour operations. The healthcare and social assistance sector has grown substantially, driven by an aging population and expansion of medical facilities.

Professional, scientific, and technical services represent a growing sector, with numerous consulting firms, engineering companies, and technology businesses. Construction and real estate development have surged in response to population growth, with new residential communities, commercial centers, and infrastructure projects throughout the county. The county has actively pursued economic diversification through the Saint Johns County Chamber of Commerce Economic Council and partnerships with Enterprise Florida.

Unemployment in Saint Johns County has historically remained below state and national averages, typically ranging between 2.5% and 4.0% in recent years. Notable economic development projects include the expansion of World Golf Village area, development along the I-95 corridor, and continued growth in Nocatee, one of the fastest-growing master-planned communities in the nation, which has attracted retail, dining, medical, and commercial development.