Hillsborough County clerk offers certified records electronically

TAMPA — The Hillsborough County Clerk’s Office has begun offering certified copies of court documents online.

The new eCertify system means a task that once required a weekday trip to the clerk’s office is now a few clicks away on a computer or smart phone. The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and will curb the need for in-person visits to the clerk’s office. The service is available at https://www.hillsclerk.com/Records-and-Reports/eCertify

“This is the latest example of the digital revolution that has transformed the clerk’s office in the past decade,” Hillsborough Clerk of Court & Comptroller Pat Frank said in a released statement. “Documents once stored on paper and accessible only in person are now available electronically any time of the day or night. Going digital not only is convenient, it’s a much safer alternative during these difficult times.”

Non-certified copies of court documents are available online for free, but customers often need certified copies of documents, such as a divorce decree, to prove authenticity. The clerk’s office issues more than 12,000 certified court documents a year. The service costs the usual $1 per page and $2 certification fee, plus a $6 convenience fee and 3.5 percent credit card fee.

A statement from Frank’s offices said the eCertify system eventually will expand to include official records such as marriage licenses and deeds. For now the service is limited to court documents like as final divorce decrees, name changes, final sentences in criminal cases or domestic violence restraining orders.

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