Office hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Call 754.253.2270
Bayit Title

29 Florida cities

What does a municipal lien search cost in Florida?

Checked October 7, 2026Download the table (CSV)

The short answer

It depends on the city. Each municipality prices and times its own search, and the fee is passed through at closing. 26 of the 29 cities with a page on this site publish what the search costs or covers; what each says is quoted below from the city’s own page, with the date it was read. A city that publishes no figure is listed as such: this site takes no fee from anyone but the city.

What each city publishes

Each line restates what the city’s own page said when it was read, on the date shown, and carries no figure the city did not publish. Cities change these pages without notice. Each city links to its own page: the county’s figures, how a signing happens there and where its code and permit records are. The same table is a CSV download.

Boca RatonPalm Beach County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City’s Financial Services Department searches its records for outstanding bills, special assessments and pending or certified liens. The search costs $150.00 and does not include open building or other permits. Source Read October 7, 2026.
Boynton BeachPalm Beach County · the city’s lien search page
  • The city’s online lien portal charges $140 a report, covering permits, code enforcement, utilities, and mowing and maintenance liens inside city limits. For a property outside city limits, the report covers utilities only. Source Read October 7, 2026.
Coral GablesMiami-Dade County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City’s fee schedule charges $220 for a certified lien and violation search statement in 5 business days, or $390 for an expedited statement in 2 business days. The same schedule charges $200 to apply for mitigation of recorded code fines. Source Read October 7, 2026.
Coral SpringsBroward County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City’s Lien Inquiry Form costs $75 per property with a reply in ten business days, or $125 expedited with a reply in one. Code Compliance and Fire Inspections reply separately, and Water Billing will update the water balance once at no cost within 30 days. Source Read October 7, 2026.
DoralMiami-Dade County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City’s lien and code violation letter costs $150 per address, requested online, and takes up to 3 business days. It covers only City of Doral violations and liens, not liens, assessments or charges of Miami-Dade County or any other agency. Source Read October 7, 2026.
Fort LauderdaleBroward County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City issues its lien reports online, through the portal linked from its Lien Search page, and takes lien and payoff questions through messages sent from the report. Source Read October 7, 2026.
GreenacresPalm Beach County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City Clerk’s lien search covers outstanding solid waste collection fees, code cases and violations, and open building permits, for $90 with a response in 1-3 business days. The company that paid may request one free update for the same address within 90 days. Source Read October 7, 2026.
HialeahMiami-Dade County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City Clerk’s violations and lien research covers code violations, unsafe structures, open or expired building permits, unpaid water, sewer or solid waste services, and liens recorded from the City’s enforcement actions. Source Read October 7, 2026.
HollywoodBroward County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City charges $163 for a residential lien search in 8 to 10 business days or $248 expedited in 1 to 2, and $327 or $447 for non-residential property, plus $25 per meter where a property has several. Source Read October 7, 2026.
HomesteadMiami-Dade County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City’s estoppel and lien search costs $75 per folio in 3 to 5 working days, or $125 per folio for rush service in 1 to 2 working days. It covers downtown assessments, code compliance, utilities and liens placed by the City. Source Read October 7, 2026.
JacksonvilleDuval County · the city’s lien search page
  • The Municipal Code Compliance Division says demolition and nuisance lien searches, administrative and magistrate hearing fines, and citation payoff amounts require a public records request, giving both the address and the Real Estate Number. Source Read October 7, 2026.
JupiterPalm Beach County · the city’s lien search page
  • The Town’s Code Compliance code violation and lien search currently has no fee. The Town asks for up to 5-7 business days and answers requests in the order received. Source Read October 7, 2026.
MiamiMiami-Dade County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City sells an online lien and violation search for $200, paid by credit card or check. It works only for City of Miami folios, which begin with “01”. Source Read October 7, 2026.
Miami BeachMiami-Dade County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City’s certified lien statement lists, by parcel, money owed to the City, violations and open permits, and is signed and notarized. It takes 5 to 7 business days, or 1 business day expedited, not counting weekends and holidays. Source Read October 7, 2026.
Miami GardensMiami-Dade County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City’s Code Compliance lien search covers open code violations, open building permits, liens and unsafe structure cases. Source Read October 7, 2026.
MiramarBroward County · the city’s lien search page
  • The Financial Services lien inquiry costs $105 per address, takes 3 to 5 business days and covers property liens, delinquent account balances, water and sewer balances and special assessments. The city says it is incomplete without asking the Building Department about open permits and Code Compliance about open violations. Source Read October 7, 2026.
  • The city says a Finance lien response is good for 30 days from the date at the bottom of the form, except for utility billing balances. Source Read October 7, 2026.
North MiamiMiami-Dade County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City charges $120 for a lien search returned in 24 hours, $90 for one in three business days and $70 for five business days or more. Source Read October 7, 2026.
  • The search covers recorded liens and amounts due for City water, sewer, sanitation and stormwater service, special assessments, and code compliance tickets and liens. Source Read October 7, 2026.
OrlandoOrange County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City says to check for a City lien with its Code Enforcement Division, and for all other liens with the Orange County Comptroller’s Office. Source Read October 7, 2026.
Pembroke PinesBroward County · the city’s lien search page
  • The Finance Department checks for utility, code enforcement, S.H.I.P. and special assessment liens, and refers open building permit searches to the Building Department. The city notes Broward County may hold other encumbrances. Source Read October 7, 2026.
  • A lien inquiry costs $100 for each property, plus any additional research costs the City advises, and no request is processed without payment. Source Read October 7, 2026.
PlantationBroward County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City’s lien search costs $52.50 per folio in 5 to 7 business days, or $125 for 2-day expedited service. It shows only liens the City has placed, such as code enforcement, lot mowing, sidewalk repair, special assessment, unsafe structure and outstanding water and sewer bill liens. Source Read October 7, 2026.
Pompano BeachBroward County · the city’s lien search page
  • The Building Division’s lien search reports liens and fines for code enforcement, nuisance abatement, unsafe structures, open permits, alarm billing and special assessments, as they stand when the search is completed. Source Read October 7, 2026.
  • The search costs $110 per folio, more if extensive research is needed, and takes 5 to 7 business days, not counting Fridays and holidays. Source Read October 7, 2026.
St. PetersburgPinellas County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City’s Lien Research Request covers outstanding balances for active utility accounts, special assessments and utility liens. It costs $55.00 per request, with results within 3 business days. Source Read October 7, 2026.
SunriseBroward County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City Clerk searches public service (utility), code enforcement and special assessment liens for $100 per address, account or folio, and the city says a search is valid for up to 30 days. The City also issues public service liens for its utility customers in Davie and Weston. Source Read October 7, 2026.
TampaHillsborough County · the city’s lien search page
  • The City’s lien search has a $25 non-refundable fee and is provided within 7 business days. The payoff settlement letter is valid for 45 days from the date of issuance. Source Read October 7, 2026.
WellingtonPalm Beach County · the city’s lien search page
  • The Village says a “Property Assessment Form” must be completed to help a buyer review claims on the property. Without it, the closing may be delayed, or the seller’s unpaid balances may be transferred to the buyer or filed as a lien on the property. Source Read October 7, 2026.
West Palm BeachPalm Beach County · the city’s lien search page
  • The city’s online lien portal charges $120 for each report, paid in advance by credit card. Source Read October 7, 2026.

Cities that publish no figure

A search page, no fee on it

in 1 city

Each of these cities publishes a page for its lien search, linked from its city page here, and no fee or turnaround on it that could be set down as a figure.

Not yet read

in 2 cities

These cities’ own pages could not be read when the table was compiled, so this site states nothing for them. On a file in one of them, ask us and we will tell you what the city charged on the last one.

What the search is for

A title search reads the county’s official records. What the city knows takes a search of its own: open or expired permits, code enforcement cases, unpaid utility balances and special assessments are recorded nowhere, and each can become a lien, or a condition of the sale, after the closing. The search is directed to the city itself, on the city’s form or portal, and answered on the city’s timetable, which is why its fee and its turnaround differ from one city to the next. We order one on every file, and what it turns up goes to the parties in writing with what clearing it would take.

What an open permit does to a closing: What happens if there's an open permit on the property before closing?.

How to read the statements

Each sentence is ours; the figure in it is the city’s. Every sentence restates a passage on the city’s own page, linked beside it, and a sentence never carries a number the passage does not. A city that publishes a search page and no fee on it is listed with the page and no fee, and a city whose site could not be read is listed as not read: neither is given a figure from a vendor, a search company or a neighbouring city. On a file, the city’s invoice is what is charged, whatever its page said when it was read.

Common questions

How much does a municipal lien search cost in Florida?

Each city sets its own fee and its own turnaround, and both differ widely from one city to the next; some cities charge more again for an expedited answer. The fee is the city’s, not the title agency’s, and is passed through on the closing statement. This page lists what each city publishes, in the city’s own figures.

Is a municipal lien search the same as a title search?

No. A title search reads the county’s official records: deeds, mortgages, recorded liens and judgments. A municipal lien search asks the city what it holds against the property that is recorded nowhere: open or expired permits, code enforcement cases, unpaid water, sewer or waste balances, and special assessments. A Florida closing needs both, and we order the lien search on every file.

Who pays for the municipal lien search?

The purchase contract decides. On the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar “AS IS” contract it follows the box checked in paragraph 9(c): where the seller pays for the owner’s policy and the title search, paragraph 9(a) puts the municipal lien search on the seller too, and under the Miami-Dade and Broward regional provision, 9(c)(iii), the seller pays for the tax search and the municipal lien search. The executed contract controls.

How much is a lien search in Coral Springs?

The City’s Lien Inquiry Form costs $75 per property with a reply in ten business days, or $125 expedited with a reply in one. Code Compliance and Fire Inspections reply separately, and Water Billing will update the water balance once at no cost within 30 days. Each sentence restates the city’s own page, read on October 7, 2026; the city can change it without notice.

How much is a lien search in Fort Lauderdale?

The City issues its lien reports online, through the portal linked from its Lien Search page, and takes lien and payoff questions through messages sent from the report. Each sentence restates the city’s own page, read on October 7, 2026; the city can change it without notice.

How much is a lien search in Miami?

The City sells an online lien and violation search for $200, paid by credit card or check. It works only for City of Miami folios, which begin with “01”. Each sentence restates the city’s own page, read on October 7, 2026; the city can change it without notice.

How much is a lien search in Boca Raton?

The City’s Financial Services Department searches its records for outstanding bills, special assessments and pending or certified liens. The search costs $150.00 and does not include open building or other permits. Each sentence restates the city’s own page, read on October 7, 2026; the city can change it without notice.

More to send a client: who pays for title insurance in every Florida county, and the Bayit Title guides.