Can I find the sale price of a Palm Beach home from public records?

Usually yes. The Property Appraiser record carries a sales history, and the recorded deed shows the documentary stamp tax paid. Florida charges 70 cents per 100 dollars of consideration outside Miami-Dade, so dividing the stamp amount by 0.007 returns the stated consideration. A 2,800 dollar stamp implies 400,000 dollars. Exempt transfers and deeds reciting nominal consideration will not reconcile.

How do I find out whether a property is on septic or sewer?

There is no single Palm Beach County database for this. Contact the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, Environmental Public Health, which handles onsite sewage permitting and would hold any septic permit, and separately contact the utility serving the address, since different areas of the county are served by different providers. Get both answers in writing before the inspection period closes.

Will my property taxes go up after I buy?

Expect it if the seller was homesteaded. The Save Our Homes cap holds assessed value increases to 3 percent per year or the change in CPI, whichever is lower. On a sale, the exemption and the cap are removed effective the following January 1 and assessed value resets toward just or market value, so the seller's current tax bill is not a reliable guide to yours.

Does a title search cover open permits and code violations?

No. A title search covers recorded instruments in the Clerk's index. Unrecorded matters such as open or expired permits, code enforcement violations, and unpaid utility charges are found through a municipal lien search, which is a separate order. For unincorporated county parcels you can also buy a certified Open Building Permit search from county Planning, Zoning and Building at 65 dollars.

Public Records

What do public records reveal about a Palm Beach property before buying?

Last updated · 2026-09-16

Key facts

Save Our Homes assessment cap: A homesteaded property's assessed value cannot rise by more than 3 percent per year or the change in CPI, whichever is lower, which is why a long-held home can show assessed value far below market value on the parcel record.^[4]
Reassessment after a sale: When a homesteaded property sells, the homestead exemption and the Save Our Homes cap are removed effective the following January 1 and assessed value resets toward just or market value, so a buyer should budget for a tax increase.^[5]
Documentary stamp tax as a price check: Florida charges 70 cents per 100 dollars of consideration on deeds in every county except Miami-Dade. Dividing the stamp amount on the recorded deed by 0.007 returns the stated consideration. A 2,800 dollar stamp implies 400,000 dollars.^[6]
Recorded encumbrance coverage: Mortgages, judgments, and liens against a property are searchable online back to January 1, 1968 in the Clerk's Official Records Search.^[7][2]
Certified open permit search: Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building runs a certified Open Building Permit search for unincorporated parcels at 65 dollars, or 97 dollars for rush service.^[8]
No septic versus sewer database: There is no single centralized Palm Beach County database that flags whether a property is on septic or public sewer. Confirmation comes from the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County onsite sewage program and the utility serving that address.^[13]

The parcel record, and why assessed value is not market value

The Property Appraiser Public Access record is the fastest read on a property. Searched by address, owner name, or Parcel Control Number, it discloses the current owner of record, assessed value, just or market value, exemption status, sales history, and property characteristics such as bedroom count, square footage, and year built. For a first pass on any address, that is enough to tell you who holds title, when they bought, and what the county thinks the property is worth.

Read the 2 value figures separately. Under Florida's Save Our Homes cap, the assessed value of a homesteaded property cannot increase by more than 3 percent per year or the change in CPI, whichever is lower. On a home held for 20 years, that produces a large and entirely public gap between assessed value and just or market value. It is not evidence of a bargain. When a homesteaded property sells, the exemption and the cap are removed effective the following January 1 and the assessed value resets toward market, so the tax line in the seller's disclosure is not the tax line the buyer will pay.

Recorded instruments, and reading price off the deed

The Clerk's Official Records Search carries recorded deeds, mortgages, judgments, liens, and plats, with document images online for filings since January 1, 1968. That is where you find whether the property carries a mortgage that has never been satisfied of record, whether a judgment has attached against the owner, and whether an easement was granted to a neighbor or a utility.

The recorded deed also carries the documentary stamp tax paid. Florida's rate is 70 cents per 100 dollars of consideration on deeds in every county except Miami-Dade, so dividing the stamp amount by 0.007 returns the consideration stated on the instrument. A stamp of 2,800 dollars implies a price of 400,000 dollars. This is the standard method for reconstructing a sale price on a transaction that never appeared in a listing feed, which matters on estate transfers, entity sales, and private trades.

Permits, code enforcement, and the municipal lien search

Open or expired permits are a live cost, because a municipality can require the work be completed and inspected before the file closes. For unincorporated county parcels, Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building performs a certified Open Building Permit search at 65 dollars, or 97 dollars for rush service. Those certified searches cover unincorporated county only, so a property inside West Palm Beach or the Town of Palm Beach must be searched through that municipality's own records.

A municipal lien search is a separate product from a title search, and buyers routinely confuse them. A title search covers recorded instruments in the Clerk's index. A municipal lien search is used to uncover unrecorded code enforcement violations, open or expired permits, and outstanding utility charges that a Florida municipality can attach to the property itself outside the recorded chain of title. Order both, and order them early enough that a surprise leaves time to renegotiate.

Flood zone, zoning, landmark status, and the septic question

Flood zone is public and free. The FEMA Map Service Center is the official source for a flood zone designation by address and for downloading the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map panel. Palm Beach County also publishes a GIS flood zone lookup for county parcels, which is quicker for a first check, though the FEMA panel is the document an insurer will want. Zoning district is equally public, viewable on the county's official zoning map and interactive GIS application, and it governs what can be built or expanded.

On the island, landmark status is the constraint that catches buyers by surprise. More than 328 landmark properties, sites, and vistas are protected under the Town of Palm Beach Landmarks Preservation Commission, and designation limits what exterior alterations an owner may make. Check designation before pricing a renovation, not after.

One item has no lookup at all. There is no single centralized Palm Beach County public database that flags whether a specific property is on septic or on public sewer. Determining it takes 2 calls: the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, Environmental Public Health, which handles onsite sewage permitting and would hold a septic permit if one exists, and the utility or GIS department serving that address, since different parts of the county are served by different utilities. Ask for the septic permit number and the sewer service confirmation in writing, and do it before the inspection period closes.

What the records cannot show

Interior condition, finish quality, and deferred maintenance appear nowhere in the public record and require a physical inspection.
Unrecorded private agreements between the parties, including side agreements on repairs or possession, leave no public trace.
Off-record easements and encroachments not filed with the Clerk are invisible to a records search and surface only on a current survey.
The doc stamp method only reconstructs price where the deed recites full consideration; exempt transfers, gifts, and deeds stating nominal consideration will not reconcile.
Assessments or liens not yet recorded or levied as of the search date will not appear, which is why a municipal lien search is dated and should be run close to closing.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can I find the sale price of a Palm Beach home from public records?: Usually yes. The Property Appraiser record carries a sales history, and the recorded deed shows the documentary stamp tax paid. Florida charges 70 cents per 100 dollars of consideration outside Miami-Dade, so dividing the stamp amount by 0.007 returns the stated consideration. A 2,800 dollar stamp implies 400,000 dollars. Exempt transfers and deeds reciting nominal consideration will not reconcile.
How do I find out whether a property is on septic or sewer?: There is no single Palm Beach County database for this. Contact the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, Environmental Public Health, which handles onsite sewage permitting and would hold any septic permit, and separately contact the utility serving the address, since different areas of the county are served by different providers. Get both answers in writing before the inspection period closes.
Will my property taxes go up after I buy?: Expect it if the seller was homesteaded. The Save Our Homes cap holds assessed value increases to 3 percent per year or the change in CPI, whichever is lower. On a sale, the exemption and the cap are removed effective the following January 1 and assessed value resets toward just or market value, so the seller's current tax bill is not a reliable guide to yours.
Does a title search cover open permits and code violations?: No. A title search covers recorded instruments in the Clerk's index. Unrecorded matters such as open or expired permits, code enforcement violations, and unpaid utility charges are found through a municipal lien search, which is a separate order. For unincorporated county parcels you can also buy a certified Open Building Permit search from county Planning, Zoning and Building at 65 dollars.

Sources & citations

Factual claims on this page are attributed to the sources below. Public records may lag current market activity. See methodology for the full data-use disclosure.

Palm Beach County Property Appraiser. Palm Beach County Property Appraiser — Property Search and Public Records. Accessed 2025-12-01. Primary public record — confidence: high.
Claim supported: Parcel-level ownership, assessed value, taxable value, exemptions, and recorded characteristics for properties in Palm Beach County.
Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller. Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller — Official Records Search. Accessed 2025-12-01. Primary public record — confidence: high.
Claim supported: Recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, and related instruments for real property transactions in Palm Beach County.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Accessed 2025-12-01. Public agency — confidence: high.
Claim supported: Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), Base Flood Elevations, and Special Flood Hazard Area designations for waterfront and coastal parcels.
Palm Beach County Property Appraiser. Assessment Caps. Accessed 2026-09-16. Primary public record — confidence: high.
Claim supported: Under Save Our Homes, a homesteaded property's assessed value cannot increase by more than 3 percent per year or the change in CPI, whichever is lower.
Florida Department of Revenue. Property Tax Information for Homestead Exemption, PT-112. Accessed 2026-09-16. Public agency — confidence: medium.
Claim supported: When a homesteaded property sells, the homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap are removed effective the following January 1 and assessed value resets toward just or market value.
Florida Department of Revenue. Documentary Stamp Tax. Accessed 2026-09-16. Primary public record — confidence: high.
Claim supported: Florida's documentary stamp tax on deeds is 70 cents per 100 dollars of consideration in every county except Miami-Dade, so the stamp amount recorded on a deed divided by 0.007 returns the stated consideration.
Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Palm Beach County. Official Records Search, Landmark Web. Accessed 2026-09-16. Primary public record — confidence: high.
Claim supported: Recorded mortgages, judgments, and liens against a property are searchable online back to January 1, 1968.
Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building. Search Services, Planning Zoning and Building Administration. Accessed 2026-09-16. Primary public record — confidence: high.
Claim supported: The county performs certified Open Building Permit searches for unincorporated county parcels at 65 dollars, or 97 dollars for rush service, and these searches do not cover incorporated municipalities.
PropLogix. What a municipal lien search in Florida actually covers. Accessed 2026-09-16. Industry report — confidence: medium.
Claim supported: A municipal lien search is separate from a title search and is used to uncover unrecorded code enforcement violations, open or expired permits, and outstanding utility charges that attach to the property outside the recorded chain of title.
Palm Beach County. Palm Beach County Flood Zone Lookup. Accessed 2026-09-16. Primary public record — confidence: medium.
Claim supported: Palm Beach County provides a GIS-based flood zone lookup tool covering FEMA flood zones for county parcels.
Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building. Palm Beach County Interactive GIS Zoning Application. Accessed 2026-09-16. Primary public record — confidence: high.
Claim supported: Zoning district designation for any Palm Beach County parcel is publicly viewable on the county's official zoning map and interactive GIS application.
Town of Palm Beach. Planning, Zoning and Development Review, Landmarks Preservation. Accessed 2026-09-16. Primary public record — confidence: medium.
Claim supported: More than 328 landmark properties, sites, and vistas are protected under the Town's Landmarks Preservation Commission, and designation affects what exterior alterations an owner may make.
Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County. Onsite Sewage Disposal, Environmental Public Health. Accessed 2026-09-16. Primary public record — confidence: medium.
Claim supported: Septic permitting for Palm Beach County runs through the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, and no single centralized county database flags whether a property is on septic or public sewer.

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