| Clerk of Court | Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller — HOVER Court Records |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, 800 E. Twiggs St, Tampa, FL 33602 |
| Phone | (813) 276-8100 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $1.00 per page (Fla. Stat. § 28.24(6)(a)) |
| Certified copy fee | $2.00 certification fee per instrument, plus the $1.00-per-page copy fee (Fla. Stat. § 28.24(4)(a) and (6)(a)) |
The Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller keeps circuit-court and
county-court records alike — felonies and larger civil suits along with misdemeanors, small claims, and
most traffic cases. Florida does not use a separate county clerk office, so county_clerk is null and
this office is listed as the district_clerk.
Court case records are searched through the Clerk's HOVER system, a free public tool covering civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic dockets. A separate Official Records Public Search tool exists for recorded documents such as deeds and liens, which is a different system from HOVER and should not be confused with a court-case search.
The Clerk's main office is in the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa, alongside the criminal and civil divisions.
Hillsborough County includes Tampa, Brandon, Plant City, and Temple Terrace, and while some case types are heard at branch or specialty courthouses, HOVER still functions as the single countywide search for case dockets regardless of which courthouse handled the matter. The Clerk's office also runs 24-hour online self-service for paying court fees and e-filing documents, which is a separate function from searching existing case records and requires its own account.
Search Hillsborough County court records online
Clerk of Court
Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller — HOVER Court Records
- Cost
- Free to search
- Coverage
- Civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic case records for Hillsborough County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
One elected clerk serves both the circuit court and county court in Hillsborough County; county_clerk is set to null. Do not confuse HOVER (court case records) with the Clerk's separate Official Records Public Search, which covers recorded documents like deeds and mortgages, not court cases.
What is available online
HOVER covers civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic case dockets; coverage depth and document availability vary by case type and filing date. The Clerk's office also offers 24-hour online services for paying fees and e-filing, separate from record searching. Confidential case types are excluded from public results.
Which clerk has your record
In Florida, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Florida page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Courts (20 judicial circuits) | Felony criminal cases; Family law (divorce, custody, paternity); Probate and guardianship | Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of the county |
| County Courts | Misdemeanor criminal cases; Traffic infractions and criminal traffic; Civil cases up to $50,000 (small claims up to $8,000) | Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of the county |
Request records in person or by mail
Hillsborough County clerk offices
George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, 800 E. Twiggs St, Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 276-8100
Online. Search HOVER at https://hover.hillsclerk.com/html/home.html for case dockets and, where available, document images, free of charge.
In person or by mail. Visit or write to the Clerk's office at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, 800 E. Twiggs St, Tampa, FL 33602, for records not available online or for certified copies. Public terminals are also available at the courthouse for searching case information at no charge.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Florida |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $1.00 per page (Fla. Stat. § 28.24(6)(a)) |
| Certified copy | $2.00 certification fee per instrument, plus the $1.00-per-page copy fee (Fla. Stat. § 28.24(4)(a) and (6)(a)) |
These are the statewide statutory fees clerks charge for photocopies and certification under Florida Statutes Chapter 28. Individual clerks may charge additional amounts for electronic certified copies ordered online (commonly an added convenience or processing fee) — confirm the total with the specific county clerk before paying.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Florida court records are presumed open under Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, which lists roughly 19 specific categories of information the clerk must keep confidential even within an otherwise public case file (for example Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and certain victim and minor-witness identifying information). Confidentiality of court records in Florida is governed by this court rule, not by the state's public-records law (Chapter 119), which does not apply to the judicial branch.
The Florida guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
What is HOVER and is it the right tool for a Hillsborough court case?
HOVER is the Hillsborough County Clerk's free public court-records search, covering civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases. It is separate from the Clerk's Official Records search, which is for recorded documents like deeds, not court cases.
Is there a separate Hillsborough County clerk for county court?
No. The Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller keeps both circuit and county court records, so county_clerk is null in this guide and the same office is listed as district_clerk.
Where is the Hillsborough County Clerk's main office?
The George E. Edgecomb Courthouse at 800 E. Twiggs St, Tampa, FL 33602, which also houses the criminal and civil court divisions.
Can I search Hillsborough court records for free?
Yes. HOVER is free to search online. Certified copies and some document requests may carry a fee, confirmed with the Clerk's office.
Does it matter which Hillsborough courthouse heard my case when I search online?
No. HOVER is a single countywide index, so a case heard at a branch courthouse or a specialty division shows up the same way as one heard at the main Edgecomb Courthouse.
Sources
- Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller — https://www.hillsclerk.com/
- Hillsborough County — HOVER Court Records — https://hover.hillsclerk.com/html/home.html
- Florida Courts — Structure of the State Courts System — https://www.flcourts.gov/Courts-System/court-structure/district-courts-of-appeal
- Florida Appellate Case Information System (ACIS) — https://acis.flcourts.gov/
- FDLE — Obtaining a Florida Criminal History Record Check — https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/criminal-history-records/florida-checks
- Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (Authority) — https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/authority/
- Florida Statutes § 943.0585 — Court-Ordered Expunction of Criminal History Records — https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/943.0585
- Florida Statutes § 943.059 — Court-Ordered Sealing of Criminal History Records — https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/943.059
- Florida Statutes § 28.24 — Service Charges by Clerks of the Circuit Court — https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/28.24
- Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 — Public Access to Judicial Branch Records — https://www.flcourts.gov/core/fileparse.php/255/urlt/RULE-2-420-Jan2014.pdf
- Southern District of Florida — Federal Judicial Districts of Florida — https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/federal-judicial-districts-florida
- Middle District of Florida — U.S. District Court — https://www.flmd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Florida counties.