The Duval County Clerk of Courts announced Dec. 14 that because of changes to state law, certain documents recorded into the Official Record of Duval County soon will be required to include the postal address of each witness.
The changes, which can be found in Fla. Statute 695.26, will affect recording requirements statewide.
Beginning Jan. 1, the clerk’s office will not be able to accept affected documents submitted for recording without the required witness address information.
The new requirement applies to any “instrument by which the title to real property or any interest therein is conveyed, assigned, encumbered or otherwise disposed of.”
Generally, this means any document that affects the ownership of real estate.
Applicable documents already required witnesses to print their names under the signatures. The new requirements also require those witnesses to list their addresses under their signatures. The witness address must be a physical address or post office box. Email addresses are not acceptable.
Affected document types include, but are not limited to:
• Deeds
• Mortgages
• Easements
• Agreements, affidavits, notices or memorandums for deed
• Agreements, affidavits, notices or memorandums of interest in land
Visit www.duvalclerk.com/recordingwitness for more information, a list of other affected document types and an example of an updated template, including the new address section.