Florida law makes the clerk of the circuit court each county's recorder1. Orange County works differently. Here an elected Comptroller, Phil Diamond, keeps the Official Records, and the Clerk of Courts runs the courts2.
So your deed, the free fraud alert and the tax deed auctions all sit with the Comptroller. News 6 reported in 2022 that the office records more than 3,000 documents a day3.
Every step below was checked on the offices' own websites on October 25, 2026. Our deed theft guide explains the crime in general.
What does the Orange County Comptroller do for homeowners?
The Comptroller records and keeps the county's land records and auctions property when taxes go unpaid for years. It is also the county's chief financial officer, auditor and clerk to the County Commission2,4.
Property Fraud Alert
A free email, text or call when a document in your name is recorded. How to sign up
How do I find my deed in Orange County's official records?
Search the Comptroller's Official Records online by name, date or document number. They hold the county's recorded deeds, mortgages and liens5, and viewing or printing them is free6.
- Open the Official Records search, linked from occompt.com.
- Read the disclaimer, tick "I'm not a robot," then click "I Accept."
- Pick English or Spanish with the Language button.
- Choose Basic search and type your name in "Either Party."
- Click a document number, then "View" to see the image7.
On a deed, the grantor is the seller or giver, and the grantee is the new owner. Try every spelling of your name, as the disclaimer advises8.
Mailers selling a copy of your deed for $50 to $100 are a bad deal. The Comptroller warns that private firms send these letters dressed up to look official. A certified copy, one the office stamps as true, costs $1 a page plus $2 there6,9.
A copy of your deed costs $5 or less at the Comptroller
Cost of a copy of a 3-page deed, by where you get it
Show the numbers
| View or print online | Free |
|---|---|
| Certified copy, Comptroller | $5 |
| Mailed offer, low end | $50 |
| Mailed offer, high end | $100 |
Source: Orange County Comptroller, certified copy fees and its consumer alert on deed copy offers6,9.
How does the Orange County Property Fraud Alert work?
Orange County's Property Fraud Alert costs nothing, and it speaks up each time the Comptroller records a document under your name. Each sign-up gets one way to hear: email, text or a call10,11.
The Comptroller started it in March 2018, six years before Florida required every county to offer one12,13. A company, Fidlar Technologies, runs the sign-up site for the county11.
- Go to propertyfraudalert.com/FLOrange, or call 800-728-3858.
- Click "Continue," then agree to the terms.
- Choose "Personal," or "Business / Trust" for an LLC or a trust.
- Key in the first name and last name, each twice, then click "Add Name to List." You can add up to 10 names.
- Enter an email address or phone number10.
Your last name must match the record exactly, so sign up each version of your name11. Diamond also suggests adding older relatives14.
What does the fraud alert miss?
The alert only reacts to documents already recorded in Orange County under a name you entered. The Comptroller "has no authority to refuse to record a properly prepared document, even if it may be fraudulent"10.
- No stopping: a fake deed still gets recorded.
- No removal: only a judge's order takes a document out of the records.
- One county: land in another county needs that county's alert.
- Names only: it can't tell apart two people with the same name.
- Records only: fake listings and rental scams record nothing.
If your property sits empty, check on it often, as the Comptroller advises10.
How do tax deed sales work in Orange County?
If a tax certificate on your property goes unpaid for two years, its holder can force an online auction run by the Comptroller. You can still keep the property by paying all taxes due before the winner's final payment arrives15,16.
A tax certificate is a lien, a legal claim for money, that an investor buys by paying your late taxes17.
- By Nov. 1The Tax Collector mails your bill.
- March 31The last day to pay in full before penalties.
- April 1Unpaid taxes become delinquent. Penalties and advertising costs are added.
- June 1A tax certificate is sold online. Investors bid the interest rate down from 18%.
- Two years onThe certificate holder may apply for a tax deed if the taxes are still unpaid.
- Sale dayThe Comptroller auctions the property online. The winner must pay the rest within 24 hours.
Sources: Orange County Tax Collector17,18 and Comptroller15,16.
The winner can take possession once the tax deed is recorded16. If the sale brings in more than is owed, a former owner can file a claim for the extra money, called surplus, within 120 days of the notice19.
To see if your parcel is listed, use "Search Tax Deed Sales" on the Official Records page or call 407-836-51165,15.
Which Orange County office should I call?
Call the Comptroller about recorded documents, the alert, tax deed sales and value appeals. Other offices handle tax bills, home values, crime reports and court cases.
| What you need | Office | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| See or copy a recorded deed | Comptroller, Official Records, 109 E. Church St., Suite 300 | 407-836-5115 |
| Join, change or cancel the fraud alert | Property Fraud Alert line | 800-728-3858 |
| Ask about a tax deed sale | Comptroller, tax deed section | 407-836-5116 |
| Appeal your property's value | Value Adjustment Board clerk, in the Comptroller's office | 407-836-5447 |
| Pay or ask about a tax bill | Tax Collector | 407-434-0312 |
| Homestead exemption or a new mailing address | Property Appraiser | 407-836-5044 |
| Report a fake deed | Orange County Sheriff's Office | 407-836-4357 |
| File a court case about a fake deed | Clerk of Courts, 425 N. Orange Ave. | 407-836-2000 |
| Anything else for the Comptroller | Comptroller, main line | 407-836-5690 |
Sources: Comptroller2,5,10,15,20, Tax Collector18, Property Appraiser21, Clerk of Courts22.
What if a deed I never signed is recorded?
Report it, warn the other county offices, then ask a court to clear your title. The Comptroller can't take legal action for you10.
- Call the Sheriff's Office at 407-836-4357, or your city police.
- Tell the Property Appraiser, the Tax Collector and the Clerk of Courts.
- See an attorney about filing for quiet title, the lawsuit that has a judge declare who owns the property.
A 2023 Florida law puts these cases on a fast track. The court must move them up its calendar and give your title back once it finds the deed was fraudulent23. The Clerk of Courts posts fill-in forms for a forged deed and for a "wild deed," one signed by someone who didn't own the property24.
You'll need the fake deed, your own deed and older deeds covering at least seven years25.
Filing the Clerk's forged deed form costs $400 to $1,905
Circuit court filing fee by the value of the claim. Each summons adds $10.
Show the numbers
| Up to $50K | $400 |
|---|---|
| $50K to $250K | $905 |
| $250K or more | $1,905 |
Source: Orange County Clerk of Courts, instructions for the forged deed quiet title complaint, revised July 25, 202325. A process server's fee is extra.
The Clerk says these cases are "best handled by an attorney"25. For free help, try the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association at 407-841-8310, which takes housing and consumer cases26. The court steps are in our quiet title guide.
Questions about the Orange County Comptroller
What is a comptroller in Florida?
A county comptroller is the county's chief financial officer and auditor. Orange County's also records deeds, a job Florida law usually gives the court clerk.
How can I access my Orange County, Florida comptroller records?
Use the free Official Records search on occompt.com. Search by name, date or document number, or call 407-836-5115 for help.
How can I pay my property taxes in Orange County, Florida?
Pay the Tax Collector at octaxcol.com, not the Comptroller. Paying in November saves 4%, and the full amount is due by March 31.
Is property fraud alert a free service?
Yes. Orange County's alert is free, and Florida has required every county to offer one since July 1, 2024. Your sign-up details are not public records.
How can I report fraud in Orange County?
Call the Sheriff's Office at 407-836-4357 or your city police about a fake deed. Then tell the Property Appraiser, the Tax Collector and the Clerk of Courts.
What is the Orange County Comptroller's address?
Official Records and tax deed sales are at 109 East Church Street, Suite 300, Orlando. The main office is at 201 South Rosalind Avenue. Mail goes to PO Box 38, Orlando, FL 32802.
Start with the free alert and a look at your deed
Join Property Fraud Alert, then look up your own name in the Official Records. Neither costs anything.
Sign up for the Orange County alertFind the alert for land in another countySources
- Section 28.222, Clerk to be county recorder, 2026 Florida Statutes, Online Sunshine, checked October 25, 2026
- About Us, Orange County Comptroller, checked October 25, 2026
- 'Be aware:' Identity thief uses fraudulent deed to take Orange County man's property, Mike DeForest, WKMG News 6, May 16, 2022
- County Comptroller, Orange County Government newsroom directory, checked October 25, 2026
- Official Records, Orange County Comptroller, checked October 25, 2026
- Protect your wallet: don't pay for this service (consumer alert, PDF), Orange County Comptroller, undated, checked October 25, 2026
- Official Records Document Search and Purchase Guide (PDF), Orange County Comptroller, undated, checked October 25, 2026
- Official Records search disclaimer, Orange County Comptroller, checked October 25, 2026
- Certified Copies and Recording Fees, Orange County Comptroller, checked October 25, 2026
- Property Fraud (with FAQs), Orange County Comptroller, checked October 25, 2026
- Property Fraud Alert, Orange County, Florida and its service FAQ, Fidlar Technologies, checked October 25, 2026
- Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond, CPA Rolls Out Property Fraud Alert Program, Orange County Government, March 19, 2018
- Section 28.47, Recording notification service, 2026 Florida Statutes, The Florida Senate, checked October 25, 2026
- 'You got results:' Thousands sign up for free property fraud alerts after News 6 investigation, Mike DeForest, WKMG News 6, May 23, 2022
- Tax Deed Sales, Orange County Comptroller, checked October 25, 2026
- FAQs: Official Records, Tax Deed Sales, Orange County Comptroller, checked October 25, 2026
- Tax Certificate and Deed Sales, Orange County Tax Collector, checked October 25, 2026
- Property Tax, Orange County Tax Collector, checked October 25, 2026
- Section 197.582, Disbursement of proceeds of sale, 2026 Florida Statutes, The Florida Senate, checked October 25, 2026
- Value Adjustment Board, Orange County Comptroller, checked October 25, 2026
- Contact us, Orange County Property Appraiser, checked October 25, 2026
- Contact Us, Orange County Clerk of Courts, checked October 25, 2026
- Section 65.091, Quieting title; fraudulent conveyances, 2026 Florida Statutes, The Florida Senate, checked October 25, 2026
- Forms (Quiet Title Orange Forged Deed Complaint and Wild Deed Complaint), Orange County Clerk of Courts, checked October 25, 2026
- Instructions for completing complaint to quiet title (forged deed) (PDF), Orange County Clerk of Courts, revised July 25, 2023
- Need Assistance, Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, checked October 25, 2026
