On the Treasure Coast, each county has its own clerk for recording deeds and filing evictions: Fort Pierce for St. Lucie, Stuart for Martin and Vero Beach for Indian River. Each also has its own property appraiser for homestead, due by March 1. Deed stamps are 70 cents per $100. We meet Port St. Lucie, Stuart and Vero Beach clients in Indian Harbour Beach or by video.
Port St. Lucie has grown quickly, Stuart has a long established waterfront market, and Vero Beach mixes older beachside homes with new communities to the west. Buyers often look in all three counties before choosing, and investors may own rentals in more than one. The legal steps are the same under Florida law, but the offices are not. Each county has its own clerk, its own property appraiser and its own county court, and their requirements differ in ways that matter at closing and afterward.
Communities we serve on the Treasure Coast
- Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce (St. Lucie County)
- Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach and Hobe Sound (Martin County)
- Vero Beach and Sebastian (Indian River County)
Three counties, three sets of offices
| County | Clerk and courthouse | Homestead filed with |
|---|---|---|
| St. Lucie | Clerk of the Circuit Court, courthouse at 218 S. 2nd St., Fort Pierce | St. Lucie County Property Appraiser |
| Martin | Clerk of the Circuit Court, courthouse at 100 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart | Martin County Property Appraiser |
| Indian River | Clerk of the Circuit Court, courthouse at 2000 16th Ave., Vero Beach | Indian River County Property Appraiser |
A deed is recorded in the county where the land sits, and an eviction is filed in the county court of the county where the rental sits. A buyer who lives in Port St. Lucie but buys a rental in Stuart deals with the Martin County offices for that property.
Recording deeds and stamp tax
The St. Lucie and Martin clerks both list recording at $10 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page, and the Indian River Clerk publishes its own fee schedule. Documentary stamp tax on a deed is 70 cents per $100 of consideration in all three counties, paid to the clerk at recording; on a $380,000 Port St. Lucie home that is $2,660. Martin's Clerk adds two reminders that apply everywhere: a deed needs two witnesses, and each grantee's name and mailing address must be legibly printed on the document. Our real estate closing page covers title, the deed and recording in order.
Property fraud alerts in each county
All three clerks offer a free alert when a document is recorded under your name:
- St. Lucie. The Clerk's service sends email or text notices within 24 hours of a recording against your name. The Clerk warns that a fraudulent recording can change the owner listed with the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector, so tax notices may go elsewhere.
- Martin. Subscribers receive an email "Fraud Alert" any time a document is recorded using a name on their list.
- Indian River. Sign up through the Clerk's Online Services for the Property Fraud Alert.
If you own property in two of the counties, register in both. If a forged deed is already on record, our real estate litigation page explains how a quiet title action clears it.
Homestead and trusts: the counties differ
Homestead is due by March 1 in every county under section 196.011, but the three property appraisers do not treat trust owned homes the same way:
- Martin County requires a Certificate of Trust completed by your attorney, one for each trust that holds title, and its online application cannot be used when the property is held in a trust.
- St. Lucie County treats a change in title, such as conveying the home into a trust, as requiring a new application, and asks for a copy of the entire trust.
- Indian River County accepts applications online or at its Vero Beach and Sebastian offices and requires Florida residency on January 1.
If you are moving between Florida homes, section 193.155(8) generally lets up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes benefit move with you if you had a homestead exemption on January 1 of any of the three preceding years. The St. Lucie Property Appraiser advises filing for portability at the same time as the new homestead application.
Condominiums along the coast
Condominium buildings line much of the Treasure Coast shoreline, from Hutchinson Island to Vero Beach. Section 553.899 requires milestone inspections for condominium and cooperative buildings of three or more stories by December 31 of the year they turn 30, then every 10 years, and the local building official may use 25 years where conditions such as salt water warrant. The association must send owners the inspector's summary within 45 days of receiving the report. Buyers should ask for that summary, along with the association's budget, before the review period ends.
Evictions in Treasure Coast county courts
Evictions are filed in county court through the clerk of the county where the rental is located. The St. Lucie Clerk lists a $185 filing fee for an eviction without a damages claim, with higher fees when damages are claimed. The process is the same in all three counties:
- Serve the correct notice. A three day notice for unpaid rent excludes Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays (section 83.56(3)).
- File the complaint for possession with the notice and lease in the correct county.
- Have the tenant served, then track the five day response period and any rent deposited into the court registry.
- After judgment, obtain the writ of possession for the sheriff.
Section 83.425 preempts local regulation of residential tenancies, so chapter 83 sets the rules for Port St. Lucie, Stuart and Vero Beach rentals alike. Our Florida eviction and landlord and tenant pages explain each step.
Commercial property and investors
The Treasure Coast's growth has brought new retail, medical and industrial space, much of it leased on detailed commercial forms. We review leases, purchase contracts and due diligence for owners and tenants. The Department of Revenue states that state sales tax no longer applies to commercial rent for rental periods beginning on or after October 1, 2025. Our commercial real estate page covers leasing and land use.
How we work with Treasure Coast clients
Treasure Coast clients can meet with an attorney at our Indian Harbour Beach office in Brevard County, about 40 minutes north of Vero Beach, or by phone or video, and real estate matters can be handled remotely. Your first consultation is free, and because the firm limits its caseload, you work directly with an attorney. For property that is part of a family plan, see our Treasure Coast estate planning and Treasure Coast probate pages, and for property just north of the county line, our Melbourne real estate page. Contact us to start.
More help in Treasure Coast
We also help Treasure Coast clients with:
