Find Gainesville Residents Directory
The Gainesville residents directory is built from public records held by the City of Gainesville and the Alachua County Clerk of Courts. Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County with a population near 143,000. It is the largest city in north central Florida and home to the University of Florida. You can search for Gainesville residents through voter rolls, property records, court filings, and state license databases. The city promotes transparency and makes many records available on its website. County records are handled by the Alachua County Clerk. This page covers the main ways to look up records on Gainesville residents.
Gainesville Quick Facts
Gainesville City Clerk Records
The City of Gainesville has a city clerk's office that is the custodian of public records for all city departments. The office is at 200 East University Avenue on the first floor in Gainesville, FL 32601. You can call at 352-334-5015 or send an email to clerks@gainesvillefl.gov. The city says it promotes transparency and makes many records available on its site. You can search for and download meeting agendas, minutes, ordinances, and resolutions without making a formal request.
The Gainesville public records request page is where you can submit a new request or check the public records archive.
It is a good idea to check the archive first since the records you need may already be posted.
You can also submit requests to any city department by email, phone, mail, or in person. The clerk's office will direct you if you are not sure which department has what you need. Under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, the city can charge up to 15 cents per page for copies. If a request takes more than 30 minutes of staff time, a labor fee may apply. The rate is based on the hourly pay of the lowest paid worker who can handle the task. Gainesville follows these rules for all records requests.
Note: Under Florida law, email addresses sent to city offices are public records. Contact the office by phone or letter if you do not want your email released.
Search Gainesville Residents Records
Voter rolls are a strong tool for the Gainesville residents directory. Florida law makes voter data a public record. The file has each voter's name, home address, date of birth, and party. Social Security numbers and license numbers are not included. You can get Gainesville voter data from the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections or the state Division of Elections. The data gets updated as people register, move, or change their info. For a city with a large student population, voter rolls shift a lot as people come and go.
The Florida Division of Elections voter page covers what voter info is public and how to request it.
Voter data is one of the most direct ways to find a current address for a Gainesville resident.
Property records also help. The Alachua County Property Appraiser lets you search by name, address, or parcel number. Results show the owner's name, mailing address, assessed value, and exemptions. A Homestead exemption on a Gainesville property means it is likely the owner's main home. The search is free and open to all. No account is needed. Court records add to the picture. The Alachua County Clerk of Courts has online tools for searching civil, criminal, family, and probate cases in the 8th Judicial Circuit.
Alachua County Court Records
The Alachua County Clerk of Courts manages all court filings for the 8th Judicial Circuit, which covers Gainesville. You can search by party name or case number for civil, criminal, family, and probate matters. The clerk's online system is free to use. Basic case info like parties, filing dates, and case type is available to the public. Some documents may not be viewable online due to privacy rules under Florida law, but the case index is open.
The Florida CCIS system pulls court data from all 67 counties in the state.
Use CCIS to check if a Gainesville resident has court cases in other parts of Florida.
For official records like deeds, mortgages, and liens, the Alachua County Clerk has a separate search tool. These records can show where a Gainesville resident owns property and what liens or mortgages are tied to it. Marriage records are also on file with the clerk. Since Gainesville is the county seat, you can visit the courthouse in person to search records or get certified copies.
Gainesville Police Records
The Gainesville Police Department has a records division at 545 NW 8th Ave in Gainesville, FL 32601. You can call 352-393-7565 to request accident reports, arrest records, and other police documents. Having a case number ready will speed things up. Under Florida law, most police records are public once the investigation is no longer active. Crash reports, arrest reports, and incident reports are all available.
Fees for police records follow Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. Copy charges apply, and labor fees may kick in for large requests. The police records division can tell you what the cost will be before they start the work. Some records are exempt from public view, including active investigation files and certain victim info. For routine requests, the department can usually turn records around within a few business days.
Note: For vital records like birth or marriage certificates, you need to go through the Alachua County Clerk of Court or the Florida Department of Health, not the city or police department.
Gainesville License Lookup
The Florida DBPR license search covers all licensed professionals in Gainesville and the rest of the state. You can search by name, license number, or city. Results show license type, status, address of record, and any complaints or actions. The DBPR database has over one million records and covers fields like real estate, construction, cosmetology, and food service.
Always check that the license says Active before hiring a contractor or service provider in Gainesville.
If a Gainesville resident holds a professional license, that data is part of the public record. You can see when the license was issued, when it expires, and if there are any disciplinary actions. The search is free, and no login is needed.
Gainesville Safety Records
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement keeps a public database of registered sexual offenders and predators. You can search by name, address, or zip code to check if anyone near a Gainesville address is on the list. Results show photos, descriptions, offenses, and current addresses. A neighborhood search tool lets you view all registered offenders within a set range of any Gainesville address.
You can sign up for email alerts when someone on the registry moves into your area of Gainesville. The database gets updated daily as offenders check in with local law enforcement. It is a crime under Florida law to use this data to harass or threaten any person on the list. The tool is free and open to everyone.
Gainesville Records and Florida Law
Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes gives everyone the right to inspect and copy public records in Gainesville. The law covers the city, Alachua County offices, and all state agencies. Section 119.07(1) says any person can ask for records without giving a name or a reason. The Gainesville residents directory uses records that fall under this law. Voter data, property records, court files, and city documents are all open under the Sunshine Law.
Some records are exempt from public view. Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and Florida ID numbers are kept out of public files. Home addresses of law enforcement can be withheld. Active criminal investigation files may stay sealed. But the great majority of records in Gainesville are open. If a Gainesville office refuses to release records that should be public, you can file a complaint under Chapter 119. The courts in Florida have made clear that agencies must handle these requests in good faith.
Gainesville Records Contact Info
For help with a records search in Gainesville, the city clerk's office is the best place to start. For county records like deeds, court cases, or marriage filings, contact the Alachua County Clerk of Courts.
| Office | City of Gainesville City Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 E University Ave, 1st Floor, Gainesville, FL 32601 |
| Phone | 352-334-5015 |
| clerks@gainesvillefl.gov |
For police records, call the Gainesville Police Department at 352-393-7565. For property records, use the Alachua County Property Appraiser website. The city clerk's office on the first floor of City Hall can also point you to the right county or state office if what you need is not held by the city.
Alachua County Residents Directory
Gainesville is in Alachua County, home to about 280,000 people in north central Florida. The county clerk, property appraiser, and supervisor of elections all keep records covering Gainesville residents. For county-level search tools and full contact info, visit the Alachua County Clerk of Courts website.
Visit Alachua County Clerk of Courts
Nearby Cities
Ocala is the nearest large city to Gainesville, but it does not currently have a residents directory page on this site. For residents directory searches in north central Florida, use the statewide tools listed above or visit the Alachua County Clerk for county-level records.