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Florida · Tampa Bay · Gulf Coast · #39 Most Populous County in the US
Pinellas County, Florida
Government offices, property tax appeals, public records, courts, senior services, and local resources for St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Pinellas County residents
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Pinellas County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
What is the Pinellas County property tax appeal deadline?
TRIM Notices are mailed in August and you have exactly 25 days to file a VAB petition — the deadline is printed on your TRIM Notice. File online or in person with the Clerk of the Circuit Court before the deadline. Speak with your area appraiser at 727-464-3207 to discuss the value first, but file the VAB petition simultaneously if the deadline is close — the informal conversation does not pause the clock. Ownwell handles the appeal and only charges if you save.
What makes the VAB process in Pinellas County distinctive?
Pinellas County VAB hearings are conducted by Special Magistrates — independent attorneys not affiliated with the county or the Property Appraiser. They hear evidence from both sides and make recommendations to the VAB. Submit all evidence at least 10 calendar days before your hearing. The VAB issues final decisions within approximately 20 days of the hearing.
How does Save Our Homes benefit long-term Pinellas County homeowners?
Save Our Homes caps annual assessment increases on homesteaded properties at 3 percent or CPI, whichever is lower. Pinellas County's coastal and near-coastal real estate has appreciated significantly over decades, meaning long-term homeowners may have assessed values far below current market value — saving thousands annually compared to a recent buyer of the same property. Portability allows transfer of up to $500,000 of SOH benefit to a new Florida homestead when moving.
Where is Pinellas County Probate Court?
The Probate and Guardianship Division of the Sixth Judicial Circuit is at the Clearwater Courthouse, 315 Court Street, Clearwater. Call the Clerk at 727-464-7000. Summary Administration is available for non-exempt estates of $75,000 or less. Florida has no state estate tax. When a homestead property is inherited by non-spousal heirs, Save Our Homes protection ends and the property is reassessed at current market value.
What senior services does Pinellas County offer?
The Area Agency on Aging Pasco-Pinellas (727-570-9696) serves residents 60 and older with home-delivered meals, transportation, caregiver support, SHINE Medicare counseling, and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The Senior Exemption reduces property taxes for qualifying homeowners 65 or older with income below the threshold — apply by March 1 through the Property Appraiser at 727-464-3207. Pinellas County has one of the most extensive senior service networks in Florida given its exceptional concentration of older residents.
Office: Pinellas County Emergency Management – (727) 464-3800 | pinellascounty.org/emergency
Alert System: Alert Pinellas; Florida FDEM; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Multiple shelter locations; Pinellas County Emergency Management; alertpinellas.org
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: West-central Florida Tampa Bay county (peninsula west of Tampa); Clearwater is county seat; EXTREME hurricane risk – Pinellas County is arguably the most vulnerable major urban county to storm surge in the United States; the county is a peninsula surrounded by Tampa Bay to the east and the Gulf to the west; in a major direct-hit hurricane, storm surge of 15-20+ feet could overwhelm the entire county (the emergency management community has analyzed scenarios where Pinellas County becomes completely inundated under major hurricane conditions); Helene 2024 caused the worst flooding in recorded history for Pinellas County – the “Sunshine Skyway Bridge” flooded; downtown St. Petersburg flooded significantly (the surge from the Gulf pushed water across the low-lying peninsula into Tampa Bay on the east side, effectively flooding the county from both sides simultaneously); the 2024 flooding changed how emergency managers view Pinellas County’s vulnerability; the county has been extraordinarily fortunate to have avoided major direct hits since the 1921 Tampa Bay Hurricane; Idalia 2023; flooding (Tampa Bay; Boca Ciega Bay; Long Bayou; Clearwater Harbor); massive storm surge risk; over 970,000 residents on a peninsula
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Pinellas County Engineering – (727) 464-8900
Transit: Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) – (727) 540-1900 | psta.net (bus network; SunBus to Tampa; connects to HART at the Howard Frankland Bridge; significant transit improvement programs underway – Pinellas has voted to expand transit); Jolley Trolley (Clearwater Beach tourist trolley – free); trolley (St. Pete); Brightline not yet connected; Amtrak accessible via Tampa
Airport: St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE – Allegiant hub; limited commercial carriers but very busy for the population served); Tampa International Airport (across the bay via the Gandy Bridge or Howard Frankland Bridge – primary airport for most Pinellas residents)
Notes: The bridges across Tampa Bay (Howard Frankland Bridge on I-275; Gandy Bridge/US-92; Courtney Campbell Causeway; and the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge on I-275 south) are Pinellas County’s critical connections to the mainland; in hurricane evacuation, these bridges become the life-saving escape route for nearly a million people; I-275 (the Skyway to I-275 – the primary north-south route; the 21-mile Sunshine Skyway Bridge (one of the world’s largest cable-stayed bridges) connects St. Petersburg to Manatee County; the original bridge had the catastrophic Skyway Bridge collapse in 1980 when a cargo ship struck the bridge during a storm, killing 35 people including a Greyhound bus; the current bridge (1987) was built specifically to prevent such incidents with larger protective dolphins); the Bay bridges are the critical bottleneck for hurricane evacuation; downtown St. Petersburg and the beach communities (Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach) require bridge evacuation; the entire county evacuates over about 4 major bridges
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Pinellas County Building Department – (727) 464-3888 | pinellascounty.org
Services: County permits; St. Petersburg (separate – one of the most active building markets in Florida; downtown St. Pete development is extraordinary), Clearwater (separate – very active beach development), Largo (separate – active), Dunedin, Tarpon Springs (separate – distinctive Greek community), Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, Belleair, Belleair Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Redington Beach, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, St. Pete Beach, Gulfport, Kenneth City, Lealman (unincorporated), Pinellas Park, Seminole, and many others
Notes: Pinellas County is one of Florida’s most intensively developed counties – it is one of the most densely populated counties in Florida; development activity is high throughout, with downtown St. Petersburg being one of the most active urban development markets in the Southeast; the beach communities have continuous condo and resort development; post-Helene 2024 rebuilding will be significant; Dunedin and Safety Harbor attract artsy residential development; the county is highly urbanized with very limited undeveloped land
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Pinellas County Veterans Services – (727) 582-7706 | pinellascounty.org/veterans
VA Medical: Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (St. Petersburg – (727) 398-6661; one of the Southeast’s most significant VA hospitals; excellent programs; affiliated with University of South Florida health programs; major research programs in mental health, prosthetics, and spinal cord injury)
Services: Full range; Bay Pines VAMC is excellent and well-established; the largest VA campus in the Tampa Bay area; large veteran community in Pinellas County; St. Petersburg’s military history (MacDill AFB accessible; historic military installations)
Notes: Bay Pines VAMC (located at the site of the former Bay Pines VA campus in St. Petersburg) is one of the Southeast’s finest VA hospitals; it serves a very large veteran population throughout the Tampa Bay region and western Florida; prosthetics and rehabilitation programs are nationally recognized; mental health programs (including PTSD; substance use) are significant; Pinellas County’s veteran population is large and diverse
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Pinellas Public Library Cooperative (PPLC) – (727) 441-8408 | pinellaslibraries.org; one of the most cooperative and innovative library systems in Florida; 24 libraries (multiple member library systems sharing resources)
Notable members: St. Petersburg Public Library System (5 branches; Main Library is outstanding); Clearwater Public Library System; Largo Public Library; Dunedin Public Library (one of the finest small-city libraries in Florida; the Dunedin branch has won national awards)
Services: Books, e-books, public computers, Wi-Fi, genealogy (excellent Tampa Bay and Florida collections), maker spaces, children’s programs; multilingual (Russian – significant Russian-speaking community in St. Petersburg; Spanish); St. Petersburg Black heritage collections (the African American community on 22nd Street South was the center of Black life in Jim Crow-era St. Petersburg)
Notes: The PPLC cooperative model (multiple library systems sharing resources, a unified catalog, and reciprocal borrowing) is nationally recognized; the Dunedin Public Library is genuinely exceptional for its size – it consistently wins awards for its programming and community engagement; the St. Petersburg Main Library is an excellent downtown anchor; the Russian-speaking community in St. Petersburg (one of the larger Russian and former-Soviet immigrant communities in Florida) drives multilingual Russian library services
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
County Parks: Pinellas County Parks – (727) 582-2100; Honeymoon Island State Park (Dunedin – one of the finest state parks in the Tampa Bay area; beautiful Gulf beach; sea turtle nesting; osprey nesting; ferry to Caladesi Island; excellent birding; the park consistently makes lists of the finest Gulf beaches); Fort De Soto Park (Tierra Verde – consistently voted one of the finest beaches in the US; multiple beaches on a chain of islands in Tampa Bay; a Civil War fort; kayaking; birding; camping; sea turtle nesting; one of the finest county parks in Florida); Caladesi Island State Park (accessible only by ferry from Honeymoon Island or by private boat; one of the finest undeveloped Gulf barrier islands in Florida; pristine beach; awarded “best beach in the US” by Dr. Beach; extraordinarily beautiful)
City/Regional: Downtown St. Petersburg (one of the most exciting urban transformations in recent years; the waterfront has been revitalized; The Dali Museum (the largest collection of Salvador Dali’s works outside Europe; the building’s extraordinary biomorphic design by HOK architects inspired by Dali’s surrealist aesthetic is a piece of architecture that itself deserves a visit; the collection includes masterworks like The Hallucinogenic Toreador and The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus; genuinely world-class); St. Pete Museum of Fine Arts (excellent collection of American and European art; notable antiquities collection); Mahaffey Theater; BayCare Ballpark (Philadelphia Phillies spring training – one of the finest spring training facilities in Florida); Al Lang Stadium (Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer); The Pier District (the new St. Pete Pier (opened 2020) – a transformative waterfront development replacing the old Pier; food hall; the Minnow (children’s museum); extraordinary Tampa Bay views; the Pier is one of the finest public waterfront spaces in Florida)); Clearwater Beach (consistently voted one of the best beaches in the US; the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (the home of Winter the dolphin (the star of Dolphin Tale; Winter had a prosthetic tail after losing her own in a crab trap; her story and recovery became a children’s film and cultural phenomenon; Winter died in 2021; Hope, another dolphin, now lives at CMA))); The Dali Museum; Tarpon Springs (Greek sponge diving community – the most authentically ethnic small city in Florida; the Epiphany Cross Dive (January 6 – Greek Orthodox celebration in which a priest throws a cross into Spring Bayou and boys compete to retrieve it; the winner is blessed for a year; one of the most authentic and moving ethnic traditions in Florida)); Dunedin (the most charming small city in Pinellas County; Scottish heritage (the city was settled by Scottish immigrants; the Dunedin Highland Games and the Dunedin Brewery (one of Florida’s oldest craft breweries)); the Blue Jays spring training at TD Ballpark; the Pinellas Trail (the most heavily used rail-trail in Florida – the trail runs 45+ miles from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs through virtually every Pinellas County community)); Gulfport (a bohemian arts community on Boca Ciega Bay; weekly art market; galleries; the Gulfport Casino Ballroom; small-town character remarkably preserved adjacent to St. Petersburg)
Notes: St. Petersburg’s transformation into one of the South’s most dynamic cultural cities (the Dali Museum; the Museum of Fine Arts; the thriving Central Avenue arts district; the Channelside arts district; the craft beer scene; the restaurant scene; the pier district) is one of the most remarkable urban transformations in Florida over the past 20 years; The Dali Museum (the largest Dali collection outside Europe) is a world-class institution – the building’s extraordinary exterior (with its 1,062 individually placed triangular glass panels forming the “geodesic glass igloo” – the Enigma) is itself a masterwork; Fort De Soto Park and Caladesi Island are among the finest beach experiences in the US; the Pinellas Trail (converting an abandoned railroad into a trail that runs the length of the county) is a model for linear greenway development; Tarpon Springs’ Greek community (the Epiphany celebration; the sponge docks; the Hellas bakery; the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral) is one of the most authentic ethnic communities in Florida
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Pinellas County GIS – pinellascounty.org/gis (excellent GIS portal); Tampa Bay storm surge mapping (one of the most sophisticated in the US – published storm surge inundation maps for all hurricane categories; used for evacuation zone management); Sunshine Skyway Bridge maps; Tampa Bay water quality monitoring GIS; beach erosion tracking
Notes: Pinellas County’s storm surge vulnerability mapping is among the most sophisticated in the US; the county’s emergency management GIS (tracking hurricane evacuation zones by parcel; population estimates per zone; bridge capacity for evacuation) is critical infrastructure; Tampa Bay water quality monitoring; beach erosion tracking; the Pinellas Trail GIS; the St. Pete Pier development GIS
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Pinellas County Animal Services – (727) 582-2600; SPCA Tampa Bay
Services: Stray intake (large volume), adoptions, owner surrenders, spay/neuter; wildlife management (manatees in Tampa Bay and the Intracoastal; sea turtles on Gulf beaches; alligators in inland waterways; osprey nesting throughout; bald eagles; gopher tortoises; Clearwater Marine Aquarium (dolphin rescue and rehabilitation; sea turtle rescue))
Notable: Clearwater Marine Aquarium is both an animal services partner and one of the county’s most significant attractions; Winter the dolphin’s prosthetic tail program is a remarkable intersection of animal medicine and inspiration; the sea turtle rescue programs treat injured turtles and release them
Notes: Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s sea turtle rehabilitation program (treating hundreds of sea turtles annually from boat strikes, cold stunning, and entanglement) is significant for Gulf sea turtle conservation; manatee management throughout the Tampa Bay Intracoastal (boat speed zones; cold weather congregation sites); osprey nesting is ubiquitous throughout Pinellas County on utility poles, channel markers, and marina structures
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Pinellas County Solid Waste – (727) 464-7500; Bridgeway Acres Landfill; Pinellas County Waste-to-Energy Facility (one of the oldest waste-to-energy plants in the US; converting municipal solid waste to electricity since 1983; the Pinellas RESCO plant)
Recycling: Active programs; single-stream curbside recycling; HHW events; the county’s high population density makes recycling efficiency good; the landfill is a Class I facility
Environmental: Florida DEP; Southwest Florida Water Management District; Tampa Bay Estuary Program (see Hillsborough County); NOAA (Tampa Bay; Gulf Coast fisheries); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (coastal monitoring)
Key Issues: Hurricane evacuation vulnerability (the 2024 Helene flooding was a wake-up call – water entered downtown St. Petersburg from Tampa Bay pushed by the storm’s surge even though the storm made landfall far to the north; the county’s concern about a direct-hit major hurricane is well-founded; emergency managers have detailed plans for evacuating nearly a million people over 4 bridges, but the logistics are daunting; the “shadow evacuation” (people who voluntarily evacuate from non-mandatory zones) can severely congest the evacuation routes, leaving mandatory evacuees unable to escape; education about which zones require evacuation is a priority); Tampa Bay water quality (Tampa Bay’s restoration (see Hillsborough County) is a success story shared by Pinellas County – the Pinellas County wastewater treatment plants’ nitrogen reductions were central to the restoration; continued vigilance is needed; Pinellas County’s stormwater contributes to the bay through dozens of outfalls; stormwater management upgrades are continuous); beach erosion (Pinellas County’s Gulf beaches experience significant erosion – beach nourishment programs (trucking sand from offshore sources to rebuild eroding beaches) are expensive and frequent; Fort De Soto, Treasure Island, and other beaches require periodic nourishment; sea level rise is accelerating the problem; the Army Corps of Engineers and FDEP coordinate beach nourishment)
Notes: Pinellas County’s extraordinary combination of assets (St. Pete’s cultural renaissance; Clearwater Beach’s consistently top-rated beaches; Fort De Soto Park; the Dali Museum; the Greek heritage of Tarpon Springs; the Pinellas Trail; the Dunedin Highland Games; the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Winter the dolphin’s legacy; Bay Pines VAMC; Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital) alongside its extraordinary vulnerability (the most storm-surge-exposed urban county in the US; the Sunshine Skyway bridge/1980 collapse history; the Helene 2024 flooding demonstrating that even non-direct hits can be catastrophic; the evacuation logistics of nearly a million people on a peninsula) make it one of the most fascinating and challenged counties in Florida; the Dali Museum’s building (the Enigma – with its 1,062 triangular glass panels forming a biomorphic shape) is one of the most architecturally distinctive new museum buildings in the US and perfectly embodies Dali’s spirit of surrealism; Fort De Soto Park and Caladesi Island represent some of the finest remaining natural Gulf landscapes in the Tampa Bay area
About Pinellas County
Pinellas County is the thirty-ninth most populous county in the United States and the most densely populated county in Florida – a narrow peninsula 24 miles wide bordered by Tampa Bay to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west, with no room left to expand. Home to approximately one million residents across 24 municipalities including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Dunedin, Pinellas Park, Safety Harbor, Tarpon Springs, and Treasure Island, Pinellas County is one of the premier retirement destinations in the United States. The county has among the highest concentrations of residents 65 and older of any major county in the country, and its coastal communities, mild climate, and high-quality senior services infrastructure reflect that reality. County government is structured around a seven-member Board of County Commissioners, with independently elected offices including the Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Sheriff, Supervisor of Elections, and State Attorney.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Pinellas County property taxes follow Florida’s statewide framework, with the Property Appraiser assessing all properties at just (market) value as of January 1 each year. The effective property tax rate is approximately 1.0 percent of assessed value – above the Florida average of 0.80 percent, reflecting Pinellas County’s relatively high millage rates across multiple taxing authorities including the County Commission, various municipalities, the School Board, and special districts.
TRIM Notices are mailed in August each year. Property owners have exactly 25 days from the mailing date to file a VAB petition – the deadline is printed on the front of the notice. Before filing a VAB petition, call the Property Appraiser at 727-464-3207 to speak with your area appraiser about the value. The Property Appraiser’s contact information is also printed on the TRIM Notice. If the informal discussion does not resolve the concern, file a VAB petition online or in person with the Clerk of the Circuit Court before the 25-day deadline. The informal conversation with the Property Appraiser does not pause the deadline – file the petition to preserve your rights while resolving the concern informally.
VAB hearings in Pinellas County are conducted by Special Magistrates – independent attorneys not affiliated with the county or Property Appraiser – who hear evidence from both sides and make recommendations to the VAB. The VAB typically issues final decisions within 20 days of the hearing. Evidence must be submitted at least 10 calendar days before the scheduled hearing.
Florida’s homestead exemption removes up to $50,000 from taxable value for primary residences – apply by March 1. Save Our Homes caps annual assessment increases on homesteaded properties at 3 percent or CPI, whichever is lower. Portability allows transfer of up to $500,000 of accumulated SOH benefit to a new Florida homestead. Property tax bills are mailed November 1 and due by March 31. Early payment discounts: 4 percent November, 3 percent December, 2 percent January, 1 percent February. Taxes delinquent April 1.
OWNWELL CTA: Are you overpaying Pinellas County property tax? The VAB window is just 25 days from the August TRIM mailing. Ownwell analyzes your assessment and handles the petition. You only pay if you save.
LINK CLUSTER: How to appeal your Pinellas County assessment, TRIM Notice explained, VAB petition filing, Save Our Homes cap, Homestead exemption application, Portability application, Senior exemption Pinellas, Pay Pinellas County property taxes, Property Appraiser parcel search pcpao.gov
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Are you overpaying Pinellas County property tax? The VAB window is just 25 days from the August TRIM mailing. Ownwell analyzes your assessment and handles the petition. You only pay if you save.
Public Records
Florida’s Public Records Law gives residents broad access to government records. The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller at 315 Court Street, Clearwater, maintains all court records, recorded property documents – deeds, mortgages, and liens – and administers the VAB process. Court records are accessible through the Clerk’s online portal at mypinellasclerk.gov. Arrest records are maintained by the Pinellas County Sheriff and by municipal police departments for arrests within their jurisdictions. The Property Appraiser’s database at pcpao.gov allows free public search of any parcel’s assessed value, exemption status, sales history, and property characteristics.
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Search Pinellas County arrest and court records. TruthFinder aggregates publicly available arrest records, court filings, and background information for Pinellas County residents.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
Pinellas County is part of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which serves both Pinellas and Pasco counties. The primary courthouse for Pinellas County is the Clearwater Courthouse at 315 Court Street, handling circuit-level matters including felony criminal, major civil, family law, probate, guardianship, and mental health. The St. Petersburg Judicial Building serves the southern portion of the county for county-level matters. The Sixth Judicial Circuit’s Probate and Guardianship Division handles all matters relating to probate of estates, trusts, guardianships, and mental health proceedings including Florida’s Baker Act (involuntary mental health commitment) and Marchman Act (involuntary substance abuse treatment).
Courts Directory
Court
Type
Phone
Address
Clearwater Courthouse
Circuit Court — civil, criminal, probate, family
727-464-3000
315 Court St, Clearwater
St. Petersburg Judicial Building
County Court — misdemeanor, civil, traffic
727-582-7676
545 1st Ave N, St. Petersburg
Clerk of Circuit Court (Ken Burke)
Court records, VAB, official records
727-464-7000
315 Court St, Clearwater
Pinellas County Sheriff
Law enforcement, jail
727-582-6200
10750 Ulmerton Rd, Largo
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Senior Services
Senior services in Pinellas County are coordinated through the Pinellas County Human Services Department and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, which serves residents 60 and older with home-delivered meals, transportation, caregiver support, in-home care coordination, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, and SHINE Medicare counseling. Call the Senior Information and Assistance line at 727-570-9696. The county operates an extensive network of senior centers throughout its 24 municipalities.
Pinellas County’s retirement-destination profile is unmatched among the counties in this guide. The county consistently ranks among the top counties in the nation for residents 65 and older as a percentage of total population. Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach, Indian Shores, and the barrier island communities have particularly concentrated senior populations. The county’s extensive senior care infrastructure – skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, adult day care, and continuing care retirement communities – reflects decades of serving this demographic.
Save Our Homes is particularly valuable for Pinellas County’s long-term senior homeowners. Many residents have owned coastal and near-coastal homes for 20 or more years and have accumulated large SOH protection – assessed values far below current market values, saving thousands annually compared to recent buyers of comparable properties.
Florida Medicaid funds long-term care for eligible seniors. SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) provides free one-on-one Medicare counseling countywide through the Area Agency on Aging. The Pinellas County Senior Exemption reduces the assessed value for qualifying homeowners 65 or older with household income below the annually adjusted threshold – apply by March 1 through the Property Appraiser at 727-464-3207.
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Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF COURTS (Records, Marriage Licenses)
315 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 464-7000
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above); holds marriage, divorce, probate, court, and land records from 1912.
Pinellas County Recorder of Deeds – Clearwater Branch, 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL, and a second office at 545 1st Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL.
Local societies
Pinellas Genealogy Society, Inc. – a member society of the Florida State Genealogical Society.
Silverthorn Genealogy Club – a member society of the Florida State Genealogical Society, serving a Pinellas County community.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Probate Division Pinellas County Courthouse, 315 Court Street, Room 300, Clearwater, FL 33756 (727) 464-3321
Pinellas County sits in Florida’s 6th Judicial Circuit (shared with Pasco County). The Clerk’s office also handles marriage licenses and ceremonies, passport applications, domestic violence injunctions, child support processing, and mortgage foreclosure sales.
IMPORTANT – a major statewide law change just took effect: Florida’s summary administration threshold DOUBLED from $75,000 to $150,000 effective July 1, 2026, under CS/HB 1337 (Chapter 2026-57, Laws of Florida). Confirm which threshold applies based on date of death when helping someone (see
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
10750 Ulmerton Rd., Largo, FL 33778
(727) 582-6200
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
13001 Starkey Rd., Largo, FL 33773
(727) 464-6108
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
FL Dept of Health — Pinellas
205 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 824-6900
FL DCF — Pinellas
(727) 552-1000
FL Medicaid
(800) 299-4833
BayCare Health System
baycare.org (major health system — Morton Plant, St. Anthony's, Mease)
Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
hopkinsallchildrens.org (St. Petersburg — premier pediatric hospital)
Bayfront Health St. Petersburg
bayfronthealth.com
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Florida DOH in Pinellas County – (727) 824-6900 | pinellas.floridahealth.gov
Services: Comprehensive county health department; immunizations; WIC; STI/HIV testing; behavioral health; environmental health; restaurant inspections; Tampa Bay water quality monitoring; toxic algal bloom monitoring; beach water quality
Hospital: Bayfront Health St. Petersburg (Level II trauma – (727) 823-1234); AdventHealth North Pinellas; BayCare Health (multiple Pinellas County hospitals including Morton Plant Hospital (Clearwater) and St. Anthony’s Hospital (St. Petersburg)); Mease Countryside Hospital; Palms of Pasadena Hospital; Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital (St. Petersburg – one of the finest children’s hospitals in the Southeast; nationally ranked; the only Johns Hopkins-affiliated children’s hospital in the Southeast)
Notes: Pinellas County has excellent hospital infrastructure; Bayfront Health is the Level II trauma center; Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital is a national treasure for pediatric care (ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the US in multiple specialties; its connection to Johns Hopkins Medicine brings world-class pediatric programs to the Southeast); BayCare Health System has extensive Pinellas County presence; behavioral health demand is significant; post-Helene flooding trauma is significant
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