Florida has no statewide registry where you can look up a trust the way you’d search for a corporation, so knowing how to look up a trust in Florida means knowing which county records to check. The main public trail appears only after the person who created the trust dies, when the trustee is required to file a Notice of Trust with the local court. Before that, a trust’s existence usually surfaces only in property records, and only if real estate was moved into it. Getting the actual trust document is a separate matter, and it generally requires that you qualify as a beneficiary under Florida law.
What to Gather Before You Search
Florida trust-related filings happen at the county level, across dozens of independent clerk databases. Without a few key details, you’ll be searching blind.
- The settlor’s full legal name. This is the person who created the trust. Trusts are usually titled in a recognizable format like “The Jane Doe Revocable Trust” or “Doe Family Trust,” so the settlor’s name usually gives you the likely trust name too.
- The date of death, if the settlor has passed away. This narrows your search window and tells you when a Notice of Trust should have been filed.
- The county of residence, or the county where any trust-owned property sits. You need to search the right clerk’s records.
- A property address or legal description, if real estate is involved. That lets you pull the deed history through the county property appraiser or official records.
Search County Records for a Notice of Trust
After a settlor dies, the trustee is legally required to file a Notice of Trust with the court in the county where the settlor lived, and with any court that has jurisdiction over the settlor’s estate.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 736.05055 – Notice of Trust This is the single most reliable public record connecting a deceased person to a trust.
Go to the official records search portal on the relevant county clerk’s website. Most Florida counties offer free online searches. Enter the settlor’s name in the grantor or party name field and filter by document type, looking for entries labeled “Notice of Trust” or simply “Trust.” The clerk indexes the notice alongside other probate-related filings.2Official Internet Site of the Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 736.05055 – Notice of Trust
The Notice of Trust is not the trust itself. It’s a short filing that identifies the trust, names the trustee, and provides enough information for creditors and interested parties to make contact. You won’t find the full terms, asset lists, or beneficiary designations. What you will get is confirmation the trust exists, the name of the person managing it, and a starting point for further inquiry.
Search Property Records for Trust-Owned Real Estate
When real estate is transferred into a trust, the deed is recorded in the county’s official records and the property appraiser’s database updates to reflect the new owner. Property records can confirm a trust exists even while the settlor is still alive.
Start with the county property appraiser’s website for the county where the property sits. Search by the property address. The ownership record will show whether the current owner is listed as a trust, along with the trust name, the trustee’s name, and the date of transfer. Many Florida counties display scanned images of the actual deed at no charge, so you can read the language used.
You can also search the county clerk’s official records directly if you know the settlor’s name but not a specific address. Search the grantor/grantee index for deeds where the settlor transferred property to a trust, or where a trust acquired property. The deed will name the trust and usually identify the trustee. Like the Notice of Trust, it won’t reveal the internal terms or beneficiary designations.
Search Probate Court Records for a Testamentary Trust
Not every trust is a standalone document. A testamentary trust is created inside a will and only takes effect after the person dies and the will goes through probate. Because the will becomes public once it is admitted to probate, the trust terms become public too.
Go to the Clerk of Court’s website for the county where the decedent lived and look for the probate case docket. Search by the decedent’s name. The case file typically includes a Petition for Administration and, eventually, the will itself. Reading the will reveals whether it created a testamentary trust, who the beneficiaries are, and what assets were directed into it.
County clerks charge for copies of probate documents. Standard copies generally run about $1.00 per page, with certified copies costing an additional $2.00 per document for the official seal. Some counties add a small fee for a cover page with a verification code. Check the clerk’s fee schedule before ordering.
Getting the Actual Trust Document
Public records will only take you so far. If you need the full trust instrument or financial details about how the trust is being managed, your rights depend on whether you qualify as a “qualified beneficiary” under Florida law.
Who Qualifies as a Beneficiary
Florida defines a qualified beneficiary as a living person who, on the date their status is determined, either currently receives or could receive distributions of trust income or principal, would receive distributions if the current beneficiaries’ interests ended, or would receive distributions if the trust terminated according to its terms.3Official Internet Site of the Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 736.0103 – Definitions In practical terms, that covers current beneficiaries, the next in line if current interests end, and those who would receive assets if the trust wound down today.
A distant relative with no interest in the trust doesn’t qualify. Neither does a friend of the settlor who believes they should have been included. The trustee has no obligation to share anything with people outside that statutory definition.
What You Can Demand
A trustee must keep qualified beneficiaries reasonably informed about the trust and how it is being run. A qualified beneficiary can request and receive a complete copy of the trust instrument. For irrevocable trusts, the trustee must also provide an annual accounting detailing the trust’s financial activity. On reasonable request, the trustee must share relevant information about the trust’s assets, liabilities, and administration.4Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 736.0813 – Duty to Inform and Account
To exercise these rights, send the trustee a written request for the specific documents you want. You can usually get the trustee’s name and address from the Notice of Trust filed with the county clerk. Be clear and specific: ask for the trust instrument, the most recent accounting, or both. A paper trail establishes the date of your demand, which matters if the trustee delays.
If the Trustee Refuses
A trustee who ignores or refuses a qualified beneficiary’s legitimate request is breaching duties under the Florida Trust Code. The beneficiary can petition the court to compel production of the documents and accountings. Courts have authority to order a trustee to account, and a trustee who still refuses can face real consequences: the court can reduce or eliminate the trustee’s compensation, require the trustee to reimburse the trust for attorney fees spent on the dispute, or remove the trustee.4Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 736.0813 – Duty to Inform and Account
What a Public Search Will and Won’t Show
A public records search in Florida can confirm that a trust exists, identify who serves as trustee, reveal which properties the trust owns, and show when key documents were filed. If a testamentary trust was created through a will that went through probate, you can read the full terms in the court file.
What a public search will not give you is the full text of a standalone revocable or irrevocable trust. The trust instrument, including provisions on distributions, beneficiary designations, and conditions, stays private unless a court orders otherwise or you qualify as a beneficiary with a statutory right to demand a copy. Creditors may gain access through the claims process after the settlor’s death, and parties to litigation involving the trust may obtain the document through discovery, but the casual searcher hits a wall once the Notice of Trust and property records run out.
If you believe you have a legal interest in a trust but aren’t sure whether you qualify as a beneficiary, a Florida trust attorney can review the Notice of Trust and other records you’ve gathered, assess whether you have standing to demand more information, and, if needed, petition the court.