Members of the public are entitled to be treated with respect, courtesy, and professionalism when interacting with the Department of Revenue.
Public records requests do not have to be made in writing, unless a specific statute requires otherwise. In that case, the statute imposing such a requirement shall be cited.
All public records requests shall be acknowledged promptly and in good faith as required by Section 119.07(1)(b), Florida Statutes.
Fees for production of public record documents shall not exceed the statutorily authorized fees and the statutory authority for such fee shall be cited.
The public has the right to receive an itemized invoice of proposed fees or fees charged.
The right to access public records and meetings is secured under Sections 119.07(1) and 286.011, Florida Statutes and Article 1, Section 24, Florida Constitution.
How to Request Public Records
In an effort to assist you, the Department of Revenue has provided a few easy steps for you to consider when making your request.
1. Determine if what you are looking for is already available.
We are committed to making it easy for you to get the public information that we have, so we are always working to update and improve our web site. What you are looking for may be available right now. We invite you to visit our
Home,
Child Support,
Property Tax, and other Florida
Taxes web pages, or simply
ask us your question.
2. Is the information you are looking for related to
your
own child support case or tax account? If so, contact the following:
Child support information - Call the Customer Contact Center at 850-488-KIDS (5437). Your case information is confidential. We will not talk about your case with anyone but you or someone you have authorized us in writing to talk to.
Property tax information - For information about your property value assessment contact your county
property appraiser. For information about your property taxes, contact your county
tax collector.
Florida tax account (except property) information - Call the Customer Contact Center at
850-488-6800![]( "Call: 850-488-6800")
. For
copies of your own tax records , send a written request to:
Department of Revenue
Records Management Room 1-4364
5050 W. Tennessee St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0158
Written requests help us ensure your confidential information is protected. When submitting your request it should be on company letterhead and include: business Federal Employer Identification Number or owner's Social Security Number, physical location of your business, photo identification (for sole proprietor), records being requested (type of tax, dates, etc.), and the signature of the owner or a registered officer of the business.
3. Is the information you are requesting confidential?
The Department of Revenue maintains sensitive business and personal information for millions of people. Some of this information is exempt from disclosure under Florida's public records law. When responding to requests for confidential information, it is our policy to provide the information only when permitted by law.
Listed below is the most commonly requested confidential information for child support, property tax, other Florida taxes, and administrative and financial services.
Child Support - We cannot disclose:
- Information about applicants for or recipients of child support services and the children involved such as the address of residence
- Information gathered or used by the parent locator service
- Information in multi-subject documents that is unrelated to the public records requested
- Social security numbers and related records
- Federal taxpayer information
Property Tax - We cannot disclose:
- Ad valorem tax returns
- Financial records, including but not limited to federal income tax returns, wage and earnings statements, and sworn statements of gross income
- Social security numbers and related records
- Federal taxpayer information
Other Florida Taxes - We cannot disclose:
- Florida tax information related to specific taxpayers
Note: Some tax information can be disclosed, including: 1)
statistical information that does not identify individual taxpayers and 2)
verification of whether a specific person or business holds a valid registration, pursuant to Chapter 212, Florida Statutes (sales and use tax) and s.206.27 (fuel tax). - Reemployment (formerly Unemployment) tax information regarding employers and employees
- Social security numbers and related records
- Federal taxpayer information
Administrative and Financial Services - We cannot disclose:
- Employees' medical and insurance records
- Certain employees' home addresses, date of birth, telephone numbers, and photos
- Procurement documents and bids before the vendor is chosen and the decision is posted
- Social security numbers and related records
4. How do I make a request for Public Records other than my own account?
Requests for records can be made in-person, by e-mail, by phone, or in writing. We will respond to your request promptly. Because e-mail sent over the Internet is not secure, please do not include your social security number or any other
confidential information in an e-mail. Listed below is the contact information for each of our programs for requesting public records.
Child Support Records
Email:
Call:
Write:
Property Tax Records
Email:
Call:
Write:
General Tax Records(excluding Property Tax)
Email:
Call:
Write:
NOTE: Do not request your own records through e-mail, rather call the numbers listed above. We must establish your identity (or that you are an authorized representative for the taxpayer) before we can discuss or release confidential information to you. To protect the confidentiality of taxpayer records, the requested records will be mailed to your address of record. Requests for confidential taxpayer records will not be responded to through e-mail and you may be required to provide written documentation before we can release the records to you.
Personnel Records
Email:
Call:
Write:
Financial RecordsUse to request contracts, procurements and budget records:
Email:
Call:
Write:
Revenue's Open Government Officer
Email:
Call:
Write:
5. I've made my request for public records, now what?
When we receive your public records request, we check to see if the Department of Revenue has the records requested, if the request includes confidential information, and if there will be a charge for responding.
Then we will promptly provide you with an accurate, clearly communicated response. This response may include the information requested or an explanation of when the information will be ready.
If part of the information you request is confidential and cannot be disclosed, we will provide you with redacted records. This means that confidential or exempt information in the records will be blacked out. If all, or part, of your request cannot be disclosed, we will provide you with an explanation and legal reference.
You will also receive an itemized invoice of proposed fees or fees charged. State law allows agencies to charge for filling requests that require extensive time and effort by staff (including time spent redacting confidential information) and a per-page charge of $0.15 for copies (Section 119.07(4), Florida Statutes).