Florida Declaration of Domicile: how to file it, county by county
A Florida Declaration of Domicile is a sworn statement recorded with your county that Florida is your permanent home. Here's the form, how to notarize and file it, what it costs by county, and why Texas has no equivalent.
A Florida Declaration of Domicile is a sworn statement that Florida is your permanent home. You sign it before a notary and record it with the county where you live. This guide covers the form, how to file it, what it costs in Sumter, Broward and other counties, and how Texas handles a declaration differently.
A Declaration of Domicile in Florida is a sworn form, set out in Section 222.17 of the Florida Statutes, that you record with the county where your Florida residence is. In most counties, recording costs $10 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page. It's optional and doesn't make you a resident on its own, but it's dated evidence of your intent that supports your license, voter registration and other records. Texas has no state Declaration of Domicile form or county recording process, so a Texas declaration is a private statement you keep with your records. SavvyNomad files the Florida declaration for you and covers the state filing fees when you use its online notary.
What is a Florida Declaration of Domicile?
A Florida Declaration of Domicile is a sworn statement that you live in Florida and intend to keep it as your permanent home. Section 222.17 of the Florida Statutes explains what it says and where to file it. The Florida Department of Legal Affairs prescribes the form and supplies it to county clerks.
On the form, you state:
- That you're a bona fide resident of Florida
- Your current Florida address
- The city, county and state where you lived before
- Any other places of abode you maintain
You sign it under oath before a notary. The county then records it in the official records, which gives you a dated, public document showing when you declared Florida your home.
If you keep homes in more than one state, the statute lets you declare that your Florida home is your "predominant and principal home". That's useful if your old state might otherwise claim you as a resident.
What the declaration does and doesn't do
A Declaration of Domicile is evidence of intent. It isn't proof of domicile on its own, and it doesn't:
- Make you a Florida resident by itself
- Count as one of your two proofs of address for a Florida driver's license
- Establish voter eligibility or a voting address
- Stop your old state from auditing you
It works best alongside your Florida driver's license, vehicle registration, voter registration where eligible, updated bank records and fewer ties to your old state. See how to become a Florida resident for the full set of steps.
The Florida domicile form
The Florida domicile form is a single page in most counties. Line by line, Broward County's version asks for:
- Your last address before moving to Florida
- The date you moved to Florida
- Your current Florida address
- Your signature
- Your printed name
Spouses and others living at the same address can usually sign the same form. Everyone else files a separate one. Some counties lay the form out slightly differently, so download it from your county's site.
How to file a Florida Declaration of Domicile
Whichever filing method you use, the first steps are the same:
- Set up your Florida residence. You file in the county where you live. If you don't live in Florida full time, you need a Florida residential address to put on the form.
- Get your county's form. Use the form from your county's recording office, or the version your domicile service provides.
- Fill it in. List your current Florida address and your previous address. Only sign it if Florida is already your home, not a future plan.
- Sign it before a notary. Every signer needs current government-issued photo ID.
Then choose how to file.
Filing in person
Take the signed form to your county's recording office with the fee. Some counties can notarize it at the counter for an extra charge: $10 per name in Broward, or a $3.50 oath fee in Orange. In most counties, you get the recorded original back on the spot.
Filing by mail
Mail the notarized original with the recording fee and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. The form must be notarized before you send it. Check the payment rules first, because many counties don't accept personal checks by mail. Miami-Dade takes only money orders or cashier's checks, and Sumter takes cashier's checks or business checks. The county records it and mails the original back.
E-recording
Many Florida counties accept documents electronically through approved vendors such as Simplifile, CSC eRecording Solutions and the eRecording Partners Network. Palm Beach accepts e-recordings 24/7, and Orange usually processes them within 24 hours. Vendors charge their own fee on top of the county's, and you still need a notarized document, usually through remote online notarization.
Online notary and SavvyNomad filing
If you're a SavvyNomad customer in Florida, you complete the declaration in your portal and sign it with the integrated online notary (proof.com, $25). SavvyNomad then files it with the Sumter County Clerk of Court for you. When you notarize online, SavvyNomad covers the state filing fees, so the notary fee is the only cost. If you use an in-person notary instead, you file the original yourself by mail.
Declaration of Domicile Florida fees by county
Florida sets recording fees by statute (Section 28.24). For a standard page, that comes to $10 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page, including the state trust fund charges. Most declarations are one page, so most people pay $10.
| County | Where to File | Recording Fee | E-recording | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broward | Records, Taxes and Treasury Division, Governmental Center Room 114, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Mail: Recording Section, P.O. Box 14668, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33302 |
$10 (one page). Certified copy $3 | Not listed for declarations; ask the division | Broward form (PDF) |
| Miami-Dade | Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, in person or by mail | $10. Certified copy $3 | Not listed for declarations; ask the clerk | Form 578 (PDF) |
| Palm Beach | Any Clerk and Comptroller office location, in person or by mail | $10 first page, $8.50 each additional page (state rate) | Yes, through an e-recording vendor | Palm Beach Clerk page |
| Hillsborough | Clerk of Court and Comptroller, Official Records | $10 first page, $8.50 each additional page. Notary $10 | Ask the clerk | Hillsborough Clerk |
| Orange | Comptroller Official Records, 109 E. Church St., Orlando, FL 32801 | $10 if notarized in advance, or $13.50 with the oath taken on site | Yes, usually processed within 24 hours | Orange County Comptroller |
| Sumter | Clerk of Court, Attn: Recording Department, PO Box 2587, Bushnell, FL 33513 In person: 215 E McCollum Ave, Room 190 |
$10 first page, $8.50 each additional page | Yes | Sumter Clerk official records |
| Clay | Clerk of Court, 825 N. Orange Ave., Green Cove Springs, FL 32043 | $10 first page, $8.50 each additional page (state rate) | Yes, through Simplifile, CSC, eRecording Partners Network and others | Clay Clerk e-recording |
Fees and details were checked on each county's site in October 2026. Where a county's site didn't list its own fee, the table shows the state rate. Payment rules and form layouts vary, so confirm with the office before you mail anything.
Broward County Declaration of Domicile
Broward is one of the few counties where the clerk doesn't handle recording. A Broward County Declaration of Domicile goes to the county's Records, Taxes and Treasury Division instead.
The form must be notarized before you mail it, and payment must be a check or money order made out to "Board of County Commissioners". Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope to get the recorded document back. If you file in person, you get the original back at the counter.
Sumter County (SavvyNomad customers in Florida)
SavvyNomad's Florida residential address is in Sumter County, so that's where SavvyNomad customers file. With the online notary, SavvyNomad files it and covers the state filing fees.
If you notarize in person instead, mail the original to the Sumter County Clerk of Court with a 10cashier'sorbusinesscheck(18.50 for two pages), plus a stamped return envelope if you want a receipt. Personal checks aren't accepted.
Texas Declaration of Domicile
Texas has no state-issued Declaration of Domicile and no county recording process for one. That's the main difference from Florida, where the form is set out in statute and recorded in county records.
A Texas declaration of domicile is a private, notarized statement of your facts and present intent. You keep it with your own records. Notarizing it doesn't mean Texas DPS, a tax agency or an election office has approved your residence.
What this means if you're choosing Texas:
- It's optional. You don't need it for your Texas driver's license appointment.
- There's nothing to file or look up with the county.
- It can still help as a dated record of your intent, alongside your Texas license, vehicle registration and updated accounts.
- Don't sign it if Texas is only a future plan.
SavvyNomad customers with a Texas residential address can complete the declaration in their portal and download it from the Documents tab. For the rest of the Texas process, see how to become a Texas resident, and compare the two states in Florida vs Texas domicile.
Florida vs Texas declaration at a glance
| Category | Florida | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| State Form | Yes, prescribed under Section 222.17 | No |
| Recorded with the County | Yes | No |
| Typical Cost | $10 first page, $8.50 each additional page, plus notary | Notary only |
| Needed for a Driver's License | No | No |
| Filed by SavvyNomad | Yes, with the online notary | No, kept with your own records |
Why file a Declaration of Domicile?
Filing is optional, but it's one of the cheapest ways to document a move. It helps most when:
- You're leaving a high-tax state. States like California and New York can audit former residents. A recorded declaration shows the date you declared Florida your home.
- You keep homes in more than one state. Declaring your Florida home as your "predominant and principal home" helps show which one is your domicile.
- You don't spend most of the year anywhere. For expats and nomads, your records are the main evidence of where you live. The declaration adds a sworn, dated statement to them.
- You're planning your estate. Florida has no state income, estate or inheritance tax. A clear domicile helps show which state's laws apply.
Florida has no minimum stay to become a resident. If you're worried about your old state's day-count rules, read the 183-day rule in Florida explained.
Other steps to establish Florida domicile
The declaration is one step. The others carry more weight:
- Get a Florida residential address. A PO box or virtual mailbox won't work. See proof of residency in Florida.
- Get a Florida driver's license or ID within 30 days of establishing residency, and surrender your old license.
- Register your vehicles in Florida, with Florida insurance.
- Register to vote, if eligible. Confirm your voting address with your Supervisor of Elections.
- Update your bank, brokerage and IRS records to your Florida address.
- Cut ties with your old state and keep records of the move.
For the full cost of these steps, see the cost to establish Florida residency.
FAQ
Is a declaration of domicile required in Florida?
No. Florida law makes it optional, and you can become a resident without one. Many new residents file anyway, because it's inexpensive and creates a sworn, dated record of when they made Florida their home.
Do I file a new one if I move within Florida?
You don't have to, because your domicile is still Florida. Many people file a new declaration in their new county so the record shows their current address. The form has a line for your previous address, which can be in Florida.
Where do I file a Florida Declaration of Domicile?
With the county where your Florida residence is. In most counties, that's the Clerk of the Circuit Court. In Broward County, it's the Records, Taxes and Treasury Division.
How much does a Florida Declaration of Domicile cost?
Recording costs $10 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page under state law, plus the notary fee. Most declarations are one page. Certified copies cost extra.
Can I file a Declaration of Domicile online?
You can notarize it online, and many counties, including Palm Beach, Orange, Sumter and Clay, accept e-recording through approved vendors. If you use SavvyNomad's online notary, SavvyNomad files it with Sumter County for you and covers the state filing fees.
Do I need a Declaration of Domicile for a Florida driver's license?
No. It isn't an accepted proof of residential address. You need two other proofs, such as a bank statement and, for SavvyNomad customers, the Letter to the Tax Collector.
Can I file if I still own a home in another state?
Yes. Florida lets you declare that your Florida home is your predominant and principal home, even if you keep another home elsewhere. Your other records should back that up.
Does Texas have a declaration of domicile?
Not an official one. Texas has no state form and no county recording process. A Texas declaration is a private notarized statement you keep with your records.
How do I get a certified copy?
Ask the office that recorded it, in person or by mail. In Broward and Miami-Dade, a certified copy costs $3, and you can order it when you file. State law sets $2 per page for certifying records in clerks' offices. Most counties also let you view and download an uncertified copy free from their official records search.
How long do I have to live in Florida to file?
There's no minimum stay. You can file once Florida is your permanent home and you have a residence there to list on the form.
Conclusion
A declaration of domicile in Florida is a cheap, simple way to put your intent on record. Use your county's form, sign it before a notary, and record it with the clerk, or with the Records Division in Broward. It works best as part of a full move: a Florida residential address, a driver's license, vehicle registration and updated records. In Texas, a declaration is private and optional, so focus on your license, registration and records instead.
