Quick answer
Get a certified copy from the Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller in Tavares, then send it to us — we file it in person in Tallahassee. $220, 5–7 business days.
- Certified copy from
- Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
- County seat
- Tavares
- Clerk website
- lakecountyclerkfl.gov
- Lake County government
- lakecountyfl.gov
- Florida state fee
- $20 — included in $220
- Electronic certified copies
- The Clerk sells electronically certified (eCertified) documents online.
- How to send
- Online order + FedEx from Tavares
- Turnaround
- 5–7 business days, filed in person
Where to get a certified adoption documents in Lake County
In Lake County, the certified copy comes from the Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller in Tavares.
The Clerk sells electronically certified (eCertified) documents online. An official electronic certified copy, printed exactly as delivered, can be used for the apostille — send us a photo first if you're unsure.
From Lake County: order online and drop the prepaid FedEx envelope at any FedEx location in or near Tavares. We file in person in Tallahassee.
What the copy must look like
The final judgment of adoption certified by the Florida Clerk of Court (wet-ink or official e-certification), with all pages attached; its state fee is $20. The new birth certificate must be a certified copy signed by the State Registrar and certified in 2014 or later; its state fee is $10. Both fees are included in our price.
State fee: $20 — included in our $220. Fees the Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller charges for the certified copy are not included.
Why adoption documentss get rejected
- Plain or conformed copy of the judgment instead of a certified one
- Birth certificate certified before 2014
- Birth certificate from another state, which that state must apostille
- Translation stapled to the certified original
$220 per document, $380 for two and $160 each for three or more — the state fee, request form, in-person filing in Tallahassee and FedEx shipping inside the U.S. are included. Shipping the finished apostille is a flat $100 per order.
Not included: whatever the issuing office charges for the certified copy or certificate, and notarization (online notarization is $40 for the first document — $10 notarization fee + $30 technology platform fee — and $20 for each additional one).