Palm Beach County · Florida
Palm Beach County has 39 municipalities and a large unincorporated area, and each keeps its own building and code records. Before a sale, the parcel number on your property record tells you which offices hold the answers.
ASN Home Buyers works with Palm Beach County homeowners and can meet locally to review the property.
Parcel first, then jurisdiction
A county search and a city search answer different questions. Work out which one applies to the address before relying on either.
The Property Appraiser’s search shows the owner of record, the parcel control number (PCN), the municipality, exemptions and the most recent recorded sale. Confirm the owner shown matches the people who would need to sign.
Palm Beach County Property Appraiser searchThe PCN is “a unique 17-digit identifier” for the parcel or unit. According to the County’s building FAQ, 00 at the start means unincorporated Palm Beach County. Any other prefix points to one of the 39 municipalities, each with its own permit department.
Municipal permit departments listThe County’s Planning, Zoning and Building Permit Center serves the unincorporated area. For a property inside a city, the city’s own building department holds permit history and open cases.
County Permit CenterRecorded and unrecorded
Palm Beach County separates recorded documents, county code searches and city searches. Each has a stated scope.
The Clerk & Comptroller’s Official Records database includes recorded deeds, mortgages, judgments and liens. The Clerk says results are not to be used as support in official matters, including legal title. Treat a search as a starting point for your title professional, not a conclusion.
Clerk Official Records searchPlanning, Zoning and Building offers searches for liens, open permits and open code violations in unincorporated areas only. The County notes that, unless otherwise indicated, liens it records reach “all subject properties with the same owner,” not only the address in question. If you own more than one property in the county, mention it.
County lien, permit and violation searchesBoca Raton’s city search covers code violations and open or expired permits, and states that it “does not include a review of Financial Liens.” The city also asks owners to check the property’s annexation date to see whether the search runs through Boca Raton or the County.
Boca Raton permit and code violation searchTaxes, condos and flood maps
The Tax Collector treats unpaid property tax as delinquent on April 1, with penalties and interest. If delinquent taxes stay unpaid for two years, a tax certificate holder may apply for a tax deed under Florida law. Check the account before choosing a closing date.
Tax certificates and deedsFlorida requires milestone structural inspections for condominium and cooperative buildings three or more stories tall. For buildings it oversees, the County schedules the first at 25 years within 3 miles of a coastline and at 30 years farther inland. If you are selling a condo unit, ask the association where its building stands.
County milestone inspection guidanceUpdated FEMA flood maps took effect for Palm Beach County on this date. If insurance or a flood zone is part of your decision, check the current designation for the parcel. Inside a city, ask that city’s floodplain manager.
County flood zone updateFor your property conversation
You do not need every answer to start. Note what you know and what is still open, and say so when you speak with ASN Home Buyers.
For the date, see closing readiness. For repairs and cleanout, see selling as-is. The transaction sequence is on how the sale works. For a property farther south, see Broward County or Miami-Dade County.
Official resources checked October 25, 2026. These links help you find the relevant office; they do not establish a property’s legal status and are not legal or tax advice. ASN Home Buyers is not affiliated with these government agencies.
Where we buy
West Palm BeachBoca RatonDelray BeachBoynton Beach
Fort LauderdaleHollywoodPompano BeachCoral Springs
MiamiHialeahMiami GardensHomestead
Start with the address. If you have the PCN or a notice, mention it when you speak with ASN Home Buyers.
