A Florida Declaration of Domicile is a sworn statement about your permanent home. You record it with the appropriate office in the Florida county where you reside.
The filing creates a dated public record of what you declare. It does not automatically end your former state’s tax claim or replace the other steps involved in a move.
Already know what the document is? Go straight to our county filing guide for official forms and recording offices.
What the Declaration Records
Florida Statute 222.17 allows a person who has established Florida domicile to record a sworn statement about their permanent home. It also addresses people who maintain a home in another state.
Read the form carefully. It concerns where your home is and what you intend—not simply where you would like to receive mail.
Use accurate addresses and answer questions about other residences fully. If the declaration does not yet describe your circumstances, resolve that with your advisor before signing.
How to File a Florida Declaration of Domicile
1. Find the correct county office
Start with the county where you reside. Look for its official recording department, rather than a general court-filing service.
Office names vary. Broward uses its Records, Taxes and Treasury Division. Orange County uses the Comptroller’s Official Records Department. Our county guide links to both and nine other counties.
2. Download the official form
Use the version linked by your recording office. Review the information it requests and the instructions for signatures, identification, payment, and return delivery.
A form obtained from a search advertisement may add a service fee or omit local instructions. The county’s own page is the best starting point.
3. Arrange the sworn signature
Complete the requested information, then follow the instructions for signing before an authorized official. Do not assume every office provides the same counter service.
For example, Miami-Dade requires notarization before submission. Lee County’s official instructions offer an in-person notary service for an additional fee.
4. Submit the form and payment
Choose an accepted filing method. If mailing, verify the recording department’s mailing address, payment requirements, and return-envelope instructions.
If filing in person, confirm that the location handles recording. A county may have several offices that provide different services.
5. Keep the recorded copy
Save the returned document with your moving records. Check that the recording information is present. Order a certified copy if your advisor or another recipient requires one.
The useful result is a document you can locate later, with a clear recording date and an accurate statement of your circumstances.
What Does Filing Cost?
Expect a recording charge and possibly separate charges for notarization, an oath, certified copies, or card processing.
As examples, Miami-Dade lists a $10 recording fee and $3 for a certified copy. Lee County lists $10 for recording and $10 for its in-person notary service. These are distinct services, not interchangeable totals. See the official sources linked above.
Check your county’s current fee schedule before submitting payment. Do not assume the filing is free or that another county’s total applies to yours.
What the Document Does—and What It Does Not Do
Think of the declaration as one piece of your moving record. It can document your statement about Florida as your permanent home.
It does not record where you spent each day. It is also not an application for a driver’s license, voter registration, or a homestead exemption. Those processes have their own requirements.
Your former state applies its own tax-residency rules. For example, New York distinguishes domicile from statutory residency. A Florida filing does not override those rules.
Our 183-day guide explains why a personal Florida-day goal and another state’s residency test must be kept separate.
When Should You File?
Consider filing once you have established Florida domicile and can truthfully make the declaration. Avoid treating it as a reservation for a future move.
There is no benefit in making the document say more than the facts support. If your move occurs in stages, record what changed and when. Discuss the relevant dates with your advisor.
Couples may have different timelines. A spouse who has not made the same move should not simply copy the other person’s statement. Read our guide to split residency for married couples for the questions to address together.
Keep the Paperwork and Travel Record Together
Create a folder for your recorded declaration, relevant address changes, housing documents, and correspondence about the move. Keep a separate, regularly reviewed travel calendar.
Southbound helps with that calendar. It records Florida days, lets you review and correct entries, and exports a CSV for your advisor. It does not file the declaration or determine whether you are a tax resident.
Start tracking your Florida days, or preview an example day record before downloading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Declaration of Domicile make me a Florida tax resident?
It records a sworn statement about your permanent home. It does not, by itself, settle the tax-residency rules of another state.
Can I file by mail?
Some counties, including Miami-Dade and Lee, publish mail-in instructions. Check your county’s requirements for notarization, payment, the mailing address, and return delivery.
Do both spouses need to sign the same declaration?
Use your county’s instructions and each person’s actual circumstances. Some forms accommodate a household, but a shared form does not make both spouses’ residency facts identical.
This guide provides general information. Your circumstances and the applicable state rules determine your obligations. Review your plans with a qualified tax advisor.
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Published Mar 9, 2026