What to Bring to Your Florida Closing

Show up ready

A closing goes smoothly when everyone arrives with the right items in hand. Most delays at the table come from a missing ID, funds that have not cleared, or a document the title agent could not get in advance. Here is what to bring.

Government photo identification

Every person signing needs current, unexpired government-issued photo identification, typically a driver license, state ID, or passport. The notary must verify each signer's identity, and the name on the ID should match the name on the documents. If your legal name has changed (marriage, divorce, court order), tell the settlement agent ahead of time so the paperwork can be prepared correctly.

Cleared funds: by wire, and verified

Buyers generally bring funds to closing by wire transfer. Personal checks are not accepted for closing funds, and even an official check can create a hold. A wire delivered in advance and confirmed received is the cleanest path to closing on time.

This is also where the single most important caution in any closing applies. Real estate wire fraud is common and devastating. Criminals monitor email, then send a buyer realistic-looking but fraudulent wire instructions, often at the last minute and often claiming the instructions have changed.

Protect yourself with a simple rule:

• Always call to verify wire instructions before sending any money, using a phone number you obtained independently (from a prior in-person contact or official materials), not a number contained in an email.
• Treat any email saying the wire instructions have changed as fraud until you have verified it by phone with a known contact. Union Title Services will never change wire instructions by email.
• Confirm the receipt of your funds by phone as well.

A two-minute phone call to a number you trust is the difference between a closing and a catastrophic, often unrecoverable, loss.

Lender and closing documents

If you are financing, bring anything your lender or the settlement agent asked you to bring: your copy of the Closing Disclosure or loan estimate, proof of required insurance (such as a homeowners or hazard policy and any binder), and any items the lender's instructions list as conditions. The settlement agent coordinates with the lender, but having your copies on hand avoids surprises.

Marital and entity documents

Florida has homestead and marital-property rules that can require a spouse to join in signing even when only one spouse is on title. If you are married, let the settlement agent know early; a spouse may need to attend or sign.

If a party is a business entity (an LLC, corporation, partnership, or trust) bring the documents that prove who is authorized to sign for it: operating agreement, corporate resolution, partnership agreement, or trust instrument as applicable. The settlement agent often needs these in advance to confirm signing authority, so send them ahead rather than carrying them in cold.

Buyers vs. sellers, briefly

Buyers bring: photo ID, cleared and verified wire funds, proof of required insurance, lender documents, and any entity or marital paperwork.

Sellers bring: photo ID, payoff and account information for any mortgages or liens to be cleared, keys, garage remotes and access codes for after disbursement, association contact information if applicable, and any entity, trust, marital, or estate documents that establish authority to convey. Sellers who line these up early keep the file moving; see Selling Your Florida Home: Title Steps That Keep Your Closing on Track.

When in doubt, ask first

The settlement agent would rather answer a question a week early than scramble at the table. For a step-by-step view of how closing fits together, see The Florida Real Estate Closing Process, Step by Step. To confirm exactly what your file needs or to verify wire instructions, contact Union Title Services directly, and use our Florida title and closing-cost calculator for an estimate of the funds you will need to bring.