Lee County Clerk Kevin Karnes announced a new requirement for filing a property deed. Beginning Aug. 1, government-issued photo identification will be required for filing deeds in-person or by mail in Lee County. The new requirement is a result of HB 1419, a property fraud prevention program initiated by Karnes and state lawmakers to make it harder to file fraudulent deeds in Lee County, which was chosen to be the state’s pilot location for the new program. The new property fraud prevention program requires all persons listed on a deed to provide a government-issued photo ID before the deed is processed. This will make it easier for law enforcement to verify the identity of the parties engaged in a property-related transaction and investigate fraudulent activity, clerk’s office officials said. The clerk is rolling the program out in phases. E-Recorded deeds, typically submitted by property professionals and title agencies, are not impacted at this time. Identification requirements for e-recorded deeds will be implemented after technical updates are applied to systems. The most up-to-date requirements will be posted online.