Florida criminal records are spread across several government systems. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is the state’s central criminal-history repository, but trial-court case files remain with Florida’s county clerks and circuit courts. Arrest and jail records are usually maintained locally, state prison records are handled by the Florida Department of Corrections, and appellate cases use Florida’s statewide ACIS system. This guide helps you choose the correct official source before paying for a search or assuming that one database tells the whole story.
Which Florida criminal record are you actually looking for?
Florida’s criminal-justice systems create different records at different stages. A sheriff’s booking record, FDLE criminal-history record and county court docket can describe the same event from different angles, but they are not interchangeable.
State criminal history
A Florida criminal-history record can include reported arrests, prosecution information and dispositions received by the state’s central repository.
Criminal court case
Use for charges actually filed in court, court events, motions, judgments, dispositions and eligible public documents.
Arrest or booking record
Recent arrests, jail bookings, incident reports and related law-enforcement records are usually maintained locally.
Prison / supervision record
State corrections records cover people within Florida Department of Corrections jurisdiction.
Wanted person
Florida’s public wanted-person system contains warrant information that participating agencies have authorized for public display.
Appeal
Supreme Court and District Court of Appeal dockets use the Florida Appellate Case Information System.
Florida statewide criminal-history search through FDLE
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Division of Criminal Justice Information Services is Florida’s central repository for criminal-history information.
Florida law permits public access to qualifying state criminal-history information, and FDLE currently charges $24 per public search.
Open official FDLE Florida ChecksChoose the FDLE search type
For ordinary public research, most users choose Instant Search or the staff-processed Certified/Non-Certified Search.
Enter accurate identifying information
Name-based searches depend heavily on the identifying information supplied. Use the person’s full legal name and accurate demographic details whenever possible.
Review possible matches carefully
A name match does not automatically prove identity. Compare dates, aliases, arrest information and other available identifiers.
Check the disposition
Florida criminal-history information can include the disposition of charges. Do not treat an arrest entry alone as proof of conviction.
Open the county court record when more detail is needed
FDLE criminal history is not a substitute for the complete court docket. If you need filings, sentencing detail or case documents, locate the appropriate county clerk.
FDLE criminal-history search options, fees and processing
| Search option | Current charge | Processing | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instant Search | $24 + $1 card processing fee | Immediate online result | Quick public name-based Florida criminal-history lookup. |
| Certified / Non-Certified Search | $24 | FDLE currently lists about 5 business days for non-certified results and 6–7 business days for certified results, excluding mail delivery. | When a mailed or certified FDLE search is needed. |
| ORI Search | Varies | Depends on authorized agency/process | Licensing, employment or other authorized searches tied to a valid ORI. |
| Personal Review | No FDLE fee | Fingerprint-based review | Checking your own Florida criminal history for accuracy/completeness. |
What a Florida criminal-history record can show
FDLE describes criminal history as a chronological record that can include arrests, prosecutions and incarceration information. Florida’s criminal-history system can also contain charge dispositions such as conviction, withholding of adjudication, acquittal or dismissal when those dispositions have been reported.
FDLE criminal history
Best for: statewide Florida criminal-history information.
Useful when the person may have records in more than one Florida county.
County court docket
Best for: detailed procedural history of a specific criminal case.
Usually provides a deeper view of filings, hearings, charges, judgment and disposition.
Check your own Florida criminal record for free
Florida Statute 943.056 gives an individual the right to request their own Florida criminal-history record for Personal Review to check whether it is accurate and complete.
FDLE currently assesses no fee for this service. Unlike the ordinary public name search, Personal Review uses fingerprints to establish identity.
Complete the FDLE Personal Review form
Use FDLE’s official application rather than the normal public $24 search.
Have fingerprints taken
FDLE requires a fingerprint card taken by a law-enforcement or criminal-justice agency. Local fingerprinting agencies may charge their own rolling fee.
Mail the application and fingerprint card
Send the completed material to FDLE’s Criminal History Record Maintenance Section.
Review the returned record
If FDLE finds no record, it returns a “no record” response. If a record exists, review each arrest and disposition for accuracy.
FDLE Personal Review mailing address
Florida Department of Law EnforcementP.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1489
Attn: Criminal History Record Maintenance Section
Personal Review / challenge phone:
850-410-7898
Email:
chrm@fdle.state.fl.us
How to correct an inaccurate Florida criminal-history record
The Personal Review process also provides a path for challenging information that appears incomplete or inaccurate in your Florida criminal-history record.
FDLE directs Florida criminal-record correction questions to its Criminal History Record Maintenance Section.
- identify the arrest or case you believe is wrong
- keep the arresting agency information
- keep the court case number
- obtain the final court disposition when relevant
- keep copies of any certified supporting documents
- contact FDLE rather than a third-party website to correct the official state record
Florida criminal court records are searched county by county
Florida does not operate one statewide trial-court case-search portal equivalent to FDLE’s statewide criminal-history database. Criminal trial files are maintained through Florida’s local clerks of court.
Florida has 20 judicial circuits, each serving one or more counties, and a county court in each of the state’s 67 counties.
Felony criminal cases
Florida circuit courts have general trial jurisdiction and hear criminal felony prosecutions, along with other matters assigned to circuit jurisdiction.
Misdemeanors and less-serious matters
County courts handle many less-serious criminal matters, including misdemeanors, along with traffic and other matters within statutory county-court jurisdiction.
Florida felony vs. misdemeanor record searches
| Record type | Typical trial court | Where to search | What you may find |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felony | Circuit Court | County Clerk of Circuit Court | Charges, docket events, hearings, documents, judgment, sentence and disposition. |
| Misdemeanor | County Court | County Clerk | Charges, court events, judgment and qualifying public documents. |
| Juvenile delinquency | Circuit Court | Access is restricted | Different confidentiality rules apply. |
| Appeal | DCA / Supreme Court | Florida ACIS | Appellate docket, filings, orders and available public documents. |
How to find the correct Florida county criminal court record
If you know where the case was prosecuted, start with that county’s official Clerk of Court. Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers provides a statewide directory for locating county clerks.
Identify the county
Use the county where the criminal case was filed, not necessarily where the person currently lives.
Locate the official Clerk of Court website
Use the official Florida clerk directory rather than guessing a URL or relying on a private records site.
Choose criminal case search
County systems use different names such as Court Records, Case Search, Public Records, Online Docket or Criminal Case Search.
Search by case number when possible
Case number is normally more precise than a common defendant name.
Check each charge’s final disposition
One case can include several counts, and different counts can end differently.
Florida criminal appeals: use ACIS
Criminal appeals do not remain only in county clerk systems. Florida provides the Appellate Case Information System (ACIS) for public access to dockets from the Florida Supreme Court and all six District Courts of Appeal.
Public users can search ACIS without registering.
ACIS supports searches including:
- case search
- party search
- document search
- oral argument search
- publication search
- filed-date and case-type filtering
Court of Appeal or Florida Supreme Court case → ACIS.
Florida arrest and county jail records
FDLE maintains statewide criminal-history information, but recent booking and current county-jail information is usually maintained by the local sheriff, corrections department or arresting agency.
For a recent arrest, a practical search order is:
Identify the county of arrest
Determine which sheriff or police department handled the arrest.
Check the official sheriff / jail roster
Many Florida sheriffs provide Who’s in Jail, Inmate Search or Arrest Inquiry pages.
Search the county court docket
Once charges are filed, use the Clerk of Court to see the actual criminal case and disposition.
Use FDLE for the broader state history
If you need records beyond the single arrest or county, move to FDLE’s state criminal-history service.
Florida wanted-person and warrant search
FDLE operates the Florida Crime Information Center Public Access System (PAS), which includes a public Wanted Persons Search.
The wanted-person database contains Florida warrant information reported by Florida law-enforcement agencies and selected by those agencies for public access.
Search FDLE Wanted PersonsFDLE states that its Public Access System is updated from Florida Crime Information Center files every 24 hours, but not every law-enforcement record is necessarily selected for public display.
Florida prison and correctional records
State prison and corrections information is maintained separately by the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC).
If a person has moved from county jail into state prison or is otherwise under qualifying state corrections jurisdiction, search the official FDC Offender Search rather than relying only on a county jail roster.
Search Florida DOC offendersFlorida DOC → state corrections / prison records.
Florida public-records requests for criminal-justice documents
A criminal-history search is not the same thing as a general Florida public-records request. If you want a specific FDLE document, investigation-related record, administrative record, report or other agency material, FDLE maintains a separate public-records process.
FDLE advises requesters to describe the requested records as specifically as possible. Very broad requests may take longer and can generate greater allowable costs.
A useful request normally identifies:
- subject or case name
- incident or agency case number
- date or date range
- specific document type
- FDLE office or unit if known
- preferred electronic or paper format
FDLE public-records contacts
Public Records / General Counsel:
850-410-7676
Public Information:
850-410-7001
Florida criminal-record sealing and expungement
Florida has multiple statutory record-relief processes. Ordinary court-ordered sealing and expungement require careful eligibility review and should not be confused with deleting a record from a private website.
Under Florida’s current process, obtaining an FDLE Certificate of Eligibility is generally the first step before petitioning the court for ordinary court-ordered sealing or expungement.
FDLE currently reports that eligibility applications typically take approximately 12 weeks from receipt of a complete application packet and are not expedited.
Current Certificate of Eligibility application requirements
- completed application
- required identifying information
- arrest agency and arrest date
- charge information
- completed fingerprint card
- certified disposition where required
- applicable prosecutor section for expungement cases
- $75 nonrefundable FDLE processing fee
Sealed vs. expunged in Florida: what is the difference?
Public access is restricted
The general public does not have access to a qualifying sealed criminal-history record, although specified governmental and related entities may retain statutory access.
Stronger public restriction
FDLE explains that most entities that could access a sealed record generally receive notice that a record was expunged rather than the underlying record itself, unless court-authorized access applies.
Florida automatic sealing is different from court-ordered sealing
Florida Statute 943.0595 provides automatic sealing for certain qualifying criminal-history records that meet statutory conditions.
This process is different from personally applying for a Certificate of Eligibility under the ordinary court-ordered sealing or expungement statutes.
Florida juvenile criminal-history records
Juvenile criminal-history information is generally confidential and exempt from normal public release, although Florida law permits disclosure in specified circumstances involving qualifying felony-level conduct or transfer to adult court.
FDLE’s Personal Review guidance also notes that sealed or expunged juvenile records are not subject to ordinary public release.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement contact information
FDLE Headquarters
Florida Department of Law Enforcement2331 Phillips Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Main office: 850-410-7000
Applicant Services Unit
Florida Department of Law EnforcementP.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Phone:
850-410-8161
Email:
ApplicantChecks@fdle.state.fl.us
Published hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Eastern
Map: FDLE Headquarters in Tallahassee
The map is lazy-loaded so it does not block the article’s initial render.
Federal criminal records are separate from Florida state records
An FDLE search does not replace a federal criminal-record search. Federal criminal prosecutions are filed in the U.S. District Courts rather than Florida’s state court system.
For federal court cases, use PACER. PACER provides federal court dockets and documents and may charge access fees.
Your own FBI Identity History Summary
A person who needs their own fingerprint-based national Identity History Summary should use the FBI’s official Identity History Summary process rather than an FDLE public name search.
FBI Identity History SummaryPublic criminal records vs. employment and licensing background checks
A $24 public FDLE criminal-history search is not automatically the same service used for every regulated employment, licensing, volunteer, immigration or professional-screening purpose.
Authorized agencies can use ORI-based processes, Livescan fingerprinting and state or national background checks under applicable law.
Florida criminal-record search tips that save time
Start statewide only when necessary
If you already know the exact county and case, go directly to the county clerk instead of paying for an FDLE search first.
Use FDLE when the county is unknown
A statewide criminal-history search is more useful when the person may have records across several Florida counties.
Use case numbers whenever possible
A court case number reduces the risk of confusing people with similar names.
Check the final disposition
Do not report a charge as a conviction without confirming how the court actually resolved it.
Recent arrest? Check the sheriff
County jail and booking systems may show a recent event before a detailed court docket becomes easy to find.
Appeal? Switch systems
Use ACIS for Florida Supreme Court and District Court of Appeal records rather than searching only the county clerk.
Check identity carefully
A matching name does not prove the record belongs to the person you intended to search.
Your own record? Use Personal Review
The free fingerprint-based FDLE Personal Review is better suited to checking your own state record for errors.
Keep records before expungement
Preserve arrest reports, dispositions and court orders before records become sealed or expunged.
Florida criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Is there a statewide Florida criminal-record search?
Yes. FDLE is Florida’s central criminal-history repository and provides public name-based Florida criminal-history searches for a statutory fee.
2. How much does an FDLE Florida criminal-history search cost?
The current public-search charge is $24. FDLE’s Instant Search also currently adds a $1 card-processing fee.
3. Is there one statewide Florida criminal court case search?
Not for ordinary trial-court cases. Florida felony and misdemeanor case files are maintained locally by county clerks within Florida’s 20 judicial circuits and 67 counties.
4. Where do I find a Florida felony court case?
Florida circuit courts hear felony prosecutions. Search the official Clerk of Circuit Court website for the county where the case was filed.
5. Can I check my own Florida criminal record for free?
Yes. FDLE’s fingerprint-based Personal Review process is available to individuals who want to review their own Florida criminal-history record for accuracy and completeness, and FDLE currently charges no fee for this service.
6. How do I search Florida warrants?
FDLE provides a public Wanted Persons Search containing warrant information reported by Florida law-enforcement agencies and authorized for public display. FDLE warns that the public system should not be used as final confirmation that a warrant is currently active.
7. Where do I search Florida prison records?
Use the Florida Department of Corrections Offender Search for qualifying state corrections records. County-jail records are usually searched through the appropriate sheriff or local detention agency.
8. How do I search a Florida criminal appeal?
Use the Florida Appellate Case Information System (ACIS). It provides public access to dockets and available case documents for the Florida Supreme Court and all six District Courts of Appeal.
9. How do I seal or expunge a Florida criminal record?
For ordinary court-ordered sealing or expungement, a person generally must first apply to FDLE for a Certificate of Eligibility and then petition the proper court. FDLE currently charges a $75 nonrefundable processing fee for the certificate application.
10. Does an arrest on a Florida criminal-history record mean the person was convicted?
No. A Florida criminal-history record can include arrests and different dispositions, including dismissal, acquittal, withheld adjudication or conviction. The relevant court disposition should be checked before drawing conclusions.
Official sources used for this Florida criminal-record guide
Search systems, processing times, fees and access rules can change. Verify important information directly with the responsible government agency before submitting a paid request.
- FDLE — State of Florida Criminal History Record Check
- FDLE — Criminal History Records
- FDLE — Personal Review
- FDLE — Seal and Expunge Process
- FDLE — Certificate of Eligibility Instructions
- FDLE — Wanted Persons Search
- FDLE — Public Records / Records Custodian
- Florida Courts — Court Structure
- Florida Courts — Circuit Courts
- Florida Courts — Appellate Case Information System
- Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers
- Florida Department of Corrections — Offender Search
- Florida Legislature — Florida Statutes
- PACER — Federal Court Records