Start with HOVER when you need the actual criminal court docket
Hillsborough County criminal records are spread across several official systems. The Clerk of Court & Comptroller maintains felony and misdemeanor court files through Hillsborough Online Viewing of Electronic Records (HOVER). The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office maintains jail and arrest information, while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement provides statewide Florida criminal-history checks. Choosing the correct system first saves time and helps prevent an arrest record from being mistaken for a conviction.
First identify which Hillsborough County record you actually need
“Criminal record” can refer to a court file, booking entry, police record, statewide criminal history or corrections record. These records are maintained by different agencies.
Criminal court case
Filed charges, motions, court dates, docket entries, pleas, dispositions, sentences and public court documents.
Arrest / jail record
Booking date, custody information, arrest charges, bond amounts and booking photographs.
Florida criminal history
Statewide Florida arrest and prosecution information maintained in the state’s central criminal-history repository.
State prison / supervision
Information concerning people in Florida state correctional custody or supervision.
Criminal appeal
Appellate dockets and available documents are searched separately through ACIS.
Federal prosecution
Federal criminal cases involving Hillsborough County are separate from the county’s state-court system and generally use PACER.
How to search Hillsborough County criminal cases in HOVER
Hillsborough Online Viewing of Electronic Records (HOVER) is the Clerk of Court & Comptroller’s official online court-record system.
The Florida Supreme Court has authorized the Hillsborough Clerk to provide electronic access through HOVER to many public court indexes, dockets and non-confidential document images. Access to individual documents still depends on Florida court-record access rules.
Open official HOVER searchOpen the Clerk’s HOVER portal
Use the official Hillsborough Clerk system rather than beginning with a commercial background-check website.
Choose the strongest search method you have
Case number is usually most precise. If you do not know it, use the defendant’s party name, citation information or a date/court-type search.
Open the matching case
Confirm the defendant and case type before relying on the result, especially when the person has a common name.
Review Events/Documents
Use the docket history to follow filings, hearings, pleas, court orders and final case activity.
Open available document images
Non-confidential public documents that are remotely viewable can be opened through HOVER.
Move to the copy or paper-file process when necessary
If the document is not imaged or the file is paper-only, request a copy or preorder the physical file.
You can search HOVER several different ways
One strength of Hillsborough County’s system is that you do not necessarily need a case number. The HOVER home page currently supports searches using:
Case number
Best option when you already know the local case number.
Uniform Case Number
Search using the standardized Florida court-case identifier when known.
Citation number
Useful when the criminal or traffic matter began from a citation.
Party / business name
Useful when you know the defendant but not the case number.
Date range / court type / case type
Helpful when researching cases from a particular period or court category.
Hearing lookup
Use the court-hearing search when the intent is to find an upcoming or scheduled event.
Felony records are maintained through Circuit Criminal
Hillsborough County’s Clerk identifies its Felony Department as the unit responsible for filing, processing and maintaining Circuit Criminal records involving felony offenses.
Electronic access to many felony indexes, dockets and non-confidential documents is available through HOVER. When an eligible file or document cannot be viewed remotely, the Clerk says it can be viewed or picked up through its Tampa Edgecomb or Plant City locations.
Circuit Criminal informationMisdemeanor cases are maintained through County Criminal
The Clerk’s Misdemeanor Department maintains County Criminal records for misdemeanor offenses and certain non-criminal, non-traffic infractions.
According to the Clerk, the department receives arrest paperwork and charging documents, handles pleadings, and records court actions from the court minutes.
County Criminal informationWhat happens after a misdemeanor arrest?
The Clerk explains that after a Hillsborough County Jail misdemeanor arrest, the office receives initial paperwork, prepares the official court file and forwards information to the State Attorney. The State Attorney then decides whether formal charges will be filed.
How to read a criminal docket without misinterpreting it
| Docket item | What it generally means | What to check next |
|---|---|---|
| Charge / count | An allegation formally associated with the court case. | Check disposition for that individual count. |
| Arraignment | An early court proceeding where formal charges and plea issues may be addressed. | Do not treat arraignment as a final outcome. |
| Plea | The defendant’s formal response or negotiated resolution. | Review later disposition and sentencing entries. |
| Dismissed / nolle prosequi | The prosecution ended that charge without a conviction on that count. | Check whether other counts remained. |
| Adjudication withheld | A Florida disposition with legal consequences different from an adjudication of guilt. | Do not simply label it as identical to an ordinary conviction. |
| Adjudicated guilty | The court entered an adjudication of guilt. | Review the sentence and any later appellate/post-conviction activity. |
| Sentence | Court-ordered punishment or conditions. | Check jail/prison, probation, fines and other conditions separately. |
The Clerk also publishes a downloadable criminal name index
Hillsborough County publishes criminal public-data files in addition to the normal HOVER interface. One particularly useful resource is the Criminal Name Index.
The Clerk says these files are refreshed weekly and include Circuit Criminal and County Criminal cases that were:
- filed after January 1988; or
- had court action from 1988 through the present
The index contains defendant names for both active and disposed Circuit and County Criminal cases currently stored online in the criminal-courts database.
Open criminal public-data filesOlder or paper criminal files may require an in-person step
Not every Hillsborough County criminal document exists as a remotely viewable image. The Clerk maintains both electronic and paper case files.
Paper files can be preordered through HOVER for viewing at the Clerk’s Tampa or Plant City locations. The Clerk says paper files are held for 10 business days after they arrive.
If you are not a party to the case, the Clerk advises allowing four business days for the file request because redaction review may be needed.
You can view and print many non-certified court documents for free
Hillsborough County Clerk states that users can view and print non-certified copies of available court documents at no charge through HOVER.
If the needed record is not imaged or cannot be viewed online, the Clerk provides a Request Copies of Court Documents form. Provide as much detail as possible, especially:
- case number
- case style / defendant name
- specific document name
- filing date when known
- contact information
Use Clerk eCertify when you need an authenticated court record
The Clerk offers electronically certified Hillsborough County court records through Clerk eCertify. Certified records are delivered as secured PDF documents and contain verification features that allow recipients to check authenticity.
Find the case in HOVER
Locate the correct case and document first.
Select the Certify option
Add the available event document to the eCertify cart.
Purchase the whole document
The Clerk notes that eCertify purchases cover the entire event document rather than individually selected pages.
Receive the certified PDF by email
The electronic certification can be validated through the authentication link or QR code on the cover page.
The Clerk currently notes that its payment processor adds a 3.5% credit-card processing fee to eCertify purchases.
Hillsborough Clerk eCertifyWhere to view Hillsborough criminal court records in person
George Edgecomb Courthouse
800 E. Twiggs StreetTampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 276-8100
Customer Service Center hours published by the Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Plant City Courthouse
301 North Michigan AvenueRoom 1071
Plant City, FL 33563
Phone: (813) 276-8100
Published hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
George Edgecomb Courthouse map
The Edgecomb Courthouse is the principal downtown Tampa Clerk location commonly used for criminal court services. Confirm that the service or physical file you need is available there before making a trip.
Use HCSO Arrest Inquiry for jail and booking information
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Arrest Inquiry is the official county resource for current jail and qualifying historical adult arrest information.
The public system currently includes information such as:
- booking number
- name
- booking date
- release date
- listed charges
- bond amount
- booking photograph
- current-inmate status
How far back does the online search go?
HCSO says its online Arrest Inquiry covers adult arrests occurring since January 1, 1995 when the Sheriff’s Office has an electronic record.
The system is currently updated about every 30 minutes. HCSO states that after a person’s data enters the jail-management system, the record should normally appear within approximately 30 minutes.
A very recent arrest has a special 24-hour search rule
Hillsborough County has a useful local quirk that can prevent confusion.
HCSO says a newly created arrest record does not appear in general arrest listings during the first 24 hours.
However, during that period you can still search for the person by entering their first and last name.
HCSO also states that records remain in the normal public listing for 90 days following release, unless the user has authorized full-access status.
HCSO arrest information and HOVER court records are not the same
| Question | HCSO Arrest Inquiry | HOVER Court Records |
|---|---|---|
| Was the person booked? | Best source | Not primarily a jail-booking database. |
| What charges were listed at booking? | Yes | Shows charges formally reflected in the court case. |
| What formal charges were filed? | Not definitive | Best source |
| What happened in court? | No | Use docket / case documents |
| Was the charge dismissed or resolved? | Booking data does not answer reliably | Review disposition |
| What was the bond at booking? | Yes, when displayed | Court docket may contain later bond activity. |
Use FDLE when you need a statewide Florida criminal-history search
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Division of Criminal Justice Information Services is the state’s central repository for Florida criminal-history information.
The public FDLE criminal-history search is broader geographically than a Hillsborough County court search, but it should not replace examination of the actual court case when the disposition matters.
| FDLE option | Current fee | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Instant Search | $24 + $1 card processing fee | Immediate result; printable/email-able; not certified. |
| Certified / Non-Certified Search | $24 | FDLE staff performs the demographic search and mails results. |
| Non-certified staff search | Included in $24 search fee | FDLE currently estimates about 5 business days before mailing. |
| Certified staff search | Included in $24 search fee | FDLE currently estimates about 6–7 business days before mailing. |
| ORI search | Varies | For authorized purposes using a valid ORI supplied by the requesting agency. |
You can review your own Florida criminal history for free through FDLE
Florida law gives an individual the right to request their own Florida criminal-history record for personal review so they can check whether it is complete and accurate.
FDLE currently charges no fee for its Personal Review service. The request requires the person’s fingerprints.
Personal Review mailing address
Florida Department of Law EnforcementPost Office Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1489
Attn: Criminal History Record Maintenance Section
FDLE lists its Criminal History Record Maintenance Section at (850) 410-7898 for personal-review and challenge questions.
FDLE Personal Review instructionsWanted-person information is a different FDLE search
Florida’s FDLE Public Access System provides public information concerning wanted persons, missing persons and certain stolen property.
This is not a Florida criminal-history database. FDLE specifically separates the Public Access System from its criminal-history search.
FDLE Public Access SystemFlorida’s sex-offender registry is separate from ordinary criminal records
FDLE operates the statewide Sexual Offender and Predator Registry.
Users can search by name or perform location-based searches using city, county or ZIP code. Hillsborough County can be selected when the intent is specifically to identify qualifying registered offenders in the county.
If the Hillsborough criminal case was appealed, search Florida ACIS
Florida maintains a separate statewide Appellate Case Information System (ACIS) for Supreme Court and District Court of Appeal cases.
ACIS allows public searches using fields such as:
- appellate case number
- case title
- case category
- filing date
- originating trial-court case number
Federal criminal cases in Hillsborough County use PACER, not HOVER
Hillsborough County is within the Middle District of Florida’s Tampa Division for federal court purposes.
The federal court states that the Tampa Division includes Hillsborough County along with Hardee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties.
Federal dockets and documents can be searched using PACER.
Middle District of Florida Search PACERSealed or expunged records can disappear from ordinary public searches
Hillsborough County has a Clerk Expungement and Sealing Unit that assists with the local filing process.
For many ordinary Florida court-ordered seal or expunge cases, the first step is obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility from FDLE.
FDLE currently requires a qualifying application packet that can include:
- completed application
- notarized or deputy-clerk witnessed signature
- certified case disposition
- fingerprint card/form
- state-attorney certified statement for qualifying expungement requests
- current $75 FDLE processing fee
FDLE currently says eligibility processing typically takes about 12 weeks after receipt of a complete application packet.
Juvenile criminal records do not follow the ordinary adult search path
Juvenile delinquency records can be subject to different confidentiality and public-access rules. They should not be assumed to appear in HOVER, HCSO or FDLE in the same way as an ordinary adult case.
FDLE states that juvenile criminal-history information is generally confidential, although Florida law creates limited exceptions involving specified felony-level juvenile events.
When should you submit a public-record request to the Clerk?
Most users searching criminal court cases should try HOVER first. A formal public-record request becomes more useful when the information is not available through the Clerk’s normal online record tools.
Hillsborough Clerk states that requests for access to judicial-branch records under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420(m) must be in writing and directed to the custodian.
Court-record requests can currently be sent to: PublicRecords@hillsclerk.com.
Hillsborough County criminal-record search tips that save time
Start with HOVER, not Official Records
Criminal Circuit and County Court cases belong in HOVER. The Clerk’s Official Records index serves a different category of recorded documents.
Save the case number
Once you find the correct defendant, record the full case number for future document, certification and appeal searches.
Felony vs misdemeanor matters
Felonies route through Circuit Criminal; misdemeanors route through County Criminal.
Today’s arrest missing?
HCSO says new arrests may not appear in general listings for 24 hours. Search first and last name directly.
Use the weekly name index
The Clerk’s downloadable criminal name files are useful for broad defendant-name research.
Free copy may already exist
Check the document image in HOVER before paying for a clerk copy if certification is unnecessary.
Paper file? Order ahead
Preorder through HOVER and wait for the file-ready notification instead of making an unnecessary courthouse trip.
Need statewide history?
Switch from the county clerk to FDLE. HOVER only answers the Hillsborough court part of the search.
Read the final disposition
Never treat the original booking charge as proof of how the criminal case ultimately ended.
Common questions about Hillsborough County criminal court records
1. Where can I search Hillsborough County criminal court records online?
Use Hillsborough Online Viewing of Electronic Records (HOVER), operated by the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court & Comptroller. HOVER provides access to many public court indexes, dockets and non-confidential document images.
2. Can I search a Hillsborough criminal case by name?
Yes. HOVER allows searches by party or business name as well as case number, Uniform Case Number, citation number, date range, court type and case type.
3. Where are felony records maintained?
Hillsborough felony records are maintained by the Clerk’s Circuit Criminal / Felony Department. Many case records are available electronically in HOVER.
4. Where are misdemeanor criminal records maintained?
The County Criminal / Misdemeanor Department maintains Hillsborough misdemeanor case records and qualifying non-criminal, non-traffic infractions.
5. How far back does the HCSO arrest search go?
HCSO says its online Arrest Inquiry includes adult arrests occurring since January 1, 1995 when the Sheriff’s Office has an electronic record.
6. Why can’t I find an arrest that happened today?
HCSO says new arrest records do not appear in general listings during the first 24 hours, but they can still be found during that period by searching the person’s first and last name.
7. Are non-certified Hillsborough court documents free online?
The Clerk currently states that available non-certified court-document copies can be viewed and printed through HOVER at no charge. Certified copies are a separate service.
8. How much does a statewide Florida criminal-history search cost?
FDLE currently charges $24 for a public Florida criminal-history search. Its Instant Search also carries a $1 credit-card processing fee.
9. Can I obtain my own Florida criminal-history record for free?
Yes. FDLE’s Personal Review process currently has no FDLE fee and allows an individual to review their own fingerprint-based Florida criminal-history record for accuracy and completeness.
10. What should I do if an old Hillsborough criminal record is not viewable online?
Check the case in HOVER to determine whether the file or document is paper-only. Paper files can be preordered for viewing at the Tampa or Plant City Clerk locations, and the Clerk also provides a court-document copy request service.
Official sources for verifying Hillsborough criminal records
- Hillsborough Clerk — HOVER Court Records
- Hillsborough Clerk — Circuit Criminal / Felony
- Hillsborough Clerk — County Criminal / Misdemeanor
- Hillsborough Clerk — Criminal Public Data Files
- Hillsborough Clerk — Preorder Case Files
- Hillsborough Clerk — Obtain Court Document Copies
- Hillsborough Clerk — eCertify Court Records
- Hillsborough Clerk — Service Locations
- Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office — Arrest Inquiry
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement — Criminal History Record Check
- FDLE — Personal Review
- FDLE — Public Access / Wanted Persons System
- FDLE — Sexual Offender and Predator Registry
- Florida Courts — Appellate Case Information System
- U.S. District Court — Middle District of Florida
- PACER — Federal Court Case Search
- Hillsborough Clerk — Expungement and Sealing
- FDLE — Seal and Expunge Process