How much does a Florida criminal-history search cost?

FDLE currently charges twenty-four dollars for a public Florida criminal-history search. Its instant online search also carries a one-dollar card processing fee.

Palm Beach County, Florida Criminal Records Search: Cases & Public Records

Q: Is Palm Beach County criminal court search free?

Yes. Palm Beach County eCaseView allows the public to search criminal case information without a search fee and view or print available uncertified court documents for free.

Q: How far back do Palm Beach County online court documents go?

Palm Beach County states that document images are generally available from late 2008 forward, with some earlier images available case by case.

Q: How much is an electronic certified Palm Beach County court document?

The Clerk currently charges eight dollars per electronic certified court document, plus a 3.5 percent processing fee for specified electronic payment methods.

Q: How do I find someone in the Palm Beach County jail?

Use the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Arrest and Jail service. PBSO also provides telephone booking and inmate-record information.

Q: How do I obtain a Palm Beach County Sheriff's police report?

Submit a request through PBSO Central Records, preferably through its online public-record portal. If another municipal police department created the report, request it from that agency.

Q: Can I get my own Florida criminal record for free?

Yes. FDLE's Personal Review process allows an individual to request their own Florida criminal-history record for review without an FDLE service charge.

Q: Can a sealed or expunged Palm Beach County record disappear from public search?

Yes. Florida sealing and expungement laws can restrict public access to qualifying criminal records. The effect depends on the specific form of relief and applicable law.

Q: Are federal criminal cases included in Palm Beach County eCaseView?

No. Federal cases are separate. Palm Beach County is within the Southern District of Florida, and federal court cases are generally searched through PACER.

Palm Beach County official-record guide

Choose the record system before you start searching

Palm Beach County criminal information is split among the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Department of Corrections and federal courts. The fastest way to find the right record is to first decide whether you need a court case, recent booking, police report, statewide Florida criminal history, prison record or federal prosecution.

Jurisdiction: Palm Beach County, Florida Primary sources: Florida courts and government agencies Information checked: October 2026

Fast answer: Start with eCaseView if you need charges, court dates, disposition or sentencing in a Palm Beach County criminal case. Use the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for current jail and Sheriff-created police records. Use FDLE for a statewide Florida criminal-history search.

Search a court case Charges, dispositions, sentences, court dates and documents.

Use eCaseView →

Find a current inmate Palm Beach County jail and booking information.

Use PBSO →

Request a police record Reports, local background checks and Sheriff records.

Public records →

Search statewide Florida FDLE name-based Florida criminal-history search.

FDLE search →

Get certified documents Electronic or manually certified court records.

Copies →

First identify which Palm Beach County record you actually need

A court case, jail booking and statewide criminal-history report answer different questions. Using the wrong system is one of the main reasons a legitimate search appears to return nothing.

Clerk of Court

Criminal case record

Filed criminal charges, complaints, parties, court dates, dispositions, sentences and many public documents.

PBSO

Jail and booking record

Current custody, booking, bond, charges and jail-related information maintained by the Sheriff’s Department of Corrections.

Law enforcement

Arrest / incident report

Police reports are maintained by the agency that created the report, which may be PBSO or a municipal police department.

FDLE

Florida criminal history

Statewide public criminal-history information maintained by Florida’s central criminal-history repository.

FDC

State prison / supervision

Florida Department of Corrections information concerning qualifying inmates and supervised offenders.

Federal court

Federal criminal case

Federal prosecutions are separate from Palm Beach County state-court cases and normally require PACER.

An arrest is not a conviction. A booking, arrest report or filed criminal charge does not by itself establish guilt. Review the final court disposition before describing how a criminal case ended.

Search Palm Beach County criminal court cases free with eCaseView

The Palm Beach County Clerk’s eCaseView is the primary public court-record search for Palm Beach County.

The system allows the public to search criminal, civil and traffic cases, view case information and open many public court documents.

Open official eCaseView

There is no fee to search. Palm Beach County currently allows users to search eCaseView and view or print available uncertified court documents for free.

Open eCaseView

Choose Guest if you only need ordinary public case searching. Registration is not required for most criminal case searches.

Select the criminal case category

Narrowing the case type helps avoid unrelated civil or traffic results when searching a common name.

Search by the strongest information available

Use a case number when possible. If you do not know it, search by name and add other available filters.

Open the case details

Review the parties, charges, dispositions, sentence, court dates and docket activity.

Open available documents

Many redacted public case documents can be viewed and printed directly from eCaseView.

Order certification only when needed

If an agency requires an official certified record, use E-Certify or the Records Service Center.

You can search Palm Beach County cases without creating an account

Guest users can search eCaseView using several fields. Registering gives access to additional search criteria that can help identify the correct defendant.

Search field	Guest user	Registered user
Name	Yes	Yes
Case number	Yes	Yes
Citation number	Yes	Yes
Offense date	Yes	Yes
Court type / case type	Yes	Yes
Date of birth	Limited	Additional search option
Incident number	Limited	Additional search option
Arrest date	Limited	Additional search option
Booking number	Limited	Additional search option
Driver-license number	Limited	Additional search option

Local search trick: if a common name returns too many cases, registering can be useful because DOB, arrest date and booking-number filters can help distinguish between similarly named defendants.

How to read a Palm Beach County criminal case correctly

eCaseView can show far more than a defendant’s name. Use the case history to determine what was actually alleged and how each count ended.

Case item	What it tells you	What to verify
Charge	The offense filed in court.	A filed charge is not automatically a conviction.
Complaint	Charging or initiating case information.	Read later docket activity for amendments or dismissal.
Court date	Scheduled or completed case event.	A hearing itself does not show the final outcome.
Disposition	How a charge was resolved.	Review each count separately.
Sentence	Court-imposed consequences after a qualifying disposition.	Check the related count and disposition.
Document image	Public filing or court-generated document.	Some records remain restricted or confidential.

One case can contain several outcomes. A defendant can have one count dismissed and another count resolved differently. Do not summarize the entire case from a single charge line.

Older Palm Beach County cases may require more than an online search

Palm Beach County says eCaseView document images are generally available from late 2008 forward, although earlier images can sometimes be available on a case-by-case basis.

That does not mean an older case does not exist. If the electronic record is incomplete, use the Records Service Center or one of the Clerk’s branch locations.

1 Search eCaseView Start with the defendant name or known case number.

2 Check available images Newer documents are more likely to be viewable remotely.

3 Visit a public terminal Use the courthouse or Clerk branch when remote access is incomplete.

4 Request copies Ask the Records Service Center when you need documents from the file.

Certified Palm Beach County criminal court records

If the document visible in eCaseView is sufficient for research, you can view, save and print an uncertified copy at no charge.

If you need formal proof, Palm Beach County provides electronic certified court documents through E-Certify.

Document type	Current cost	Important detail
Uncertified online court document	Free	Available when the document is publicly viewable in eCaseView.
Electronic certified court document	$8 per document	Includes statutory certification and electronic service fees.
Card / digital-wallet payment	3.5% processing fee	Applies to the payment methods currently identified by the Clerk.

Electronic certified documents include security features such as a unique reference, digital signature and tamper-evident certification. The authenticity can be checked through the Clerk’s verification process.

Before purchasing: confirm that the agency receiving the record accepts an electronically certified document. The Clerk also provides manually stamped certified records through the Records Service Center and branch locations.

Where to search criminal records in person

Main Courthouse

Palm Beach County Main Courthouse

205 N. Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Main location phone: (561) 355-2996

Criminal case information

Criminal Court

Phone: (561) 355-2994

The Clerk currently provides criminal-case telephone assistance Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Public-access computers

The Clerk provides public computers for court-record research at:

Main Courthouse Records Service Center — Room 4.2500
Main Courthouse Self-Service Center — Room 1.2500
Clerk branch locations throughout Palm Beach County

Other Palm Beach County Clerk locations

Location	Address
Main Courthouse	205 N. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach, FL 33401
North County Courthouse	3188 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Royal Palm Beach Branch	200 Civic Center Way, Suite 400, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
South County Courthouse	200 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444
West County Courthouse	2950 State Road 15, Belle Glade, FL 33430

Main Courthouse map

The main Clerk courthouse and Records Service Center are in downtown West Palm Beach. Check your particular case and service before traveling.

Palm Beach County jail, inmate and booking records

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office provides its Arrest & Jail section for current inmate and booking information.

Open PBSO Arrest & Jail

PBSO identifies its Inmate Records operation as the public source for information such as current charges, bond amounts, visiting information and custody-related records.

Custody check

Is the person in custody?

PBSO currently lists (561) 688-4340 for booking/custody information covering both Sheriff’s correctional facilities.

Inmate Records

Detailed inmate information

PBSO also publishes (561) 688-4358 for its Inmate Records/Information section.

Jail record vs. court record: the booking record tells you about custody and booking. Use eCaseView to confirm the charges actually filed in court and how they were ultimately resolved.

How to request a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s report

The Sheriff’s Central Records Division is the main repository for PBSO-created records.

Central Records handles requests including:

criminal police reports
informational reports
accident reports
audio and video reproductions
local background checks
police letters of clearance

Online request

PBSO recommends submitting a request through its online GovQA public-record portal, which allows requesters to track the request and download responsive records when completed.

PBSO Public Records Request

In-person public-record access

PBSO Central Records
2195 Southern Boulevard
West Palm Beach, FL 33406

Public counter: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Mail request

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
Attn: Central Records
3228 Gun Club Road
West Palm Beach, FL 33406

Florida public-record advantage: PBSO states that you are not required to identify yourself, explain why you want the record, or submit the request in writing simply to make a public-record request.

A Palm Beach County arrest does not always mean PBSO has the police report

Palm Beach County contains several municipal police departments. If a city police department investigated the incident or made the arrest, that department may be the custodian of the original police report.

1 Find the arresting agency Look at the booking record, citation or court paperwork.

2 Identify the custodian PBSO or the relevant city police department.

3 Request the police record Use that agency’s official records-request procedure.

4 Search the court separately Use eCaseView for filed charges and disposition.

Do not assume the Sheriff’s Office owns every police report in the county. Request the record from the government agency that created or maintains it.

Florida public-record requests are different from criminal-history searches

Florida has broad public-record laws, but a public-record request to a police agency is not the same thing as ordering an FDLE statewide criminal-history report.

Agency public record

Police report / government document

Ask the agency that maintains the document. Exempt or confidential material can be redacted or withheld according to Florida law.

FDLE criminal history

Statewide name-based history

Use FDLE’s dedicated Florida Criminal History Record Check service. The statutory search fee applies.

Being specific—such as identifying a date, incident number, person and record type—can make an agency public-record request faster and reduce potential extensive-use costs.

Search statewide Florida criminal history through FDLE

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is Florida’s central repository for criminal-history information.

A Palm Beach County Clerk search only shows cases filed in Palm Beach County. FDLE is the better source when the question is whether a person has qualifying criminal-history information elsewhere in Florida.

FDLE search	Current fee	How results arrive
Instant Florida Criminal History Search	$24 + $1 card processing fee	Immediate online result; not certified.
Certified / Non-Certified Search	$24	Processed by FDLE staff and returned by U.S. Mail.
Non-certified processing	Included in search fee	FDLE currently states about 5 business days, excluding mail delivery.
Certified processing	Included in search fee	FDLE currently states about 6–7 business days, excluding mail delivery.

FDLE Florida Criminal History Checks

Statewide does not mean nationwide. The ordinary public FDLE Florida search concerns Florida criminal history. Federal or other-state criminal cases require their own record systems.

FDLE discontinued its old mail form for ordinary public Florida criminal-history requests in 2020. Current public search options are electronic.

You can review your own Florida criminal history for free

Florida law allows an individual to request a copy of their own FDLE criminal-history record for personal review and to challenge information that appears inaccurate or incomplete.

FDLE currently charges no fee for its Personal Review service.

Complete the Personal Review form

Use FDLE’s current Personal Review of Florida Criminal History Record form.

Get fingerprinted

A fingerprint card is used so the review can be matched to your identity.

Mail the request to FDLE

Send the completed form and fingerprint card to the FDLE Criminal History Record Maintenance Section.

Review the returned record

Use the challenge process when information is inaccurate or incomplete.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1489
Attn: Criminal History Record Maintenance Section

Personal Review is for your own record. FDLE specifically states that you cannot use another person’s Personal Review process merely to determine whether that person has a criminal history. Use FDLE’s $24 public name-based search instead.

Warrants and wanted-person records require a different search

A court-record search, criminal-history report and active wanted-person record are different datasets. FDLE provides a statewide Public Access System for selected wanted-person information.

Florida Wanted Persons Search

Do not treat a web search as legal confirmation of warrant status. If the possible warrant concerns you personally or requires immediate action, confirm it with the court or responsible law-enforcement agency.

Florida prison and supervision records use the Department of Corrections

If the person may be in Florida state prison or under Department of Corrections supervision, use the Florida Department of Corrections offender-information resources rather than the Palm Beach County jail search.

Florida Department of Corrections

County jail and state prison are separate. Someone awaiting trial in Palm Beach County can appear in PBSO custody records without appearing as a Florida state-prison inmate.

Corrections information is useful for custody or supervision status, but the underlying criminal case should still be reviewed through the Clerk when you need the exact charges, plea and disposition.

Florida sexual offender and predator records

FDLE operates the official Florida Sexual Offender and Predator Search.

Searches can be performed using information such as name, city, county or ZIP code. The database is specifically for qualifying registered sexual offenders and predators.

Search FDLE Registry

Registry absence does not mean no criminal record. The FDLE registry concerns qualifying sex-offender registration and does not represent a person’s complete Florida criminal history.

Sealing and expungement can change what appears publicly

Palm Beach County provides local sealing and expungement information, while FDLE determines eligibility for many court-ordered Florida sealing and expungement petitions.

Typical Florida court-ordered process

1 Get your documents Obtain the arrest and certified court-disposition information you need.

2 Apply to FDLE Request a Certificate of Eligibility when required by the applicable statute.

3 File with the court Submit the petition and supporting material in the proper court.

4 Wait for the order The record is not sealed or expunged merely because FDLE issued a certificate.

Current FDLE Certificate of Eligibility fee

FDLE currently lists a $75 nonrefundable processing fee for a Certificate of Eligibility application for court-ordered sealing or expungement.

FDLE states that eligibility processing is currently around 12 weeks from receipt of a completed application packet and does not offer expedited processing.

Save important records before expungement. Palm Beach County specifically advises obtaining and paying for needed certified copies before a case is expunged, because the Clerk will no longer be able to provide ordinary case information or copies after the expungement is completed.

Florida automatic sealing has a local-record limitation. FDLE explains that qualifying criminal-history information can be automatically sealed at the state repository under section 943.0595, Florida Statutes, but that process does not automatically seal local records.

Juvenile cases are not handled like ordinary adult criminal records

Palm Beach County’s eCaseView does not make juvenile case information available to ordinary public users in the same way as adult criminal cases. Juvenile matters are subject to stronger confidentiality rules.

FDLE also states that juvenile criminal-history records are generally confidential, subject to limited statutory exceptions.

Do not assume “not found” means the juvenile case never existed. Access restrictions can prevent the record from appearing in ordinary public court and criminal-history searches.

Federal criminal cases in Palm Beach County are separate

Palm Beach County lies within the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Federal prosecutions use PACER rather than eCaseView.

Search PACER

West Palm Beach Federal Courthouse

Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse
701 Clematis Street, Room 202
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Phone: (561) 803-3400
Clerk’s Office: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. on regular business days

Federal record cutoff: the Southern District of Florida states that PACER provides its criminal and civil cases filed on or after July 1, 2000. Older federal material may require additional court-record research.

What to do if a Florida criminal-history record is wrong

If the problem is in your statewide Florida criminal-history record, FDLE directs individuals to its Criminal History Record Maintenance Section.

A Personal Review can help you identify exactly what is associated with your fingerprints before challenging inaccurate or incomplete information.

Court error / disposition issue

Start with the case

Obtain the correct case disposition from the Palm Beach County Clerk when the issue concerns how a court case ended.

FDLE history issue

Contact FDLE

Use FDLE’s review and challenge procedure when the statewide criminal-history record appears inaccurate or incomplete.

Keep the identifiers together: save the case number, arrest date, arresting agency, certified disposition and any identifying information shown by FDLE. Those details help trace where the incorrect information originated.

A public criminal-record search is not automatically a compliant background check

eCaseView and FDLE public criminal-history searches are valuable public-record tools, but employment, tenant, licensing and other regulated screening decisions can involve additional laws.

When a consumer reporting company provides a background report for employment or housing, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act can require disclosures, authorization, notices and dispute procedures. Florida licensing programs can also require specific fingerprint or ORI-based checks.

Use the correct screening process for the purpose. An ordinary public court search should not automatically be substituted for a fingerprint-based, agency-authorized or FCRA-compliant background check when one is legally required.

Palm Beach County criminal-record search tips that save time

Tip 01

Start with eCaseView

If the user wants Palm Beach County charges or case outcome, court records are usually the fastest route.

Tip 02

Guest access is enough for many searches

You do not need an account to search most basic eCaseView case information.

Tip 03

Register for better identity filters

DOB, arrest date and booking-number fields can help when a common name returns multiple people.

Tip 04

Need only a readable copy?

Many uncertified court documents can be downloaded and printed free instead of buying certification.

Tip 05

Old document missing?

Remote document images are strongest from late 2008 forward; use the Records Service Center for older material.

Tip 06

Recent arrest?

Check PBSO booking first, then use the court record once the criminal filing appears.

Tip 07

Find the arresting agency

A municipal police report should generally be requested from the city agency that created it.

Tip 08

Statewide question?

Switch from the county Clerk to FDLE when the person may have criminal history elsewhere in Florida.

Tip 09

Read the disposition

Do not stop at an arrest or charge. Verify whether the count was dismissed, adjudicated or otherwise resolved.

Common questions about Palm Beach County criminal records

1. Is Palm Beach County criminal court search free?

Yes. Palm Beach County’s eCaseView allows the public to search criminal, civil and traffic case information without a search fee. Available uncertified court documents can also be viewed and printed online for free.

2. Do I need an account to search eCaseView?

No. Guest users can search most public case information without registration. Registered users receive additional search options such as date of birth, arrest date, incident number and booking number.

3. How far back do Palm Beach County online court documents go?

The Clerk says document images are generally viewable from late 2008 forward, with some older images available case by case. Older cases may require courthouse or Records Service Center research.

4. How much is an electronic certified Palm Beach County court document?

The Clerk currently charges $8 per electronic certified court document, with a 3.5% processing fee for specified electronic payment methods.

5. How do I find someone in the Palm Beach County jail?

Use the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Arrest & Jail search. PBSO also provides telephone booking information through Inmate Records.

6. How do I obtain a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s police report?

Submit a public-record request through PBSO Central Records, preferably through the online GovQA portal. Requests may also be made in person or by mail. If another police department created the report, request it from that agency.

7. How much does a statewide Florida criminal-history search cost?

FDLE currently charges $24 for a public Florida criminal-history search. The Instant Search also carries a $1 credit-card processing fee.

8. Can I get my own Florida criminal record for free?

Yes. FDLE’s Personal Review process allows individuals to request their own Florida criminal-history record for review at no FDLE charge. A fingerprint card and completed request are required.

9. Can a sealed or expunged Palm Beach County record disappear from public search?

Yes. Florida law provides several sealing and expungement procedures that can restrict public access. The legal effect depends on the specific type of relief. FDLE automatic sealing also does not necessarily seal corresponding local records.

10. Are federal criminal cases included in Palm Beach County eCaseView?

No. Federal criminal prosecutions are separate from Florida state-court cases. Palm Beach County falls within the Southern District of Florida, and federal case records are generally searched through PACER.