Broward County criminal records are spread across several official systems. Use the Broward County Clerk of Courts for felony, misdemeanor, traffic-criminal and warrant-linked court records; the Broward Sheriff’s Office for arrests, bookings, jail custody and local arrest-history checks; and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for statewide Florida criminal-history searches. This guide explains which system to use, what each database includes, and when an official copy is required.
Which Broward County criminal record do you need?
Broward County does not have one database that answers every criminal-record question. Start with the record type.
Criminal court case
Best for charges, case number, court filings, dispositions, sentencing and warrant-related court entries.
Arrest / booking / jail
Best for Broward County arrests, booking information, current detention location, bond and booking photographs.
Florida criminal history
Best for a statewide Florida criminal-history search rather than one Broward County case.
Certified disposition
Use court-copy services when an agency requires an official or certified criminal record.
Incident / local arrest check
Request incident reports or a Broward-only arrest-record check through the Sheriff’s Public Records Unit.
Federal criminal case
Federal prosecutions are searched through PACER, not Broward County Clerk or FDLE court records.
Search Broward County criminal court records online
The Broward County Clerk of Courts Public Case Search provides public access to felony and traffic/misdemeanor case information.
The criminal case types currently searchable include categories such as:
- felony
- first-, second- and third-degree felony
- capital offenses
- criminal appeals
- domestic violence criminal matters
- misdemeanors
- criminal traffic
- county and municipal ordinance cases
- mandatory traffic infractions
- certain search-warrant misdemeanor records
How to search Broward criminal cases
Open the Clerk’s Public Case Search
Use the official Broward Clerk portal rather than a commercial people-search service.
Select the criminal court type
Choose felony or traffic/misdemeanor depending on the case you are researching.
Enter last and first name
Both fields are required for a party-name search. Add the middle name when available.
Use filing dates to narrow common names
The Clerk search supports a filing-date range. This is particularly useful when a common name returns many cases.
Refine if more than 200 records match
Broward limits a public search to the first 200 results. Add middle-name, court-type or filing-date filters when necessary.
Review the disposition
Read the final outcome and later docket entries rather than assuming the original charge resulted in conviction.
Broward County felony criminal records
Felony cases are filed in Florida’s circuit court and maintained by the Broward County Clerk of Courts.
Broward’s online criminal case system can show felony case information and, for qualifying electronic records, viewable court documents.
Broward County Clerk of Courts
Judicial Complex
201 S.E. 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
If a felony document is not viewable online, submit a Court Records Request or visit the Clerk division where the case is filed.
Broward misdemeanor and criminal traffic records
The Clerk’s Traffic and Misdemeanor Division handles misdemeanor, criminal traffic, municipal ordinance, county ordinance and related lower-level criminal matters.
Online searching is generally the fastest starting point, but older misdemeanor and traffic records may require a purged-record search.
Traffic & Misdemeanor DivisionOlder and purged Broward criminal records
Broward’s online coverage is not identical for every case year.
The Clerk notes that traffic and misdemeanor cases filed before 2011 were routinely purged from the main electronic system and may require a Court Records Request or in-person search.
Electronic criminal documents available through the Clerk’s current online certified-document system generally include Circuit Criminal Felony records filed on or after January 6, 2014.
Search online first
Use the defendant’s full name, court type and filing-date range.
Gather historical identifiers
Case number, citation number, defendant DOB and approximate incident year can help locate older records.
Request a purged-record search
For older misdemeanor or traffic cases that do not appear online, contact the Clerk’s Traffic and Misdemeanor Division.
Ask for certification if required
Broward may provide a certified microfiche printout if the original older file is unavailable.
Broward Sheriff’s Office arrest search
The Broward Sheriff’s Office Arrest Search is the main official lookup for Broward jail booking and current arrest information.
BSO says search results are updated approximately every 15 minutes.
Results can include:
- arrest number
- full name
- sex
- current jail location
- booking photograph
- charges
- bond information
Broward County jail and current custody records
Broward Sheriff’s Office operates the county jail system and directs users to its Arrest Search to locate inmates.
BSO operates four detention facilities. The Main Jail also houses the Central Intake Bureau, which processes arrests from law-enforcement agencies throughout Broward County.
Broward Sheriff’s Office Main Jail
555 S.E. 1st Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: 954-831-5900
Broward County local arrest-record checks
BSO’s Public Records Unit can perform a local records check.
This is a Broward County search of arrest records submitted to BSO by law-enforcement agencies within the county.
- covers Broward County information only
- is limited to arrest records
- does not include incidents that did not result in arrest
- does not include records outside Broward County
Broward County warrant search
Broward Sheriff’s Office directs public users seeking information about outstanding warrants to the Broward County Clerk of Courts public website.
Start with the Clerk case search and look for the person’s criminal case and warrant-related court information.
Search Broward Clerk warrant / case informationBroward arrest reports, incident reports and police records
Arrest reports and incident reports are different from the Clerk’s court file.
BSO’s Public Records Unit accepts online requests for records maintained by the Sheriff’s Office, including:
- arrest records
- incident reports
- accident reports
- local arrest-record checks
For an event or incident handled by another Broward municipal police department, request the report from the agency to which the event was reported.
BSO Public Records Unit
Phone: 954-831-8700
Mail: P.O. Box 9507, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310
BSO notes that records requests can involve fees depending on the type of record and staff time required.
Florida statewide criminal-history search through FDLE
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Division of Criminal Justice Information Services, is the central repository for Florida criminal-history information.
Use FDLE when you need a statewide Florida search rather than a Broward-only case or arrest lookup.
$24 + $1 processing fee
Online name-based results are available immediately and are not certified.
$24
FDLE staff conduct the search and return results by U.S. mail. Certification can be requested through this service.
Fee varies
Used for authorized licensing, employment or other agency programs requiring a specific ORI number.
How to review your own Florida criminal history for free
FDLE provides a Personal Review process for individuals who want to inspect their own Florida criminal-history record for accuracy.
There is currently no FDLE fee for this Personal Review service, although the law-enforcement or criminal-justice agency taking fingerprints may charge its own fingerprinting fee.
Complete the Personal Review application
Use the FDLE personal-review form rather than the ordinary paid public name search.
Obtain fingerprints
FDLE requires a fingerprint card taken by a law-enforcement or criminal-justice agency.
Mail the application and fingerprints
Send them to the FDLE Criminal History Record Maintenance Section using the current instructions.
Review and challenge errors
Personal Review allows you to examine your record and challenge inaccurate or incomplete information.
Broward criminal court copies and certified records
The Broward Clerk offers in-person, request-based and electronic certified court-copy options.
Only documents already available in a viewable electronic format can be purchased through the Clerk’s online electronic certification system.
Search the case
Locate the Broward criminal case through Public Case Search.
Open Case Details
Check whether the required document is viewable electronically.
Use “Purchase Certified Copies Online” when available
Select the available documents and complete checkout.
Use a Court Records Request when it is not online
Older, non-viewable or archived records may require a request or courthouse visit.
Broward County court-record copy fees
| Service | Current published fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Regular court-record copy | $1.00 per page | Applies to ordinary copies through Clerk record services. |
| Certification | $2.00 per court document | Added when certification is requested. |
| Record search | $2.00 per case per year | Can apply when Clerk staff must perform a search. |
| Sealing / expunging court file | $42.00 | Current Broward Clerk statutory processing charge. |
Verify fees before sending payment because Clerk and statutory charges can change.
Broward County sealing and expungement
Florida offers several forms of criminal-history sealing and expungement. For ordinary court-ordered sealing or expungement, the process generally begins with FDLE.
FDLE requires a Certificate of Eligibility before a qualifying person can petition the court under Florida’s court-ordered sealing or expungement statutes.
The current application generally requires:
- completed application
- notarized applicant signature
- fingerprints
- certified disposition for each relevant case
- state attorney certification for expunction applications where required
- $75 nonrefundable FDLE processing fee
FDLE currently states that certificate-of-eligibility processing typically takes about 12 weeks after a complete packet is received.
FDLE Seal & Expunge ProcessBroward Clerk currently also lists a $42 statutory processing fee for sealing or expunging a court record, in addition to other copy, certification or agency costs.
Are Broward juvenile criminal records public?
Florida juvenile records are generally confidential and receive greater protection than adult criminal records.
FDLE has limited statutory authority to disclose certain juvenile criminal-history information, including some felony-level juvenile events and cases transferred to adult court.
Juvenile records that have been sealed or expunged are not subject to ordinary public release.
How to correct a Broward or Florida criminal record
First determine where the error appears.
Broward Clerk
If the error concerns a Broward court filing, disposition or case entry, start with the Clerk division maintaining the file.
FDLE Criminal History Maintenance
Use Personal Review to obtain your record and challenge information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
Source law-enforcement agency
Contact BSO or the municipal police department that originated the arrest or incident data.
Federal criminal records in Broward County
Federal criminal prosecutions are separate from Broward County court cases and Florida FDLE criminal-history searches.
Use PACER to locate federal criminal cases in U.S. District Court.
Search federal cases with PACERFor your own nationwide FBI Identity History Summary, use the FBI’s fingerprint-based process.
Broward County Central Courthouse
The main Broward Judicial Complex is in downtown Fort Lauderdale and houses major Clerk court-record services.
Broward County Judicial Complex
201 S.E. 6th StreetFort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Clerk general information: 954-831-6565
Broward criminal-record search tips
Start with the Clerk for a court case
Court cases and BSO arrest records answer different questions.
Use full first and last name
Both are required for the Clerk’s party-name search.
Add a date range
Filing-date filters are useful when a name produces too many results.
200-result limit
Refine broad Clerk searches because public results are limited to the first 200 matches.
Recent custody? Use BSO
BSO’s Arrest Search refreshes frequently and is better for current jail status.
Need Florida-wide history? Use FDLE
A Broward local records check does not cover arrests outside the county.
Older misdemeanor? Request a purged search
Cases filed before 2011 may not remain in the main online system.
Order certification only when required
A plain copy can be enough for personal research; agencies may require certification.
Read the final disposition
Initial charges and final outcomes can be very different.
Using Broward criminal records for employment or housing
A Broward Clerk docket, BSO local arrest check or public FDLE search is not automatically a legally compliant consumer report for employment, tenant screening, credit or another regulated eligibility decision.
Broward County criminal records FAQs
1. Where can I search Broward County criminal cases online?
Use the Broward County Clerk of Courts Public Case Search for felony, misdemeanor, criminal traffic and other qualifying case information.
2. Can I search Broward County arrests online?
Yes. Broward Sheriff’s Office provides an Arrest Search with booking, jail-location, charge, bond and booking-photo information.
3. How often does BSO Arrest Search update?
Broward Sheriff’s Office states that Arrest Search information is updated approximately every 15 minutes.
4. Is a BSO local records check a statewide Florida background check?
No. BSO states that its local records checks cover Broward County arrest records only and exclude information occurring outside Broward County.
5. How much does an FDLE Florida criminal-history search cost?
FDLE currently charges $24 for a public criminal-history search. The Instant Search also carries a $1 credit-card processing fee.
6. Can I review my own Florida criminal history for free?
Yes. FDLE does not charge for its fingerprint-based Personal Review service, although the agency taking your fingerprints may charge a rolling fee.
7. How much are Broward criminal court copies?
Broward Clerk currently lists ordinary court copies at $1 per page, certification at $2 per court document, and a search fee of $2 per case per year when applicable.
8. Why can’t I find an old Broward misdemeanor case online?
Broward states that traffic and misdemeanor cases filed before 2011 were routinely purged from the main system and may require a purged-record search.
9. Where can I search Broward County warrants?
Broward Sheriff’s Office directs public warrant inquiries to the Broward County Clerk of Courts public website or courthouse records.
10. Can Broward criminal records be sealed or expunged?
Some qualifying Florida records can be sealed or expunged. Court-ordered sealing or expungement generally begins with an FDLE Certificate of Eligibility and then requires a court petition and order.
11. Does a Broward Clerk search include criminal cases from other Florida counties?
No. Broward Clerk searches Broward court records. Use FDLE for statewide Florida criminal-history information.
12. Does Broward County criminal-record searching include federal cases?
No. Federal cases are separate and should be searched through PACER.
Official sources used for this Broward County guide
- Broward County Clerk of Courts — Public Case Search
- Broward Clerk — Felony Division
- Broward Clerk — Traffic and Misdemeanor Division
- Broward Clerk — Court Records Requests
- Broward Clerk — Electronic Certified Documents
- Broward Sheriff’s Office — Arrest Search
- Broward Sheriff’s Office — Public Records Requests
- Broward Sheriff’s Office — Inmate Information
- FDLE — Florida Criminal History Record Check
- FDLE — Personal Review
- FDLE — Seal and Expunge Process
- PACER — Federal Court Cases