Finding Florida Arrest Records

Florida arrest records are retained by the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) division of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The arrest records are filed and updated at the various levels of state law enforcement such as the sheriff’s offices, criminal justice agencies, highway patrol officers and the county police departments. The details of the various arrest records are then forwarded to the state’s central repository, which is updated every month.

Recording of Arrest Records

Any arrest in Florida made by the various law enforcement authorities is recorded even if it hasn’t resulted in a conviction. In accordance to the state law in Florida, all Florida arrest records are notified to the national agencies such as the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Accessing Arrest Records

All arrest records are considered public records in Florida. The state repository of Florida allows the public to access arrest records pertaining to felony and misdemeanor convictions, unless they have been sealed or expunged by any court orders. In general, these records can be accessed by anyone.

Even though the arrest records in Florida require no authorization from the government or a signed release from the state government, you must use the official request form. These forms are available online and can be downloaded from the official website of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The Florida Department of Law Enforcement can be reached for any queries or assistance at:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
USB/Public Records
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, Florida 32302
Phone: (904) 488-4931
Website: www.fdle.state.fl.us/CriminalHistory

Contents of an Arrest Record in Florida

Information available in Florida arrest records includes individual details such as the  first and last name, any other aliases, age, date of birth, place of birth, race, physical descriptions such as weight, gender, height, eye color, photo, arrests, date of arrest, location of arrest, any dispositions, and details about convictions and probation.

Arrest records available with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement date back to 1950. However, to search arrest records prior to this date, one has to visit the county courthouses as the clerks of the county courts maintain these records. To find the address of the various clerks of court in Florida you can use the following website: http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/fgils/http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/coclerks.html.

Need for Florida Arrest Records

In Florida, public arrest records can be accessed to conduct a search for various purposes such as screening your neighbors, work colleagues, licensing and leasing, or for screening prospective employees or checking out the background of a potential spouse. It is also a good idea to use the records to self-check so that you can know and verify that there are no errors that may go against your favor. For assistance on how to expunge or remove your arrest records, contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement through their website at:

http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/expunge/     or


http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/content/getdoc/c83dd888-ef7a-448e-9a96-ba69fc4181f7/Seal-and-Expunge-Home.aspx


You can use the data available from this source as often as you require ensuring that your life is safe and secure.

Apart from providing details about arrests, Florida arrest records also serve as an important source of information for death certificates, birth certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce documents, details about dissolution documents and the name and number of sex offenders in your neighborhood.

Accessing Arrest Records

One can access and conduct a search of Florida arrest records through various means. The options available to an individual include:


•    An inquiry by name(name, race, date of birth and sex)search
•    An inquiry by the booking number search
•    An inquiry by the booking date (detailed report or a summary) search
•    An inquiry by the release date (by booking number or by name) search


You can request a criminal history report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by sending a money order or check for $24 as a processing fee that is payable to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. When you send a written request, you should include details such as the date of birth, full name of the individual or any other known aliases, race, sex, Social Security number (if available) and age, and enclose this in an envelope that is stamped and has your mailing address written on it.  You should send this written request to:


Florida Department of Law Enforcement
USB/Public Records
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, Florida 32302
Phone: 850-410-8109
Website:  http://www.dc.state.fl.us/AppCommon/