How to Check Someone's Criminal Record in Florida

Florida is famously one of the most open states for public records, thanks to its broad Sunshine Law. This makes criminal record searches in Florida easier than in most states — but you still need to know where to look and what the limitations are.

FDLE Criminal History Search

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) provides a free online search of its criminal history database. You can search by name, date of birth, or other identifiers. This is the most comprehensive single source for Florida state criminal records.

The FDLE database includes arrests, charges, and dispositions reported by Florida law enforcement. It is updated regularly and covers records from across all 67 counties. For a more thorough check, FDLE also offers fingerprint-based searches through authorized agencies.

County Clerk of Court Searches

Each Florida county has a Clerk of Court that maintains detailed case records. Most offer free online case searches where you can find specific charge details, court dates, plea agreements, sentencing information, and case documents.

Major county portals include:

• Miami-Dade County — extensive online records through the Clerk's portal
• Broward County — searchable case index with document viewing
• Hillsborough County (Tampa) — free name-based criminal case search
• Orange County (Orlando) — online case search with court records

Florida's Sunshine Law Advantage

Florida's public records laws are among the strongest in the nation. Arrest records, booking photos, police reports, and court documents are generally available to anyone who requests them. This is why "Florida Man" stories are so common in the news — journalists have unusually broad access to arrest information.

For your purposes, this means Florida criminal records are more accessible than in states with tighter privacy restrictions. However, certain records are still exempt, including sealed or expunged cases, juvenile records, and some victim information.

Florida Sex Offender Registry

FDLE maintains the Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators database, which is freely searchable online. You can search by name, neighborhood, or even view a map of registered offenders in a specific area. Florida distinguishes between "sexual offenders" and the more serious classification of "sexual predators."

Gaps in a Florida-Only Search

Even with Florida's transparency, a state-only search has blind spots. The person may have criminal history in other states. Federal crimes prosecuted in Florida's three federal districts (Northern, Middle, and Southern) are in separate databases. And very recent arrests may not have been entered into the FDLE system yet.

Skip the courthouse visits. A CROW report searches court records across multiple jurisdictions in one search.

Get the Full Picture with CROW

CROW combines Florida state records with county courts, federal databases, and records from all 50 states into a single report. Instead of checking FDLE, then individual county clerks, then PACER for federal records, you get everything in one search. No subscription, no recurring charges — just the report you need.