Florida Arrest Records

Is Florida an Open Arrest Records State?

Florida is an open arrest records state pursuant to Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, commonly known as the Florida Sunshine Law. This comprehensive legislation mandates that all government records, including arrest records, must be accessible to the public unless specifically exempted by law. The Florida Constitution, Article I, Section 24, further reinforces this right by establishing that "every person has the right to inspect or copy any public record made or received in connection with the official business of any public body, officer, or employee of the state."

The principle underlying Florida's open records laws is to promote transparency and accountability within government operations. Arrest records in Florida are maintained as public documents to allow citizens to monitor law enforcement activities and to maintain an informed community. This accessibility serves multiple public interests, including:

Ensuring the justice system operates with transparency
Providing citizens with information necessary to protect their rights
Allowing for public oversight of law enforcement agencies
Facilitating background checks for employment and housing purposes
Supporting journalistic and research endeavors related to criminal justice

Under Florida law, agencies may charge reasonable fees for the duplication of records, not to exceed 15 cents per one-sided copy for duplicated copies of not more than 14 inches by 8½ inches, as specified in § 119.07(4), Florida Statutes.

How to Look Up Florida Arrest Records in 2025

To obtain Florida arrest records, individuals have multiple options available through various governmental agencies. As of 2025, arrest records can be accessed through the following methods:

Online Databases: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) maintains a comprehensive criminal history database accessible at their website. For a fee of $24.00 per record search, members of the public may obtain criminal history information.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
2331 Phillips Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
(850) 410-7000
www.fdle.state.fl.us

County Clerk of Courts: Each county's Clerk of Court maintains records of arrests and subsequent court proceedings within their jurisdiction. Many counties now offer online search capabilities.

Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts
73 W. Flagler Street
Miami, FL 33130
(305) 275-1155
Criminal Records

Local Law Enforcement Agencies: Sheriff's offices and police departments maintain records of arrests they have conducted. Records can be requested in person, by mail, or in many cases, online.

Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office
9105 NW 25th Street
Doral, FL 33172
(305) 471-2400
Request Reports & Records

Florida Department of Corrections: For information about individuals currently incarcerated or under supervision, the public may access the Offender Information Search.

Florida Department of Corrections
501 South Calhoun Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399
(850) 488-5021
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Pursuant to § 119.07(1)(a), Florida Statutes, every person who has custody of a public record shall permit the record to be inspected and copied by any person desiring to do so, at any reasonable time, under reasonable conditions, and under supervision by the custodian of the public records.

Contents of a Florida Arrest Record

A Florida arrest record, as maintained by law enforcement agencies throughout the state, typically contains comprehensive information about an individual's interaction with the criminal justice system. Pursuant to Florida Administrative Code Rule 11C-4.001, these records must include:

Personal Identifiers: Full legal name, aliases, date of birth, social security number (partially redacted in public versions), race, sex, height, weight, eye and hair color
Arrest Details: Date and time of arrest, location of arrest, arresting agency and officer identification, arrest report number
Charge Information: Specific Florida statute violations, charge classification (felony, misdemeanor, or ordinance violation), charge description
Case Processing: Booking information, court case numbers, disposition of charges
Biometric Data: Fingerprint classification and identification numbers
Photographic Evidence: Booking photographs (commonly known as "mugshots")
Detention Information: If applicable, information regarding pretrial detention or release conditions

It should be noted that certain information may be redacted from public versions of arrest records in accordance with § 119.071, Florida Statutes, which provides exemptions for specific categories of information including active criminal intelligence information, information regarding victims of certain crimes, and information about minors in most circumstances.

Understanding the Florida Open Records Act

The Florida Open Records Act, codified in Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes and commonly referred to as the "Sunshine Law," establishes the framework for public access to governmental records in the state. This legislation, first enacted in 1909 and substantially strengthened in 1967, is among the most comprehensive open government laws in the United States.

The statute defines public records in § 119.011(12) as "all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, data processing software, or other material, regardless of the physical form, characteristics, or means of transmission, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency."

Key provisions of the Florida Open Records Act include:

Presumption of Openness: All government records are presumed open for public inspection unless specifically exempted by law
Reasonable Access: Agencies must provide reasonable access to records during normal business hours
Response Timeframe: While no specific timeframe is mandated, agencies must respond to requests in "good faith" and with "reasonable dispatch"
Format Options: Records must be provided in the format requested if the agency maintains them in that format
Fee Structure: Agencies may charge only the actual cost of duplication plus a reasonable clerical charge if extensive staff time is required

The Florida Attorney General's Office maintains an Open Government Mediation Program to resolve disputes regarding access to public records without litigation. This program can be contacted at:

Office of the Attorney General
Open Government Mediation Program
PL-01 The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050
(850) 245-0140
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Expungement of Arrest Records in Florida

In Florida, the process of expungement (also referred to as expunction) provides eligible individuals with the opportunity to remove their arrest records from public access. This process is governed by § 943.0585, Florida Statutes, and administered by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

Eligibility criteria for expungement include:

The arrest must not have resulted in a conviction
The applicant must not have been adjudicated guilty or delinquent of any criminal offense
The applicant must not have previously secured an expungement or sealing of another criminal history record
The applicant must not be seeking to expunge a record related to certain disqualifying offenses enumerated in § 943.0585(2), Florida Statutes

The application process requires:

Obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility from the FDLE
Submitting a complete application with a $75.00 processing fee
Providing a certified disposition of the case from the Clerk of Court
Submitting fingerprints taken by a law enforcement agency
Filing a petition for expungement with the court that handled the case
Attending a hearing if required by the court

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Expungement Section
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302
(850) 410-7870
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Pursuant to § 943.0585(4)(a), Florida Statutes, a person who has secured an expungement may lawfully deny or fail to acknowledge the arrests covered by the expunged record, except when applying for certain positions or licenses specified in the statute.

How to Find Local Arrests in Florida

Members of the public seeking information about recent local arrests in Florida have several official resources available to them. These resources vary by jurisdiction but typically include:

County Sheriff's Office Booking Logs: Most sheriff's offices maintain daily booking logs that are available to the public either online or in person.

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
10750 Ulmerton Road
Largo, FL 33778
(727) 582-6200
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

Municipal Police Department Records: City police departments maintain arrest records for incidents within their jurisdiction.

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
501 E. Bay Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 630-0500
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office

County Clerk of Court Records: Court records related to arrests are maintained by the Clerk of Court in each county.

Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court
315 Court Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 464-7000
View Records

Public Access Systems: Many jurisdictions maintain online portals for searching arrest records.

Homestead Police Department
4 South Krome Avenue
Homestead, FL 33030
(305) 247-1535
Public Records Request

Local Law Enforcement Social Media: Many agencies post information about significant arrests on their official social media accounts.

Hialeah Police Department Records Unit
5555 East 8th Avenue
Hialeah, FL 33013
(305) 883-5800
Records Unit

Orlando Police Department Records Unit
100 South Hughey Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
(407) 246-2148
Orlando Police Department

Pursuant to § 119.01(1), Florida Statutes, "it is the policy of this state that all state, county, and municipal records are open for personal inspection and copying by any person." However, requestors should be aware that certain information may be exempt from disclosure under § 119.071, Florida Statutes, including active criminal investigative information and information that would reveal the identity of victims of certain crimes.

Additional Resources for Florida Arrest Records

Criminal Records Request Reports & Records View Records Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Public Records Request Records Unit Orlando Police Department Florida Statutes on Record Expungement