Florida is one of the most transparent states in the country when it comes to public records. The moment someone is booked into a county jail, the core details of that arrest become a matter of public record by law. If you are trying to locate someone who was arrested, understand what is on your own record, or simply figure out what information is actually available and where to find it, this guide walks you through exactly how the system works.
What Florida Arrest Records Are and Why They Are Public
Florida's Government in the Sunshine Law, codified in Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, establishes that virtually all documents created or maintained by a government agency are available to the public. Arrest records are no exception. Under Section 119.011, the name, sex, age, and address of a person arrested, the time and date of the arrest, the location, the charges filed, and the identity of the arresting agency are explicitly listed as public information.
This is not a gray area in Florida. Law enforcement agencies across the state are required to submit arrest records to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which serves as the central repository for criminal history data. The result is one of the most accessible public arrest record systems in the United States.
What a Florida Arrest Record Contains
An arrest record documents that a person was taken into custody or issued a notice to appear. It is a booking document, not a verdict. It does not mean the person was found guilty of anything. That distinction matters, and it matters especially when you are the one whose name is in the database.
A typical Florida arrest record includes:
Full legal name, date of birth, race, sex, and physical description. The arresting agency and the date, time, and location of the arrest. The charges filed at booking, including statute references. Booking number and booking date. Bond or bail amount set, if applicable. Arrest status showing whether the person was released, remains in custody, or is being held for another jurisdiction. A booking photograph taken at the time of arrest.
What it does not necessarily include is what happened afterward. Charges dropped, cases dismissed, acquittals at trial -- none of that automatically updates or removes the original arrest record from public databases. The arrest happened, and the public record reflects that. Whether a conviction followed is a separate question, answered by court records.
Juvenile arrest records are handled differently. Non-felony juvenile records are generally confidential and most are expunged when the individual turns 21, or 26 in some circumstances. Felony-level juvenile arrests, cases transferred to adult court, and cases where a juvenile was sentenced as an adult are available through FDLE in limited form.
How to Search Florida Arrest Records
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is the primary statewide source. FDLE's Criminal History Record Check system allows public searches by name and date of birth. The standard public search costs $24 with an additional $1 processing fee, payable by credit or debit card at the time of the request. This returns a statewide criminal history, including arrests and dispositions on file. FDLE can be reached at fdle.state.fl.us.
For a faster name-based check that does not require court documentation or fingerprints, the FDLE Instant Search is the most commonly used option. It pulls from the same statewide criminal history database. Certified and non-certified searches are also available through FDLE for situations that require official documentation, such as licensing or employment background checks. Those take up to one week to complete.
If you want to search without paying the FDLE fee, county-level resources are often free and faster for recent arrests. Each county in Florida maintains its own booking records and most sheriff's offices publish online arrest search portals updated daily or in near-real time. Searching the relevant county sheriff's website by name will usually return recent bookings, charges, bond status, and mugshots without any fee.
For a broader records search that pulls criminal history, civil records, and background data across multiple sources in one step, TruthFinder is a reliable third-party option used by families and individuals who need a more complete picture than a single-agency search provides. It is not an official government source, but it aggregates public record data across jurisdictions and is considerably faster than filing individual public records requests across multiple counties.
VINELink (vinelink.com) is the tool to use if your concern is tracking a specific individual's custody status in real time. VINE is a free, confidential notification service that lets you register to receive alerts when someone's status changes -- whether they are transferred, released, or re-arrested. It connects to both county jail and state prison systems.
County Jail Records in Florida
County jails are where most people land first after an arrest. Florida has 67 counties and each county sheriff operates its own jail and maintains its own public records system. If someone was arrested within the past 24 to 72 hours, the state FDLE or FDOC systems may not yet show anything. The county sheriff's roster is where you look first.
Most county sheriffs in Florida publish an online inmate search that is free and updated frequently. You can typically search by name, booking number, or date of birth. The result will show the facility, the charges as booked, bond amount, and current custody status. If you do not know which county the arrest occurred in, starting with TruthFinder or VINELink can help narrow the location before you start calling sheriff's offices individually.
When someone moves from county jail to state prison after sentencing, they leave the county system and enter the Florida Department of Corrections. At that point the FDOC Offender Search is the right tool. The FDOC database is free and searchable by name or DC number at the FDC's official site (fdc.myflorida.com). It shows the inmate's facility assignment, charges, sentence length, and projected release date.
Federal Arrests in Florida
Federal arrests in Florida are handled by U.S. Marshals, the DEA, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and other federal agencies. After sentencing, federally convicted individuals enter the Bureau of Prisons system rather than the FDOC.
The BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the official free tool for locating anyone serving a federal sentence. You can search by name or BOP register number. Federal court records are available through the PACER system (pacer.gov), which requires a registered account but allows you to pull case filings, charging documents, and sentencing information for any federal case.
Federal arrest records are not part of FDLE's criminal history database. If you are looking for someone arrested on federal charges in Florida, start with PACER for court records and the BOP locator if they have been sentenced and transferred to federal custody.
Arrest Records Versus Conviction Records
This is the question that comes up most often and causes the most confusion. An arrest record documents that law enforcement took someone into custody. A conviction record documents that a court found that person guilty. They are not the same thing, and Florida law does not automatically link them.
You can have an arrest record with no conviction. Charges get dropped, cases get dismissed, and juries acquit. In all of those situations the original arrest record still exists in the public database unless it is sealed or expunged. That arrest will still appear on an FDLE criminal history check and can still surface on third-party background checks.
An arrest record on its own does not indicate guilt. It indicates that at some point, a law enforcement officer had enough probable cause to make an arrest and that the person was booked. What happened in court afterward is what determines criminal liability.
A Note on Expungement and Sealing
Florida law gives eligible individuals the right to seal or expunge an arrest record under certain conditions. Expungement treats the arrest as if it never occurred -- expunged records are removed from the public database. Sealing hides the record from public access while it continues to exist within the system, visible only to specific law enforcement and government agencies.
Either path requires filing a petition with FDLE and the courts and meeting specific eligibility criteria. Not every arrest qualifies. If you have an arrest record in Florida and want to understand your options, that process is covered in depth in InmateAid's guides on sealing and expungement. Mugshot removal is a separate but related issue addressed there as well -- Florida Statute 901.43 makes it illegal for any website to charge a fee to remove a booking photograph, which is worth knowing if your photo has shown up on third-party sites.
Frequently asked questions
Are Florida arrest records public?
Yes. Under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, commonly called the Sunshine Law, arrest records are public records in Florida. Booking information, charges, mugshots, and arrest logs are available to anyone unless the record has been sealed or expunged by court order or falls under a specific statutory exemption such as active investigation materials or juvenile non-felony records.
How do I search Florida arrest records?
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement at fdle.state.fl.us offers the official statewide criminal history search for $24. For recent county-level arrests, search the relevant county sheriff's website directly, which is usually free. For faster multi-source results, TruthFinder aggregates public record data across jurisdictions. For real-time custody status, VINELink at vinelink.com provides free notification registration.
What does a Florida arrest record contain?
A Florida arrest record typically includes the person's full name, date of birth, physical description, the arresting agency, the date and location of the arrest, charges as filed at booking, booking number, bond amount, current custody status, and a booking photograph. The exact information available varies by agency.
Is an arrest record the same as a conviction?
No. An arrest record documents that someone was taken into custody. A conviction record reflects a court's finding of guilt. You can have an arrest record with no conviction if charges were dropped, the case was dismissed, or you were found not guilty. The arrest record remains in public databases regardless of the outcome unless it is sealed or expunged.
How do I find someone in a Florida county jail?
Search the sheriff's office website for the county where the arrest occurred. Most Florida counties offer a free online inmate roster searchable by name or booking number and updated frequently. If you do not know the county, VINELink at vinelink.com connects to county jails statewide and can help locate a specific person across multiple facilities.
Can I search federal arrest records in Florida?
Federal court records are available through PACER at pacer.gov. If the person has been sentenced and transferred to a federal facility, the BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the free official search tool. Federal arrests do not appear in FDLE's criminal history database, so an FDLE search will not surface them.
How long does an arrest stay on your record in Florida?
Florida does not have an automatic expiration date for adult arrest records. An arrest remains on your record indefinitely unless you successfully petition to have it sealed or expunged. Certain non-felony juvenile records are expunged automatically at age 21 or 26 depending on the circumstances.
Can a Florida arrest record be sealed or expunged?
Yes, under certain conditions. Expungement removes the record from public access as if the arrest did not occur. Sealing hides it from public searches while it remains visible to specific agencies. Eligibility depends on the charges, the outcome of the case, and your prior record. The process involves applying through FDLE and petitioning the court. Not every arrest qualifies for either option.
Why does my arrest record show no conviction?
An arrest record is created at the time of booking and reflects what law enforcement charged at that moment. If charges were later dropped, reduced, or resulted in an acquittal, the arrest record still exists unless it was sealed or expunged. Many people are surprised to find that their FDLE criminal history shows an arrest from years ago with no accompanying conviction -- that is working as designed under Florida law.
What is the FDLE and what records does it hold?
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is the state's central criminal justice information repository. Through its Division of Criminal Justice Information Services, FDLE maintains statewide criminal history records submitted by all Florida law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional facilities. This includes arrests, charges, dispositions, and conviction data for adult felony and misdemeanor cases. FDLE also maintains the sex offender and predator registry and the state's wanted persons database. ---
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