Use the Right Florida Database Before Trusting an Arrest Result
A recent county booking, a police report, a court case and an FDLE criminal history are four different records. Searching only one can leave you with an outdated charge, the wrong person or no final outcome.
Start with the county where the person was actually booked. Save the booking number and arresting agency, search the county Clerk of Court for the disposition, and use FDLE only when you need a broader Florida criminal-history check.
RECENT BOOKING
CASE OUTCOME
STATE HISTORY
STATE PRISON
Search the county jail or booking portal first.
Search the county Clerk of Court criminal docket.
FDLE public searches currently cost $24.
FDLE Personal Review is available without an FDLE fee.
State procedures checked July 31, 2026.
Four Florida searches that should not be confused
Use the sheriff or county corrections search for current custody, booking date, booking number, charges, bond and release information.
Use the county Clerk of Court for filed charges, hearings, pleas, dismissals, judgments and sentences.
Use FDLE for a broader Florida criminal-history record, certified result, authorised ORI check or Personal Review.
Use Florida Department of Corrections for state-prison location, DC number, release information and correctional supervision.
Search the Florida county where the booking occurred
Use the arrest location to choose a Florida county
- Miami → Miami-Dade County
- Fort Lauderdale → Broward County
- West Palm Beach → Palm Beach County
- Florida Keys → Monroe County
- Naples → Collier County
- Orlando → Orange County
- Tampa → Hillsborough County
- St. Petersburg → Pinellas County
- Lakeland → Polk County
- Daytona Beach → Volusia County
- Jacksonville → Duval County
- Tallahassee → Leon County
- Pensacola → Escambia County
- Gainesville → Alachua County
- Fort Myers → Lee County
Understand what a Florida jail result proves—and what it does not
Booking field |
What it usually identifies |
What it does not prove |
Best next action |
|---|---|---|---|
Booking number |
One county jail intake event. |
That each booking charge became a filed court charge. |
Use it for jail, mail, visitation and report questions. |
Booking date |
When the person entered the booking process. |
The exact date or time of the alleged offense. |
Compare it with the incident report and filing date. |
Custody status |
Whether the local system currently lists the person as held or released. |
That the criminal case is over. |
Search the court docket. |
Arresting agency |
The sheriff, police department, FHP or other agency responsible for the arrest. |
That the jail owns the offense report. |
Request the narrative from that agency. |
Booking charge |
An allegation entered during arrest or intake. |
That the prosecutor filed or proved that offense. |
Find the complaint, information or indictment. |
Bond |
A release amount or condition attached to one charge or case. |
That payment clears every charge, warrant or hold. |
Confirm every active matter with the jail. |
Hold or detainer |
Another agency or legal matter that may affect release. |
The exact duration of continued custody. |
Ask which agency owns the hold. |
Release date |
When the displayed county custody event ended. |
Dismissal, acquittal or innocence. |
Find the final court disposition. |
Booking photograph |
A photograph created during booking. |
Guilt or identity without another matching field. |
Match the birth date and booking number. |
Why a recent Florida arrest may not appear
Search the county Clerk after finding the booking
Disposition |
Plain-language meaning |
Important caution |
|---|---|---|
No information filed |
The prosecutor did not file a formal charging document for that matter. |
The arrest record may still remain unless legally sealed or expunged. |
Nolle prosequi |
The prosecutor discontinued the prosecution of that charge. |
It does not automatically erase the arrest history. |
Dismissed |
The court ended the charge without a conviction on that count. |
Review every other count arising from the arrest. |
Adjudication withheld |
The court withheld a formal adjudication of guilt after the plea or finding. |
It is not the same as dismissal and can affect sealing eligibility. |
Adjudicated guilty |
The court entered a judgment of guilt. |
It can affect eligibility for court-ordered sealing or expungement. |
Acquitted |
The defendant was found not guilty at trial. |
The arrest can still appear until legally restricted. |
Choose the correct FDLE criminal-history search
Instant Search
Best when an immediate, non-certified public Florida criminal-history result is sufficient.
- Results are available online.
- Results can be printed or emailed.
- The result is not certified.
- Current fee: $24 per search.
- Current card-processing fee: $1.
Certified or non-certified staff search
Best when FDLE staff must complete the demographic search and mail the result.
- Current fee: $24.
- Non-certified processing is currently listed as five business days.
- Certified processing is currently listed as six to seven business days.
- Mail-delivery time is additional.
ORI-based search
Used when an authorised agency gives the applicant an Originating Agency Identifier.
- Obtain the ORI from the requesting employer, licensing body or agency.
- FDLE does not choose or issue the ORI for the applicant.
- The fee depends on the statute and requesting entity.
- Results go to the authorised recipient.
Personal Review
Used by a person or designated attorney to inspect that person’s own Florida history for accuracy.
- No FDLE fee is assessed.
- Fingerprints are required.
- It cannot be ordered to investigate another person.
- It supports an accuracy challenge.
Use FDLE Personal Review before disputing your Florida history
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Post Office Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1489
Attn: Criminal History Record Maintenance Section
Personal Review and challenge questions: 850-410-7898
Email: chrm@fdle.state.fl.us
Request the narrative from the agency that created it
Document |
Likely record holder |
What it may show |
Useful identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
Booking record |
County jail, sheriff or corrections department |
Intake, custody, charges, bond, housing and release. |
Booking number. |
Offense or incident report |
Arresting police, sheriff, FHP or state agency |
Reported event, parties, officer narrative and investigative details. |
Agency report number. |
Arrest affidavit |
Arresting agency, jail or Clerk depending on local process |
Probable-cause allegations and arrest circumstances. |
Arrest date and court case number. |
Charging document |
County Clerk of Court |
The charge formally filed by the prosecutor. |
Criminal case number. |
Certified disposition |
County Clerk of Court |
How the charge ended. |
Case number and defendant name. |
Use FDLE as a starting point—not final warrant confirmation
Use FDC only after county jail is no longer the right system
Search the county jail when
- The arrest happened recently.
- The criminal case is pending.
- The person is awaiting first appearance or trial.
- The person is serving a county-jail sentence.
- You need a local booking number or bond.
Search Florida Department of Corrections when
- The person entered state-prison custody.
- You have a Florida DC number.
- You need a state institution or release projection.
- The person is under state correctional supervision.
- A county result indicates a state transfer.
What to do after finding the person in a Florida jail
Save the facility, housing unit, booking number and custody status. Recheck them before travelling.
One charge may have a bond while another charge or hold prevents release.
Use the case number or defendant name to locate the first appearance, bond order and next setting.
Confirm visitor registration, appointment rules, identification, dress code, arrival time and parking.
Many Florida jails use scanning centres or postcard-only systems. Never reuse an address from another county.
Use the jail’s current official link and the correct booking identifier before paying.
Check the current phone provider, account type, number restrictions and refund policy.
Ordinary jail calls, messages and social visits may be monitored or recorded.
Ask about the release exit, property pickup, transportation, medication and post-release court date.
Verify the release condition before contacting a bail company
Find legal help without relying on an unsolicited jail call
Court-appointed representation
A defendant who cannot afford private counsel can request appointed representation through the criminal court process.
- The court determines financial eligibility.
- Check the docket for the appointed lawyer’s name.
- Have the booking number, case number, court and next hearing ready.
- A family member cannot independently appoint the Public Defender.
Private criminal lawyer
Use The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service or verify the lawyer in The Florida Bar directory.
- Ask about experience with the county and charge type.
- Confirm the lawyer is eligible to practise.
- Request a written fee agreement.
- Discuss fees and payment plans before hiring.
Phone: 800-342-8011
Telephone hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Online referral requests are available at any time.
The currently published initial consultation is up to 30 minutes for no more than $25.
Use the notification system that matches the custody level
Ask the county jail, State Attorney’s victim advocate or local VINE service about release and court notifications.
County services and registration methods differ.
FDC Victim Services accepts eligible notification requests involving state inmates and supervision.
FDC notification can address release, transfer, escape, death and out-to-court movement.
Assistance: 877-884-2846
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern
VINE inmate information: 877-846-3435, 24 hours a day
Understand the steps before applying to seal or expunge
Court-ordered sealing
The public generally loses access to an eligible sealed record, but authorised governmental and related entities may retain access under Florida law.
Court-ordered expungement
Most agencies that could access a sealed record are informed that an expunged record exists but generally require a court order to inspect it.
Post Office Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1489
Phone: 850-410-7870
Email: SEinfo@fdle.state.fl.us
Florida criminal-record and inmate-search contacts
Public Florida criminal-history search questions.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2500
Tallahassee, FL 32312
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
State correctional custody notifications.
Errors that create the wrong answer
A county booking portal is usually faster for a recent jail intake.
The booking may be held in the county where the arrest occurred or where the person was transported.
The arresting agency normally owns the officer narrative.
The prosecutor can file a different charge or decline prosecution.
One dismissed count does not resolve every charge in the case.
The history may remain public until it is legally sealed or expunged.
Transfers can change the deposit provider and identification number.
Check the Florida Department of Financial Services licence record first.
Ordinary calls, messages and social visits may be monitored or recorded.
Florida arrest and criminal-record questions answered
How do I search Florida arrest records?
For a recent arrest, search the official jail or booking database for the Florida county where the person was booked. Use the person’s full name, date of birth and approximate arrest date. Save the booking number, arresting agency, charges and bond information, then search that county’s Clerk of Court criminal records to verify the filed charges and final disposition.
Is there one free statewide Florida jail inmate database?
No single public database contains every current county jail booking in Florida. Recent arrests and county custody are generally searched through the sheriff or county corrections department where the booking occurred. Florida Department of Corrections inmate search is for state prison and state supervision records, not most newly booked county jail inmates.
How much does an FDLE Florida criminal history search cost?
FDLE currently lists a fee of $24 for a public Florida criminal history search. An Instant Search also carries a $1 credit card processing fee. Certified and non-certified staff searches cost $24. Confirm the current price on the official FDLE page before paying.
What is the difference between a Florida arrest record and a criminal court record?
An arrest or booking record documents custody and the allegations recorded during intake. A criminal court record shows the charge filed by the prosecutor, hearings, court orders, pleas, dismissal, judgment and sentence. An arrest does not prove conviction, so both records should be checked.
Why can I not find a recent Florida arrest online?
The person may still be processing, may have been released quickly, may be listed under another spelling, may have received a notice to appear, or may have been booked in a different county. Search the surname with a date of birth, check recent-release options, search the county Clerk of Court and contact the booking facility when necessary.
How do I request a Florida arrest or police report?
Identify the law-enforcement agency that created the report. Submit a specific public-record request to that sheriff, police department or state agency using the incident number, arrest date, location, names and report type. The county jail may hold the booking record but not the arresting officer’s narrative.
How do I search for a Florida warrant?
Use the FDLE Wanted Persons Search as a statewide starting point, then verify the result with the reporting agency or county court. FDLE warns that the public search is not confirmation that a warrant remains active and should not be used as a reason to confront or detain anyone.
How do I find someone in a Florida state prison?
Use the Florida Department of Corrections inmate search for people in state prison or under state correctional supervision. Search with the person’s name or DC number. A person recently arrested and awaiting trial will normally remain in a county jail search rather than the state prison database.
How do I correct an inaccurate Florida criminal history record?
Request a free FDLE Personal Review of your own Florida criminal history, compare it with certified court dispositions and identify the agency that submitted the incorrect information. Challenge the inaccurate entry through FDLE and the contributing agency. A correction fixes inaccurate data and is different from sealing or expungement.
Can a Florida arrest record be sealed or expunged?
Some Florida records qualify for court-ordered sealing or expungement. The process generally begins with an FDLE Certificate of Eligibility application, certified dispositions, fingerprints and a nonrefundable $75 fee. A certificate does not clear the record by itself; the petition must still be filed in the court with jurisdiction over the arrest.