Florida Local Arrest Records

Public records in Florida are housed in the Sunshine State’s Vital Statistics Office which operates under the Department of Health. These include records of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths. Criminal and Local Arrest records in Florida, on the other hand, are maintained, updated, and kept by the State’s Department of Law Enforcement. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Division of Criminal Justice Information Services is the central repository for criminal history information for the state of Florida. In order to maintain the highest level of service, and to better meet the needs of criminal history record check customers, Florida’s legislature has implemented criminal history record check fees. The fee for public requests is $24. In addition to maintaining criminal history information, it is such agency’s responsibility to provide public access to such information when requested by any member of the public in need.In obtaining criminal history information on any individual in Florida, you can go to the Department of Law Enforcement directly, visit their website, or file a request through mail. When you go to such office, bring with you the processing payment. Additionally, their website proffers an online search for criminal records. This is a search of descriptive information and a positive identification can only be confirmed by fingerprint comparison. Know that the accuracy of the information you provide is critical since searches are based on the information you submit. To file a request via mail, you may simply send a letter or print out, complete and mail the criminal record request form provided on their web site and send it to the Department.The cost for criminal history information is $24.00 per request and is non-refundable. Make check or money order payable to Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Please include in your request a return address and the individual's name, any known aliases, date of birth or approximate age, race, sex and if available, social security number and last known address. Your check or money order for $24.00 per individual should accompany your request. This process takes approximately five business days excluding postal delivery time.Criminal history information is a record of serious arrests in Florida. When you request for the criminal record of an individual, your results will indicate whether the subject has or does not have a criminal record. If there is a record found for such person, a copy of the criminal history record along with your request will be forwarded to you. Bear in mind that unless a fingerprint card is submitted and a fingerprint comparison performed, it is impossible for such office to be sure if the record belongs to the individual you requested or if another individual has a similar name and identifiers. If no possible record is found in their repository, your request will be stamped in red ink, "Florida Department of Law Enforcement found no Florida criminal history based on the information provided. No criminal record check was conducted for other states or for the FBI."If you want to get a copy of arrest or criminal record fast, then do it online. Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement offers online search for criminal records for a fee of $24. Free public arrest records, on the other hand, are available through other independent online record providers. There’s nothing to fret about as these online service providers also have their own database which may contain the arrest or criminal history information you need about an individual you are investigating. Such records providers range from free to fee based. However, if you’re after the quality, then you’re better off with the one that charges a minimal fee but yields comprehensive and accurate results in an expedient and practical way.