Florida Arrest Warrants & Criminal Records Search

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The Truth About Florida Arrest Warrants

The state of Florida issues thousands of outstanding warrants each year ranging from minor traffic infractions to DUI's, criminal arrests, distribution of narcotics, assault and battery charges, property crime, sexual assault, theft crimes, homicide and more. Over the years, this system to apprehend criminals has proven effective by the steady decrease of total crimes in the state since 1992. Despite the decrease, the crime rate in Florida is still well above the national average.

It's important to mention that arrest warrants DO NOT expire. If you have a warrant in your name, the warrant stays with you indefinitely until the warrant is served with an arrest, a sentence, payment of fines, the suspect dies before the warrant has been resolved, or you're able to legally remove it from your file. Having an active warrant means that you can be apprehended at any time or anywhere, especially if you come into contact with the law for any other reason. That's why it's crucial you find out if a warrant in your name exists so you can address any warrants in a timely manner to avoid further fines and penalties.

If you think you may have an outstanding warrant in the state of Florida you need to find out for sure. Start by typing your name in the search box above and you're on your way to getting the answer within seconds. FloridaWarrant.org's search system is fast, easy, and convenient. You can search in Florida or any other U.S. state once you become a member. All searches are confidential and backed by our satisfaction guarantee.

Once you determine that you have an outstanding warrant you will want to go through the necessary steps to resolve it. One way to deal with a warrant is to contact the clerk magistrate's office where the record resides. You can do this yourself if the warrant is not too serious in nature by paying outstanding fines or scheduling a court appearance. If the warrant is more serious or criminal in nature, it’s best to contact an attorney on your behalf; preferably one that specializes in criminal matters


Searching Warrants and Arrest Records in Florida

If you wish to obtain a criminal record history on any citizen in Florida, the Division of Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS), which falls under the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), is the central repository for criminal history information in Florida. The department is responsible for maintaining criminal history information and to provide citizens access to public records upon request. Their website contains Florida warrant information as reported to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and offers multiple resources to search warrants and criminal records throughout the state. Please note, there is a fee to obtain a criminal history record. The state's legislature has imposed a $24 charge for each criminal history search.

To conduct a Florida criminal record search the FDLE offers an online Computerized Criminal History (CCH) search tool. Their database includes criminal history information solely for the state of Florida and records are updated continuously for the most current and accurate information. Note that records which have been expunged or sealed will not show up in their database. The exception to this is juvenile criminal records that have not been sealed. Those types of records will be searchable if the individual was arrested for an offense that would be considered a felony if the subject had committed the same crime as an adult.

As mentioned above, there is a charge of $24 for each name searched, regardless of what the search results yield. When running a search a list of possible profiles that fit the search criteria you entered will be provided. It's the users responsibility to determine if any of the profiles match the person they're searching for. The accuracy of the information you provide is critical to getting correct results so be sure to fill out the form as completely as possible. You will be prompted to set up an account with your address and email information before gaining access to the search page. Your search results will be displayed on your browser or can be emailed to the email address you provide. Note, that any search results will not be mailed to you. All results are electronic only.

If you're searching for information on wanted persons, missing persons, or stolen property, the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIS) is the place to go. Their online sources are provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as reported by law enforcement agencies state wide and is updated every 24 hours. The main goal of the FCIS is to allow the public to assist law enforcement agencies with ongoing investigations. From their link you can search for wanted persons, missing persons, stolen vehicles, stolen license plates, stolen guns, and more. There is some restriction on what records are available for public view. If you have trouble finding records using their search tool it doesn't mean one doesn't exist.


Florida Arrest Warrants

If you have a warrant in your name in Florida, know that law enforcement agencies in the state have access to all current warrants. If you come into contact with the law for any other reason, that warrant will show up in your name and they will have no other choice but to arrest you. Once you have been convicted of a crime then you have what is called a criminal or arrest record in your name. Any time you apply for a job, an apartment or any other circumstance that a background check may be requested, that criminal record will show up. It's important to know what your personal background history says about you so you can be informed and prepared as to how it may effect your chances of getting a job, a place of residence, security clearance, etc.

For the convenience of it's citizens, the FDLE published a FAQ of questions and answers to assist you in accessing and handling warrant and criminal records in Florida. It provides information on a range of topics from sealing and expunging records to clemency and pardons. Since the information is provided by the government of Florida, it's valuable information for anyone with a criminal record in the state.


Sealing and Expunging a Criminal History Record

Sealing and expunging records has a direct effect on who can view them. Having a criminal record sealed means the record will not be available for public view. However, certain government agencies may gain access to sealed records if necessary. Once a record has been expunged, these same agencies won't have access to expunged records unless they obtain a court order first to do so. In Florida, not all records can be sealed or expunged. If you're not sure how to get a record removed from your file, the best thing you can do is hire a criminal lawyer to help you in removing any record. A lawyer will be knowledgeable in which records are able to be sealed or expunged and can assist you in doing do effectively and legally.

To petition the court for the sealing or expungement of a criminal history record, Florida statues require a Certificate of Eligibility. Fill out this form very carefully making sure to include your name, race, sex, date of birth, social security number, and signature. If any part of the from is missing the application will not be processed. Section A of the application must be completed and signed in the presence of a notary public and stamped by the notary. The person requesting the sealing or expungement must be fingerprinted by an authorized law enforcement agency. There is a NONREFUNDABLE fee of $75 for all requests. Please note that the FDLE only accepts money orders or cashier's checks as forms of payment. If you are requesting to expunge a criminal record, section B needs to be completed as well. The State Attorney or State Prosecutor with jurisdiction over your case will be the one responsible for filling out that section of the form. If you fail to get Section B completed, your application won't be processed as an expungement and the record will be eligible for sealing only. If you need to contact the FDLE in regards to any request the number to call is 850-410-7870.

Mail your complete form to:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement

ATTN: Expunge/Seal Section

P.O. Box 1489

Tallahassee, Florida 32302-1489

To get a criminal record sealed or expunged, refer to the Florida Statutes, s.943.0585 and s.943.059, which outline the necessary criteria needed to seal or expunge an adult criminal history record successfully. It could take up to 90 days to receive the Certificate of Eligibility. Note, if you are granted a Certificate of Eligibility it does not necessarily mean the criminal record will be removed from your personal file. You are only eligible at this point for an expungement or sealing. Whether or not that happens will be determined by the justice system.


Florida's Criminal Punishment Code

Florida utilizes a Criminal Punishment Code (CPC) which is a scoring system that determines the minimum allowable sentence for a felony crime. This is established by assigning a number between 1 and 10 to every case depending on the seriousness of the crime. The more serious the crime, the higher the number. The point value for all crimes associated with a person are combined for a total to determine a person's sentence and risk to society. If the number equals more than 44, the person faces a mandatory prison sentence. If the number is less than 44, the person is eligible for probation or a length of community service. To determine a person's score, crimes are designated as a primary offense, additional offense(s), and prior record at sentencing.

The primary offense is the crime with the highest offense level. If two crimes have the same offense level, only one will be designated as the primary offense and the other will be placed as an additional offense. All past criminal history is placed under prior records. The offenses are then placed on the CPC scoresheet and the amount of points assigned is determined by the total sum of the primary offense, additional offenses, and any prior records.

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About Your Privacy. When using our search system you can be assured that all of your searches are confidential and your information will remain private. All searches are guaranteed to be safe, confidential, and secure. FloridaWarant.org is NOT a consumer reporting agency as defined under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"). Please see our privacy link below.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)

2331 Phillips Road

Tallahassee, FL 32308

Phone: 850-410-7000

Post Office Box 1489

Tallahassee, Florida 32302-1489

Search Wanted Persons in Florida

Florida Sex Offenders

Career Offender Search


Sex Offenders

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement posts a site with the most dangerous sex offenders and criminals in the state. The information on their site has been reported directly to the FDLE by the Florida Department of Corrections, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, as well as other law enforcement officials in the state.

You can search for sexual predators in various ways from their site, by conducting a neighborhood search, university search, or searching email addresses of registered sex offenders. You can use information in a search to become knowledgeable of the possible presence of sex offenders in your community or school district.

You can also subscribe to an offender email alert provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Sheriffs Association, and the Florida Police Chiefs Association. Once you do, you will have the option to receive alerts on the status of any registered sex offender in Florida.

If you have questions about sexual offenders or predator registration there is an FAQ provided by the FDLE that will answer many questions you may have.

Career Offenders

To protect and educate citizens, the FDLE requires some of the most dangerous convicted felons in the state of Florida to register their address with the state registry. This is due to the Florida Career Offender Registration Act. Registration is not a punishment for offenders, but a means for law enforcement to know the location of career offenders, if they do in fact commit additional crimes.

If a career offender does not register their residence, they will be charged with a third degree felony. Florida defines career offender as an individual who is a habitual violent felony offender, a violent career criminal, or one who has committed three violent felonies. You can call the FDLE Career Offender Unit for more information on Career Offenders or registration. There number is 1-850-410-8780. Because these repeat offenders pose a threat to society, the status of these individuals is made available to the public for their safety. Law enforcement has the authority to inform the public of the presence of a career offender in their community. The sheriff or the chief of police will determine how to disseminate this information to it's citizens.