How to Look Up Anyone's Criminal Record in Florida for Free

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Florida is one of the most transparent states in the country when it comes to public records. Thanks to the Florida Sunshine Law, a wide range of court records, arrest histories, business filings, and property records are available to anyone — for free — through official government databases. You don't need to hire a background check company or pay a third-party service.

Whether you're vetting a contractor, a landlord, a potential business partner, or someone you met online, here is every resource you need and exactly how to use it.

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1. Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) — Statewide Criminal History

The FDLE maintains a statewide database of Florida criminal history records. You can search by name and see arrests, charges, and dispositions across all Florida counties.

• Website: search.flhsmv.gov / fdle.state.fl.us
• What you get: Arrest records, charges filed, conviction status, and case numbers for Florida offenses
• Cost: Free for basic name searches. Certified background checks require a small fee and are used for employment purposes.
• Tip: Search by full legal name and try variations — middle names, Jr./Sr., and common misspellings all matter.

2. Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts — County Court Records

For the most detailed case-level information in Miami-Dade County, go straight to the Clerk of Courts. This covers civil cases, criminal cases, traffic violations, evictions, small claims filings, and more.

• Website: mdcclerk.com (then select "Online Services" → "Case Search")
• What you get: Full case history including charges, hearing dates, outcomes, fines, probation, and active warrants
• Also covers: Civil court filings — including judgments against someone, which shows if others have already sued them and won
• Tip: Search both criminal AND civil records. A scammer may have a clean criminal record but a long trail of civil judgments from victims who sued them in Small Claims Court.

3. Florida Sex Offender Registry

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement maintains a public sex offender and predator registry, searchable by name or address.

• Website: offender.fdle.state.fl.us
• What you get: Registered offender status, offense history, current address on file, photo
• Tip: This is especially important when vetting someone you met online, a babysitter, a roommate, or anyone who will be around children.

4. Florida Division of Corporations — Business Records (Sunbiz)

Before you do business with anyone operating under an LLC, corporation, or business name, verify it here. This is one of the most important lookups you can do.

• Website: search.sunbiz.org
• What you get: Business name, formation date, current status (Active/Inactive/Dissolved), registered agent name and address, officers and directors
• Red flags to look for: Formed very recently, listed as Inactive or Dissolved, registered agent is a third-party service with no real address, officers match known scammer names
• Tip: Search the person's full name, not just the business name — they may appear as an officer or registered agent of multiple entities, including ones that were dissolved after complaints.

5. Miami-Dade Property Appraiser — Property Ownership

If someone claims to own or manage a property, verify it here before you sign anything or hand over money.

• Website: propertysearch.miamidade.gov
• What you get: Current owner name, mailing address, property value, tax status, and ownership history
• Tip: If the person collecting rent is not the owner listed here — and there's no documented management agreement — that is a serious warning sign. See our rental scams guide for the full picture.

6. Federal Court Records — PACER

For federal-level cases — bankruptcy, federal fraud charges, federal civil lawsuits — you need the federal court system's database.

• Website: pacer.gov
• What you get: Federal criminal and civil case records nationwide, including bankruptcy filings
• Cost: Free to register. Viewing documents costs $0.10 per page, but case summaries are free. Bankruptcy records are especially useful — they reveal full financial history, debts, and creditors.
• Tip: A bankruptcy filing doesn't mean someone is a scammer, but multiple bankruptcies or a bankruptcy filed shortly after taking payments from clients is a significant red flag.

7. Florida Driver License / Vehicle Records — DHSMV

Florida driver's license and vehicle registration records have restricted access, but you can verify a person's identity using their license number if they provide it.

• Website: flhsmv.gov
• What you get: License status, vehicle registration by plate number (limited public access)
• Tip: When someone shows you their ID, you can verify the license number and check for suspensions or revocations.

8. Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — License Verification

Anyone in Florida who claims to be a licensed contractor, real estate agent, home inspector, electrician, plumber, or other regulated professional must be licensed through the DBPR. Verify before you hire.

• Website: myfloridalicense.com (under "Verify a License")
• What you get: License number, issue date, expiration, current status, and any disciplinary actions taken against the licensee
• Tip: An unlicensed contractor performing work in Florida is committing a crime and has no legal standing to enforce a contract. If they can't show you a DBPR license, don't pay them.

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What These Searches Won't Show You

Florida's public records are powerful, but they have gaps. Arrests that were expunged or sealed won't appear. Out-of-state offenses won't show up on Florida databases — someone with a serious record in Georgia or New York may come up clean here. Federal cases are on a separate system. And someone who has scammed people but never been formally charged will have a clean record entirely.

That's why community-based resources like MiamiScammers.com matter. Criminal records show you the past the legal system caught. Reports from real victims show you the patterns the system missed.